Internet
Anti-Trump Democrats Learn That Internet Censorship Blocks Them Too
Anyone who wants to restrict free speech should contemplate what it would be like if your enemy gets to choose what gets said.
The EARN IT Act Is the New FOSTA
The new bill takes aim at internet freedom and privacy under the pretense of saving kids.
How the Coronavirus Might Kickstart the 21st Century
In the pandemic's wake, we'll learn, work, and live more online than ever.
COVID-19 Reminds Us: Social Media Is Good, Actually
Will coronavirus help rehabilitate tech's rep?
Senators Push Sneaky Anti-Privacy Bill
The EARN IT is an attack on encryption masquerading as a blow against underage porn.
Taylor Lorenz Makes Sense of Online Culture for the Rest of Us
The New York Times technology reporter is revealing how social media is encouraging individual expression.
Newspaper Lobbyists and Encryption Foes Join the Chorus Against Section 230
How the press learned to stop worrying and love censorship.
Corporate Socialism? Bill Barr's Suggestion That the U.S. Should Buy Nokia or Ericsson To Counter China Is a Terrible Idea.
If the only way to beat China is to become like China, then we've already lost.
At This Year's Vegas Porn Expo, Everything People Think They Know About the Internet and Adult Entertainment Is Wrong
The internet has turned adult performers into media entrepreneurs.
Trump and Comey Are United Against Encrypted Communications
Don’t worry—America’s ruling factions still disagree over who should be in charge of the snooping.
Can Jack Dorsey Reinvent the Internet by Making Twitter More Like Email?
The case for a technical free speech fix
Are California's New Data Privacy Controls Even Legal?
A new paper raises constitutional questions about expansive state-level regulations that reach beyond their borders.
Was This the Decade We Hit Peak Free Speech?
Speech was more varied and vibrant than ever before—and then the backlash began.
Support Reason So We Can Keep Bringing You the Future of Journalism!
From personalized magazine covers to 3D videos to cutting-edge podcasts, we've always been ahead of the curve, thanks to your help.
Ro Khanna Hopes This Bill Will Pave the Way to Repealing FOSTA
Since FOSTA passed in 2018, "sex workers have faced increased violence" and "have been forced onto the streets," the California congressman says.
Do We Need a World Data Organization?
Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang thinks so.
Kat Rosenfield and Stan Lee Wrote a Superhero Novel About Cancel Culture
A Trick of Light is the result of an unorthodox collaboration between the accomplished young adult novelist and the late Spider-Man creator.
'We Can Fact Check Your Ass,' but Not When It Comes to Political Ads
Twitter has made a bad decision when it comes to banning political ads from its site. They should trust users to decide what is right or wrong.
Study: YouTube's Fringe Video Viewers Aren't Passive Zombies
Plus: Cryptocurrency crashes, prison abuse protests in Florida, the death of the center-right, and more...
'Data Portability' Bill Would Risk User Privacy and Crush Social Media Startups
Plus: Court says scraping social media profiles is not hacking, and more...
What 'Rights' Do We Have When We're Talking About Our Private Online Data?
Defining terms is tricky, particularly when governments with bad track records on privacy want to call the shots.
Score One for Trump's Trade Policy: Putting Online Speech Protections in Trade Deals Makes Sense
For once, the Trump administration is on the right side of a debate with Congress over trade.
Saying 'Triggered' Will Not Turn Your Child Into a Nazi
But they might be mad at mom for writing about them in The New York Times.
Why Hong Kong Protesters Are Channeling Bruce Lee
The mostly young demonstrators are calling for autonomy and democracy—and won't be silenced like the NBA.
How To Fix Social Media and Democracy
The creator of "Godwin's law" about Hitler analogies has a bold new vision for free expression, online and off.
Trump Is the Problem, With or Without Twitter
If people think cancel culture sucks now, just wait until the government gets involved.
Federal Court Upholds FCC Decision to Roll Back Obama-Era Net Neutrality Rules
Deregulation didn't end the internet as we know it.
D.C. Circuit Upholds FCC Decision to Rescind "Net Neutrality" (But Rejects FCC Attempt to Preempt Conflicting State Law)
In a lengthy opinion, a divided three-judge panel turns away most of the legal challenges to the Federal Communications Commission's "Restoring Internet Freedom" Order
Stossel: Glenn Beck vs. Big Tech
Glenn Beck says social media outlets are biased against conservatives.
Judge Poised to Reject Suit by 90 'Jane Does' Who Say Salesforce Is Responsible for Sex Trafficking
The cases hinges on two laws—FOSTA and Section 230—that have been hotly contested in recent years.
This Hawaiian Hotelier Hates Airbnb So Much He's Willing to Destroy the Internet To Kill It
The bad news is he's a congressman now. And he's trying to stomp all over Section 230 in order to attack home-sharing apps.
Stan Lee Co-author Kat Rosenfield on Rise of Cancel Culture in the Literary World
Trick of Light collaborator talks about working with a legend, the failings of online community, and the rise of cancel culture in the literary world.
Politicians Want to Destroy Section 230, the Internet's First Amendment
Four myths about the law that made the modern internet possible.
Feds to YouTube: No More Cookies for Children!
The Federal Trade Commission's settlement with YouTube will cripple online video functionality.
Should Amazon (and Google, and Facebook) Be Canceled by Antitrust Law?
Donald Trump, Elizabeth Warren, and "hipster antitrust" scholars and activists say big tech companies need to be broken up. Economist Tom Hazlett says they're wrong.
Google Cracks Down on Employees' Political Speech
The unsurprising result of conservatives complaining about Big Tech bias: less speech, not more
Secret Memos Show the Government Has Been Lying About Backpage All Along
Sealed memos fought over in federal court last week show authorities have known for years that claims about Backpage were bogus.
The Sec. 230 Temperature is Rising
Liability safe harbors for Internet intermediaries are not responsible for Internet "hate speech"
6 Terrible New Tech Bills in Congress
While expressing concern for free speech and privacy, lawmakers are seriously threatening both.
Christian Satire Site The Babylon Bee Is So Good Snopes.com Treated It Like Real News
Editor in Chief Kyle Mann talks about being taken literally by fact checkers, whether any subject (even a mass shooting) is off limits, and the libertarian sensibility of his humor.
Free Speech on the Internet Continues to Confuse Everyone
Plus: 8chan called before Congress, data privacy bill hits a snag, and more...
Cloudflare, Not the Government, Should Decide Whether It Wants to Do Business with 8chan
Companies should forced neither to help spread offensive speech nor to suppress it.
After El Paso and Dayton Shootings, Threatened Crackdowns on Guns, Immigrants, and Internet Speech
Plus: the trouble with "national conservatism," the decline of the mortgage interest deduction, and more...
Josh Hawley Wants to Ban YouTube's Autoplay Feature in the Name of Fighting Social Media Addiction
The Missouri senator thinks wasting time on Instagram is a problem so big that only the federal government can solve it.
Section 230 Is the Internet's First Amendment. Now Both Republicans and Democrats Want To Take It Away.
From Josh Hawley to Kamala Harris, online free speech is under attack.
