Kids Have First Amendment Rights Too, Federal Judge Reminds State Lawmakers
Banning people under age 16 from accessing social media without parental consent "is a breathtakingly blunt instrument" for reducing potential harms, the judge writes.
Internet
PROTECT Act Could Require Removal of All Existing Porn Online
Sen. Mike Lee's "technological exploitation" bill also redefines consent.
Why Are Teens Depressed? It's Not Social Media.
Maybe the problem for teens isn't screens, but what they are replacing.
New Report Measures Attempts to Impose, and Evade, Internet Repression
Interest in virtual private networks provides insights into a global battle over digital freedom.
NSA Purchases Internet Metadata To Spy on You Without a Warrant
A new letter from Sen. Ron Wyden (D–Ore.) reveals that the agency admitted the practice nearly three years ago but would not allow him to reveal it.
An Instagram Star Walks the Fine Line Between Self-Creation and Snake Oil
Social media influencer Caroline Calloway might not be a reliable narrator, but Scammer is an honest memoir nevertheless.
Utah Would Rather Repeal Social Media Age Check Law Than Defend It In Court
Laws like Utah's would require anyone using social media to prove their age through methods such as submitting biometric data or a government-issued ID.
Feds Will Try Backpage Co-Founder Michael Lacey for a Third Time
It's a frightening reminder of how far the government will go to get their way—and to warn tech companies against platforming speech it doesn't like.
Filterworld Is a Confused Critique of Algorithms
It's Super Size Me for internet intellectuals.
Parents, Not Government, Should Control How Kids Use Social Media
Free societies generally leave these matters to individuals and families.
William Penn Statue Reversal Shows Positive Power of Social Media
In an era when X (formerly Twitter) is blamed for all the ills of the world, here's a case where it did good.
The Big Flaws in That Study Suggesting That China Manipulates TikTok Topics
The errors are so glaring that it's hard not to suspect an underlying agenda at work here.
Social Media Censorship and The First Amendment
Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya debates St. John University's Kate Klonick on the federal government's role in social media censorship.
Substackers Battle Over Banning Nazis
Some Substack writers are pressuring the platform to change its moderation policies. Others are urging Substack not to listen.
The Paradoxical Freedom of Tradwife TikTok
"It's not really a movement. Nobody is pushing it. People are just living it."
Social Media Censorship: Jay Bhattacharya vs. Kate Klonick
Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya debates St. John University's Kate Klonick on the federal government's role in social media censorship.
Jeff Kosseff: Why False Speech Deserves First Amendment Protections
The former journalist defends misinformation in the Trump era and explains why so many journalists are against free speech.
Judge Halts Montana's First Amendment-Violating TikTok Ban
The ban, scheduled to take effect on January 1, is likely unconstitutional in multiple ways, the judge held.
Backpage: The Monumental Free Speech Case the Media Ignored
The mere act of publishing sex ads online is enough to send most potential free speech allies scurrying for the exits.
Starting Next Year, You Can Buy a Car on Amazon
While the partnership between Hyundai and Amazon is a good first step, states should get rid of laws that mandate franchise dealerships.
David Fincher's The Killer Is a Subtly Funny Movie About a Loser Assassin
Despite Fincher's reputation as a gloom-monger, his movies are often quite bleakly funny, and his lonely, agitated male loser characters are frequently the targets of the jokes.
The Wildly Misleading Statistic at the Center of the FTC's Antitrust Case Against Amazon
Lina Khan says this number is crucial to understanding Amazon's monopoly power, but she's either confused or lying about what it means.
Tennessee to Pay $125,000 to Settle Lawsuit by Man Arrested for Posting Meme Mocking Dead Cop
Joshua Garton spent nearly two weeks in jail for "manufacturing and disseminating a harassing photograph on social media." A First Amendment lawsuit quickly followed.
The Bipartisan Urge To Control Online Speech
Democrats and Republicans are united in thinking their political agendas trump the First Amendment.
New York's Online Hate Speech Law Raises Serious First Amendment Concerns
Even content creators outside of New York would feel its effects.
Aella: Is Porn Too Pervasive?
The former OnlyFans star and outspoken libertarian defender of sex workers considers the acceleration of government crackdowns on online porn, the sexual revolution, and sex work.
Is There Too Much Porn?
Join Reason on YouTube and Facebook at 1 p.m. Eastern this Thursday for a discussion with Aella about the escalating government crackdown on online porn, the sexual revolution, and sex work.
New Net Neutrality Rules Could Threaten Popular Services
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has initiated a new rulemaking that would enact what are largely the same net neutrality rules tried back in 2016.
FCC Revives Common Carriage for the Internet
After five years without net neutrality rules, the fix for a problem that doesn’t exist is back.
Maybe Google Is Popular Because It's Good?
The Department of Justice undervalues consumer preference in its latest antitrust efforts.
Bahrain's Dictatorship Gets More Biden Administration Help
The U.S.-Bahraini security pact is the first step towards a future U.S.-Saudi “mega-deal.” Critics say it violates the U.S. Constitution and aids torturers.
YouTube Has Demonetized Russell Brand Over Anonymous #MeToo Allegations
This sets a dangerous precedent.
Federal Judge Blocks California Online Age-Checking Law as Unconstitutional
Shielding children from “harm” shouldn’t come at the expense of speech protected by the First Amendment.
Despite the Doomsday Narrative, Global Inequality Has Significantly Declined
This progress has been widely shared, to the great benefit of the people at the bottom of the distribution.
The Trial Begins: DOJ Sues Google Over Search Engine Dominance
Plus: FDA approves new COVID-19 vaccine, Elizabeth Warren goes after Elon Musk, and more...
The Biden Administration's Ridiculously Spendy Broadband Promises
Americans can decide for themselves where to live and which services they need or can do without.
U.K. Government Finally Admits It Can't Scan for Child Porn Without Violating Everybody's Privacy
A surveillance authority in the country’s troubling Online Safety Bill won’t be enforced, officials say. But for how long?
Do the Proud Boys Deserve To Be in Prison Forever?
Plus: A listener question concerning porn verification laws.
In Scathing Rulings, Federal Courts Block Arkansas and Texas Age Verification Laws
Plus: Meta revises controversial "dangerous organizations" policy, a win against civil asset forfeiture in Detroit, and more...
Protecting Kids on Social Media Act Cloaks Attack on Privacy Behind Concern for Children
There are already people responsible for regulating children’s online activity: parents and guardians.
Review: Wonder Boy Chronicles the Life and Death of Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh
A new book handles the ill-fated CEO's story with respect.
A Ruling Against a Man Arrested for a COVID-19 Joke Highlights the Influence of a Pernicious Analogy
A federal judge compared Waylon Bailey’s Facebook jest to "falsely shouting fire in a theatre."
Google Isn't Intentionally Biased Against Republicans, Says Court
Plus: The real message behind DeSantis' abortion anecdote, midwives sue over Alabama regulations, and more…
Talking About Sex Online Shouldn't Be Illegal
Porn sites and other online spaces with adult content are fun; they’re also important sources of community and information.
TikTok Woos Republicans With Debate Commercials
The video site took out ads touting social media's benefits.
U.S. Emulates Communist China in New TikTok Draft Agreement
Plus: Americans vote too much, Indiana abortion ban to take effect, and more...
Fun, Silly Anti-Tax Ballad 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Goes Viral for Some Online Reasons
If you don't take Oliver Anthony's surprise hit song too seriously, it's a lot of fun. Regrettably, a lot of people are taking the song much too seriously indeed.
