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Maryland woman joins lawsuit against TikTok ban

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Maryland woman joins lawsuit against TikTok ban


A Maryland woman is among eight content creators who have joined a lawsuit suing the U.S. government, arguing that a new law forcing the sale or ban of the app TikTok violates their First Amendment rights.

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Talia Cadet of Capitol Heights, Maryland joined TikTok in March 2020. It wasn’t until 2021 and 2022 when she began creating and posting content on the platform. 

Cadet’s account has amassed nearly 130,000 followers. Her content includes books, Black-owned businesses, and other DMV-related topics.

“On TikTok, there’s just something really different about that platform, where my content took off. Now, I’m a user and content creator on the platform,” Cadet told FOX 5. “I think storytelling is one of the most distinctive features about TikTok. I think another thing people love about TikTok is they have really perfected the algorithm, the ability to curate your own algorithm and see the kind of content you want to see.”

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According to the 33-page complaint filed this week, the law is “unconstitutionally overboard” as it “bans an entire medium of communication and all the speech communicated through that medium, even though, at the very least, the vast majority of that speech is protected.”

It was filed about a week after TikTok filed its own lawsuit against the federal government, also citing constitutional concerns over free speech.

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“Other than the threats to our livelihood and the communities we built, and we fostered, I think what’s really scary is what is a violation of our First Amendment rights. That’s the concerning part,” Cadet said. “The government is essentially telling us what platform we can use, how and with whom we can communicate.”

The law, formally known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, was signed by President Biden in April. 

There was bipartisan support behind the move to ban the app from the U.S. market if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, does not divest it. 

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Those who supported the legislation have long expressed concerns that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over data on the roughly 170 million Americans who use TikTok – a concern stemming from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering.

The eight content creators who are a part of the latest lawsuit filed this week in a U.S. Court of Appeals court in D.C., represent different backgrounds in terms of content and home states.

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Michael Carroll, a professor of law at American University, said there is some validity to the plaintiff’s claims.

“When we think about this lawsuit, it’s a bit derivative, right? The law is directed at TikTok’s ownership structure, but it does have the consequences of…if you don’t change that ownership structure, then the app will become unavailable,” Carroll said. “A lot of the claim is, you’re really targeting our speech. It’s only on TikTok we can effectively communicate. We have tried Facebook, and Instagram, our followers are much, much more fewer.”

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Carroll said while there is no definitive deadline for the court to respond, the court likely recognizes there is attention on this topic. He told FOX 5, there could be some elements of urgency under consideration.

In a statement Friday, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said the legislation addresses national security in a manner that is consistent with the First Amendment. The DOJ looks forward to defending the legislation in court, a statement read in part.

“Alongside others in our intelligence community and in Congress, the Justice Department has consistently warned about the threat of autocratic nations who can weaponize technology – such as the apps and software that run on our phones – to use against us. This threat is compounded because those autocratic nations regularly force companies under their control to turn over sensitive data to the government in secret,” a statement to FOX 5 read.

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Check out the full lawsuit below: 



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Around Town: Maryland Home and Garden Show returns to the State Fairgrounds

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Around Town: Maryland Home and Garden Show returns to the State Fairgrounds




Around Town: Maryland Home and Garden Show returns to the State Fairgrounds – CBS Baltimore

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The Maryland Home and Garden Show returns to the State Fairgrounds.

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No. 6-seed Maryland women’s basketball stunned by No. 11-seed Oregon, 73-68, in Big Ten Tournament second round

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No. 6-seed Maryland women’s basketball stunned by No. 11-seed Oregon, 73-68, in Big Ten Tournament second round


No. 6-seed Maryland women’s basketball had a chance to earn the final shot Thursday night.

Oluchi Okananwa drew an and-one opportunity to potentially cut the deficit to one point. But she missed the free throw.

No. 11-seed Oregon went the other way and head coach Brenda Frese decided not to foul. With 4.4 seconds remaining, guard Avary Cain knocked down a 3-pointer to end Maryland’s run in the Big Ten Tournament after just one game with a 73-68 loss in Indianapolis.

“It felt like deja vu,” Frese said.

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Just like the last time it faced Oregon — in College Park in late January — Maryland led by a slim margin heading into the fourth quarter.

That night, the Terps were outscored 24-11 in the fourth. It was 21-11 in favor of Oregon on Thursday.

“They just made a few more plays than we did late game that sent us home,” Frese said.

Maryland’s offense didn’t come through when it needed it most — it made just one 3-pointer on 15 attempts on the night.

The Terps relied on interior scoring in the first half. Of its first 23 points, 22 came from inside the paint — the only other score was a free throw. The game finished with Maryland scoring 48 points in the paint. The other 15 points came from free throws.

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But that was too one-dimensional offensively. The Terps attempted 21 layups and seven 3-pointers in the first half. It finished with 33 layups and 16 3-pointers, and made 20 layups compared to one 3-pointer.

As the first half progressed, Oregon adjusted to take away that gameplan. The second quarter started with an 11-2 Ducks run — they simply found more ways to score. Maryland could not find scoring outside of the paint or the charity stripe — its only 3-pointer came with 1:50 remained in the first half.

The Ducks weren’t dominating from deep, either; the game consisted mostly of back-and-forth layups. Still, the lack of success from beyond the arc was relatively uncharted territory for head coach Brenda Frese.

Early on, the Terps were overly cautious in avoiding foul trouble. But it backfired.

Oluchi Okananwa started the game on 3-of-3 shooting and scored six of Maryland’s first eight points. She has dealt with foul trouble in recent games. So Frese opted to have her sit for the remaining six minutes of the first quarter after committing a foul.

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But amid the intention to avoid foul trouble, Yarden Garzon committed two quick fouls early in the second quarter.

The referees continued to call a tight game in the third quarter. Okananwa got up to three fouls, and so did Isi Ozzy-Momodu. The Terps were in the exact position they were looking to avoid.

Due to its cautiousness regarding foul trouble, Maryland’s rotations were altered. Breanna Williams had some extended playing time — though it started out well, it turned sour quickly. She made an early layup, but also had some defensive lapses and looked largely out of place.

Maryland relied on its freshmen for 35 collective minutes in the first half. They were impactful, but not as much as its senior leadership, which was hampered by foul trouble.

Okananwa finished with 27 points and was Maryland’s main workhorse. It didn’t end up being enough, but her ability to drive inside gave her team a fighting chance.

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“Just be aggressive. Be my normal self. A lot of good things happen for me when I drive,” Okananwa said. “Whether it’s me getting to the line or finishing the bucket. So that was my mentality. Just be aggressive.”

With a loss in the first game of the Big Ten Tournament, what seemed like a sure thing that Maryland would host NCAA Tournament games now looks in jeopardy.

1. A shocking loss. Since joining the Big Ten, this is the first time Maryland failed to reach the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament. Last year, the Terps lost their first game but had a double-bye; this was their worst outing ever in the Big Ten Tournament.

2. What now? With the Terps’ run in Indianapolis now over, they will wait to see if they will host in the NCAA Tournament. Maryland was not the only Big Ten team slated to host that lost on Thursday — Michigan State did too. It remains to be seen what that means for the Terps.

“It shouldn’t be judged off of one game, and I think our conference prepares you night in and night out,” Frese said. “I think you should be rewarded for your body of work.”

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3. Garzon’s bad game. Maryland needed more from Garzon on Thursday and simply didn’t get it, as she shot 1-of-11 from the field and 1-of-9 from deep. If she made one or two of those shots, there’s a good chance Maryland would have won.



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Maryland AG Brown announces $1.99M settlement with LifeBridge Health over hospital fees

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Maryland AG Brown announces .99M settlement with LifeBridge Health over hospital fees


Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown announced Thursday that his office has reached a settlement with LifeBridge Health, Inc. that will provide nearly $2 million in restitution to certain patients who paid outpatient facility fees before new state notice requirements took effect.

AG Brown said the Consumer Protection Division entered into a settlement agreement with LifeBridge concerning hospital fees known as outpatient facility fees that were charged prior to July 1, 2021, when the Facility Fee Right-to-Know Act took effect and established standards for notices about such fees.

The Consumer Protection Division alleged that consumers were not adequately informed they would be subject to the facility fees. LifeBridge denied that patients had been inadequately informed, but agreed to pay $1,985,198.90 in restitution.

ALSO READ | Maryland families ‘can’t even imagine’ impact of Gov. Moore’s disability funding cuts

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The restitution is for patients who paid out-of-pocket for fees charged by certain LifeBridge hospital clinics for clinic services received before July 1, 2021, when those services also were available at a non-hospital facility owned or operated by a LifeBridge affiliate where the consumer would not have incurred a facility fee.

Eligible patients should expect to receive a refund check from LifeBridge over the next six months, according to AG office.

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Consumers with questions about the settlement can call 410-576-6571.

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