Locksley Resources (LKY:AU) has announced LKY Commences Diamond Drilling at Desert Antimony Mine
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Gold and silver prices experienced declines early in the week, but ended higher.
The yellow metal closed the week at US$5,111.88 per ounce, while silver finished at US$84.65 per ounce, buoyed by reignited tariff uncertainty out of the US.
On Friday (February 20), the US Supreme Court stuck down tariffs put in place by President Donald Trump using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. He quickly responded by announcing a new 10 percent global tariff and then increasing it to 15 percent, ramping up trade tensions.
Earlier in the week, Wednesday (February 18) brought the release of the US Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes, which show that although officials largely agreed with the January decision to hold interest rates steady, they aren’t aligned about the path forward as 2026 continues.
What’s received more attention is the Lunar New Year holiday.
Most Asian markets are closed for the occasion, and will reopen next week. I asked Ole Hansen of Saxo Bank about the significance of the closure, and he said that in his view, the more important question is what will happen when they’re back in business next week.
Here’s how he thinks that could play out:
‘I think … if they come back to more or less unchanged prices, they will see that probably as a buying opportunity. Simply — well, they probably hope that they might be able to pick it up cheaper in the absence. But if we can manage to hold these levels, then there could be a positive story building as we as we see China reopen.’
Hansen is bullish on gold this year, saying he sees it reaching US$6,000 in the next 12 months.
But interestingly, he has a different take on silver — he thinks the white metal’s upside could be limited by demand-side factors like substitution and higher supply from scrap material.
‘Gold over time can go to US$10,000, it can go to US$20,000 — it’s a monetary metal, which doesn’t really depend on demand from areas where demand could be negatively impacted with the price.
‘Silver hasn’t got that luxury. And that basically means if gold moves towards US$6,000, I would believe that — I would think that silver, at some point, will struggle to keep up, and we will see basically gold relatively outperform silver. But when that point, when that time comes, I can’t see. Again it’s very unclear, especially given the speculative demand, which can carry on for a while longer.’
I also heard this week from Christopher Aaron of iGold Advisor and Elite Private Placements, who has a much brighter outlook for silver — he said given that the metal has just broken out of a 45 year consolidation period, it still has much further to go:
‘Now that whole process, the 45 year consolidation breakout and now coming back, that is — for a number of people here — that is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime breakout. We’re talking a multi-generational breakout happening in silver right now. And it’s really important to — I mean, the bottom line is this: After 45 years of consolidation, a market doesn’t end just two months after a breakout and then kind of withering and petering out for the next 45 years. Again, that’s not how 45 year breakouts happen when we look back.’
Ultimately Aaron sees US$250 to US$350 as a reasonable price level for silver.
Bullet briefing — TSX Venture 50, BHP/Wheaton deal
Gold, silver dominate TSX Venture 50
The latest TSX Venture 50 list was released on Wednesday, with gold and silver juniors dominating. In fact, of the companies included, only three fall outside the mining sector.
The list ranks TSXV companies’ annual performance by market cap growth, share price performance and Canadian consolidated trading value. Taking the top spot was Santacruz Silver Mining (TSXV:SCZ,NASDAQ:SCZM), which had an impressive share price increase of over 1,100 percent.
As a group, the companies on the list delivered a share price increase of 431 percent.
We’ll have to wait and see whether these types of gains are repeated — or exceeded — in 2026, but the list definitely underscores the strength in gold and silver prices, and shows that their momentum is boosting not just the majors, but also the juniors.
BHP, Wheaton sign streaming deal
On the M&A side, BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) has entered into a long-term streaming agreement with Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM).
Under the deal, which was signed by subsidiaries of BHP and Wheaton, BHP will receive an upfront payment of US$4.3 billion in exchange for the delivery of silver from the Peru-based Antamina mine, plus ongoing payments when metal is delivered. According to BHP, this is the most valuable streaming transaction to date based on upfront consideration received.
Antamina is a joint venture between commodities giants BHP, Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF), Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) and Mitsubishi (TSE:8058,OTCPL:MSBHF), and Wheaton already has a silver stream in place with Glencore. Once the BHP arrangement closes, Wheaton will receive a combined 67.5 percent of the mine’s silver.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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In 1839, not long before President Donald Trump’s favorite president, Andrew Jackson, died, an admirer offered him an ancient roman sarcophagus, thought to have once held the remains of an emperor. Jackson, declined the offer, saying, ‘my republican feelings and principles forbid it.’ There may be a lesson here.
Since Trump returned to the White House just over a year ago, it seems like every single day something new is being named after him. The Kennedy Center, the Institute of Peace building, a new class of battleship, the Palm Beach airport and, who are we kidding, eventually the White House ballroom.
Meanwhile, a giant banner featuring Trump’s stern features was placed on the Department of Justice this week, not the first public building to be adorned with the visage of the president glaring down at us.
It all seems to have gone a bit too far, but not for the reasons generally cited. Instead, the pure quantity of Trump-branded government buildings is starting to diminish the meaning and impact of all of them.
To be clear, there is no risk of a major political backlash from voters as Trump’s name and image get plastered around Washington like posters for a Dave Matthews Band concert. People who hate him call it ‘Dear Leader’ fascism and people who love him takes selfies. Everyone else just shrugs and says, ‘Well, that’s Trump.’
Culturally, the question of whether naming everything after yourself is crass or unseemly is subjective and a matter of personal taste. As a priority to voters, it falls somewhere below good taste in music.
And after all, every city has its John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. boulevards, though, in fairness, they were killed, which is a major advantage if your goal is getting stuff named after you.
No, the real question is whether this avalanche of eponymous enterprises are burnishing, or diminishing, the president’s legacy, and in the far-seeing eyes of history, very often, less is more.
I get it, Trump spent his whole life making buildings grow out of the ground so he could slap his name on them, big as life and usually in gold. It is an admirable and very human impulse to leave something lasting.
The president was very good at leaving his mark. Trust me, I lived in New York City for 20 years, and you really can’t miss it. But now it turns out that all of that glass and steel is flimsy and impermanent compared to Trump the man, who, say what you will, will be spoken of and debated for centuries.
It is not in flinty metal or in the cold plastic of physical reality where Trump’s true legacy must now be forged. Rather, it is in the invisible fire of the future, where the man, not the buildings will be judged.
Trump has the immortality shot, with his bold vision not just in America but around the globe. He stands to be the most consequential figure of the early 21st century. We don’t need to name every county courthouse and 1-95 rest stop after him.
Throwing your name up everywhere in giant fonts is actually exactly the kind of eccentric behavior that gets mocked for thousands of years. Like Caligula threatening to make his horse a consul of Rome, it will be used by many to suggest narcissistic mania in Trump, because it already is used that way.
Trump is never going to be the modest Abe Lincoln type with the shawl and aw shucks, ‘Nobody will remember my speech,’ attitude. That’s cool, his braggadocio is fun. But I don’t want to live in a world where I check my Trump watch to see if it’s time for a Trump burger on my way to Trump airport.
As it turned out, ‘Old Hickory’ Andrew Jackson would be buried in a plain pine box, though the ancient treasure he declined is still housed by the Smithsonian. And instead of paying homage to him through a marble masterpiece, we keep little pictures of him in our pockets.
More importantly, our current commander in chief still draws on Jackson’s strength and values to this very day, fancy Roman sarcophagus or not.
The more things we name after Trump, the less it means, and the more it feels forced, when it needn’t be. Nobody, including Trump, has to convince us that he is a figure of historical magnitude. Seeing that advertised again and again starts to make it all seem a little bit cheapened.
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Most U.S. data breach disclosures explain what information was leaked and any protective steps available to consumers.
At the federal level, the Federal Trade Commission advises that after a breach involving sensitive personal information, consumers may consider placing a credit freeze to help prevent new credit accounts from being opened in their name.
Many people place that credit freeze and assume they’re protected. But a credit freeze is not a comprehensive block against identity theft. It stops most new credit applications, but it doesn’t prevent the misuse of your Social Security number or account takeovers.
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What a credit freeze actually does
A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, limits access to your credit report at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Under federal law, placing a freeze is free. When a freeze is in place, most lenders can’t access your credit file to evaluate applications for new credit cards or lines of credit. If a creditor can’t see your credit report, the application will usually be denied.
You can manage your credit freeze with each bureau individually. With Experian, for example, you sign in to your free online account at Experian’s credit freeze page and then place, lift, or schedule a thaw; you can also call Experian’s toll-free number (888-397-3742). If you plan to apply for credit, you must lift the freeze beforehand.
A credit freeze blocks most new accounts that require a credit check. It does not extend beyond your credit file.
Some identity protection services offer a credit lock feature that allows you to restrict access to your credit file through a mobile app. Like a freeze, it can limit new credit checks. The main difference is convenience, as you can typically turn it on or off quickly without logging into a bureau’s website or calling by phone.
Credit freezes can’t stop every form of identity theft
A credit freeze blocks new credit accounts, but it does not stop many common forms of identity theft that do not require a credit check.
- Account takeovers: If someone has access to an existing credit card or bank account, they don’t need to open a new line of credit. They can change the email address, phone number, or mailing address tied to the account and begin making charges.
- Tax identity theft: A fraudulent federal tax return does not need a credit check. If someone files a return using your SSN before you do, the IRS may reject your legitimate filing.
- Employment fraud: If your SSN is used for employment, it will not appear as a credit inquiry. Instead, the earnings may be recorded under your Social Security record.
- Government benefits fraud: Unemployment insurance and other state-administered benefits do not require a traditional credit check.
- Medical identity theft: A stolen identity can be used to get medical treatment. Bills may not appear until the provider sends the account to collections.
What happens when the fraud doesn’t involve a credit inquiry?
When identity theft happens outside the credit approval process, there is no automatic reversal. Each category of fraud is handled by a different agency or company.
- If a fraudulent tax return is filed, you must work directly with the IRS and submit Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. The IRS may require identity verification before releasing a refund.
- If your SSN is used for employment, you must contact the Social Security Administration to correct your earnings record.
- If government benefits are fraudulently claimed in your name, the state agency is involved. There is no federal clearinghouse.
- If medical debt appears in collections, you must dispute it with both the provider and the collection agency, often in writing.
There is no single agency coordinating these corrections. You’re responsible for identifying the fraud, filing the appropriate reports, and tracking responses across agencies.
If a freeze isn’t the end, what is?
A credit freeze addresses risks tied to new credit applications. Identity theft often goes beyond that. Comprehensive identity protection typically includes credit monitoring across all three major bureaus, alerts for new inquiries or accounts, and monitoring for exposed personal information such as Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport details, email addresses, and passwords.
Some services also monitor public records, address changes, identity verification activity, and even suspicious financial transactions when accounts are linked. Early alerts can help you spot fraud before it spreads.
If identity theft does occur, recovery can be complicated. Some identity protection plans provide access to fraud resolution specialists who help contact creditors, place fraud alerts, dispute unauthorized accounts, and prepare required documentation. Many also include identity theft insurance to help cover eligible recovery expenses, such as lost wages or legal fees.
No service can prevent every form of identity theft. But layered monitoring, fast alerts, and guided recovery support can make the damage easier to contain and resolve.
See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
A credit freeze is a smart move after a data breach, but it is only one layer of protection. Many forms of identity theft do not involve a credit check, which means they can happen quietly and take time to fix. Real protection comes from understanding the gaps, monitoring your accounts, and acting quickly if something looks wrong. The more proactive you are, the easier recovery becomes.
Have you placed a credit freeze, and did you know it does not protect against every type of identity theft? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
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President Donald Trump turned up the heat on progressive Democrats during his public remarks Thursday, including slamming New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her ‘horrible’ efforts at diplomacy during the Munich Security Conference.
‘Her performance was horrible,’ Trump told the media aboard Air Force One on the way to an event in Rome, Georgia, Thursday. ‘I was surprised, actually. I didn’t know she was stupid.’
Ocasio-Cortez joined the Munich Security Conference last weekend, and faced criticisms for a handful of ‘sputtering’ and ’embarrassing’ responses, including when she was asked, ‘Would and should the U.S. actually commit U.S. troops to defend Taiwan if China were to move?’
The progressive New York Democrat delivered an answer that included a handful of pauses, punctuated by repeatedly saying ‘uhm.’
She ultimately answered: ‘This is, of course, a very long-standing policy of the United States, and I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point, and we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation and for that question to even arise.’
Vice President JD Vance called the response ’embarrassing,’ while social media corticis compared it to ‘Kamala cringe’ or that she ‘SELF-DESTRUCTED’ with her answer.
Ocasio-Cortez is seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender, with Trump’s sharp critique of the left-wing Democrat lawmaker setting a tone for potential future campaign attacks.
Ocasio-Cortez made a point to downplay 2028 speculation during the security conference.
She said she joined the forum that attracts hundreds of world leaders, business titans and celebrities ‘not because I’m running for president, not because I’ve made some kind of decision about a horse race or a candidacy, but because we need to sound the alarm bells that a lot of those folks in nicely pressed suits in that room will not be there much longer if we do not do something about the runaway inequality that is fueling far-right populist movements.’
Earlier Thursday, when Trump held the first Board of Peace meeting, he described Ocasio-Cortez as a weak representation for the U.S. on the world stage.
‘She was unable to answer a simple question. And she could have said, ‘Well, I’m studying it, and I’ll report back to you next week.’ You know, you can get away with that. But she just went ‘uhhh.’ I think it could be a career ending answer because for 25 years, anybody running against her, I think Susie is going to use that, that little piece of stuff. It was not good. It was not good. That was not a natural,’ Trump said.
The White House told Fox News Digital on Friday that ‘Trump is always transparent with his thoughts, and he’s right – AOC should be working on behalf of the American people instead of embarrassing our country on the world stage.’
‘It’s ridiculous that third-rate congresswoman AOC decided to frolic around Munich, where no one knows or cares who she is, while New Yorkers are suffering as a result of Democrats’ shutdown, which is cutting off resources to FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard, and thousands of federal law enforcement officers,’ White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said.
Trump, later that day during a steel event in Georgia, took a shot at Democrats who have promoted a message of ‘affordability.’ Left-wing Democrats such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani carried out a successful campaign in 2025 on a message of lowering costs for New Yorkers, including by increasing taxes on some high-earners in the state.
Trump has slammed the party for using the term, arguing sky-high inflation under the Biden era was caused by Democrat policies.
Trump took aim at Democrats again on Thursday for their message of affordability, claiming he hasn’t heard the media specifically promote affordability in weeks because he ‘won affordability.’
‘I added $9 trillion, and your retirement accounts and 401 Ks are at the highest level they’ve ever been. And then I have to listen to the fake news talking about affordability. Affordability. Do you notice what word have you not heard over the last two weeks? Affordability. Because I’ve won, I’ve won affordability,’ he said on Thursday from Georgia.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office for additional comment Friday afternoon.
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Is the concept of ‘equal time’ outdated on today’s broadcast networks? The Federal Communications Commission put regulations on the books in 1934 requiring equal air time for political candidates during an election season. But that doesn’t extend to cable, or to streaming, or to the booming podcast world. You could get technical and claim the broadcast networks often come to people today via cable or satellite connections, not an antenna.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr recently suggested late-night comedy shows and daytime talk shows like ABC’s ‘The View’ could be evaluated for potential violations of the old equal-time rules. On Monday, Feb. 16, ‘Late Show’ host Stephen Colbert gaudily announced that he invited Texas state Democrat Rep. James Talarico for an interview, but lawyers told him ‘in no uncertain terms’ that he couldn’t do this, so he posted a Talarico interview on YouTube instead. When that YouTube video drew over 8 million views, it was painted by liberal journalists as a great victory over President Donald Trump. But Trump never objected to this interview.
Colbert had to unfurl the nightly rant about being a courageous dissident and all that rot: ‘Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV, because all Trump does is watch TV, OK? He’s like a toddler with too much screen time. He gets cranky and then drops a load in his diaper.’
Then, surprisingly, CBS put out a statement that suggested Colbert was a liar, that the interview was not banned: ‘The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett.’ On Tuesday, Colbert sputtered. ‘They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS’s lawyers.’
Colbert wasn’t in danger of having to invite Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn. He might have to interview Crockett – who appeared on the show last year, before she was a candidate. This whole stunt could be painted as a campaign booster for Talarico, who raised millions of dollars off the appearance.
Then came the weirdness of CBS News covering this spat, giving both sides equal time and weight. On Wednesday’s ‘CBS Mornings,’ reporter Elaine Quijano ran the opposing views, and then added another liberal view: ‘Monday was the first known time a late night talk show changed its programming since the FCC issued its new guidance. Anna Gomez, the only Democratic-appointed FCC commissioner, worries that decision could enable censorship.’
The ‘PBS News Hour’ also turned to Gomez for an attack on Trump and Carr: ‘Anything they don’t like, they want to control and they want to censor.’ Defunded PBS still sounds bitter.
The supreme irony in this entire kerfuffle is that Colbert represents the exact opposite of equal time. Overall, Alex Christy of NewsBusters reported that from September 2022 through Thursday, Colbert has brought on 230 liberal or Democrat guests, to only one Republican – and that Republican was former Rep. Liz Cheney after she was drummed out of office in a primary. So, let’s wink and say 231 to zero.
CBS could easily change the name of its late-night comedy show to ‘The People’s Republic of Colbert.’ Anyone who wants to end their day by listening to a long interview with Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders is not looking for giggles. But that’s what viewers found on January 20. Colbert announced with fanfare that this was the 19th time he’d platformed Sanders.
This is not a ‘bona fide news interview,’ if we’re going to use FCC lingo. It’s the lamest kind of ‘Sunset Semester’ socialism session. ‘Define oligarchy for us’ isn’t even a question. It’s a prompt.
But Colbert also put this ball on the tee for Bernie: ‘This is a red-letter day for you. Here you are administering the oath of office to Mayor Mamdani and I just—you’ve been fighting, you’ve been carrying the banner of democratic socialists for a long time. What was that like to swear in the first Democratic Socialist mayor of a major city?’ He found it ‘extremely gratifying.’
When that YouTube video drew over 8 million views, it was painted by liberal journalists as a great victory over President Donald Trump. But Trump never objected to this interview.
It was the same situation with Talarico – two Democrats talking like Democrats. Colbert nudged: ‘It’s not the first time you’ve caused some drama. ‘FCC opening probe into The View after appearance by Talarico.’ Do you mean to cause trouble?’
Overall, the late-night ‘comedy’ show guest count in 2025 was overwhelmingly stacked: 99% of the political guests are liberals or Democrats. It’s the same on ‘The View.’ In 2025, Whoopi & Co. interviewed 128 liberals or Democrats to two Republicans or sort-of conservatives. Again, that’s being generous. The two are now former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was fulminating against Trump, and Cheryl Hines, who was forced into defending her husband, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
These are the shows that are the most passionately painting themselves as brave upholders of Democracy when they practice nothing of the sort. Only one side is worth hearing, and the other side is only worth smearing.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will suspend TSA PreCheck and Global Entry beginning Sunday as a partial government shutdown continues.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday blamed Democrats for shutting down the government, saying they were causing ‘serious real world consequences.’
‘This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress,’ Noem said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. ‘Shutdowns have serious real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security.’
The suspension of the programs, which allow some travelers to quickly get through airport security, was first reported by The Washington Post, which noted the changes would begin Sunday at 6 a.m. EST.
Noem said the department was making ‘tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians.’
She said TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would be ‘prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.’ The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), she added, will halt all non-disaster-related response to prioritize disasters.
Noem noted the suspension comes as a major storm is expected to hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the Trump administration for ‘idiotically’ shutting down the programs ‘to punish the American people.’
‘This is Trump and Kristi Noem purposely punishing the American people and using them as pawns for their sadistic political games,’ he said in a statement. ‘TSA PreCheck and Global Entry REDUCE airport lines and ease the burden on DHS staff who are working without pay because of Trump’s abuse of the Department and killing of American citizens.’
He called on the administration to immediately reverse the decision.
The third government shutdown in under half a year began on Feb. 14 after Democrats and Republicans were at an impasse on reaching a deal regarding President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
DHS was the only department left without federal funding after Democrats walked away from a bipartisan plan released last month in response to the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal law enforcement agents in Minneapolis during anti-ICE demonstrations.
DHS is the third-largest Cabinet agency with nearly 272,000 employees. Roughly 90% of DHS workers were expected to continue working, many without pay, according to the department’s Sept. 2025 government shutdown plan.
DHS has jurisdiction over numerous agencies and offices, including CBP, TSA, FEMA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Alex Miller contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles County filed a civil lawsuit against Roblox, alleging that the platform markets itself as a gaming experience for children but has created a ‘largely unsupervised online world’ that allows adults to mingle with minors with very little oversight.
The lawsuit says that Roblox’s architecture makes it easy for adults to masquerade as children in order to target them.
‘Beneath the bright animation and cheerful branding lies an environment in which child predators can readily locate, contact, and interact with minors through Roblox-enabled features and defaults, and where age-inappropriate sexual content and sexually themed interactions and experiences can be assessed and disseminated through Roblox’s functionality and tools, leaving minors to navigate dangers they do not and cannot understand,’ the lawsuit says.
The suit was filed on Thursday and asks that Roblox be ordered to pay a civil penalty of up to $2,500 for each violation of the Unfair Competition and False Advertising laws. It also asks that Roblox cover the county’s legal fees.
Roblox said in a statement that it disputes the county’s claims ‘and will defend against it vigorously.’
‘Roblox is built with safety at its core, and we continue to evolve and strengthen our protections every day,’ a company spokesperson said. ‘We have advanced safeguards that monitor our platform for harmful content and communications, and users cannot send or receive images via chat, avoiding one of the most prevalent opportunities for misuse seen elsewhere online.’
The company said safety remains a top priority and takes ‘swift action against anyone found to violate our safety rules.’
The lawsuit, however, accuses Roblox of failing to implement safety measures, including age verification, default communications restrictions and effective reporting mechanisms.
‘These fixes are obvious, easy, and long overdue,’ it says.
The county said in its suit that it has had to ‘expend, divert and increase resources to address rising rates of child sexual exploitation, trafficking, abuse and mental health trauma.’
‘By taking actions that increase the costs of law enforcement, child protective services, victim services, mental health counseling, and other public services, Roblox has diverted taxpayer dollars away from other critical public programs and services,’ the suit alleges.
Roblox said in its statement that as of January, it requires all users to undergo a facial age check to use the chat feature, and that chat users are placed into age groups.
Parents are given control over whether their child can access the chat feature, can block specific users and games, and can set screen time limits. The company also said it does not allow users to send images or videos via chat.
‘There is no finish line when it comes to protecting kids, and while no system can be perfect, our commitment to safety never ends,’ Roblox said.
Since its launch in 2006, Roblox has grown to become a massive global success. It has 144.5 million daily active users with over 35 billion engagement hours, its website states.
According to its most recent shareholder letter for Quarter 4, revenue grew 36% year-over-year to $4.9 billion and generated $1.8. billion in operating cash flow in fiscal 2025.
This was due to the addition of about 60 million daily active users from Quarter 4 of 2024 to Quarter 4 of 2025, the letter says.
Over the years, the gaming platform has been at the center of several lawsuits, including one filed last year where a California woman alleged that her teenage son was groomed and coerced to send explicit images on Roblox and Discord. The suit was filed after the boy took his own life in April 2024.
Attorneys for the mother said the boy was targeted by “an adult sex predator” who posed as a child on Roblox. The lawsuit alleged that the conversation between the boy and the man escalated to include “sexual topics and explicit exchanges.” The man eventually encouraged the boy to move the conversation to Discord, demanded that the boy share explicit videos and images, and then threatened to post them, the lawsuit alleged.
Both companies said at the time that it does not comment on legal matters. The case is still pending.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill also sued the platform last year, alleging that it was “the perfect place for pedophiles” due to its failure to implement strong safety protocols. Roblox denied her claims and said it was committed to working with the prosecutor’s office to keep children safe.
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Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently defended a move by President Donald Trump to protect and boost the production of a precursor chemical for pesticides, which just two years ago RFK Jr. said was a major contributor to ‘America’s chronic disease epidemic,’ and if elected he would ‘ban’ it.
Citing national defense imperatives, Trump passed an executive order earlier this week to protect a precursor element used in the production of an herbicide known as glyphosate. Trump’s executive order described glyphosate-based herbicides as ‘a cornerstone’ of the United States’ agricultural productivity.
The directive created a furor among proponents of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda. Just two years ago, in June 2024, when Kennedy was still running for president, he posted on X, formerly Twitter, that ‘glyphosate is one of the likely culprits in America’s chronic disease epidemic.’
‘The herbicide Glyphosate is one of the likely culprits in America’s chronic disease epidemic. Much more widely used here than in Europe. Shockingly, much of our exposure comes from its use as a desiccant on wheat, not as an herbicide. From there it goes straight into our bodies,’ RFK Jr. said in 2024 while running for president. ‘MY USDA will ban that practice.’
A MAHA Commission report released in May 2025 highlighted the concerns surrounding glyphosate as well.
‘Some studies have raised concerns about possible links between some of these products and adverse health outcomes, especially in children, but human studies are limited,’ the report said. ‘For example, a selection of research studies on a herbicide (glyphosate) have noted a range of possible health effects, ranging from reproductive and developmental disorders as well as cancers, liver inflammation and metabolic disturbances.’
Trump’s executive order was immediately praised by agriculture industry leaders, but MAHA loyalists were sharply critical.
‘This move betrays the very MAHA voters who put this administration in power,’ Kelly Ryerson, co-executive director of American Regeneration and a leading grassroots voice within MAHA, said in a statement. ‘It stands in direct opposition to the President’s original promise to address the contribution of pesticides to chronic disease.’
‘The right is captured by Big Glyphosate,’ added Alex Clark, a podcast host affiliated with Turning Point USA, founded by the late-Charlie Kirk.
‘It feels like MAHA is going through a breakup, or just found out our husband was having an affair,’ she told the Wall Street Journal.
When reached for comment, RFK Jr. said Trump’s directive on glyphosate ‘puts America first where it matters most,’ citing the nation’s defense readiness and food supply.
‘We must safeguard America’s national security first, because all of our priorities depend on it,’ he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. ‘When hostile actors control critical inputs, they weaken our security. By expanding domestic production, we close that gap and protect American families.’
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A leading domestic energy advocacy group praised EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s announcement that his agency would undo recent additions to the federal ‘mercury and air-toxics standards’ (MATS) for coal-fired power plants.
Zeldin said removing the restrictions allows the already ‘robust’ MATS standards to remain in effect, ensuring both public health and the health of America’s coal industry amid a push for U.S. energy dominance.
‘The Biden-Harris Administration’s anti-coal regulations sought to regulate out of existence this vital sector of our energy economy. If implemented, these actions would have destroyed reliable American energy,’ Zeldin said at the Mills Creek Power Plant in Kentucky, adding that protecting the environment and supporting industry and baseload power is not a ‘binary choice.’
In response, Power the Future founder Daniel Turner told Fox News Digital the move is a significant step toward revitalizing the American coal industry and, in turn, fueling economies in economically depressed industrial communities throughout Appalachia and beyond.
‘Since the war on coal, we have weakened our grid, driven electricity prices through the roof, outsourced major industries to Mexico and China, but most of all driven tens of thousands of Americans into ruin because of a globalist agenda,’ Turner said Friday, adding that the costs of a crippled coal industry went far beyond shuttered infrastructure:
‘The cruel Obama-led war on coal ruined numerous towns across rural America, drove families into poverty, caused alcoholism, opioid addiction, domestic violence, and suicide to skyrocket.’
‘Power The Future started because of coal miners, the acceptable casualties in the globalist climate change agenda,’ said Turner, whose group is based in coal-heavy Virginia.
‘Restoring America’s coal dominance is good for our national security and economy, and it restores the dignity of small-town coal workers whose labor is vital to America’s survival.’
Many of America’s poorest counties are in what were once very wealthy coal communities — including McDowell and Mingo counties in West Virginia and Bell, Letcher, McCreary, and Breathitt counties in Kentucky, where Vice President JD Vance’s family is from.
During much of the 20th century, McDowell County — and its seat, Welch — was the No. 1 coal-producing county in the U.S. and home to 100,000 people — a population boom some credit with spurring construction of what became the nation’s first parking deck, which is still standing today in Welch.
Now, about one-quarter of McDowell residents live in poverty while the median income is around $30,000.
Turner alluded to those conditions in comments to Fox News Digital, saying people must ‘never forget or forgive the drivers of the war on coal for their cruel attacks on a vital industry found only in rural America.’
‘[Anti-coal politicians] fly private jets to attend global climate summits while they orchestrated an evil attack on the coal miner making America weaker and China richer.’
Turner quipped that any ‘anti-coal activist’ is invited to join him in visiting coal-producing communities but may be unhappy to get dirt on their clothing and find lodging not up to ‘Four Seasons’ standards.
‘We need coal. There is not one product around you right now that was not touched by coal, and to lower prices, bring market stability and ensure economic growth, we need to dominate the coal industry,’ Turner said.
‘Sadly, the liberal elite who launched the war on coal are too ignorant or too indifferent to know this. The ignorant can be educated, and that’s what I try to do at Power The Future. But the indifferent must be defeated, as they are a threat to our liberty, property and prosperity. I will never stop until I defeat them all,’ he said, calling President Donald Trump the ‘greatest coal president in history.’
Former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy fired back at the policy change, telling the AP that ‘by weakening pollution limits and monitoring for brain-damaging mercury and other pollutants, they are actively undermining any attempt to make America — and our children — healthy.’
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