In this week’s edition: An analysis of book challenges across the country, OpenAI proposes an international regulatory body, a judge rejects a class action copyright suit, a Florida school restricts Amanda Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb,” and more.

Objection to Sexual, LGBTQ Content Propels Spike in Book Challenges
The Washington Post
A recent analysis found that a majority of book challenges came from a small number of individuals, often associated with conservative parents’ groups. The main reason cited was a desire to shield children from sexual content, followed by an explicit wish to prevent children from reading about LGBTQIA+ lives.

OpenAI Leaders Propose International Regulatory Body for AI
TechCrunch
The AI developer has called for the establishment of an international regulatory body similar to those governing nuclear power. Its leaders have not yet outlined specific plans, citing the challenges of designing an effective mechanism without hindering innovation.

YouTube Won’t Face Copyright Class Action Over Anti-Piracy Tools, Judge Rules
Billboard
A federal judge rejected a lawsuit against YouTube, filed by composer Maria Schneider, which claimed that the platform enables piracy by restricting access to copyright tools. The judge stated that copyright claims are not suitable for class-action treatment as each individual claim is based on unique facts and defenses.

DOE Delivers Potentially Crucial Finding in Fight Against Book Bans
Publishers Weekly
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights determined that the book bans in a Georgia school district may have created a hostile environment for students based on factors such as race, sex, or national origin, potentially violating their civil rights. The district agreed to conduct a student survey and undergo ongoing monitoring to address the concerns raised and ensure a safe school environment.

The Latest Book Ban Target: Amanda Gorman’s Poem From the Biden Inauguration
Vox
A Florida school has restricted who can read “The Hill We Climb,” a poem read at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration. The parent who challenged it reportedly claimed that Gorman’s poem “indirectly” featured “hate messages.” The poem is still available to the school’s middle schoolers, but not younger readers.

How El Paso Is Fighting Back Against Book Bans in Texas
Next City
Every public library in the city will have a banned books section, highlight the books year-round, and form a partnership to accept books from the YWCA that spotlight the stories of historically marginalized people and Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, Asian and LGBTQIA+ communities who are often left out of history books and school curriculums.