Daily Skimm

Quote of the Day

"Joe is dead to me"

— Some Trader Joe’s loyalists aren’t happy that this iconic seasonal dessert has yet to hit shelves. When life gives you lemons… get angry?

US News

Tough Week for Meta

What's going on: For years, social media giants have dodged lawsuits that claim their apps harm and hook minors. Not anymore. In a landmark trial, a Los Angeles jury reached its decision yesterday, siding with a 20-year-old woman, identified as KGM. She alleged that Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube contributed to her anxiety and depression. KGM said she started using YouTube at 6 and joined Instagram at 9, then felt constant pressure to stay online. The jury awarded her $3 million in damages, with Meta responsible for 70%. Both companies say they plan to appeal. That’s not all. Earlier this week, a New Mexico jury said Meta is on the hook for $375 million in damages for violating child exploitation laws.

What it means: If you’ve ever felt worse after you scroll, that experience just got validated in court. Most cases against Big Tech have focused on the content, but that’s protected under the 1996 Communications Decency Act. KGM’s lawyers took a different route. They argued that the algorithms and features are built to keep you scrolling. The jurors may have related to her experience. Dozens more trials will test this strategy in the months ahead, and experts predict lawyers will borrow from this playbook. It’s also clear that Big Tech companies might not fare as well before a jury of our peers (which is probably why they usually try to avoid it). Social media’s reckoning is finally here, but will these multi-billion-dollar companies fix the problem or put profits first?

Related: The UK Will Test a Social Media Ban on Teens (CNBC)

The News in 5

🗞️ Iran dismissed President Donald Trump’s 15-point ceasefire proposal, and launched more attacks.

🗞️ Savannah Guthrie did her first sit-down interview since her mom’s disappearance.

🗞️ TSA may have tipped off ICE before agents arrested a mom with a young daughter at San Francisco International Airport earlier this week.

🗞️ Taylor Frankie Paul, star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, is being investigated for a third domestic violence incident.

🗞️ First Lady Melania Trump and her very special guest treated the DC Tech Summit like a runway. At least they kind of matched.

In Our Rotation

Is your car insurance getting…expensive? This free tool may help you find better options — and could help you save up to $600 a year. You’re welcome.^†

Not sure what to bring to a dinner party? This go-to host gift is a crowd-pleaser — plus it’s 25% off, shipping included.*

Keep scrolling...more recs below

Taxes

ChatGPT Isn't Your CPA

What’s going on: If you haven’t filed your taxes yet, consider this your nudge — gentle, but firm. This tax season looks messier than usual, thanks in part to last summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (yes, that again). Its passage created some big, confusing changes to the tax code. Some deductions and credits have shifted or disappeared, which might mean fewer easy wins and more second-guessing. Also complicating things: More people are using AI to help them file. But before you hand over your financial life to a chatbot, pause. AI wasn’t built to file your taxes, and how you use it could mean the difference between a clean return and an accidental run-in with the IRS.

So what can (and can’t) we use it for? As Vox lays out in its guide, a good rule of thumb is to treat AI like a “coworker who never gets tired and sometimes gets things wrong.” You wouldn’t give your colleague your Social Security number, and you also shouldn’t give it to a bot — don’t share personal information. What AI can help with is chatting things out. Ask it questions about code changes (but double-check its work on the IRS official site), and use it to play out scenarios. It might also help you interpret confusing questions on documents (do you qualify for item C or D?). However, don’t let it do the math for you, and make sure to proofread before you submit. If you’re overwhelmed, it may be worth going with an accountant or using a tool like TurboTax or H&R Block.

Related: Yes, You Can Avoid the Most Common Tax Pitfalls (CNBC)

You Betcha

The Midwest Is So Back

What's going on: Here at The Daily Skimm, several of us have ties to the Midwest, so we are extremely pleased to tell you that the region has been dubbed “the place to move” by The Atlantic. After years of people blowing it off as “boring,” “freezing,” and “way too obsessed with tater tot casserole,” it’s finally having a moment. This is largely thanks to its affordable atmosphere, job opportunities, and cheaper housing. For years, people tended to move further South to spots like Austin and Phoenix to save a buck. But recently, cities like Indianapolis and Cleveland have said, “Ope, can I sneak right past ‘ya?” to the Sun Belt. That might be how they’ve climbed to the top of the list for cities with the highest population growth. The flyover states are now home to three of the country’s fastest-growing metros. But we’re too “Midwest nice” to keep bragging…

Is it worth the hype? Many see the appeal of the Midwest, even if they can’t agree on where, exactly, it is (see: this trippy map). Still, it’s not a perfect place. There are blizzards and tornadoes. There are major unresolved social issues, and, in many cities, a real lack of diversity. It’s also true that economists say the region is one of the last places you can buy a three-bedroom home for $300,000 or less. Jobs tend to be more plentiful in the bigger cities, including in finance, health care, and tech, along with factory work. We’re not saying “move now,” but we’re not not saying it. If you do, you, too, can discover the difference between "yeah no," "no yeah," and “yeah no for sure.” If you don’t like it, you can leave — but be warned, it will absolutely involve a “Midwestern goodbye.”

Together with Eight Sleep

Temp Check

You know the drill: waking up hot, kicking off the covers, then pulling them back on. Repeat all night. Turns out, hormonal shifts can change women’s body temperature at night, which can mess with deep sleep.

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Sleep Tight

Quick Hits

🧘 These are the eight ways to suss out if you are emotionally mature. Time to send this to the baby of the family.

🎥 Anne Hathaway’s had a very specific model casting request for The Devil Wears Prada 2. Less “groundbreaking,” more like “overdue.”

🐴 In the AI era, one analogy could help you determine if your job will still exist in five years.

🤔 Influencers love to stand on vibration plates in the morning. But, do they work?

🩺 One of the most hated Grey’s Anatomy characters is finally leaving the show. Do we now have the budget to bring back Cristina Yang?

♥️ The rumor mill says this Love Island star could be the next Bachelorette, and her IG comment isn’t helping.

🧬 Over 2 million breast cancer patients have trusted this genomic test to help guide their decision on having chemotherapy.*

On Our Calendar

A few things to jot down today…

🗓️ Major League Baseball’s Opening Day is here — 11 games, and the earliest start to a season ever.

🗓️ The iHeartRadio Music Awards air on FOX at 8 pm ET — and you won't be surprised at who's leading the pack in nominations.

🗓️ Join us at 7 pm ET to discuss our first book club pick, Little One. That ending? We need to talk.

Psst…For more dates worth knowing this week, check out the Skimm+ calendar.

Spring Fashion Week

Welcome back to Spring Fashion Week. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and our closets are purged and ready to be filled with pieces we actually like. Need a little shopping inspiration? Check out:

One-and-done outfits that take the guesswork out of getting dressed
How to shop for your body type, according to professional stylists
Shoes and bags to round out your outfits

In Our Rotation

Considering GLP-1s? Make sure you’re getting the real deal. Explore FDA-approved GLP-1s — never compounded alternatives — with this subscription service, starting at $59/month.*^‡

The rules keeping pollution in check are disappearing, which could impact your health, the environment, and your wallet. Learn more.*

Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).

Know It All

Stephen Colbert lined up his next gig post-late-night, and it’s just as nerdy-cool as we expected…

A. He’s co-writing the next “Lord of the Rings” movie

B. He’s starting a news podcast

C. He’s writing a sci-fi book

Turn a word search into your favorite strategy game with Spelltower. Clear the board.

The end of a “Grey’s Anatomy” era