The End of the Free Internet Is Near
The idea that the internet should enjoy minimal government oversight precisely because it was a technology that enabled open and free speech for everyone has been turned on its head.
Internet
Because Politicians Are for Sale, They Think Everyone Else Is Too
Sen. Josh Hawley (R–Mo.) has proposed a dreadful bill that would give the government control of internet content. He thinks the only reason anyone could be opposed is because they've been bought off.
Sen. Ron Wyden: Conservatives Are 'Totally Wrong' About Political Neutrality Under Section 230
"Section 230 has nothing to do with neutrality. Nothing. Zip. There is absolutely no weight to that argument," Wyden says. He oughta know. He wrote the damn thing.
Knitting Website Ravelry Bans All Pro-Trump Content
"Support of the Trump administration is undeniably support for white supremacy."
Almost No One Digs Josh Hawley's Internet Censorship Proposal, Thank Goodness
Plus: Immigration officials confirm Trump tweets about new raids, Elizabeth Warren talks sex work decriminalization, and more...
Josh Hawley Introduces Bill to Put Washington In Charge of Internet Speech
Hawley is selling it as a way to fight tech-company "bias" against Republicans. Don't believe him.
Muscular Content Moderation Is a Really Bad Idea That's Impossible To Implement Well
Be afraid as more journalists and politicians start calling for stronger policing of online speech.
Are Google and YouTube Evil? No, But Don't Let That Get in the Way of Your Feelings.
Despite scant evidence, everyone wants to believe that social media has a unique ability to control our thoughts and actions.
If We Told You Neal Stephenson Invented Bitcoin, Would You Be Surprised?
In his new book, Fall, the author of Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon, and The Diamond Age, looks to the digital afterlife, and beyond.
Why Instapundit Glenn Reynolds Thinks Twitter, Facebook, and Google Should Be Busted Up
The "blogfather" once touted the internet as the antidote to Big Government, Big Business, and Big Media. Now he wants the feds to crack down on social media.
Crossfit Deletes Facebook and Instagram After User Group Is Deplatformed
In the best of all possible worlds, such actions wouldn't be necessary. In the current climate, boycotting social media might spark a return to a robust marketplace of ideas.
To Fight 'Extremism,' Journalists Are Praising Online Censorship
Social media platforms and governments are "voluntarily" teaming up to ban "violent extremist content." What could go wrong?
'Fake News' Is a Really Dangerous Excuse for Censorship
The supposed plague of misleading and harmful information on the internet is nothing new, nor is governments' desire to muzzle anybody who says inconvenient things.
No, the Government Shouldn't Break Up Facebook
Co-founder Chris Hughes' call for antitrust action is vainglorious and misguided.
The 26 Words That 'Created the Internet'—and Why They May Be on the Chopping Block
Legal scholar Jeff Kosseff wanted to write a "biography" of Section 230, the law that immunizes websites and ISPs from a lot of legal actions. He fears he has written its obituary.
'NSFW Advertising' Banned From Reddit
Subreddits on sexual themes will also be banned from running ads.
Nancy Pelosi Declares a 'New Era' of Internet Regulation; E.U. Threatens Same
Nancy Pelosi wants to gut Section 230
Internet Censorship Is Only for the Little People, French Edition
Censorship continues to be about empowering those in charge.
Will a Free Press Cheer on Government Censorship of the Internet?
Will a thirst to punish Silicon Valley destroy our liberty?
Mark Zuckerberg Calls for Government Regulation of Political Speech on Facebook
He's got his reasons, but they all suck. And will accelerate Facebook's decline as a destination in cyberspace.
Mark Zuckerberg: 'I Believe We Need a More Active Role for Governments and Regulators'
Facebook and the end of the open Internet era
In New Zealand, a Democracy Turns Against Itself
Under pressure, democracies have a nasty habit of acting like panicked crowds.
Busybodies on Both Sides of the Atlantic Are Trying to Kill the Internet
Plus: Senators move to end warrantless NSA spying and the "Paycheck Fairness Act" passes the House.
Hide Those Memes, Folks! Europe Passes Massive Online Copyright Changes That Will Lead to Censorship
Do you have a license to link to that story? Will your sexy Tinder photo get confused with a celebrity's?
The Internet Doesn't Need Saving
But that might not stop House Democrats from Net Neutrality-related histrionics.
The EU's Ironic Dependence on Big Tech
Europeans want the best of America's online services, even as the government keeps soaking them for billions.
Fight the Soft Totalitarianism of Social Media Cooperation with Government
With big tech helping government officials to control the sharing of information, we need to support alternatives to undermine their censorious efforts.
The World Wide Web Just Won't Grow Up. Good?: Reason Roundup
Plus: Reason web-culture coverage past...introducing the millennial presidential candidate...another Seattle "sex trafficking" case based on nonsense
The E.U. Wants to Censor 'Terrorist Content' Online. What Could Go Wrong?
There's no room for errors and online platforms face huge fines, likely encouraging overly broad takedowns.
Feds Used a Secret Database to Track Journalists Covering the Migrant Caravan: Reason Roundup
Plus: Facebook says it's pivoting to privacy, and congressional Democrats want to "save the internet."
Why Parents Shouldn't Flip Out Over Too Much Screen Time: Podcast
Jordan Shapiro's The New Childhood boldly embraces technological innovation and the interconnected world it's creating.
More Americans Have High-Speed Internet Access Than Ever
Preliminary FCC report claims the number of Americans with high-speed connections grew by 20 percent in 2017.
A Guide to Surviving Your 15 Minutes of Hate
Here's how to navigate America's newest ritual.
Last Year Saw 'Furthest-Reaching Attempt to Censor Online Speech' Since the 1990s, Say FOSTA Challengers
As the lawsuit against FOSTA hits appeals court, three essays about the law that everyone should read.
Google Says E.U. Copyright Plans Will Kill Citizens' Online News Access
Big publishers want new sources of revenue. But trying to force license fees for linking will backfire.
4 Cases That Show the Scope of Services, Speech, and Conduct Protected by Section 230
Gun buyers, gay lovers, cannabis customers, and Yelp users are just a few of the groups that benefit from this federal law.
How the Internet Is Now Making Us Less Free: Reason Roundup
Plus: FDA greenlights new 23andMe test, Kamala Harris gets the Onion treatment, and nobody likes Trump's new shutdown salve.
'Drop Gangs' the Latest Evolution in Darknet's Avoidance of Law Enforcement
Online black markets shift faster than police can respond
Roku Bans Alex Jones, InfoWars from Streaming Platform
Yes, the paranoid lunatic is a mega-troll, but the beauty of new media means never having to engage stuff you find awful or offensive.
The 'Fake News' Epidemic Was…Fake News
It's "important to be clear about how rare this behavior is on social platforms," researchers say.
Suit Against Grindr Over Harassment Is Part of a Trending Assault on Internet Freedom
On Monday, a federal appeals court considered Grindr's guilt in a case involving app-based impersonators.
How Should Facebook (and Twitter, and YouTube, and…) Decide What Speech To Allow?
Social media platforms have every right to do whatever the hell they want, but they shouldn't really do much speech policing at all.
On the Internet, Nobody Knows You're a Bot
Less than 60 percent of online traffic is actually generated by humans. But is that really a problem?
Silicon Valley May Rue the Day it Called for Government Intervention Against Microsoft
Facebook, Google, Apple, and others are now facing the sort of regulatory and antitrust animus once leveled at Bill Gates' company.
Stossel: Does Silicon Valley Manipulate Users?
New film The Creepy Line argues that tech giants sometimes silence conservatives and try to steer America left.
One Year Ago Today, the FCC Killed the Internet
But if you're reading this, you know that's not true.
Google Hearings Force the Question: Do We Really Want 'Regulation by Federal and State Governments' of 'Today's Disruptive Technologies'?
Obama Defense Secretary Ash Carter wants to bring back the Cold War's Office of Technology Assessment. Why?
