Happy Tuesday! Here’s your Tuesday Tech Drop, a roundup of the top stories at the intersection of technology and politics from the past week. Ford flip-flips on EVs Ford’s electric vehicle plans appear to have fallen victim to President Donald Trump’s self-destructive economy. The company announced Monday that it is planning to take a nearly $20 billion hit as it pivots away from battery-powered vehicles, a move the company’s CEO attributed in part to Trump’s anti-EV agenda. As Reuters reported: The outlook for electrics dimmed significantly this year as U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies yanked federal support for EVs and eased tailpipe-emissions rules, which could encourage carmakers to sell more gas-powered cars. U.S. sales of electric vehicles fell about 40% in November, following the September 30 expiration of a $7,500 consumer tax credit, which had been in place for more than 15 years to stoke demand. The Trump administration also included in the massive tax and spending bill that passed in July a freeze on fines that automakers pay for violating fuel-economy regulations. Trump’s economic agenda has been devastating for carmakers and consumers alike. His tariffs have raised production costs for auto manufacturers, and consumers have begun seeing those price hikes as well. Meanwhile, the administration’s infatuation with gas-guzzling vehicles is causing one of America’s biggest automakers into a costly pivot. Read more at Reuters. Online protections for children A House subcommittee advanced more than a dozen bills that their authors say are designed to protect children from abuse and other…
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