Social Media
Your Face As Content
What's going on: Today in reason #361 to make your profile private, Meta rolled out new technology that enables anyone to generate AI images of adults with public Instagram accounts — not just celebrities, but you or your friends. The update, called Muse Image, is now on the Meta AI app, Instagram, and WhatsApp, with plans to eventually bring it to Facebook, Messenger, and advertisers. If you have a public account, your photos are automatically available (congrats?). The good news is that you can opt-out. Understandably, many people aren't thrilled that their image can now be manipulated without their consent — or even without being notified. Meta says Muse is meant for things like custom invitations and personalized graphics, but critics worry it could just as easily be used to create deepfakes for impersonation and harassment. #TBT to when Instagram was just filters and food pics.
So… lawsuit?: When it comes to AI, we're still in a legal wild west. As AI companies fight copyright lawsuits in court and quietly pay out settlements, they just keep on rolling out new, more intrusive tech. Meta says Muse Image includes safeguards to prevent illegal, abusive, or defamatory images. But critics note that similar guardrails on other AI image platforms have repeatedly been bypassed — helping fuel the spread of celebrity deepfakes and other manipulated images. That's one reason talent agency CAA and performers' union SAG-AFTRA are urging Meta to make Muse Image opt-in rather than opt-out. And for other reasons, just ask any woman who’s ever had a creep slide into her DMs.
Related: More Plaintiffs Have Joined the Class Action Suit Against Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI for Deepfake Child Sexual Abuse Material (NPR)
The News in 5
🗞️ Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the Mexican citizen and longtime Houston resident who was killed by an ICE agent earlier this week, was not the person the agents were looking to arrest.
🗞️ The lawyer for Nolan Wells’ family shared new details about the day the 18-year-old went missing and said the family will do an independent autopsy.
🗞️ A member of a crime-fighting task force in Memphis created by President Donald Trump shot and killed a second person in four days.
🗞️ The state of New York filed a lawsuit against multiple companies, saying they caused a public nuisance by selling products with “forever chemicals.”
🗞️ President Trump’s new Qatari-gifted jet got nearly $1 billion in security upgrades before its maiden voyage to the NATO summit last week… but it still got benched for Trump’s return trip. And you thought your flight cancellation was bad.
✴︎
In Our Rotation
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Politics
Maine Democrats Start Over
Content warning: The following story mentions rape.
What's going on: After Graham Platner's Senate campaign imploded this week following rape allegations, party leaders are scrambling to salvage one of their best chances to flip a Republican-held Senate seat. Maine Dems must now hold a nominating convention (we still don’t know exactly when), and make their pick (here's the shortlist). That candidate will have less than four months to raise money, stand up a statewide campaign, and try to unseat five-term Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. We couldn’t even finish our summer reading assignment in that time.
I’m getting déjà vu: Remember the party’s (literal) postmortem on the 2024 election? Once again, Dems are rushing to replace a top-of-the-ticket candidate, with delegates — not primary voters — in charge of picking the nominee. (It’s giving Kamala… and Bernie… you see the problem.) Meanwhile, Platner's collapse has the party once again rehashing whether the problem was progressive messaging, or simply the candidate. Many party leaders see this as proof that vetting still matters. But it’s given Republicans fresh optimism, with some GOP groups withdrawing funding from the race because they no longer see Maine as competitive (though Collins has concerns). And now, depending on how this plays out, Democrats may choose to focus more on tougher races in Iowa, Ohio, Texas, and Alaska. However you spin it, Dems have one big cleanup on Aisle ME.
Related: Why Aren’t We Getting a McConnell Health Update? (Forbes)
Sports
Choose Your Fighter
What's going on: More soccer? Yes, please. Kicking off on July 10, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) will bring fans a grudge-match tour of games all over the US that they won’t want to miss. Back for a second (and expanded) time, Rivalry Week presents four games that offer something for every kind of drama-lover out there: playoff payback, local pride, deep-seated history, and a championship rematch. You don’t need to know the standings to understand why these teams are determined to win.
Who should we root for?: Just like the Toros and the Clovers, some rivalries are iconic. Tonight, the Kansas City Current gets another shot at the Orlando Pride after the Pride knocked them out of the 2024 playoffs on Orlando’s home turf. Saturday’s Angel City-San Diego matchup is called the SoCal Derby, and on Sunday, things heat up when Seattle and Portland face off in one of the league’s oldest rivalries. Next week, Gotham-Washington’s grand finale will be a rematch of the 2025 Championship. (It also marks Citi Field’s first-ever professional women’s soccer match at the stadium.) As Portland defender Sam Hiatt put it: “It doesn’t matter which team is ranked higher. You’re almost always guaranteed a good match.” All you have to do is pick a side.
Related: Sophia Wilson Opens Up About Her Million-Dollar NWSL Milestone (theSkimm)
Quick Hits
🌡️ There's a scientific reason heat waves can shorten your fuse. Experts say these habits can help. Now chill out.
🐍 The creator of this canon millennial TV show will write the Britney Spears biopic. She's so lucky.
🎬 A star of the series that just set an Emmy-nomination record nixed fans' most-wanted spinoff idea. Guess they couldn't hack it.
🐣 Hailee Steinfeld’s husband Josh Allen shared how they chose a baby name for their daughter. A modern spin on a classic.
✈️ Experts say one of the first things many travelers do after checking into a hotel is also one of the dirtiest. Consider this our PSA.
🏖️ Steal our secret to brighter, firmer summer skin — now 20% off.*
Skimm This
And the winning skimm is…
“Definitely a side hugger.”
On Tuesday, we asked you to skimm Emma Corrin’s Schiaparelli Haute Couture look in Paris. Hundreds of responses later, we narrowed it down to three finalists. More than 5,000 of you voted.
This week’s champ and first-ever Skimm This winner is: Susan S. from Cary, NC, who took more than 45% of the vote. Take a bow, Susan. Hugs optional.
We’ll be back on Tuesday with our next Skimm This. Stay tuned.
On Our Calendar
Friday, July 10
🍟 Free fries for National French Fry Day
Here’s where you can get them today, including at McDonald’s, White Castle, and Whataburger.
🌊 Live-action Moana on the big screen
Catherine Laga’aia and Dwayne Johnson star — plus, there’s already some fun news about what’s next for the franchise.
🍿 Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass in theaters
Fresh off Voicemails for Isabelle, Zoey Deutch stars in this unhinged adventure flick. Her character sets out to have sex with Jon Hamm, with this other Mad Men alum in tow.
Saturday, July 11
🥤Get a free Slurpee at 7-Eleven
It's the Slurpee's 60th birthday today. Toast with a free small Slurpee — including in the newest (and most celebratory) flavor.
⚾ MLB Draft starts
The Chicago White Sox get first dibs, with shortstops Grady Emerson and Roch Cholowsky as top picks. Also potentially in the mix: this tennis superstar’s brother.
Sunday, July 12
🥧 National Pecan Pie Day
We’re not sure why this holiday isn’t in November, but we’ll take it — and this recipe, from Zooey Deschanel’s mom.
Psst…this is just the preview: Subscribe to theSkimm app and never miss a moment.
KNOW IT ALL
Which actress just revealed that while she got an Emmy nomination, it was only after she chose to “self-submit” her entry?
Love solitaire? Then you'll be obsessed with Pile-Up Poker. Climb the leaderboard.
Skimm'd by: Marisa Iallonardo, Molly Longman, Aryanna Prasad Bhullar, Erika W. Smith, Kate Preziosi, Jessica Prois, and Mallory Simon. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.
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