Internet
Russia Wants To Censor Americans. Why Are U.S. Tech Companies Helping?
The GRANITE Act could take some pressure off tech companies, who may often decide that the effort to fight foreign censorship demands just isn’t worth it.
Martha Stewart's Homeless Halloween Costume Was Perfect for Her
Many were outraged that one of the wealthiest women on Earth would cosplay as a hobo. But what could be more fitting?
Anakin Skywalker Is a Great Character, Not a Great Role Model
The online right is again meme-ing its way toward a profound misunderstanding of the Star Wars protagonist.
Breach of Denmark's National ID System Demonstrates the Risks of a 'Papers, Please' Society
Centralized databases and national ID systems make tempting targets.
The Untold Story Behind the Race for the Atomic Bomb
Author Neal Stephenson explores the forgotten history of the atomic bomb, how Big Tech transformed the internet, and the enduring value of the Enlightenment.
The U.K.'s Online Safety Act Has Been a Failure. Regulators Want To Broaden It Anyway.
A new report reveals more shortcomings of the U.K.’s Online Safety Act.
Worst Nathan for You–Style Scheme Ever? A Polling Company Claimed Its Fake Polls Were a Social Experiment.
Information regulation is not the way to stop online hoaxes. But that doesn’t mean we should stop searching for the truth.
The Man Who Saved the Internet
Plus: How to be more secure in an age of AI hacking, more Trump administration corruption allegations, Virginia Democrat indicted for marijuana scheme, and more...
Review: eBay Live Is QVC for the Modern Age
Sellers appear in TikTok-style livestreams to pitch their goods to chatrooms full of potential buyers.
The Swamp King
Plus: The internet nearly crashed, the White House keeps threatening media outlets for doing their jobs, and more...
Aaron Sorkin's New Anti-Facebook Movie Is a Stunning Act of Self-Satisfied Cowardice
This smug, simplistic film blames Facebook for all that's wrong with the world, ignoring the messy reality of humans and politics.
Trump Has Been Trampling Free Speech for More Than 40 Years—and It Keeps Getting Worse
The president stands out from his modern predecessors by openly displaying his contempt for the First Amendment.
SpaceX Found a Way Around the FCC
The company’s spectacular IPO obscured a quieter breakthrough that could transform satellite communications.
Federal Court Slaps Down Utah's VPN Restrictions
A judge blocked a rule that would have required adult sites to block VPNs or age-check the world.
The End of Social Media
Algorithms and short-form video drove engagement. They also made it easier to quit.
The Millennial Internet Is Dead, and Politicians Killed It.
Social media use is declining, and what's left has shifted from conversation to passive scrolling.
Rand Paul Was Right To Block the Senate's Attempt To Censor the Internet
The bill’s “duty of care” could pressure platforms to suppress lawful speech in the name of protecting children.
Kids Are Using NPR Podcast Comments as Secret Group Chats
Teenagers barred from social media are turning obscure corners of the internet into makeshift chat rooms.
The Rise of the Non-Celebrity Celebrity
There is a form of fame where people aren't really celebrities, or even "influencers"—just folks with a fandom.
Restoring Childhood Says It's Not Smartphones Making Teens Miserable. It's School.
Computers, video games, and the internet actually helped "restore childhood" in the 1990s, suggests psychologist Peter Gray in a new book. Then changes to our education system reversed those gains.
AI Executives Want International Regulation. They Could Just Slow Down Themselves.
Dario Amodei is calling for coordinated international limits on AI development while Anthropic prepares to go public.
Jimmy Kimmel Didn't Air Talarico Interview Over Fear of FCC 'Equal Time' Threats
For the second time this year, Talarico appeared on a late-night show only to be bumped in response to federal threats.
OpenAI Agents Gone Rogue
Plus: Mail-in ballots, mortgage rates reach new high, arcade.gov is a new low, and more...
Prosecutors Say a North Carolina Teenager Committed Murder by Livestreaming a California Mosque Shooting
The case smacks of a desire for retribution that cannot be satisfied by prosecuting the actual killers, who committed suicide.
What Craigslist and Backpage Can Tell Us About the Meta Settlement
It doesn't matter if you're right. If you don't cave, the government might stop at nothing to destroy you.
Lawmakers Want To Stop Kids From Nicknaming Their Pokémon
The Safer GAMING Act would silence minors in every online game by default—and violate the First Amendment.
Haidt's Moment
Plus: The scourge of scromiting, blaming air traffic control, and more...
Rubio Uses Terrorism Law To Ban Secure Email Service
The State Department doesn’t accuse Autistici/Inventati of doing anything more than providing "untraceable" email accounts. But that’s enough to outlaw it as a terrorist organization.
As France Pauses Social Media Ban, American Lawmakers Race To Restrict the Internet
France's top court ruled that a social media ban for under-15s would infringe on free expression and privacy.
Open-Weight
Plus: "Blasphemous" talk in Texas, botox everywhere, ink on Mace, and more...
Another Social Media 'Addiction' Trial Starts Today. Its Claims Are Weak—but Dangerous.
Meta is on trial for fomenting "FOMO," among other things. It sounds silly, but the playbook used here could work against religious groups, fast food, and much more.
Texas Man Arrested After Ranting About Age Verification Laws Blocking His Anime
Did he make a true threat? Or was this just hyperbolic ranting about bad policy?
A Major 'Online Safety' Bill Cleared a Senate Committee. More Crackdowns on Internet Freedom Could Be Coming.
The Senate Commerce committee advanced four bills related to online and AI safety in the name of protecting children.
Minnesota's Nudification Ban Could Punish People Over Parodies and Stripped-Down Selfies. Elon Musk's xAI Is Suing.
The law is written so broadly it could punish services that let you fake an image of yourself in a swimsuit.
Police Mix Up Usernames, Man Spends 18 Months in Prison for Someone Else's Sex Crimes
"He should never have been charged, let alone convicted," judges now say.
'Class Divide' in Teen Social Media Habits Could Explain Differences Between Heavy and Light Users
A new survey finds most teens use social media moderately, though class divides persist.
No, Remote Work Is Not Making Us Miserable
The rise of remote work is a tech success story, despite what one new and very convoluted study claims.
What Jimothy the Raccoon Reveals About Seattle
A local lawmaker said she wants to "keep my measured distance from him so he can live his good little life." What about humans?
Trump's New DOJ Nominee Wants To Ban Online Porn and Prosecute Big Tech
Adam Candeub has been nominated to head the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.
European Commission Moves Us One Step Closer to the End of the Open Internet
It's coming faster than you might think.
The Supreme Court's 'Reasonable Expectation of Privacy' Test Defies Expectations
Neil Gorsuch proposes an alternative to a Fourth Amendment standard that has proven to be an unreliable safeguard against government snooping.
The Man Who Invented Online Sports Betting—and Went to Prison for It
The father of the World Sports Exchange tells his story.
