Internet
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.
U.K. Might Force Social Platforms To Give Government-Backed Media Special Status
Plus: The Democrats' Project 2029 would ban minors from social media, the Supreme Court protects private data in geofence warrant ruling, and more...
Democrats' First 'Project 2029' Proposal: More Government Control Over Social Media
Semafor reported on Project 2029’s "Kids Over Clicks" proposal, which outlines Democrats' plans to regulate social media and AI companies.
Who Owns Your Data?
The Supreme Court could be poised to decide whether it's you or Big Tech companies.
6th Circuit Backs Ban on Ohio Minors Using Social Media Without Parental Permission
The court said the law—which would require age verification for everyone—constitutes only a “marginal burden” and "does not raise meaningful concerns about muting valuable protected discourse."
Carded Before Sexting?
The U.K. says tech companies have three months to stop minors from sending or receiving nude images—and universal identity checks for phone users may be the only way forward.
Bipartisan JAWBONE Act Targets Government Censorship Threats
Government agencies would have to report communications and could be sued for bullying.
The Smartphone Theory of Birth Rate Decline Still Doesn't Hold Up
A new NBER study suffers from the same flaws plaguing previous research on phones and fertility rates.
Illinois Just Adopted a Half-Baked Scheme to Tax Social Media
A lack of comprehension and sloppy language make a mess of a new tax scheme.
The Smartphone Theory of Birth Rate Decline Doesn't Hold Up
Fertility rates started falling centuries before the iPhone was introduced.
U.K. Targets U.S. Suicide Forum With Massive Fine It'll Never Collect
British speech police try to impose their restrictions on the entire world.
Don't Blame ChatGPT for the Florida State Shooting
A new lawsuit claims that ChatGPT gave the shooter information about busy times on campus and how to use guns.
Venezuelan Victims of Socialism Are Using RuneScape To Make Money
Venezuelan players mine in-game resources and turn hours of gameplay into dollars or cryptocurrency.
Swarms of Termite Moviemakers Have Made Cinema More Personal
Screens have become less passive, more participatory, and more open to all kinds of moving pictures.
Civil Liberties Groups Sue for Information on ICE's Speech-Chilling Subpoenas
The feds have been demanding that tech companies identify the administration's anonymous online critics. That violates the First Amendment.
A New Age-Verification Bill Could Make You Show ID To Use a Computer or Smartphone
Plus: The war with Iran is raising condom prices, increased legal liability for chatbot advice could backfire, and more...
An Important Cert Petition Pending Before the Supreme Court on Section 230 Immunity
The briefing is completed on a cert petition presenting the urgent question of whether section 230 immunizes Twitter's knowing possession and distribution of child sex abuse materials.
Lawsuits Targeting Social Media Are an Attack on Free Speech
Tech companies that create social media apps should not be blamed for the complex mental issues of everyone who might use them.
The Rise of the Information State
Jacob Siegel discusses how the internet reshaped political power, the rise of technocratic rule, and why information control keeps failing.
Sex Educators Say They're Being Harmed by Age Verification Laws
Plus: Wisconsin governor vetoes porn age-check bill, more charges for penis protester, the Komodo dragon theory of social media, and more...
Social Media Is Not Tobacco
Plus: Hollywood is over, the war in Iran is not, Democrats are fighting about affordability, and more...
You're Wrong About Social Media Being Addictive
Plus: The Pentagon prepares for possible ground troops in Iran, a listener asks how libertarians should answer the appeal of collectivism, and ICE descends on airports.
Taylor Lorenz: Is Social Media Responsible for Bad Parenting?
Tech journalist Taylor Lorenz discusses the Meta trial, the moral panic around social media, and the risks of regulating online speech.
#Addiction
Plus: Meta and Google found liable, what the verdict means, an OnlyFans-style campaign website, and more...
Unanimous Supreme Court Says Internet Service Provider Not Liable for Internet Users' Illegal Downloads
Plus: What George Orwell thought about Friedrich Hayek.
FCC Bans Nearly All Wireless Routers Sold in the U.S.
The government says foreign-made routers pose a national security risk, but since basically all routers are made overseas, this amounts to a near-total ban.
A Jury Hit Meta With a $375 Million Verdict. The Open Internet May Pay the Price.
Meta's loss in a New Mexico "product design" case could also be a blow against Section 230, free speech, and online privacy.
Facebook Guilty
Plus: Trump declares victory over Iran again, Afroman trial reflections, and more...
4chan Sends Hilarious, Hamster-Filled Reminder That U.S. Companies Need Not Follow British Speech Regulations
"We are not in the mood to discuss the matter further, and have not been in the mood for 250 years."
Section 230's Legal Protections for Internet Speech Face New Challenge
This week, senators heard testimony over the foundation for modern online conversations.
Social Media Panic Lands Joseph Gordon-Levitt a U.N. Gig
The actor previously pushed to repeal Section 230. Now, he is taking his advocacy to the global stage.
