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Social media goes wrong in Orem
Social media can be a high-risk/low-reward medium. Even the most well-intentioned posts can go off the rails if the public takes it the wrong way. The City of Orem found that out Wednesday.
The city made a post to its Facebook page asking whether residents planned to create an account on former President Donald Trump’s newly announced social network “Truth Social” when it goes live next year.
“The city wants to be where the people are. As we plan our future communications strategies it begs the question,” the post read.
The post featured a photo of a mobile phone superimposed over a picture of Trump.
Facebook post from Orem City's account from Wednesday, November 11, 2021. The post was changed and the photo swapped for another within a few hours.
Within hours, the post drew several hundred comments, with the discussion devolving into the partisan food fight that is commonplace online, or bickering over whether Trump should be referred to as “president” or “former president.”
After a few hours, Orem updated the post with an explanation that they were not seeking to “promote one side or the other.”
The Trump picture was replaced with the Truth Social logo from the App Store.
Here’s what you need to know for Tuesday morning:
Utah
🏛 Utah legislative leaders want to include several hot-button issues on the agenda for next week’s special session. Blocking federal vaccine mandates, the Dixie State University name change, and bail reform could all be on the list. [Tribune]
🗳 Democratic strategist Donna Brazile warns of a “disaster” for national Democrats if they don’t change course after Tuesday’s elections. [Tribune]
🗳 Here are the vote totals from all the races in Salt Lake County. We’re expecting an update sometime Thursday. [Tribune]
🚔 Salt Lake City officials detail their plan to lower crime and improve police response time. [Tribune]
💉 Now that kids age 5 to 11 can get the COVID-19 vaccine, here’s where it’s available. [Tribune]
National
🗳 Democrats sound the alarm after several surprise losses in Tuesday’s elections. [NYT]
➡️ Republicans see schools as a potent wedge issue heading into the 2022 election. [NYT]
🏛 House Democrats added four weeks of paid family leave and state and local tax breaks back into the $1.75 trillion social spending bill. [WSJ]
🏛 Senate Republicans block another major voting rights bill. [WaPo]
🐘 House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is gloating after Tuesday’s election results. He predicts the GOP could pick up more than 60 seats in Congress in next year’s elections. [The Hill]
💉 President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine or testing requirement could be made public as early as today. [ABC News]
⚖️ The Supreme Court seemed skeptical of a New York law limiting the right to carry concealed weapons in public. [WaPo]
🌎 Global carbon pollution levels jump back up to near 2019 levels. [AP]
🏦 The Federal Reserve will begin pulling back on its support for financial markets this month. [NYT]
🦠 750,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. [WaPo]
🚨 The Pentagon warns China is rapidly adding to its nuclear arsenal and could have 1,000 nuclear warheads by the end of the decade. [CNN]
Thursday morning’s Utah news roundup
Utah
COVID-19
Elections
Opinion
— Connor Sanders contributed to this report.
