Met Gala Under Fire for Embracing Bezos & Do Phone Bans in Schools Work?

This episode of Morning Brew Daily tackles two major cultural and economic stories: the effectiveness of school phone bans and the controversy surrounding Jeff Bezos' sponsorship of the Met Gala. The podcast examines a new National Bureau of Economic Research study showing that while phone bans reduce device use in schools, they have little to no impact on test scores, attendance, or bullying, and are linked to a 16% spike in suspensions in the first year. Despite teacher and student support, the data raises serious questions about the policy's real-world benefits. Meanwhile, the Met Gala’s $10 million donation from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez sparked backlash due to Bezos’ polarizing public image and New York City’s growing affordability crisis. The episode explores how nonprofits like The Met Costume Institute rely on wealthy donors, drawing parallels to past controversies involving the Kochs and Sacklers. On the tech front, the podcast highlights a surprising resurgence of legacy tech companies like Cisco, Intel, and BlackBerry—driven by AI infrastructure demand and strategic pivots—while also cautioning that much of Big Tech’s recent earnings growth stems from stakes in private AI startups like Anthropic and OpenAI. The episode closes with global developments, including escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a suspected Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, and Birmingham, Alabama, emerging as a top destination for college grads due to strong hiring and wage growth in the health sector.