Livestream: Homeland Security's Backdoor Social Media Speech Regulation
Livestream with Nick Gillespie, Robby Soave, and Zach Weissmueller
Science & Technology
Twitter Was Toxic Long Before Musk Took Over
Plus: Hate speech is free speech, tax gap is stable, and more...
Twitter Was Already a Hellscape Even Before It Was Set Free
Plus: For Halloween, the editors describe what scares them most about politics and government right now.
DHS Still Policing Disinformation Despite Dissolving Disinformation Governance Board
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI regularly report misinformation and disinformation to tech companies for potential removal.
Musk Says He Bought Twitter 'To Help Humanity,' Pledges Not To Let It Become a 'Free-for-All Hellscape'
Plus: Charlottesville cracks down on city employee speech, judge dismisses "blackout challenge" lawsuit against TikTok, and more...
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against TikTok Over Child's Death in Blackout Challenge
In his dismissal order, the judge cited Section 230, the law protecting websites from liability for user-generated content.
That Fuzzy Blob Is Not a UFO
Science writer Mick West examines alleged UFO sightings. He finds that they almost always have far more obvious explanations.
Gregor Mendel, the Father of Genetics and a Tax Resister, Turns 200
Mendel had a history of run-ins with the state.
Ninth Circuit Refuses to Quash Jan. 6 Committee Subpoena for Kelli Ward's Cell Phone Records
A Ninth Circut panel split 2-1 over whether First Amendment concerns should prevent congressional investigatos from obtaining cell records for Arizona's Republican Party Chair.
The U.K. Competition Authority 'Wins,' but Consumers Lose
U.K. regulators shut down Meta/GIPHY deal in favor of their own “approved buyer.”
You Do Not Need To Store Your Kids' DNA in Case of Emergencies
Fearmongering about mass school shootings leads to some dumb, privacy-threatening ideas.
It's Long Past Time for the FDA To Approve Over-the-Counter Birth Control
Despite experts recommending that birth control be sold over the counter, the U.S. still treats the pill like it's 1960.
Federal Report Adds to the Evidence That Bitemark Analysis Is Nonsense
Forensic techniques are nowhere near as reliable as cops shows pretend.
The Press Idolizes Politicians. Instead, It Needs To Hold Them Accountable.
Newspapers deserve a great deal of credit for the expansion of freedom over the past 200 years. But the media have lost credibility.
Midterm Polling, PayPal, and Patellas
Plus: The editors consider Ye and social media, then field a question about the TARP bailouts during the 2008 fiscal crisis.
A North Carolina School District Wants To Ban 'Furry' Costumes
Despite acknowledging that "the costume issue is small," the Iredell-Statesville School Board is suggesting banning animal costumes in response to online rumors.
Biden's New Industrial Policy Will Fail, Just Like Industrial Policy Always Fails
While campaigning for the midterm election, the president is promoting a disastrous and expensive form of economic protectionism.
Social Media Interaction Does Not Improve Political Knowledge, but It Does Polarize Us
Two new studies say there's no evidence of political learning on social media, but it does increasingly teach us to hate our opponents.
Balaji Srinivasan: How To Build Your Own Country in the Cloud
The Network State author and serial entrepreneur on the future of freedom, online and offline.
Balaji Srinivasan: How To Build Your Own Country in the Cloud
The Network State author and serial entrepreneur on the future of freedom, online and offline.
Gavin Newsom Vetoed California Crypto Regulations—and Invited Even Worse Federal Intervention
Any new rules for the crypto market should protect entrepreneurs and investors from overzealous intervention, not subject them to it.
PayPal Says It Won't Fine Users $2,500 for Misinformation, but It Will Fine Them for 'Intolerance'
"Sounds like a good reason to think twice about using PayPal," writes Eugene Volokh.
What Biden's Weed Plan Really Means
Plus: lawsuit targets Roblox and Discord, 24 million immigration cases in backlog, and more...
A California Law Designed To Protect Children's Digital Privacy Could Lead to Invasive Age Verification
While the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act was hailed as a victory for digital privacy, critics warn of a litany of unintended consequences.
FIRE Podcast on Free Speech and the Texas Social Media Law
The podcast is a debate between legal scholar Brad Smith and myself.
New Biden Weapons Package for Ukraine 'Increases the Danger of a Direct Military Clash,' Says Russian Ambassador
Plus: Musk's Twitter purchase may be back on, global deflation may be looming, and more...
Elon Musk Buying Twitter Is Not the End of the World
Regular people are not so terminally online.
Mocking the Police Is Not a Crime
A First Amendment case prompts The Onion to explain how parody works.
Supreme Court To Hear 2 Cases About Social Media Moderation and Liability for Terrorism
Does Section 230 shield YouTube from lawsuits about recommendations? Can Twitter be forced to pay damages over the terrorists it hasn’t banned?
Kim Kardashian Must Pay $1.26 Million for Illegally Promoting Cryptocurrency Tokens
Plus: SCOTUS is back in session, governments around the world are getting bigger, and more...
New Zealand P.M. Jacinda Ardern Peddles Government Censorship to an International Audience
The world’s politicians offer a friendly reception to attacks on free speech.
Artificial Intelligence Will Change Jobs—For the Better
Rather than being replaced by A.I., humans should plan to work with it.
YouTube Says Giorgia Meloni Video Was Removed in Error, Restores It After Inquiry
"Upon careful review, we determined this video is not violative of our Community Guidelines and have reinstated it," said a YouTube spokesperson.
A Parodist Asks SCOTUS To Let Him Sue the Cops Who Arrested Him for Making Fun of Them
The 6th Circuit ruled that qualified immunity prevented Anthony Novak from vindicating his First Amendment rights.
For Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Political Stunts Are More Important Than Substance
Who cares if it’s legal if it generates politically advantageous outrage and attention?
Subreddit Gets Users To Call Texas Gov. Greg Abbott a 'Little Piss Baby' To Defy Content Moderation Law
Reddit users are protesting Texas' H.B. 20, which forces social media platforms to host speech they find objectionable.
No, Google Isn't Dying. Internet Search Is Better Than Ever if You Know How To Use It.
Getting the best information when we need it will likely always be a challenge, but the Reddit hack helps.
The Fight To Stop Research Into a Cheap, Effective Backup Plan for Climate Change
Why are activists trying to stop research into a promising backup plan to handle climate change?
Germany's Criminalization of Online Offensiveness Shows the Perils of Weakening the First Amendment
A crackdown on insults, hate speech, and misinformation punishes dissenters who express themselves in ways that offend government officials.
The Government Can't Fix Social Media Moderation and Should Not Try
Democrats and Republicans both demand solutions that are inconsistent with the First Amendment.
Federal Judges Uphold Texas Law Regulating What Social Media Platforms May Censor
It’s a terrible ruling that misunderstands years of First Amendment precedents. And it’s increasingly likely that the Supreme Court will have to intervene.
The Lazy Stoner Trope Is a Myth, Say Marijuana Researchers
Plus: giving migrants false addresses, regulating podcasts, and more...
What Wikipedia Can Teach the Rest of the Internet
Jimmy Wales talks about why his online encyclopedia works, how to improve social media, and why Section 230 isn't the real problem with the internet.
Why the Florida and Texas Social Media Laws Violate the Takings Clause
They mandate occupation of private property without the consent of the owner.
Phil Magness: Holding Leftists and Libertarians Accountable
The intellectual watchdog keeps tabs on everyone from The 1619 Project's Nikole Hannah-Jones to Mises Institute's Hans-Hermann Hoppe in the name of serious scholarship.
