Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
    • The Best of Reason Magazine
    • Why We Can't Have Nice Things
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Print Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Anonymity

Man sitting with a laptop |  Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Free Speech

The Age-Gated Internet Is Here

Goodbye, online anonymity.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 7.28.2025 11:01 AM

An AI-generated image of a speaker, shown from behind, addressing a legislative chamber. | nicemorning | Dreamstime.com

Artificial Intelligence

Heavy-Handed Legislation Targets AI-Generated Replicas of Voices and Images

The NO FAKES Act imposes censorship, threatens anonymity, and regulates innovation.

J.D. Tuccille | 6.27.2025 7:00 AM

Free Speech

#TheyLied Plaintiff Suing for Defamation Over Sexual Misconduct Accusations Can't Use Subpoena to Unmask Pro-Defendant GoFundMe Organizers

"The subpoena is ... a classic ‘fishing expedition’ in constitutionally protected waters.”

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 10.6.2023 12:37 PM

Child in shadow | Photo 103942721 © Miunicaneurona | Dreamstime.com

Children's Rights

Texas Tries To Rein in False Accusations of Child Abuse

The state legislature passed a law to limit anonymous reports to its child abuse hotline.

Emma Camp | 5.24.2023 11:47 AM

A phone screen with social media icons, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. | Photo 85888284 © Marcel De Grijs | Dreamstime.com

Technology

A New Federal Bill Could Require You To Show Facebook and Twitter Your Government ID

The age verification proposal is a disaster for both children and adults.

David McGarry | 2.7.2023 2:15 PM

Secret source under government surveillance | Illustration: Lex Villena; Fancystudio, Navarone | Dreamstime.com

Congress

A New Federal Press Shield Bill Falters Just Before the Finish Line in Congress

A law to protect people engaged in journalism from having to reveal sources gets blocked by Sen. Tom Cotton.

Scott Shackford | 12.23.2022 8:00 AM

Chinese protesters | Liau Chung-ren/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Censorship

China's Lockdown Protests Show Why You Shouldn't Let Government Weaken Encryption, Anonymity

Too many Western governments want to follow in the footsteps of authoritarians when it comes to tech privacy.

Scott Shackford | 11.29.2022 5:15 PM

Free Speech

Interesting Defendant Anonymity Opinion in Trademark / Parody / Gun 3-D Printing Controversy

And, even more exciting, there’s personal jurisdiction thrown in.

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 7.12.2022 6:54 PM

onlinecommenting_1161x653 | Cateyeperspective / Dreamstime.com

Brickbats

Brickbat: No Comment

Charles Oliver | 7.11.2022 4:00 AM

Free Speech

"Cancel Culture … Is Inconsistent with the Philosophy of Open, Political Debate"

“[I]t undermines and stifles First Amendment privileges,” says a federal court, defining “cancel culture” as “the phenomenon of aggressively targeting individuals or groups, whose views aggressors deem unacceptable, in an effort to destroy them personally and/or professionally.”

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 3.23.2022 6:08 PM

angryjudge_1161x653 | Photowitch / Dreamstime.com

Censorship

U.K. Officials Want Even More Power To Punish You for Being Mean Online

A Scottish man was just convicted for tweeting an insult about a dead person. The authorities already have too much power to censor.

Scott Shackford | 2.3.2022 12:50 PM

Free Speech

RFK Jr. Sues to Identify Blogger Critic

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 10.28.2021 8:19 PM

davidamess_1161x653 | News Licensing / MEGA / Newscom

Social Media

Social Media Isn't To Blame for the Deadly Stabbing of a British Member of Parliament

Attempts by British lawmakers to erase online anonymity would lead to radical speech being pushed underground.

Scott Shackford | 10.19.2021 1:40 PM

Libel

Anonymity of Libel Helps Justify Punitive Damages

"[M]ost revealing of actual knowledge of falsity is the vehicle chosen by Riccio to spread the falsehoods—the anonymous letter."

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 8.23.2021 8:01 AM

John-Roberts-4-27-21-Newscom | CNP/AdMedia/Sipa

First Amendment

SCOTUS Rules That California Violated the First Amendment by Routinely Demanding Donor Information From Advocacy Groups

Six justices agreed that the state's "dragnet for sensitive donor information" imposes "a widespread burden on donors' associational rights."

Jacob Sullum | 7.1.2021 2:05 PM

Free Speech

Lawsuit Over Nieman Journalism Lab (at Harvard) Outing Commenter Can Go Forward

The plaintiff is Francesca Viola, who wrote the comment when she was a journalism professor at Temple University.

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 6.28.2021 7:22 PM

Chuck-Schumer-3-9-21-Newscom | Lev Radin/Zuma Press/Newscom

First Amendment

These Nonprofit 'Disclosure' Requirements Are an Assault on the First Amendment

A California rule and a bill approved by the House seem designed to chill freedom of speech and freedom of association.

Jacob Sullum | 3.10.2021 12:01 AM

NAACP_leaders_with_poster_NYWTS-cropped_bg | Wikipedia

First Amendment

California's Requirement That Nonprofits Disclose Donor Information Poses a Grave Threat to Freedom of Association

A broad coalition of groups is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the state's policy.

Jacob Sullum | 3.4.2021 3:10 PM

Free Speech

Pseudonymity Controversy in Kevin Spacey Sex Abuse Case

May plaintiffs alleged sexual assault proceed pseudonymously, when the defendant is being publicly named?

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 3.3.2021 1:49 PM

Right of Access

Indiana Judges Disagree: Should Targets of Protective Orders Be Pseudonymous?

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 11.15.2020 8:01 AM

Free Speech

#MeToo, #TheyLied, and Pseudonymous Litigation

When can libel plaintiffs, suing over allegedly false claims of sexual misconduct, sue pseudonymously? When can defendants defend pseudonymously?

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 7.21.2020 8:02 AM

Free Speech

Robby Soave on the New York Times / Slate Star Codex Controversy

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 6.24.2020 6:11 PM

Volokh Conspiracy

Doe v. Doe Libel Lawsuit Over Allegations of Sexual Misconduct by a Business Executive

Unsurprisingly, the exact allegations that are said to be libelous don't appear in the complaint.

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 7.19.2019 8:01 AM

Free Speech

First Amendment Protections for Anonymous Speakers Apply to Foreign Speakers

So holds a district court, in a copyright case brought by the Jehovah's Witnesses against a Reddit commenter.

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 5.26.2019 8:04 AM

Free Speech

Court Throws out Lawsuit Against Tor for Providing Anonymous Routing

Tor, a leading service for anonymously accessing the Internet, is shielded by 47 U.S.C. § 230.

Eugene Volokh |The Volokh Conspiracy | 5.21.2019 6:11 PM

Large image on homepages | Ron Sachs/CNP/AdMedia/Newscom

Donald Trump

Trump: DOJ Should Investigate NYT Op-Ed Writer for 'National Security' Purposes

Trump thinks that by publishing the piece, the Times is "virtually" guilty of "treason."

Joe Setyon | 9.7.2018 1:30 PM

Large image on homepages | PAPPIS JEAN PIERRE POLARIS/SIPA/Newscom

Donald Trump

Trump Slams Anonymous Sources, Promotes Story Based on Anonymous Sources

A little consistency would be nice.

Joe Setyon | 8.29.2018 3:15 PM

Large image on homepages | Jan Lievens / Dreamstime.com

Bitcoin

Don't Blame Bitcoin for Russian Hacking

Cybercurrencies are not as anonymous as you might think.

Andrea O'Sullivan | 7.31.2018 8:30 AM

Large image on homepages | Joanna Andreasson

Bitcoin

3 Steps to Buy and Store Bitcoins Anonymously

A handful of best practices can go a long way toward shielding your transactions from government spies and other malevolents.

Jim Epstein | 5.31.2018 12:00 AM

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2025 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300