In this week’s edition: Illinois bans book bans, new frontrunners to buy Simon & Schuster, Marvel and artists battle over copyright, a new publisher-focused Twitter alternative launches, a rise in neurodivergent characters and authors, and more.

To Fight Book Bans, Illinois Passes a Ban on Book Bans
The New York Times
Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on Monday that would make libraries that ban books ineligible for state grants. The law, which takes effect next year, was passed in May in response to the sharp rise in book bans across the country. At least one other state is considering following suit.

Remembering Robert Gottlieb, Editor Extraordinaire
The New Yorker
The former editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster, Alfred A. Knopf, and The New Yorker passed away on Wednesday.

HarperCollins, KKR Said to Be Eyeing Simon & Schuster
Publishers Weekly
After the government blocked Penguin Random House’s acquisition of Simon & Schuster last year, HarperCollins and private equity firm KKR have emerged as the new frontrunners.

Post, a Publisher-Focused Twitter Alternative, Launches on iOS
TechCrunch
Post, one of many new apps competing to be “the next Twitter,” aims to reinvent how people get their news on social media by adding a feed of articles from select publishing partners.

EU Suggests Breaking Up Google’s Ad Business in Preliminary Antitrust Ruling
The Verge
European regulators have filed a formal antitrust complaint against Google that, if successful, could force the tech giant to sell off part of its business.

Will AI Threaten Publishing Jobs?
Book Riot
Publishing insiders and experts weigh in on whether AI will really threaten the industry and the quality of books

Marvel Settles with Four Artists in Superhero Copyright Fight
Reuters
After suing artists over their attempt to reclaim the copyrights to Iron Man, Spider-Man and other properties, Marvel has agreed to drop some of the lawsuits. The Copyright Act permits creators to terminate copyright assignments in certain circumstances, but Marvel had argued the works were made for hire.

Sony, Universal, and 15 Other Music Publishers Are Suing Twitter for Stealing Their Content
Fortune/Yahoo! Finance
A group of music companies is suing Twitter for over $250 million, claiming the platform has ignored many copyright violation notices.

Books with Neurodivergent Characters Mark New Chapter for Publishers
The Guardian
Publishers who may have been reluctant to broach the subject in the past are now increasingly seeking out neurodiverse protagonists, often created by authors who are themselves neurodivergent.