This week’s guide to government and politics in under 10 minutes

Editor’s Note: Good Monday morning. Don’t forget to register for our two upcoming events: The Health Reset in Boston and Navigating the AI Economy in LA. Tickets are almost gone. Get yours today. 

I AI GENERATED ADS FLOOD MIDTERMS

The Wesleyan Media Project has identified more than 220 AI-generated midterm election ads. Candidates and PACs have spent at least $137 million promoting AI ads this year. Researchers found that nearly half the videos included AI-generated depictions of real politicians, and more than 70% lacked a disclaimer that AI created the ad. AI generation can greatly lower ad production costs, with one ad firm founder saying his firm used AI to cut a projected $2 million ad production to $200,000. The Wesleyan Media Project found that many ads used AI to make slight alterations to photos or videos, or to create images so absurd they couldn’t be confused with reality. 

>> Are AI election ads legal in your state? We did the work to find out here.

I DEADLY SCHOOL SHOOTING IN BEND, OR

Three children aged 5, 8, and 11 years and a teacher were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, OR last Thursday. The shooter was a 16-year-old Bend resident who was shot and killed by a school parent who pursued him into the school. The shooting marks the 36th shooting on a K-12 campus in the U.S. this year, according to data analysis by CNN. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is assisting the Bend Police Department in investigating the shooting. Law enforcement is still investigating the shooter’s motive.

>> Learn about a plan to use pepper-spray drones to stop school shootings here.

 I FIRST NEW SUNSCREEN IN 25 YEARS HITS STORES

U.S. shoppers have a new sun protection option for the first time in 25 years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved bemotrizinol in June, and the first sunscreens that include the ingredient are now reaching stores. Bemotrizinol, which offers broad UV protection without the cosmetic downsides of previous sunscreen ingredients, has been approved for use in other parts of the world since 1999. It’s the first chemical-based sunscreen in the U.S. that protects against both UVA and UVB light. Previous sunscreen formulations had to mix multiple ingredients to protect against both forms of UV light. 

>> ASP breaks down why it took so long for a new sunscreen to get approval here.

I TICKET RESALE GIANTS SUE DC OVER NEW LAW

Four companies — SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, Gametime, and TickPick — are suing to block a Washington, DC law capping ticket resale prices at no more than 10% over face value. The law does not apply to most sporting events and movie tickets. The companies argue the law applies to sales largely outside the District and sets an arbitrary cap on resale prices, and so violates the Commerce Clause, Due Process Clause, and First Amendment.

>> Get the inside scoop on how state and local governments are fighting ticket bots here.

I FDA ISSUES NEW RULE ALLOWING SALT SUBSTITUTES

Manufacturers may use salt substitutes in dozens of standardized foods under a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule. Standardized foods include cheese, bread, sour cream, and mayonnaise. The rule permits manufacturers to replace some or all added salt with a “safe and suitable substitute” when reformulating products. The rule is intended to reduce sodium intake, which could help lower the risk of hypertension, a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke. 

>> Discover how state laws on food additives and dyes are changing here.

From the ingredients in our food to the products we put on our skin, decisions about our health happen long before we reach the checkout. 

Join ASP & Reuters in Boston on November 16 for The Health Reset, a live conversation about how those decisions are made, who makes them, and how science and regulation guide them. 

ASP’s Chris Evans and Mark Kassen and Reuters Global Health and Pharma Editor Michele Gershberg will explore what it means to be healthy, from food dyes and additives to supplements, vaccines, and GLP-1s, and how you know who to trust on the latest health and wellness trends. 

Get your ticket today before they’re gone. 

Before you go: it’s last call for Navigating the AI Economy on October 26 in LA. Register today.

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AI giant Anthropic is planning to go public as soon as next month. ASP Recaps Reuters reporting on the company’s prospectus, which explains how it could generate tremendous profit or end humanity. 

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