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Texas universities' graduation ceremonies will go on as planned

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Texas universities' graduation ceremonies will go on as planned


While some major universities are canceling graduation commencements or scaling them back, Texas universities plan to go on with graduation as planned.

UT Austin also updated its security policy for this weekend’s commencement. Hecklers will be removed, and any kind of protest on the campus will be blocked.

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Ut Austin President Jay Hartzell referenced that the 2024 graduates had their high school graduation canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. 

Many reached out for assurance that graduation will go on as planned. Hartzell confirmed it will happen while adding the university will be ready to ensure everyone will be protected. 

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Wednesday, Hartzell sent out a video message to the nearly 11,000 graduates and anyone attending this week’s graduation.

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“Graduates we will have no tolerance for any disruption for your special and hard-earned achievement,” he said.

The university-wide commencement takes place at the football stadium on Saturday evening after all the college-specific convocations. 

Hartzell confirms all ceremonies will go on as planned while referencing the recent protests, encampments and arrests on campus. 

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“There are devastating world events that continue to dominate our attention and energy. People continue to express themselves in different and personal and heartfelt ways,” he said. “We support them and have supported them each and every time when the intent is to use our campus as a platform to lawfully protest and have their expressions heard.”

More than 100 people have been arrested on the Austin campus in the past two weeks.

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On April 29, protesters created a surprise encampment, causing police and DPS troopers to step in. 

According to UT Austin’s commencement conduct guidelines, heckling speakers who cause any disruption will be removed. 

Also, attendees, graduates and outside demonstrations cannot block entrances, exits or pathways in and around campus.

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In North Texas, UT Arlington confirms to FOX 4 that its Friday commencement is also on. It says its ceremonies are ticketed and secure events held at Globe Life Field. 

 A week ago, a small group of protesters complied with university guidelines by calling their demonstration an informal encampment. 

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Graduation will also continue at UNT, where a peaceful protest was held on the Denton campus for a few hours. 

FOX 4 reached out to UT Dallas multiple times for commencement specifics, but we did not hear back. But online, their commencement schedule is still posted as planned. 



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Texas sues Netflix for allegedly spying on kids, addicting users

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Texas sues Netflix for allegedly spying on kids, addicting users


Netflix was sued Monday (May 11) by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused the streaming company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent, and designing its platform to be addictive. Ram Nabong reports.



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Texas sues Netflix, alleges platform spied on kids and collected data

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Texas sues Netflix, alleges platform spied on kids and collected data


The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday, accusing the company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent and designing the platform to be addictive.

Texas claims that Netflix has falsely represented to consumers that it didn’t collect or share user data while it actually tracked and sold viewers’ habits and preferences to commercial data brokers and advertising technology companies.

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The lawsuit, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claims that “Netflix’s endgame is simple and lucrative: get children and families glued to the screen, harvest their data while they are stuck there, and then monetize the data for a handsome profit.”

The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday. (Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“When you watch Netflix, Netflix watched you,” Texas added in the lawsuit.

NETFLIX CO-FOUNDER REED HASTINGS TO STEP DOWN, DEPARTURE IS ‘SPOOKING INVESTORS’

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NFLX NETFLIX INC. 85.39 -2.10 -2.40%

The complaint quotes comments made by former CEO Reed Hastings who said in 2020, while he was still leading the streaming company, that “we don’t collect anything,” amid questions over Big Tech companies’ data collection practices.

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Netflix was also accused of quietly using “dark patterns” to keep users watching on its platform, such as an autoplay feature that starts a new show after a different show ends.

NETFLIX RAISES SUBSCRIPTION PRICES ACROSS ALL PLANS

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)

Paxton said in a press release that Netflix “has built a surveillance program designed to illegally collect and profit from Texans’ personal data without their consent, and my office will do everything in our power to stop it.”

The attorney general said he’s charging Netflix under the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act and seeks to require Netflix to stop the unlawful collection and disclosure of user data, require Netflix to disable autoplay by default on kid’s profiles, and to secure injunctive relief and civil penalties.

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FOX Business reached out to Netflix for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.



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6 people found dead inside a boxcar in Texas, officials say | CNN

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6 people found dead inside a boxcar in Texas, officials say | CNN


Six people were found dead inside a cargo train boxcar in a Texas city along the southern border on Sunday, officials said.

The bodies were found in a Union Pacific train at a rail yard in Laredo, around 160 miles south of San Antonio, just after 3:30 p.m. local time, said Jose Espinoza, a public information officer with the Laredo Police Department.

The circumstances of their deaths are unknown, said Laredo police spokesperson Joe Baeza, according to CNN affiliate KGNS, and an investigation is underway.

Union Pacific operates across the border and is the only railroad that services all access points into Mexico, according to the freight company’s website.

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Temperatures on Sunday afternoon in Laredo were in the low-mid 90s, though it’s unclear whether heat was a factor.

Union Pacific said it was saddened by the incident and is working closely with law enforcement to investigate.

Laredo police said they received a call around 3 p.m. from an employee at the Union Pacific rail yard, KGNS reported. The bodies were discovered during a routine rail car inspection, police said. No survivors were found.

CNN has reached out to Laredo police for more information.

“It’s a very early phase of the investigation. There’s not a lot to reveal right now,” Baeza said, KGNS reported.

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The immigration status and ages of the deceased are not yet known, Espinoza said.

US Customs and Border Protection referred CNN to the Laredo Police Department, saying “The incident remains under investigation by Laredo Police Department and Homeland Security Investigation and Texas Rangers.”

CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, HSI and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

“It’s a very unfortunate event,” Espinoza told CNN. “It was too many lives that were lost.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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