Kaplan on the Social Media Ban for Minors in Florida Florida’s new social media restrictions for children under 14 spark debate over child safety.

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A recent ruling by an appeals court now allows for restrictions to be placed on social media use for minors in Florida. This is a result of the lift on the temporary injunction against House Bill 3 (HB3) that requires children under 14 to have parental consent to use certain social media platforms and bans them from having social media accounts.

There is a significant divide in perspectives on HB3. Supporters say it protects children from harmful content online while critics argue that it violates the first amendment and interferes with parental authority. Professor Emeritus of Social Welfare at the Luskin School of Public Affairs Mark Kaplan shared his perspectives with Fox13, stating, “There is impact of social media on kids’ well-being…we’re talking about kids’ depression, depressive symptoms, suicidality and self harm.” 

This action has also resulted in a legal battle involving a federal lawsuit filed by tech industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association whose membership includes platforms like Google and Meta. This lawsuit will most likely move to federal court where the final ruling will be made on whether or not HB3 will stand.

Yaroslavsky on Rob Reiner’s Legacy of Progressive Advocacy

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Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at UCLA Luskin, spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about Rob Reiner’s legacy as a progressive policy advocate.

The slain actor, director and producer was also a Democratic power player, championing causes including same-sex marriage, environmental conservation, and early childhood education.

Yaroslavsky recalled Reiner’s energetic support of Proposition 10, a 1998 California ballot measure that levied a tax on tobacco products to pay for a variety of early childhood programs across the state, many of which are still in existence.

“Nobody had ever proposed something of this magnitude before,” said Yaroslavsky, who for decades served as an elected official in Los Angeles. “That was his baby, and it’s made a huge difference that’s helped hundreds of thousands of kids.”

Taylor on Why Traffic Is Getting Worse

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UCLA Luskin’s Brian Taylor spoke to LAist’s AirTalk about traffic congestion that in some places has equaled or surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Personal travel has waned, but delivery trucks and other commercial transportation have increased. And hybrid work schedules have added unpredictability to rush-hour traffic patterns.

Taylor shared the counterintuitive fact that Angelenos actually drive fewer vehicle miles per capita than most motorists in the nation’s 70 largest urbanized areas.

Southern California has a moderate level of density over a very big area, he explained. While the region is much denser than areas such as Memphis, Dallas or Kansas City, it is not dense enough to be walkable and transit-focused like San Francisco, New York and Boston.

“We actually have modest levels of driving but a very large number of people on a relatively limited road system, and that results in high levels of congestion,” said Taylor, a professor of urban planning and public policy.

In a megalopolis as enormous as the LA region, “there’s traffic because there’s 18 and a half million people who are trying to move around along with lots of goods.”

Scrutiny Grows Over Measure ULA Claims, Mike Manville Weighs In

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Measure ULA, the voter-approved  “mansion tax” that was meant to address Los Angeles’ housing affordability crisis and boost construction jobs, is drawing new scrutiny. An April news release from the tax’s oversight committee claimed that, within its first two years, Measure ULA helped create 800 new affordable homes and 10,000 union construction jobs. Those figures are now facing serious questions about their accuracy.

LAist cited Professor and Chair of Urban Planning Michael Manville’s input on these controversial numbers. According to Manville, these statistics are highly implausible as there hadn’t been a lot of construction resulting from Measure ULA happening at the time the claim was made. 

“What it suggests to you is the possibility that the people at work sort of promoting and, in theory, even regulating this measure aren’t that interested in the details, aren’t that interested in the rigor and are more interested in just promoting a particular storyline,” he said.

Further investigation revealed that the method in which the estimate was obtained was fundamentally flawed and the post has since been altered to reflect these insights.

Why Small Businesses Fail: Key Findings from the Wall Street Journal

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The Wall Street Journal breaks down the biggest reasons small businesses fail, drawing on national data, expert insights, and real-world examples of entrepreneurs navigating early-stage risk.

They turned to UCLA Luskin’s Robert Fairlie for his expertise, citing his finding that “only half of new businesses survive two years, and only a third last five years.” The piece underscores how early-stage entrepreneurs often underestimate cash-flow needs and overestimate initial demand, leaving them vulnerable within those early years of growth.

It also points to the advantages held by those with prior business exposure — whether through family enterprises or past industry experience — which can translate into stronger planning, better decision-making, and higher sales. “The children of family-business owners were more successful and less likely to exit,” with family work experience linked to roughly 40% higher sales, says Fairlie.

Fairlie also guides the discussion on financing gaps, especially for minority-owned businesses, explaining that they’re more likely to exit due to limited capital access. His data shapes its core conclusions about why startups struggle and what factors boost survival.

Cohen on Prolonged Withdrawal Symptoms After Discontinuing Antidepressant Use

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Antidepressants are taken by millions of adults in the United States and are one of the most commonly prescribed medications. Some decide to discontinue their medication use due to side effects like elevated heart rate and blood pressure, but this can also lead to serious withdrawal symptoms, even in people tapering off the drug.

Professionals in the field of psychiatry have shared their perspectives on these cases of prolonged withdrawal symptoms, with some stating these narratives do not largely reflect what they observe in research and in their practice and others highlighting the importance of not dismissing people’s experiences and ensuring patients have medical supervision when tapering. 

Professor of Social Welfare and Associate Dean at the Luskin School of Public Affairs David Cohen shared with NBC News that he believes there is a need for more research on withdrawal symptoms in the field of psychiatry. “We need large, nonindustry funded trials to examine what happens when people stop antidepressants, using various tapering strategies and long enough follow-up,” he said.

BART Extension Faces Federal Funding Uncertainty

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The long-awaited BART extension through downtown San José is facing renewed uncertainty as local officials prepare for potential federal funding cuts under President Trump. BART, or Bay Area Rapid Transit, is the regional train system connecting San Francisco, Oakland, and surrounding suburbs.

The $12.7 billion project relies heavily on a $5.1 billion commitment secured during the Biden administration, and any delay or reversal could further stall progress and drive up costs.

Jacob Wasserman, research program manager at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, spoke to KQED that this project will likely be fully canceled but warned of serious ripple effects. “It certainly will engender delays, which add cost,” he noted, adding that a federal administration “hostile to California” could complicate the project’s path forward.

Pierce on the Closure of the Santa Ynez Reservoir during the Palisades Fire

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News that the Santa Ynez reservoir was empty and closed for repairs during the highly destructive Palisades Fire in January has led to a month-long state investigation ordered by Governor of California Gavin Newsom on whether or not use of the reservoir could have made a difference in combatting the flames.

The resulting report released by California agencies found that use of the reservoir could not have influenced the outcome of the wildfire, as the water flow rate would have been insufficient to keep fire hydrants working and even a full reservoir would not have been able to maintain the necessary water pressure for long. The report emphasized that the Santa Ynez reservoir is part of L.A.’s municipal water system whose primary purpose is not to fight wildfires, but rather to maintain a supply of clean drinking water.

Co-Executive Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab Greg Pierce shared his views on the report with LAist. “This report confirms what we and others have been saying more broadly regarding water system expectations and capabilities, but does so completely independently and with new details specific to the L.A. fires.”

Wasserman on Efforts to Improve Traffic Flow at LAX

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As the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in L.A. steadily approach, the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is picking up the pace on rebuilding its roads to improve traffic flow. This project is predicted to be completed two months before the games begin. 

Perspectives on the practicality of this effort have been mixed. LAWA officials claim that it will increase safety and streamline the separation of airport travelers from others on the road. Critics, on the other hand, point out that this plan neglects the “horseshoe,” an infamously traffic-heavy bottleneck at LAX, and argue it could actually worsen traffic.

A recent Los Angeles Times article featuring Research Program Manager Jacob Wasserman at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies cited his views on the temporality of traffic improvements due to a phenomenon called induced demand.

“Initially, these changes could alleviate traffic in the area and on the freeways to some degree, but it’s going to fill up again. … When there’s less traffic, more cars will naturally file in and it’ll fill up,” he said. “It’s going to move more people in total, but it’s not going to fix traffic.”

Yaroslavsky on the Response to the Lachman Fire

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Reports have emerged that firefighters at the site of the January Lachman fire were told to leave the scene of the flames while there was still visible smoldering. Five days later, the highly destructive Palisades fire swept through southern California, killing twelve people and destroying thousands of buildings and homes.

Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass ordered an investigation into the handling of the Lachman fire to ensure that the Los Angeles fire department (LAFD) can enact necessary reforms and improvements. 

Director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Zev Yaroslavsky spoke with the Guardian about the resulting Palisades fire, describing it as a “Pearl Harbor moment,” and highlighted the importance of transparency to restore the public’s faith in the LAFD.

“Many questions remain and Bass and the LAFD need to provide answers as communities continue to rebuild,” said Yaroslavsky. “I think the morale has been shaken to the core in Altadena and the Palisades.”