Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
TikTok Staff Raised Concerns About Child Safety; Records Show Executives Ignored Them
NPR: TikTok Staff Raised Child Safety Alarms And Were Ignored
TikTok employees repeatedly raised concerns internally about the risks the short-form video app posed to children, including sexual exploitation and exposure to suicide content. Previously unreported court records show that the employees were frustrated with how the company's leadership responded to their concerns. Depositions of staffers filed in federal court in March 2026 offer new insights into how TikTok has approached child safety since the platform exploded in popularity among young users in 2018. (McQue, 10/20)
On the gun violence epidemic —
The New York Times: After School Shooting, Bend Residents Want Accountability. Oregon’s Gun Laws Make It Hard.
As calls for accountability grow in the Oregon school shooting, the state’s gun laws — shaped by liberal politics and libertarian traditions — could make it difficult to hold anyone criminally responsible. The police have said the mother of the 16-year-old shooter had purchased the Maverick 88 12-gauge pump action shotgun that he used to kill three children and a teacher last week at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend. They have yet to reveal how the shooter, who was killed by a passerby, got the weapon. But even if his mother gave him the gun, she might not face legal consequences. (Griffin and West, 10/19)
More health and wellness news —
MedPage Today: ADHD Tied To Higher Mortality Risk
People with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had a higher mortality risk compared with others, a study of 16 million people showed. (George, 10/19)
NBC News: Selena Gomez Says Vaping Changed Her Voice. What Do Doctors Say?
Selena Gomez says that vaping has permanently altered her voice. The singer, 34, recently took to social media to address growing speculation online about why she sounds so different. ... Vaping is often marketed as a healthier or “safer” alternative to smoking cigarettes. “There are no safe tobacco products, including e-cigarettes,” the CDC says. Can Vaping Change a Person’s Voice? Yes, it’s possible for vaping to affect a person’s voice, Dr. Paul Kwak, otolaryngologist at NYU Langone’s Voice Center, tells TODAY.com. (Kee, 10/19)
The Wall Street Journal: For Wellness Fans, Gummies Are Out. The New Craze Is Supplement Strips.
Jean Godfrey-June wanted a good night’s sleep. A former executive beauty director at Goop, Godfrey-June was in Rome this summer discussing her insomnia with a colleague, Kelly Atterton, when Atterton reached into her purse. “I brought something for you,” she said. (Tattoli, 10/19)
NBC News: Over 1.5 Million Pounds Of Meat And Poultry Products Recalled: See Full List
More than 1.5 million pounds of meat and poultry have been recalled because they may have been affected by a temperature issue during storage. The Kayem Foods Inc. voluntary recall affects hotdogs, sausages, bacon and deli meats sold across the country under brand names like Kayem, Al Fresco, McKenzie, Triple M, Deutschmacher, Jordan’s and more. (Jacoby, 10/19)
