Straight Arrow

On day one of President Trump's second term, he signed an executive order that changed how transgender people are treated by the federal government. The administration has also moved to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives with federal agencies warning that some workplace DEI programs could face legal scrutiny. In response, many companies have scaled back or ended support efforts. Straight Arrow looked at how these policy changes are affecting workplace conditions for LGBTQ+ employees. Follow the link for the full story.

"If your mother says she loves you, check it out." It's a phrase repeated across decades of journalism school. Don't trust what people tell you. Verify. That's never more true than in today's media age. Straight Arrow Digital Influence Reporter Rosie Thomas shows us the dark side of "influencing," one where foreign entities and political campaigns could be behind your favorite content creator's seemingly organic beliefs. She spoke with comedian and content creator Ryan Kelly, who says he was offered $25,000 to post a video defending a Cambodian businessman accused of money laundering. Posting a video like that could violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act if not disclosed to the U.S. government. Kelly decided to out the PR company in lieu of the payday, but other content creators posted videos with very similar scripts to the one Kelly allegedly got. We have the screen recordings, which are useful, because those content creators have since deleted their videos and are not responding to our requests for comment. https://lnkd.in/gBhc_Py2

We're thrilled our daily Unbiased Updates show was recognized with a Folio Award! Every day our team gets up well before the crack of dawn to put together the smartest, sharpest news update around. Huge congrats to Craig Nigrelli, Jason K. Morrell, Shea Taylor, William Jackson, Devan Markham, Julia Marshall, Robin Stoltzfus, and Jonah Applegarth!

There are part-public, part-private groups that receive some public funds. But some of these groups operate largely outside open-records laws, meaning they do not have to honor public records requests, even though some funds are redirected from state revenue. So how can taxpayers be sure funds are going to where they say they are? Straight Arrow spoke to researchers to learn more about how these organizations have been able to avoid this transparency. Follow the link for the full story.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has returned billions of dollars to Americans harmed by financial institutions since its creation after the 2008 financial crisis. But as the agency scales back enforcement actions, staffing and consumer services, questions are growing about who will help consumers resolve disputes and hold financial companies accountable. Straight Arrow examines what the changes could mean for Americans and where consumers may turn for help. Follow the link to learn more.

Young people are entering the worst job market for adolescents on record. Worse even than the years following World War II or the recovery from the Great Recession. So, what are teens looking for summer jobs to do? Straight Arrow spoke to several teenagers to see how they are navigating the summer job market. Follow the link to learn more.

We're hiring at Straight Arrow! I’m looking for a Senior Product Operations Manager, MarTech & Subscriptions -- a hands-on builder/operator who can help us scale the systems behind our digital news business. This role sits at the intersection of product, growth, subscriptions, messaging, analytics, and platform operations. You’ll work directly with the tools and workflows that power paywalls, lifecycle journeys, audience segmentation, app/web experiences, and cross-system integrations. If you’ve helped operate a subscription, membership, media, publishing, streaming, ecommerce, or other DTC digital business, especially from inside the platforms that make it run, then I’d love to hear from you. Come help us build the future of journalism. Job description https://lnkd.in/eSn3zCPe

Major sporting events like the World Cup and Olympics often come with promises of economic growth, job creation, and a boost for local businesses. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is no exception. The White House projects the tournament will add $17.2 billion to U.S. GDP and create more than 185,000 jobs. But what does decades of research on mega-events actually show? Straight Arrow spoke with sports economists who say the economic impact of events like the World Cup is often smaller than projected, with many host cities seeing only temporary gains while still facing significant costs.

An estimated 2 million to 10 million Americans currently live without reliable running water in their homes. They spend roughly $16K per year on water, far exceeding the costs for homes with standard plumbing. What's preventing the federal government from keeping track of how many Americans don't have reliable running water? Straight Arrow got curious and asked experts the reasons why and what needs to happen to ensure everyone has access to water.

What if "getting over" an infection isn't always the end of the story? For years, infections and chronic diseases were largely treated as separate issues. You got sick, recovered and moved on. Chronic conditions were thought to have different causes. But research sparked by long COVID is prompting scientists to take a closer look. Researchers are finding that some infections, including COVID-19, influenza, Lyme disease and others, can be followed by symptoms that persist for months or even years. Fatigue, brain fog and other long-term health challenges are leading experts to ask whether infections may play a larger role in chronic illness than previously understood. Straight Arrow explores what scientists are learning about the connection between infections and chronic disease, and why it could reshape the future of medicine.