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The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is making rounds in the DC area

By Jeff Clabaugh

The Hello Kitty brand, a multibillion-dollar enterprise, has been crisscrossing the country with its Hello Kitty Cafe Trucks as it marks its 20th anniversary this year, and one will make several stops in the D.C. region starting this weekend.

The stops include Tysons Corner Center in McLean on March 23, Pike & Rose in Bethesda on April 6, and The Avenue at White Marsh on April 13.

The trucks are part merchandise sales (Hello Kitty hoodies, T-shirts, mugs, lunch boxes and totes), and part sweet snacks (macarons, cookies and madeleines).

The Hello Kitty character was first introduced in 1974 by the Japanese company Sanrio, which still owns the brand and operates the trucks. The first Hello Kitty truck tour debuted in 2014.

The Hello Kitty empire includes an animated series, music, comics and video games.

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will be at The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center on March 23 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

By The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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