MAP Forum

ST. LOUIS (CN) — An Eighth Circuit judge compared a Missouri law requiring sex offenders to post signs on Halloween saying they don’t have candy to a North Dakota law requiring landowners to post signs warning if there is quicksand on their property during a hearing Tuesday challenging the sign law’s constitutionality.

“In North Dakota, if there is quicksand, we’re required to post it,” U.S. Circuit Judge Ralph R. Erickson, a Donald Trump appointee, said during the 30-minute hearing. “Obviously the cattle don’t understand it’s quicksand. But you know, in theory, somebody wandering up, they see it’s there, and no one has ever asserted that that’s being too compelled (of speech).”

The analogy hit at the heart of the arguments as Missouri attempted to revive the sign requirement after a lower court blocked it last October, stating that it violated the First Amendment guarantee of speech by compelling sex offenders to post the sign on their private property.

“We were certainly not trying to do anything wrong,” Potter said. “The thing about a Sunday, schools are not even meeting on Sunday, daycares are not in business on Sunday. There were no kids involved. These are adults, bringing their car up to do a car wash.”

Deputies said they’ve warned Potter about having sex offenders help with the car wash. However, Potter said the sheriff’s office only told him they cannot work full-time in his store, which he says he’s followed.

Potter said he works closely with law enforcement to ensure he’s following the law and has always complied.

“Some of my guys, they’re all facing felony charges over this, and they are clean,” he said. “If you rehabilitate someone, you’re actually improving public safety.”

The Australian government today released regulatory guidance on the social media minimum age law, which comes into effect on December 10. The law will restrict individuals under 16 from holding accounts on many social media platforms.

This week, New York Attorney General Letitia James released proposed rules for New York's SAFE for Kids Act, which Gov. Kathy Hochul previously signed into law to curb addictive features on social media for minors.

The law requires social media companies to restrict algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications for users under the age of 18 unless a parent opts out on behalf of their kid.

Lawmakers argued the feeds are tied to youth anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.

The laws outlined by James' office explain which companies must comply with the law and the standards to determine a user's age and parental consent.