Lawmakers To Consider 19 Bills for Childproofing the Internet
KOSA is back, along with more than a dozen other bills that will erode free speech and privacy in the name of protecting kids.
Moral Panic
Fate of Flight Attendant Who Accused Army Vet of Trafficking His Daughter Is Now With Virginia's Supreme Court
The teen began to cry when the plane hit turbulence. He comforted his daughter—and aroused the suspicions of flight attendant Cheryl Thomas.
Can We Please Stop Romanticizing Pre-Smartphone Life?
A lot of anti-tech—or anti-Gen Z—screeds only work by romanticizing the past while pathologizing the present and projecting damage on strangers.
Social Media Didn't Kill Charlie Kirk
Plus: Trump says he "may let [TikTok] die," the SoHo Forum debates paying for sex, the administration calls birth control "abortifacients," and more...
Is Conscientiousness Cratering? It Depends on How You Twist the Data.
Despite those viral charts you may have seen, conscientiousness among young people doesn't actually seem to be in "freefall."
Are We Still Living in 1999?
A new book argues that late-20th-century lowbrow culture created the modern world.
Does Tween Tech Study Prove Jonathan Haidt Right?
Nope, but it does show how complicated the issue is.
BBC Grills Member of Parliament for Not Watching Enough TV
Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch said she doesn’t have to watch Adolescence to understand the show’s themes.
Study: Kids With Smartphones Are Less Depressed, Anxious, Bullied Than Peers Without Them
A large new study finds smartphone ownership positively correlated with multiple measures of well being in 11- to 13-year-old kids.
These States Are Moving in the Wrong Direction on Prostitution Laws
Twelve states are considering harsher punishments for soliciting sex.
Everyone Is Wrong About RFK Jr. and Cellphones
There's no strong evidence that cellphones cause cancer. There also isn't strong evidence that cellphones cause teen depression.
When Yoga Sparked a Sex Panic
"Hindu mystics" with "swarthy faces and dreamy-looking eyes" once had Uncle Sam in a tizzy.
The Weak, Weird Case Against a Supposed 'Orgasm Cult'
Snakes. Magic. Orgasmic meditation. And a dubious federal case against the leaders of a supposed sex cult.
Police Data: N.J. Drone Sightings Concentrated Along Airport Flight Paths
Are New Jerseyans mistaking normal airplanes for mysterious drones?
'Child Trafficking' Sting Video Turns Out To Be Toy Drive
A Coca-Cola truck "full of kids" turned out to be a police charity.
No, an Iranian 'Mothership' Isn't Attacking New Jersey With UFOs
The wave of drone sightings is sparking sci-fi speculation mixed with war fever.
Hanover Police Selectively Enforce Underage Drinking Laws Against Dartmouth Students
Criminal prosecution is an inappropriate response to tragedy.
Kamala Harris Now Opposes Plastic Straw Bans. America's Dumbest Moral Panic Is Finally Over.
On this small issue, America has finally come to its senses.
Elon Musk's 'Election Interference'
We're entering peak stupidity with "election interference" claims.
'Project Rescue Children' Exposed as Latest in Series of Human-Trafficking Hoaxes
The group reportedly faked rescue stories—including one involving a baby saved from traffickers—and lied about where funds were going.
Will Banning Nonalcoholic Beer Save the Children?
No, but a Stanford psychologist says people under age 21 should be banned from buying some nonalcoholic drinks to protect kids from "drinking culture."
The Myth of the Argentine Yoga School Sex Cult
Prosecutors say the Buenos Aires Yoga School was a sex trafficking cult, but the alleged victims say this isn't true.
OpenAI Is Open To AI-Generated Erotica…but Not 'Porn'
The company's confusing statements about how ChatGPT should respond to sexual prompts
Study: Social Media Don't Displace In-Person Hangouts for Teens
Teens who use social media heavily also spend the most in-person time with friends.
YouTube Algorithm Steers People Away From Radical Content
Another blow to the idea that algorithms are driving our political dysfunction.
It's Time to Retire Super Bowl 'Sex Trafficking' Stings and Myths
For sex workers and their clients, Super Bowl season can mean a higher chance of getting nabbed by cops.
Oklahoma Bill Would Ban Sending Sexy Selfies Unless You're Married
It could also outlaw any sort of sexualized image, play, or performance, pornographic or not.
Florida Hotel Fined $5,000 for Allowing Minors To Attend Holiday Drag Show
While minors were required to be accompanied by an adult to attend the event, state regulators still went after the "not appropriate" drag performance.
Minesweeper, Solitaire, and a '90s Moral Panic
When computers came to offices, bosses found a new way to worry that workers were wasting time.
The Social Media Moral Panic Won't Help Teens
We should all be skeptical that the same government that can't balance a budget can revamp the dominant form of modern communications and boost young people's self-esteem.
Why Stripping Fox's Broadcast License Is a Terrible Idea
Plus: A listener inquires about the potential positive effects of ranked-choice voting reforms.
Southwest Airlines Falsely Accuses Mom of Trafficking Biracial Daughter
Plus: Backpage trial pushed back, Bidenomics doens't resonate, and more...
Federal Judge Blocks Florida's Anti-Drag Law
The ruling is the latest in a series of legal defeats for anti-drag laws.
Drag Is Protected Speech, Federal Judge Rules
It should be obvious that drag performances are protected by the First Amendment, but that hasn't kept government officials from trying to ban them.
Should Libertarians Be Noncombatants in the Pride Wars?
Plus: A listener question considers the pros and cons of the libertarian focus on political processes rather than political results.
Childproofing the Internet
How online “child protection” measures could make child and adult internet users more vulnerable to hackers, identity thieves, and snoops.
Texas Bill Would Ban School Instruction, Guidance, or Activities Related to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity
Plus: Naked Feminism, marijuana legalization in Minnesota, and more...
Montana Sets Itself Up for First Amendment Lawsuits With TikTok Ban
Plus: Americans are increasingly changing religions, court pauses rejection of "free" preventative care mandate, and more...
5 Years After the Backpage Shutdown, Sex Workers—and Free Speech—Are Still Suffering
As former Backpage execs await their August trial, the shutdown is still worsening the lives it was supposed to improve.
Biden Embraces the Fearmongering, Vows To Squash D.C.'s Mild Criminal Justice Reforms
In rebuking the legislation, the president showed that he may not know what's in it.
Be Skeptical of the New Artificial Sweetener Scare
Plus: Liberal teens are more depressed than conservative ones, the outsize role of immigrants in U.S. innovation, and more...
Tennessee's Anti-Drag Bill Is a Gaudy Public Performance
It’s already illegal to expose minors to obscenity, so what is this bill really for?
Lawmakers Use Kid Safety as Excuse To Violate Adults' Rights
Plus: New York "hate speech" law is likely unconstitutional, FTC Commissioner quits because of chair Lina Khan's antics, and more...
Florida's War on Drag Targets Theater's Liquor License
Apparently, parents’ rights don’t extend to letting their kids listen to naughty Christmas lyrics.
Seattle School District Sues Google, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok for Causing Teen 'Mental Health Crisis'
It's hard to believe its arguments will hold up in court.
The Fight Over Kids at Drag Shows Is a Classic Moral Panic
Florida threatens a venue for letting minors attend a sexualized holiday cabaret performance with their parents.
5 New Studies That Challenge Conventional Wisdom About Kids and Tech
A slew of recent research suggests parents should relax a bit about screen time.
