Meta has lobbied U.S. lawmakers for legal immunity from lawsuits alleging child harm from its social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, according to a report.

This comes as Meta faces a wave of youth-safety litigation, including thousands of similar claims consolidated in California state courts and separate lawsuits brought by states and school districts. Meta and Google, which owns YouTube, were hit with a combined $6 million in damages after a Los Angeles jury found them negligent in a bellwether case alleging Instagram and YouTube were designed in ways that harmed a young user. Both companies have said they plan to appeal.

If language like Meta’s proposal is adopted by lawmakers and signed into law as part of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) under consideration in the Senate, the provision could undermine pending and future complaints against Meta and other social media platforms regarding child safety.

Lawmakers have not said they would be open to adopting the language, but the lobbying effort shows the kind of legal protections Meta is seeking amid government attempts to regulate online platforms.

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULES OHIO CAN REQUIRE PARENTAL CONSENT CHILDREN UNDER 16 ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The proposed language would make online companies “immune from suit or liability under state law with respect to all claims for loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the safety or privacy of individuals under the age of eighteen online or otherwise related to the provisions” of KOSA, according to Reuters.

The proposal appears alongside language that seeks to have the federal measure overrule state laws on children’s online safety and privacy.

Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway told Reuters that the provision “does not extinguish existing lawsuits, nor does it represent blanket immunity.”

“Instead, it establishes uniform national standards for online youth safety, ensuring these critical issues are governed by comprehensive federal legislation, not plaintiffs’ lawyers or patchwork state legislation,” she said.

But Julia Duncan of the American Association for Justice, a group that represents trial lawyers, said that if the provision were to be adopted, it would kill any lawsuits pending when the law took effect.

“The language is pretty clear-cut immunity against every parent, every school district, that is seeking to hold any AI or social media company accountable for harm” to children, Duncan said. “There is no other way to read this language.”

Meta has proposed the language in exchange for dropping its efforts to oppose KOSA, a source told Reuters.

KOSA, sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., would require social media companies to take steps to prevent certain harms to minors, including compulsive use of their platforms.

The measure is now the subject of negotiations between Blackburn and the White House to package child online safety bills with a provision that would preempt some state laws regarding AI.

META THREATENS TO PULL FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FROM NEW MEXICO OVER CHILD SAFETY TRIAL REQUIREMENTS

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

“We have not seen that proposed language and would never consider it,”  a spokesperson for the GOP senator told Reuters.

Under the bill, tech companies would need to use care in adding specific features such as infinite scrolling, activity notifications and appearance-changing photograph filters. 

A woman won at trial earlier this year against Meta and Google, which owns YouTube, after her lawyers successfully argued the companies were aware these features were addictive and harmful to young people. The tech companies plan to appeal the ruling.

KOSA passed in the Senate in 2024 before failing in the House. The measure was reintroduced this year with support from both Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” is positioned to set a new franchise record for opening night previews, with box office sources projecting the animated sequel could pull in between $13 million and $14 million Thursday night — a figure that would mark the best previews performance the franchise has ever recorded.

Box office sources indicate that Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” is in play for a franchise record Thursday night when it comes to previews, with projections in the range of $13 million to $14 million, possibly more. Anything higher than $12 million represents a record preview night for the franchise — a mark previously set by “Toy Story 4” back in 2019, off previews that began in select theaters at 5 p.m. followed by a wide 6 p.m. release.

A Strong Showing Among 2026’s Biggest Films

If the projected $13 million to $14 million figure holds, it would represent the best preview night any film has posted in 2026 so far, surpassing several other high-profile titles that have opened earlier in the year. That total would top Lionsgate’s “Michael” ($12.6 million), Amazon MGM Studios’ “Project Hail Mary” ($12 million), and Disney/Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: Mandalorian and Grogu” ($12 million).

It’s worth noting that not every major 2026 release followed the traditional preview-night model. Illumination and Universal did not hold previews for the “Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which currently owns the best three-day domestic opening of the year so far with $131.7 million.

Strong Reviews and Advance Ticket Sales Build Momentum

Heading into its opening weekend, “Toy Story 5” has benefited from an enthusiastic critical reception that has helped fuel ticket sales in the days leading up to release. The film carries a 94% certified fresh critical score, with no audience score yet available. That strong critical reception followed the film throughout the promotional rollout heading into release.

Advance demand has also outpaced one of the year’s other major animated tentpoles. Heading into the weekend, the Andrew Stanton-directed fifth installment had recorded $25 million in advance ticket sales, putting it ahead of the “Super Mario Galaxy Movie” at the same point in its own release cycle.

Domestic and Global Box Office Projections

Industry trackers are projecting a substantial opening weekend for the Pixar sequel both domestically and overseas. The domestic outlook stands at more than $140 million across 4,425 locations, with additional strength expected from premium large-format and IMAX screens. The global forecast sits at $275 million, with $135 million expected to come from an international footprint covering 87% of overseas markets, including China.

Those figures would place “Toy Story 5” among the year’s most successful theatrical openings, reinforcing the continued box office strength of legacy Pixar properties even as the broader animated film marketplace has grown increasingly competitive.

How It Compares to Pixar’s Biggest Preview Nights

While a $13 million to $14 million preview haul would set a new mark specifically for the Toy Story franchise, it would still fall short of the largest preview night any Pixar film has ever posted. The biggest previews ever for a Pixar movie in the U.S. and Canada belong to 2018’s “Incredibles 2,” which brought in $18.5 million in previews and also holds the all-time opening weekend record for the Emeryville, California-based studio at $182.6 million.

The comparison underscores both how far the Toy Story franchise has come in terms of preview-night performance and how high the bar remains across Pixar’s broader catalog of theatrical releases. For context on how dramatically theatrical release patterns have shifted over the years, 2010’s “Toy Story 3” posted previews of just $4 million, back when showtimes for such releases typically began at midnight rather than in the late afternoon or early evening hours that have since become standard for major studio tentpole releases.

A Star-Studded Voice Cast Returns

The fifth installment in Pixar’s flagship franchise brings back the franchise’s most beloved characters, with Tom Hanks reprising his role as Woody, Tim Allen returning as Buzz Lightyear, and Joan Cusack once again voicing Jessie, continuing a vocal lineup that has anchored the series since its earliest installments in the 1990s. The film is directed by Andrew Stanton, a longtime Pixar veteran whose credits include some of the studio’s most acclaimed and commercially successful releases.

Additional Star Power Behind the Scenes

The film’s cultural footprint has also been amplified by an unexpected celebrity connection in the lead-up to release. Pop superstar Taylor Swift reportedly wrote and recorded an original song for “Toy Story 5” on the same day she saw the film, after experiencing what she described as a burst of inspiration following her screening — a development that generated significant additional media attention and fan excitement heading into the film’s theatrical debut.

A Broader Moment for the Animated Franchise

The strong preview projections for “Toy Story 5” arrive amid a notable year for major franchise releases across the industry, with several other high-profile titles — including new entries in the Star Wars universe and major literary adaptations — also posting strong opening figures throughout 2026. Disney’s continued investment in the Toy Story property, now spanning three decades since the original 1995 film redefined computer animation, reflects the franchise’s enduring commercial appeal even as audience tastes and theatrical viewing habits have shifted dramatically since its debut.

What Comes Next

With Thursday night’s preview figures expected to be finalized in the early morning hours, box office analysts will be closely watching whether “Toy Story 5” can convert its record-setting preview performance into a similarly dominant opening weekend that meets or exceeds the current $140 million domestic projection. A result in that range would mark one of the strongest openings of the year for any film, animated or otherwise, and would further cement the Toy Story franchise’s status as one of the most reliable box office performers in Disney and Pixar’s combined portfolio.

Should the film’s global performance also meet projections near $275 million, it would represent a significant box office event for the international animation market as well, particularly given the substantial contribution expected from Chinese theaters, where Western animated franchises have faced an increasingly competitive landscape in recent years from strong domestic Chinese animated productions.

Box office trackers indicated they would have further updates on the film’s final preview numbers once Thursday night’s complete figures were tallied and confirmed across the full slate of participating theaters nationwide.

Accenture’s latest quarterly earnings have reignited concerns over whether artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the global IT services industry. While the consulting giant delivered a solid financial performance, a sharp decline in new bookings and a reduction in guidance have raised fresh questions about the pace of enterprise technology spending.

According to market expert, Sandip Agarwal from Sowilo Investment Managers, the headline numbers were largely in line with expectations, but the drop in order inflows deserves close attention.

“I see Accenture’s numbers in three parts. First, the reported numbers show no disappointment. Second, bookings are down 14.7%. Managed services performed slightly better, but the decline is unexpectedly sharp, which is definitely a negative read-through. Third is the guidance cut. I do not read too much into it because, excluding the Federal Reserve-related impact, you have to align your growth accordingly,” he said.

AI Yet to Be Blamed Officially

Despite widespread speculation, Accenture has not directly attributed weaker bookings or lower guidance to artificial intelligence. Agarwal believes that is an important distinction.

“The current quarter’s numbers are good, so there is no negative surprise. AI has not been mentioned as the reason for softer bookings or the guidance cut. That is a positive read-through,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that the steep decline in order bookings cannot be ignored.
“The order book is materially lower. A 15% year-on-year decline is substantial. The deflationary impact of AI, which we expected, will likely continue for another quarter or so. After that, the industry should have a better base from which to grow,” he added.
Limited Impact Expected on Indian IT
While Accenture’s stock reacted sharply to the results, Agarwal believes the implications for Indian IT companies could be less severe than many investors fear.

He noted that Accenture has historically grown at a slower pace than Indian IT firms and expects domestic companies to remain relatively resilient.

“Accenture’s growth rate has always been 2-3% lower than Indian IT growth. I do not see a material impact on current analyst forecasts for Indian IT. There may be a stock rub-off effect because Accenture fell sharply, but from an operational perspective, Indian IT should be in a much better position from this quarter.”

Why Indian IT Could Stay Resilient
Agarwal also pointed out that Indian IT companies have a different geographical exposure compared to Accenture, making them less vulnerable to some of the current global uncertainties.

“Indian IT companies do not have the same level of exposure to West Asia as Accenture. We are more exposed to Europe and the US, and I do not see those regions showing a significant slowdown yet,” he said.

He added that discretionary spending remains under pressure due to several macroeconomic concerns.

“Discretionary spending is low because of uncertainty over the war, corporate earnings, interest rates, and AI. There is also a lot of euphoria around AI, which is drawing investment toward that space,” he added.

A Buying Opportunity Despite Near-Term Pain?
While acknowledging that the sector could witness another quarter of weakness, Agarwal believes current valuations already reflect much of the pessimism.

“Right now is probably the time to buy. Hardware spending has already seen a strong upcycle. AI platform providers like Microsoft and Grok should continue to do well, and IT services are now entering the next phase,” he said.

He expects concerns around AI replacing traditional IT services to fade over time.

“There could be one more quarter of pain. People will talk about the death of IT, but I remain optimistic given current valuations. It is a lower-growth industry now, but even lower growth deserves a minimum valuation multiple,” he said.

Looking ahead, he remains constructive on the sector’s earnings outlook.

“We see EPS growth of 50% to 70%, depending on the company. Even if valuation multiples remain unchanged, that can still deliver very attractive returns over the next two to three years.”

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are facing a new kind of fallout tied to their sprawling New York estate — not over box office numbers or movie sets, but over a string of unpaid contractor bills that left the couple facing more than $2 million in property liens and, according to entertainment industry sources, a reputational problem within the small, tightly networked world of high-end construction.

The Liens, By the Numbers

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ upstate New York property was hit with more than $2.1 million in unpaid contractor debt, according to a Daily Mail report. Westchester County filings showed five separate contractors and subcontractors filed mechanic’s liens against the property in April 2026. According to official records reviewed by the publication, the outstanding claims totaled exactly $2,108,856.63. TMZ confirmed the existence of the liens against the property.

The 110-acre estate was purchased through an LLC beginning in 2018. The luxury compound has reportedly been under construction for years and was supposed to include a 14,500-square-foot main home, pool house, gym, geothermal systems, and other high-end features.

What the Liens Cover

The unpaid claims spanned a wide range of specialized construction work. A group of four additional contractors filed claims regarding technical aspects of the estate’s development. These filings sought outstanding payments for custom copper roofing, complex drainage and septic systems, geothermal excavation, and structural steel fabrication. Detailed finish work, such as rough carpentry and trim installation, was also cited in the unpaid claims.

One construction company alone filed a claim for more than $1.35 million tied to work including framing, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, drywall, and masonry.

A Project That Quietly Ground to a Halt

County records paint a picture of a high-profile construction project that slowed dramatically and then stopped entirely over the course of several months. County records indicate that while construction activity on the site was consistent throughout late 2025, all work effectively ceased between December 2025 and early 2026. The liens were subsequently filed in April 2026.

The project is reportedly stalled, with construction believed to have slowed late last year before stopping entirely sometime around late 2025 or early 2026. Construction reportedly came to a halt after significantly slowing down from late 2025 before being completely stopped in early 2026.

The timing has drawn attention given the couple’s other ongoing legal entanglements. The timing is also raising eyebrows because the couple had spent months battling through Lively’s legal dispute with Justin Baldoni tied to “It Ends With Us,” which ultimately ended in a settlement that included no monetary payment. The property liens arrived immediately following that high-profile legal battle between Lively and her “It Ends With Us” co-star.

Bills Reportedly Settled, but Reputational Fallout Lingers

According to subsequent reporting, the couple has since resolved the outstanding contractor claims, even as industry sources suggest the episode has left a lasting impression among builders. Entertainment columnist Rob Shuter reported in his Substack newsletter that while the couple has resolved $2 million in contractor claims, they appear to have lost the trust of builders and subcontractors who may now think twice before bidding on future contracts for the couple’s project.

A source close to the construction industry, cited in that reporting, characterized the significance of contractors needing to resort to filing liens just to be paid. “Contractors had to file liens to get paid. That sends a message, and it’s not one the industry forgets,” the source said.

Additional anonymous sources quoted in the reporting described a shift in how contractors are now approaching potential work with the couple. One source said simply, “Nobody wants to be chasing millions of dollars months down the road.” Another characterized the apparent new posture among builders as “cash up front, then we’ll talk.”

A separate insider offered a more pointed assessment of the situation, telling the outlet that “people aren’t lining up for this job anymore.” That source added that while the money to complete the project is clearly available, “the trust isn’t.”

Another source pushed back specifically on the idea that affordability was ever the core issue, telling the outlet that the couple can clearly pay to finish the house, and that “the issue is confidence.”

A Tight-Knit Industry Where Reputations Travel Fast

The broader characterization offered across multiple reports centers on construction’s reputation as an unusually close-knit professional community, where word about payment disputes tends to circulate quickly and stick to a name for years. One source described construction as “a very small world,” where people in the trade are known for talking — and where a name once tied to payment trouble tends to remain associated with it long after any individual bill has been settled.

According to that same reporting, some contractors are reportedly skipping the project altogether, while others are demanding larger upfront deposits and firmer guarantees before agreeing to take on any further work tied to the estate.

The Couple’s Vision for the Property

The couple purchased the sprawling New York estate back in 2018, which came with plans for the 14,500-square-foot main house, a pool, and geothermal heating systems. Lively has previously said that the local community is “heaven” and that she and Reynolds could not wait for construction to start.

That original enthusiasm for the property stands in contrast to the protracted construction delays and financial disputes that have since emerged, transforming what was once described as a long-anticipated dream home into a source of ongoing legal and reputational complications.

No Public Response From the Couple

Neither Lively nor Reynolds has publicly addressed the contractor debt claims. Their representatives have likewise not issued any public comment regarding the liens, the subsequent settlement of those claims, or the reported fallout within the construction industry that has followed.

What Happens Next

With the underlying $2.1 million in contractor debt reportedly resolved, the more lingering question is whether the couple’s stalled estate project can attract the skilled labor needed to actually finish construction, given the reputational concerns now circulating among contractors in the region. For a project that has already spanned the better part of a decade since the property was first acquired in 2018, the latest setback adds yet another layer of uncertainty to when — or whether — the ambitious 110-acre compound will ultimately be completed as originally envisioned.

Dr. Bill Conerly connects the dots between the economy and business decisions. He has the unique combination of a Ph.D. in economics from Duke University and over 30 years’ experience helping companies adapt to changing economic conditions. He has worked in economics and corporate planning at two Fortune 500 corporations and at a major bank, where he was senior vice president. He has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.   Companies have used Dr. Conerly’s expertise to help with decisions regarding capital expenditures, inventory levels, expansion into new markets, pricing, business models and financial structure. Dr. Conerly is an on-line contributor to Forbes.com and the author of The Flexible Stance: Thriving in a Boom/Bust Economy (2016) as well as Businomics (2007). He had been interviewed on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer, CNN and CNBC. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and USA Today.