Eff
Jul 20, 21:55
Protect Your Privacy with California's DROP Tool
Are you a California resident? Then we've got exciting news for you: there's a tool just for you that lets you take a single, relatively easy step to protect your privacy. It's called a DROP request. (That's Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, if you're fancy). This one bit of paperwork lets you tell every data broker registered in the state of California that you'd like them to delete your information from their databases and request they stop selling and sharing your information. Here are some things to know about DROP. (Don’t want all the details and want to just learn how to file a request? Skip to this section .) What does a request do? Filing a request on the DROP will send a request to delete and opt-out of sale to all the data brokers in California's registry. Data brokers are companies that collect information about people, repackage that information, and sell it. As of time of writing, a single DROP request reaches 614 brokers. After August 1, once data brokers receive a request, they will have 45 days to address the request. DROP officially launched on Jan. 1 of this year, but companies have until Aug. 1 to begin complying with requests. That means if you file a request now, you'll be in on the ground floor. Didn't I hear about this before? If you pay attention to EFF, you sure did. With your help, we advocated for the law creating the DROP tool, the Delete Act. As we said then, we needed the DROP because Californians have a right to request that companies delete information collected about them, and a right to opt-out of having businesses sell information about them. Yet, in reality, making those requests is an incredibly time-consuming and tedious process. Filing each request is hard. Plus, because data brokers buy, sell, and exchange information with so many companies (and each other) people may not even know who to file a request with. By linking a request to California's data broker registry, DROP cuts this process down considerably. We advocated for DROP and the Delete Act because it makes our privacy law more user-friendly, which gives us better control over our data and reduces the risks that the uncontrolled collection and sale of personal information creates in our everyday lives. What's in it for me? Filing a request benefits you in a few ways. For one, data brokers are often how spammers (or companies that act like spammers) get your email address, phone number, and other ways of contacting you. Removing yourself from data broker lists could lead to a decrease in these kinds of messages. Second, reducing the number of companies that have your personal information also improves your personal cybersecurity, as it decreases the number of firms with your information who could be hacked. Third and finally, it gives you an opportunity to exert more control over how your personal information is collected and used—an important element of privacy. Unless you opt out, data brokers can sell your private information to predatory companies , scammers , stalkers , insurance companies , and law enforcement . What kinds of information will (and won't) be deleted? The California Privacy Protection Agency, which administers the DROP, has a great resource explaining what data are and are not included in a request. But in summary, a request will often deal with identifying information such as: social security number, precise geolocation, browsing history, email address, and phone numbers. It will also enter a request to delete guesses that data brokers may have made about you based on identifying information, such as political views, inferences about your health—inferences about pregnancy or chronic illness, for example, that may be based on purchases or browsing history. Not all information will be deleted. Some information, such as vehicle or real estate ownership, contains information that is a matter of public record. If there is a specific data broker you'd like to be able to retain and continue selling your data, the system also gives you a way to remove them from the list of brokers that get any given request. How do I file? Head to the California Privacy Protection Agency's DROP website to start your request. Before you start, there are a few pieces of information you may want to gather for your request, such as your advertising ID or your VIN number, if you want this information to be deleted from data broker databases. The agency does ask to collect some personal information—name, address, phone number, email address, etc.—in order to fulfill a request. (Yes, there is an irony to this.) This is to verify that you're the right person asking for your deletion and opt-out request in any given database, and the agency itself is bound to its terms of service that say they won't sell or share it for other purposes. If you're interested in filing a request for someone else, such as an elderly relative drowning in junk mail, you can also do that but will need to attest that you're filing...
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Protect Your Privacy with California's DROP Tool. If you pay attention to EFF, you sure did. The California Privacy Protection Agency, which administers the DROP, has a great resource explaining what data are and are not included in a request.
TL;DR:
Data brokers are companies that collect information about people, repackage that information, and sell it.
Techdirt
Jul 20, 19:59
Everything Is For Sale In The Trump White House, Even His Truth Social Posts
Over the last few months especially, there has been renewed attention to the sheer scale of Donald Trump’s ability to profit off the presidency. The efforts to do so only become more brazen every week. Leaving aside the crypto business that he got a ton of people to fund, the free airplane from a foreign […]
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Everything Is For Sale In The Trump White House, Even His Truth Social Posts. The efforts to do so only become more brazen every week. Leaving aside the crypto business that he got a ton of people to fund, the free airplane from a foreign […]
TL;DR:
Over the last few months especially, there has been renewed attention to the sheer scale of Donald Trump’s ability to profit off the presidency.
Eff
Jul 20, 18:46
“Stealth crawlers” are not a threat to the open web. Bills targeting them would be.
There’s a new boogeyman in the battles over AI: so-called “stealth crawlers.” We’ll admit it—the term “stealth crawlers” sound quite nefarious. In reality, they’re anything but. “Stealth crawlers” are simply automated tools to access and collect public web data—without disclosing the user’s identity. Private crawlers like these facilitate all kinds of important work that benefits the public, including investigative reporting, academic research, cybersecurity protection, and more. Many publishers want to unmask crawlers anyways—and are pushing for new legislation that would give them new powers to do so. These legislative proposals threaten the open web, user privacy, and valuable research without directly addressing the problems they’re supposedly intending to solve. Alarmingly, these harmful proposals are gaining traction. The New York state legislature has already passed such a bill, the NY Stealth Crawler Protection Act , which is now on Governor Hochul’s desk. We expect to see similar bills introduced in other states, and potentially in Congress. That’s a big problem for the open web—and the many benefits it provides. Anonymous crawling is worth protecting Anonymous crawling enables some of the most publicly beneficial uses of the open web. Researchers, journalists, and other watchdog groups use unidentified automated tools to gather the information necessary to hold powerful institutions accountable and protect the public. Anonymous crawling fuels important investigative journalism. For example, The Markup , a non-profit news site, used anonymous crawlers to investigate potentially anti-competitive practices by tech companies, such as Amazon’s tendency to prioritize Amazon brands and Amazon-exclusive products over competitors with higher ratings. The crawlers identified themselves as ordinary Firefox browsers to web servers, which allowed The Markup to understand how Amazon search results pages would appear to ordinary users. Similarly, ProPublica used an automated tool designed to simulate an ordinary Amazon customer to reveal that the site steered shoppers to more expensive products over cheaper alternatives. Anonymous web scraping is also crucial for cybersecurity professionals , who use automated tools to monitor the web for information that helps them protect against malicious attackers. Privacy tools , including EFF’s own Privacy Badger , also crawl sites anonymously to identify trackers without compromising user privacy. However, without the ability to scrape anonymously, these tools would likely be blocked. Sites can—and do—block crawlers operated by researchers, journalists, and activists who criticism them. For example, Facebook shut down accounts belonging to researchers who used automated tools to study misinformation on the platform and demanded that they take down published research. Many sites block automated access by anyone who hasn’t paid to crawl public webpages. Unmasking crawlers threatens the open web News publishers—and their allies in government— say that unmasking crawlers is necessary to protect news organizations from technological strain caused by AI-related crawling, and fears that AI could reduce news sites’ traffic and ad revenue. These are legitimate concerns. But enacting broad, reactionary restrictions on automated access is not the answer. Legislation targeting anonymous crawling threatens the open web, user privacy, and valuable research without actually addressing these technological and potential economic harms of scraping. The New York state legislature recently passed the NY Stealth Crawler Protection Act , a law that would make it illegal to crawl news websites without revealing who is operating the crawler and all possible future uses of the data collected by the crawler. The law would give websites the power to obtain court orders that unmask anyone using an unidentified crawler—without any evidence that they broke the law. Laws like the NY bill sweep far beyond AI, and do not meaningfully address the technological or potential harms of AI-related web scraping. These policies would chill beneficial crawling by allowing publishers to veto lawful public access, giving them the power to block not just bad actors, but also security professionals, researchers, dissidents, or anyone who has not paid for a license to view public text. This needlessly undermines the free and open internet. Digital news publishers—like most websites—face real technological challenges in the AI era. While web crawling has been around for decades, with the proliferation of AI, crawlers now collect far more public web data than they used to. This pushes servers closer to their maximum capacity, and if some bots collect information too aggressively, they may strain web servers to the point that it degrades site performance. The problem is not anonymity—so unmasking crawlers won’t solve it. The real problem is overaggressive crawling, which can be effectively addressed with technica...
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“Stealth crawlers” are not a threat to the open web. Privacy tools , including EFF’s own Privacy Badger , also crawl sites anonymously to identify trackers without compromising user privacy. Digital news publishers—like most websites—face real technological challenges in the AI era.
TL;DR:
“Stealth crawlers” are simply automated tools to access and collect public web data—without disclosing the user’s identity.
Techdirt
Jul 20, 17:59
Attempted Murder Charges Dropped After Bystander Recordings Expose ICE Officer’s Lies
Record law enforcement officers whenever you can. Sure, they’ll hate it, but it helps all the people they seek to do harm to. Last summer, recordings and other evidence undercut a lot of the administration’s attempts to convert First Amendment activity into criminal charges. Prosecutors who dropped cases after watching recordings or talking directly to […]
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Attempted Murder Charges Dropped After Bystander Recordings Expose ICE Officer’s Lies. Last summer, recordings and other evidence undercut a lot of the administration’s attempts to convert First Amendment activity into criminal charges. Prosecutors who dropped cases after watching recordings or talking directly to […]
TL;DR:
Record law enforcement officers whenever you can.
Techdirt
Jul 20, 16:22
Australia’s Next Target In The War On Kids Online: Your VPN
We — and plenty of others — have been warning that the global rush to mandate age verification wouldn’t stop at “let’s make sure kids can’t see porn” or even just “keep kids off of social media.” It would inevitably expand into treating anonymity and privacy tools themselves as the enemy. Australia is now proving […]
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Last month the VPN company Mullvad put out a blog post about how age verification would be the beginning of the end for a free internet . The consequence of introducing identity verification is therefore that freedom of information is restricted (you can no longer visit regulated websites anonymously) and that you can no longer post anonymously on social media.
TL;DR:
We — and plenty of others — have been warning that the global rush to mandate age verification wouldn’t stop at “let’s make sure kids can’t see porn” or even just “keep kids off of social media.” It would inevitably expand into treating anonymity and privacy tools themselves as the enemy.
Theverge
Jul 20, 13:37
Judge pauses Paramount’s attempt to buy Warner Bros Discovery
A judge partially granted the request from a dozen state attorneys general to temporarily place the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery on hold, as reported by Variety and Reuters. US District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín said that based on the new company's market share, "the Court is persuaded that it can presume […]
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A judge partially granted the request from a dozen state attorneys general to temporarily place the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery on hold, as reported by Variety and Reuters. US District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín said that based on the new company's market share, "the Court is persuaded that it can presume […]
TL;DR:
A judge partially granted the request from a dozen state attorneys general to temporarily place the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery on hold, as reported by Variety and Reuters.
Techdirt
Jul 20, 12:24
Brendan Carr Is Illegally Dismantling U.S. Media Consolidation Law
Brendan Carr and the Trump FCC are finalizing plans to illegally eliminate what’s left of the country’s already barely functional media consolidation limits; a specific gift to Trump-friendly right wing broadcasters that are hoping to monopolize what’s left of local U.S. broadcast news so they can more efficiently spread propaganda and kiss the president’s ass. […]
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Brendan Carr Is Illegally Dismantling U.S. Media Consolidation Law. broadcast news so they can more efficiently spread propaganda and kiss the president’s ass.
TL;DR:
Brendan Carr and the Trump FCC are finalizing plans to illegally eliminate what’s left of the country’s already barely functional media consolidation limits; a specific gift to Trump-friendly right wing broadcasters that are hoping to monopolize what’s left of local U.S.
Theverge
Jul 20, 11:00
Dr. Jill Lepore on why AI backlash is vital for the future
Today, I’m talking with Harvard professor and New Yorker staff writer Dr. Jill Lepore about her new book, The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State, which comes out on August 25. Jill is one of the best writers there is at identifying institutional patterns in history, and Decoder is a show about systems, so […]
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Jill Lepore on why AI backlash is vital for the future. Today, I’m talking with Harvard professor and New Yorker staff writer Dr. Jill Lepore about her new book, The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State, which comes out on August 25.
TL;DR:
Jill is one of the best writers there is at identifying institutional patterns in history, and Decoder is a show about systems, so […]
Theverge
Jul 20, 06:16
China delivers a one-two punch to America’s AI dominance
China's leading AI companies are ramping up the pressure on Silicon Valley, as Moonshot and Alibaba unveiled models they claim can go toe-to-toe with the best from OpenAI and Anthropic at a fraction of the cost. The rapid-fire releases suggest America's lead at the AI frontier is increasingly tight, just as the technology is becoming […]
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China's leading AI companies are ramping up the pressure on Silicon Valley, as Moonshot and Alibaba unveiled models they claim can go toe-to-toe with the best from OpenAI and Anthropic at a fraction of the cost. The rapid-fire releases suggest America's lead at the AI frontier is increasingly tight, just as the technology is becoming […]
TL;DR:
China's leading AI companies are ramping up the pressure on Silicon Valley, as Moonshot and Alibaba unveiled models they claim can go toe-to-toe with the best from OpenAI and Anthropic at a fraction of the cost.
Theverge
Jul 19, 12:42
The FBI reportedly won’t investigate ICE anymore
According to the New York Times, federal agents have been told that the FBI will no longer be investigating confrontations involving ICE agents. The DHS and DOJ denied the change in policy to The Times. The reported change in guidance follows renewed scrutiny of violence by ICE agents who have killed two people in the […]
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The FBI reportedly won’t investigate ICE anymore. The DHS and DOJ denied the change in policy to The Times. The reported change in guidance follows renewed scrutiny of violence by ICE agents who have killed two people in the […]
TL;DR:
According to the New York Times, federal agents have been told that the FBI will no longer be investigating confrontations involving ICE agents.
Techdirt
Jul 18, 02:39
RFK Jr. May Have Violated The Hatch Act In Encouraging Iowa Congressional Candidates To Drop Out
I don’t think it’s terribly controversial to say that this second Trump administration has never shown much concern for the Hatch Act. If you’re not familiar with that particular law, it makes it illegal for most of the members of the executive branch of the federal government, and some state representatives, to engage in partisan […]
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I don’t think it’s terribly controversial to say that this second Trump administration has never shown much concern for the Hatch Act. If you’re not familiar with that particular law, it makes it illegal for most of the members of the executive branch of the federal government, and some state representatives, to engage in partisan […]
TL;DR:
I don’t think it’s terribly controversial to say that this second Trump administration has never shown much concern for the Hatch Act.
Techdirt
Jul 17, 22:01
Ken Paxton Vowed To Crack Down On “Illegal Voting.” He May Have Violated Texas Election Law.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune. Two weeks before this year’s primary elections, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the creation of a tip line for the public to report people or groups suspected of voter fraud. “Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of a thriving republic, and with the authority granted […]
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Ken Paxton Vowed To Crack Down On “Illegal Voting.” He May Have Violated Texas Election Law.. Two weeks before this year’s primary elections, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the creation of a tip line for the public to report people or groups suspected of voter fraud.
TL;DR:
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
Techdirt
Jul 17, 19:57
Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Putting Some Meat On The Bans
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
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Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Putting Some Meat On The Bans. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
TL;DR:
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw.
Techdirt
Jul 17, 17:59
JK Rowling Threatens To Sue Amnesty International Into Oblivion For Expressing An Opinion About A Charity She Funds
JK Rowling has spoken about how she wrote the first Harry Potter book while she was employed at Amnesty International and how much that experience influenced her writing, and how she learned “the power of human empathy” from working there. Rowling was also, you’ll recall, one of the high profile signers of the infamous Harper’s […]
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JK Rowling has spoken about how she wrote the first Harry Potter book while she was employed at Amnesty International and how much that experience influenced her writing, and how she learned “the power of human empathy” from working there. Rowling was also, you’ll recall, one of the high profile signers of the infamous Harper’s […]
TL;DR:
JK Rowling has spoken about how she wrote the first Harry Potter book while she was employed at Amnesty International and how much that experience influenced her writing, and how she learned “the power of human empathy” from working there.
Techdirt
Jul 17, 17:54
Daily Deal: 6-in-1 Magstand Mini Magnetic Charge Station + Bedside Lamp
Simplify your daily charging experience and replace most of the chargers and cables on your desktop, with this one mini station that does it all. The 6-in-1 Magstand Mini Magnetic Charge Station is a mini charging station that gives you full control over how much your favorite gadgets get charged. It features 3 wireless charging […]
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Daily Deal: 6-in-1 Magstand Mini Magnetic Charge Station + Bedside Lamp. The 6-in-1 Magstand Mini Magnetic Charge Station is a mini charging station that gives you full control over how much your favorite gadgets get charged. It features 3 wireless charging […]
TL;DR:
Simplify your daily charging experience and replace most of the chargers and cables on your desktop, with this one mini station that does it all.
Eff
Jul 17, 17:05
Victory! Flock Ends Rollout of Audio “Distress Detection” of Human Voices
Reversing course, Flock Safety—the surveillance technology vendor most known for its extensive network of automated license plate readers — has announced that it will end a pilot for its acoustic gunshot detection devices to identify signs of “human distress.” In October 2025, EFF warned the public that Flock was rolling out a new feature called “Distress Detection” that would be deployed through their acoustic gunshot detection devices (formerly known as Flock Raven, now called Audio Detection). This feature purported to use high-powered microphones scattered throughout a city to search for sounds of human distress, with original advertisements from the product indicating it would search for “screaming.” (Since the publication of our original blog post , Flock quietly amended the ad on this webpage to say “distress” instead of “screaming.”) Now, Flock has published a blog post stating that “[a]fter careful consideration and community consultation, we decided to remove the feature.” Good riddance. We said it when the product was announced and we’ll say it again: this was a misguided and dangerous feature because of the civil liberties concerns it poses, the possibility it could summon armed police to every loud interaction happening on the street, and because in several places this type of spying would be illegal under state eavesdropping laws . We were not quiet about this potential new feature. Flock even mentioned our concern about Distress Detection in an attempt to rebut our opposition to the mass surveillance their products enable. The suspension of Distress Detection, however, does not mean that these high-powered microphones are now magically safe or beyond our concern. Acoustic gunshot detection is still a dangerous and often highly inaccurate technology that has resulted in real world harm, as in Chicago where it resulted in police shooting at children lighting fireworks . As Flock itself states, “No acoustic system is perfect, and we don't claim otherwise.” But police response to a situation where they believe guns are actively in use seems like a pretty high-stakes situation to be making, selling, and deploying technology known to be imperfect. Flock’s devices also listen for more than just gunshots. Their marketing materials admit to be listening for “ community disruption ,” which includes “non-violent” threats like car sideshows and fireworks. Flock’s failed attempt to roll out Distress Detection teaches us a few important lessons about the current state of police surveillance. First, we should not assume that just because these companies are large and well-funded, that does not ensure that they are complying with local privacy laws before floating new products to customers. Second, companies roll out and police adopt invasive technology under the justification that it will be used to address our society’s very worst crimes. However, both the companies and police will leverage deployed surveillance infrastructure to introduce new uses without necessarily seeking the consent or approval of the public. Gunshot detecting microphones eventually being used to listen for screaming is exactly the type of mission creep that we’ve seen happen with other pieces of surveillance technology, including Flock’s license plate readers . Finally, gun violence is too serious and complex of an issue to purport to solve with one flawed piece of technology. It has become too easy for police and cities to listen to the fancy marketing pitches of tech companies claiming they’re going to solve all crime instead of doing the hard work of addressing the root causes of societal issues. And, in the meantime, that technology creates more problems and hazards for the communities they blanket in police surveillance. As we’ve also seen with people across the country pushing back on Flock license plate reader contracts in their communities, public pressure can sometimes work to influence both companies and lawmakers that control a city’s purse strings to discontinue or divest from harmful products. Flock’s decision to end “Distress Detection” for human voices is a win.
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Flock Ends Rollout of Audio “Distress Detection” of Human Voices. Flock even mentioned our concern about Distress Detection in an attempt to rebut our opposition to the mass surveillance their products enable.
TL;DR:
Reversing course, Flock Safety—the surveillance technology vendor most known for its extensive network of automated license plate readers — has announced that it will end a pilot for its acoustic gunshot detection devices to identify signs of “human distress.” In October 2025, EFF warned the public that Flock was rolling out a new feature called “Distress Detection” that would be deployed through their acoustic gunshot detection devices (formerly known as Flock Raven, now called Audio Detection).
Eff
Jul 17, 16:44
Your Vision. Your Legacy. Your Future.
This month, we celebrate 36 years of EFF and a mission that is bigger than any one of us. Thanks to EFF, communities around the world are demanding that technology protects their freedom, advances justice, and opens doors to opportunity. That's not a small thing—it's a life's work worth continuing. If you are committed to staying on the cutting edge of digital rights issues, I'd like to invite you to consider taking that commitment one step further by joining EFF’s Lighthouse Society , our way to acknowledge and thank the community of supporters who are including EFF in their legacy plans. Learn About the Lighthouse Society By including EFF in your will or estate plans, you can ensure that EFF’s work and values don't just live beyond you; they thrive because of you. A legacy gift is one of the most powerful ways to say: This matters, and I want it to matter long after I'm gone. Your gift will fuel our mission for generations by protecting freedom, advancing justice, and driving innovation for communities who need it most. There is still so much more to do, so much more to fight for. With your foresight, it can go so much further. Planned giving is also more flexible than you might realize. A bequest in your will, a simple beneficiary designation, or another estate planning option can all make a profound difference, often without affecting your finances today. Get in touch and learn more about what's possible with the Lighthouse Society. Reach out to Jocelyn Wicker at [email protected] or fill out our online form to share your intention to give. Thank you for considering a legacy that will carry this work forward for years to come.
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Learn About the Lighthouse Society By including EFF in your will or estate plans, you can ensure that EFF’s work and values don't just live beyond you; they thrive because of you. There is still so much more to do, so much more to fight for. Reach out to Jocelyn Wicker at [email protected] or fill out our online form to share your intention to give.
TL;DR:
This month, we celebrate 36 years of EFF and a mission that is bigger than any one of us.
Techdirt
Jul 17, 16:29
The Documents Trump Declassified To Blame China For The 2020 Election… Actually Show Russia Was The One Meddling For Him
You might have heard that Donald Trump gave a weird, rambling, nonsense speech last night full of misinformation and lies, trying to spread distrust in our electoral process ahead of the 2026 midterms — so that when Republicans likely lose some of the power they currently wield across the government, Trump and his allies can […]
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Assuming that there really was a huge foreign effort then, wouldn’t it have also worked in 2024 when Trump won, but Biden was president? The big one is the National Intelligence Council Assessment from 2020 (again, when Donald Trump was president). While (conveniently!
TL;DR:
You might have heard that Donald Trump gave a weird, rambling, nonsense speech last night full of misinformation and lies, trying to spread distrust in our electoral process ahead of the 2026 midterms — so that when Republicans likely lose some of the power they currently wield across the government, Trump and his allies can […]
Eff
Jul 17, 15:01
How the Watch Dogs Video Game Series Mirrored and Predicted Real-World Digital Rights Issues
When Ubisoft's Watch Dogs 2 was released in 2016, it was a headtrip for those of us working on digital-rights issues in the Bay Area. During the day, I'd fight tech-authoritarianism from EFF's San Francisco offices and then, at night, I'd fight tech-authoritarianism in an uncanny simulation of San Francisco from my home gaming console. Watch Dogs 2 is an open-world video game that follows a hacktivist collective called Dedsec as they take on surveillance tech and discriminatory AI systems that are being controlled by tech bros, government contractors, and corrupt cops. The game's missions often felt like they were ripped from the pages of EFF's Deeplinks blog. EFF’s mission is defending civil liberties in the digital world, and we do that with activists, technologists, and lawyers. If you've ever dreamt of joining Dedsec, you should definitely join us as a member. Join the movement to Take Back CTRL. In fact, we've even got the same merch aesthetic . I cosplayed as the lead character, Marcus, at Dragon Con, and no one even knew I was in costume. Dave (left) as Marcus takes a selfie with a Wrench cosplayer at Dragon Con 2018. To commemorate Watch Dog 2's 10th anniversary, I'll be speaking on a panel at San Diego Comic-Con reflecting on how the game predicted tech issues we're facing today. Organized by Mia Ginae of The Mighty Hostess and Black in Gaming, we've got voice actors Ruffin Prentiss lll and Shawn Baichoo, cinematic producer Timmy Fisher, and music producer Hudson Mohawke, who did the soundtrack, with Mia Ginae moderating. That's at 3:15 PM on Friday, July 24 in room 6BCF. But not everyone can get to Comic-Con and I certainly have more to say that can fit in. So here are a few ways where Watch Dogs 2 mirrored our work back then and foresaw what we're facing today. Check out our full San Diego Comic Schedule, including panels and a meet-up. Insecure Surveillance Cameras One of the signature gameplay elements of the Watch Dogs series is the ability for your character to hack into nearby security cameras from your phone and use that to gain a strategic advantage over hostile adversaries. About a year before, that's exactly the issue that we were working on. EFF Technologist Cooper Quintin and I used the service Shodan to identify a slew of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) that Louisiana police had left unprotected on the internet. We found that the controls were open to anyone to manipulate and, just like in the game, you could watch the live video feeds. We didn't use the data to acquire a skill point or collectible outfit. Instead, we forced police agencies to lock down their equipment and then used what we learned to persuade then Gov. Bobby Jindal to veto a bill that would have created a new statewide surveillance dragnet. This issue still persists today. Most recently, security researchers Benn Jordan and Jon “GainSec” Gaines , and the award-winning journalists at 404 Media , uncovered how at least 60 pan-tilt-zoom cameras from the vendor Flock Safety were left exposed online. Cell-Site Simulators In Watch Dogs 2 there's a mission called " Stolen Signals ," in which Marcus and his best friend Wrench are trying to locate "stingrays," police devices that gather nearby cell-phone data by masquerading as legit cellular towers. We call these " cell-site simulators " (CSSs) and they're are an extremely alarming mass surveillance technology that allows police to track individual users through their phone identifiers. We've long advocated that this should require a search warrant. Like Dedsec, we also had initiated a project to do the exact same thing. And in true Dedsec fashion, we also gave it a pop-culture name: Crocodile Hunter , an homage to wildlife expert Steve Irwin, who had famously died after a stingray attack. But while Marcus was running around Telegraph Hill, staff technologist Cooper Quintin and I were running around downtown San Francisco, testing out our own device for detecting suspicious cell phone towers during Salesforce's annual Dreamforce conference. And while we didn't find a CSS that day, we did find a mobile surveillance tower that a start-up had set up for the event. Cooper Quintin, EFF's own 'Wrench,' testing out Crocodile Hunter at Dreamforce Today, that project has evolved into Rayhunter , which allows anyone to use a cheap mobile hotspot to detect the type of cellular anomalies associated with CSSs. We're proud to say that now there's a whole international Dedsec-style network of researchers using this technology to look for surveillance at protests, at the border, and in metropolitan areas . Security Robots Throughout the game, Marcus encounters a number of autonomous pickle-shaped security robots wandering the city. At one point, Wrench reprograms one to become "Wrench Jr," a bona fide member of the Dedsec team. In real life, these robots are made by a company called Knightscope, and EFF started shining light on them in ...
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How the Watch Dogs Video Game Series Mirrored and Predicted Real-World Digital Rights Issues. Bobby Jindal to veto a bill that would have created a new statewide surveillance dragnet. This issue still persists today.
TL;DR:
At one point, Wrench reprograms one to become "Wrench Jr," a bona fide member of the Dedsec team. In real life, these robots are made by a company called Knightscope, and EFF started shining light on them in ...
Techdirt
Jul 17, 12:24
Trump Just Made It Easier For Your ISP To Rip You Off With Bogus Fees
Here’s a short crash course in U.S. telecom policy. Giant and very unpopular companies like Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and Charter created regional monopolies that work tirelessly to erode all meaningful competition and oversight, resulting in high prices, spotty service, slower speeds, and abysmal customer service. They also pay a bunch of dodgy pseudo-academic “free market” […]
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Trump Just Made It Easier For Your ISP To Rip You Off With Bogus Fees. Giant and very unpopular companies like Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and Charter created regional monopolies that work tirelessly to erode all meaningful competition and oversight, resulting in high prices, spotty service, slower speeds, and abysmal customer service.
TL;DR:
Here’s a short crash course in U.S.
Theverge
Jul 17, 11:34
Florida man arrested for allegedly stealing over $200,000 in crypto using Steam game malware
Federal authorities have arrested a Florida man suspected of stealing at least $220,000 in crypto through malware-infected Steam games, as reported earlier by local news outlet Local10. In the complaint, officials accuse 21-year-old Zyaire Wilkins and co-conspirators of launching eight malware-embedded games from around May 2024 to February 2026, allowing them to infect about 8,000 […]
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Federal authorities have arrested a Florida man suspected of stealing at least $220,000 in crypto through malware-infected Steam games, as reported earlier by local news outlet Local10. In the complaint, officials accuse 21-year-old Zyaire Wilkins and co-conspirators of launching eight malware-embedded games from around May 2024 to February 2026, allowing them to infect about…
TL;DR:
Federal authorities have arrested a Florida man suspected of stealing at least $220,000 in crypto through malware-infected Steam games, as reported earlier by local news outlet Local10.
Theverge
Jul 17, 08:49
Trump is selling high-speed access to his market-moving Truth Social posts
Trump Media, the company behind Truth Social, is selling Wall Street faster access to the "most market-moving" posts on the US President's social media platform. On Thursday, Trump Media announced plans to launch "Truth API," a licensed real time data feed for businesses that provides "the fastest access to Truth Social's most influential accounts." It […]
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Trump Media, the company behind Truth Social, is selling Wall Street faster access to the "most market-moving" posts on the US President's social media platform. On Thursday, Trump Media announced plans to launch "Truth API," a licensed real time data feed for businesses that provides "the fastest access to Truth Social's most influential accounts." It […]
TL;DR:
Trump Media, the company behind Truth Social, is selling Wall Street faster access to the "most market-moving" posts on the US President's social media platform.
Techdirt
Jul 16, 22:17
FCC Officials Took Pricey Gifts From Paramount As The Company Needed Approval For Billion-Dollar Deals
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. The rich and famous who filed into the Kennedy Center’s opera house in December were there to enjoy one of the nation’s most exclusive celebrations of the performing arts: the center’s annual honors gala. The black-tie event, hosted by President Donald Trump, prioritized tickets to people […]
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FCC Officials Took Pricey Gifts From Paramount As The Company Needed Approval For Billion-Dollar Deals. This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license.
TL;DR:
The black-tie event, hosted by President Donald Trump, prioritized tickets to people […]
Techdirt
Jul 16, 20:15
Cops Continue To Prove They Can’t Be Trusted With Surveillance Tech
This is probably nothing more than another data point in a deluge, but it’s worth pointing out because it’s instructive. Cops are using a whole lot of surveillance tech these days. Flock Safety has been especially aggressive in pursuing the law enforcement market, offering cops access to a nationwide network of cameras, including many owned […]
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Cops Continue To Prove They Can’t Be Trusted With Surveillance Tech. Cops are using a whole lot of surveillance tech these days. Flock Safety has been especially aggressive in pursuing the law enforcement market, offering cops access to a nationwide network of cameras, including many owned […]
TL;DR:
This is probably nothing more than another data point in a deluge, but it’s worth pointing out because it’s instructive.
Techdirt
Jul 16, 18:08
To Dodge A Fight With Trump, Law Firms Cut Deals. Now The Deals Are Creating A Fight With Trump.
A few weeks ago, David Lat went on the Serious Trouble podcast and mentioned that things actually hadn’t turned out that poorly for the craven big law firms that had caved to Donald Trump’s ridiculous attacks on any law firm he didn’t like. The law firms that fought back keep winning in court, as it’s […]
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To Dodge A Fight With Trump, Law Firms Cut Deals. Now The Deals Are Creating A Fight With Trump.. The law firms that fought back keep winning in court, as it’s […]
TL;DR:
A few weeks ago, David Lat went on the Serious Trouble podcast and mentioned that things actually hadn’t turned out that poorly for the craven big law firms that had caved to Donald Trump’s ridiculous attacks on any law firm he didn’t like.
Techdirt
Jul 16, 18:04
Daily Deal: The 2026 Microsoft Azure Architect & Administrator Exam Prep Bundle
The 2026 Microsoft Azure Architect & Administrator Exam Prep Bundle has 9 courses covering a wide range of Azure skills designed to help you pass your certification exams. Courses also include hands-on sections to help you put into practice what the lessons have covered. It’s on sale for $40. Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is […]
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Daily Deal: The 2026 Microsoft Azure Architect & Administrator Exam Prep Bundle. Courses also include hands-on sections to help you put into practice what the lessons have covered. Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is […]
TL;DR:
The 2026 Microsoft Azure Architect & Administrator Exam Prep Bundle has 9 courses covering a wide range of Azure skills designed to help you pass your certification exams.
Techdirt
Jul 16, 16:36
Florida’s Stop WOKE Act Shut Down (Again) By Eleventh Circuit Appeals Court
Florida Republicans’ bigoted little piece of speech policing — the former “Stop WOKE Act” — has already been terminated multiple times by federal courts. Two lawsuits with two sets of plaintiffs have generated the same results: a ruling declaring the law unconstitutional and an injunction blocking the state from enforcing it. The law aims to […]
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Florida Republicans’ bigoted little piece of speech policing — the former “Stop WOKE Act” — has already been terminated multiple times by federal courts. Two lawsuits with two sets of plaintiffs have generated the same results: a ruling declaring the law unconstitutional and an injunction blocking the state from enforcing it. The law aims to […]
TL;DR:
Florida Republicans’ bigoted little piece of speech policing — the former “Stop WOKE Act” — has already been terminated multiple times by federal courts.
Theverge
Jul 16, 14:43
Kalshi says it caught Trump’s teleprompter operator insider trading
Kalshi users betting on what President Donald Trump would say during his speeches were reportedly up against tough competition: the president's teleprompter operator. ABC News reports that federal investigators believe Gabriel Perez - Trump's teleprompter operator since 2016 - used inside information to make bets on Kalshi, a major prediction market platform that allows users […]
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Kalshi users betting on what President Donald Trump would say during his speeches were reportedly up against tough competition: the president's teleprompter operator. ABC News reports that federal investigators believe Gabriel Perez - Trump's teleprompter operator since 2016 - used inside information to make bets on Kalshi, a major prediction market platform that allows users…
TL;DR:
Kalshi users betting on what President Donald Trump would say during his speeches were reportedly up against tough competition: the president's teleprompter operator.
Theverge
Jul 16, 13:58
New York governor says she’s using AI to analyze ‘every single rule’ in the state
New York Governor Kathy Hochul might have just signed a moratorium on new AI data centers in the state, but she's not against using the technology herself. During an interview with Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast, Hochul said that her team is using "AI to analyze every single rule, regulation, [and] policy" to check for outdated […]
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New York Governor Kathy Hochul might have just signed a moratorium on new AI data centers in the state, but she's not against using the technology herself. During an interview with Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast, Hochul said that her team is using "AI to analyze every single rule, regulation, [and] policy" to check for outdated […]
TL;DR:
New York Governor Kathy Hochul might have just signed a moratorium on new AI data centers in the state, but she's not against using the technology herself.
Theverge
Jul 16, 12:55
Google is better at playing this game
Today, the European Union ordered Google to give its AI rivals greater access to Android, the open-source operating system that powers billions of devices worldwide. The demand is hardly surprising. It may look like a defeat on paper for Google, which has spent years resisting exactly this kind of access, but it is a regulatory […]
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Google is better at playing this game. The demand is hardly surprising. It may look like a defeat on paper for Google, which has spent years resisting exactly this kind of access, but it is a regulatory […]
TL;DR:
Today, the European Union ordered Google to give its AI rivals greater access to Android, the open-source operating system that powers billions of devices worldwide.
The New York Times
Jul 16, 12:08
Google Ordered to Give A.I. Rivals More Access on Android Smartphones - The New York Times
Google Ordered to Give A.I. Rivals More Access on Android Smartphones The New York Times Google required to open up to AI, search engine rivals under EU-mandated changes Reuters Google ordered to open Android and Search to rivals in Europe The Verge EU Orders Google to Open Android and Search Data to Rival AI Services PYMNTS.com EU Order Google to Make AI and Search Changes Under the DMA Thurrott.com
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Google Ordered to Give A.I. Rivals More Access on Android Smartphones. Rivals More Access on Android Smartphones The New York Times Google required to open up to AI, search engine rivals under EU-mandated changes Reuters Google ordered to open Android and Search to rivals in Europe The Verge EU Orders Google to Open Android and Search Data to Rival AI Services PYMN…
TL;DR:
Google Ordered to Give A.I.
Eff
Jul 16, 09:22
EFF and ARTICLE 19 Submission to the European Commission on the DSA Trusted Flagger Guidelines
EFF and ARTICLE 19 have submitted joint comments to the European Commission on draft guidelines for the Digital Services Act’s trusted flagger mechanism. Having long advocated for a DSA that protects freedom of expression while preserving intermediary liability protections and the prohibition on general monitoring, we welcome the Commission's effort to provide practical guidance on how the trusted flagger system should operate. The DSA’s trusted flagger system can help platforms identify illegal content more efficiently. But if implemented poorly, it could also encourage over-removal of lawful speech, weaken due process, and give government authorities disproportionate influence over online expression. We support the Commission's focus on good practices and illustrative examples, rather than legal interpretations that could inadvertently steer platforms toward particular enforcement outcomes—and argue that the guidelines should include stronger safeguards to protect freedom of expression, due process, and the impartiality of the trusted flagger system. We also support the Commission's clarification that the DSA itself does not define "illegal content"; that determination must come from applicable national or EU law. Trusted flaggers submit prioritized notice, but platforms remain responsible for determining whether content is actually illegal. Platforms must therefore conduct careful, informed assessments and should not assume that a trusted flagger notice necessarily warrants restricting content. Our submission highlights several areas where the guidelines could be strengthened: Cross-border assessments require caution. Platforms should not rely on a trusted flagger notice to assess legality across Member States, where national legal frameworks may differ. Systemic risks extend beyond content moderation. The DSA's systemic risk framework should not rely too heavily on individual moderation decisions, but should also consider broader platform design choices, including recommender systems. Law enforcement authorities should generally not be granted trusted flagger status. They already have statutory powers under Article 9 of the DSA, and combining those powers with trusted flagger status creates a risk that platforms may treat trusted flagger notices as de facto removal orders, undermining due process and the rule of law. Civil society organizations play an essential role. Civil society organizations help identify illegal content and report human rights abuses, but the guidelines should also recognize that these organizations may face retaliation for their work and should be protected from abusive campaigns that threaten their independence. Trusted flaggers should complement—not replace—existing partnerships. The new mechanism should not sideline existing trusted partnership programs, including collaborations with civil society organizations that do not or cannot hold trusted flagger status, especially those outside of the EU with valuable regional expertise. Read the full submission here:
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EFF and ARTICLE 19 Submission to the European Commission on the DSA Trusted Flagger Guidelines. The DSA’s trusted flagger system can help platforms identify illegal content more efficiently. Law enforcement authorities should generally not be granted trusted flagger status.
TL;DR:
EFF and ARTICLE 19 have submitted joint comments to the European Commission on draft guidelines for the Digital Services Act’s trusted flagger mechanism.
Theverge
Jul 16, 08:06
Google ordered to open Android and Search to rivals in Europe
Google must give rival AI assistants and search engines greater access to key parts of Android and Google Search after the European Union ordered the company to comply with the bloc's digital antitrust rules. The two decisions, handed down Thursday, could weaken Google's control over two of the tech industry's most important platforms and have […]
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Google must give rival AI assistants and search engines greater access to key parts of Android and Google Search after the European Union ordered the company to comply with the bloc's digital antitrust rules. The two decisions, handed down Thursday, could weaken Google's control over two of the tech industry's most important platforms and have […]
TL;DR:
Google must give rival AI assistants and search engines greater access to key parts of Android and Google Search after the European Union ordered the company to comply with the bloc's digital antitrust rules.
Techdirt
Jul 16, 02:49
Sony Deletes A Bunch More Movies From The Accounts Of People Who ‘Bought’ Them
In all of our discussions about how the digital revolution has created a system in which people don’t actually own the things they think they’re buying, I get particularly frustrated by the lack of change in it all. We’ve spilled much ink complaining that this clearly anti-consumer practice needs to be done away with, where […]
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In all of our discussions about how the digital revolution has created a system in which people don’t actually own the things they think they’re buying, I get particularly frustrated by the lack of change in it all. We’ve spilled much ink complaining that this clearly anti-consumer practice needs to be done away with, where […]
TL;DR:
In all of our discussions about how the digital revolution has created a system in which people don’t actually own the things they think they’re buying, I get particularly frustrated by the lack of change in it all.
Techdirt
Jul 15, 21:50
A Troubling Milestone: Most Supreme Court Rulings Are Secretive Votes With Little Justification
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. In its term that ended last October, the Supreme Court passed an important milestone that went unnoticed: For the first time, it decided more cases by secret ballot, and with few signed opinions, than it did for cases argued in open court. These decisions, which make […]
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A Troubling Milestone: Most Supreme Court Rulings Are Secretive Votes With Little Justification. This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license.
TL;DR:
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license.
Eff
Jul 15, 19:56
Most Smart Watches, Rings, and Bands Lack Basic Transparency Reports and Key Privacy Features
Oura Rings, Garmin GPS fitness watches, Apple Watches, Whoop bands—every year, more and more tech devices are promising to monitor our health and fitness, guide us toward healthier living, and provide useful health metrics to take to our doctors. But few of these tools provide the sorts of privacy and security promises we demand from all technology, let alone tech that captures personal health data. It’s time they step up and start providing transparency reports and stronger encryption options. Surveys suggest that around 40 percent of people in the United States own some sort of commercially available wearable health device. Despite being marketed as health devices, they have no special health-related privacy protections that one might hope for. The companies who make these devices can and do collect an abundance of data, and many of them share that data with third-parties for marketing or to influence insurance rates , or use it for their own purposes, like training artificial intelligence models. Health data is increasingly an important part of law enforcement or government investigations. Wearable data has been critical in a number of cases , where information about heart rate and steps was used to determine the whereabouts of individuals. And the surveillance company Penlink calls fitness trackers and wearables an “overlooked source” for law enforcement since they tend to show movement patterns and changes in heart rates. Law enforcement can try to get access to this data through subpoenas or warrants. There are many potential privacy issues with these sorts of devices, including whether the companies who make them share or sell information to third-parties. But here we are choosing to focus on two facets we’re concerned with around health data itself: 1) whether the company shares information with law enforcement and governments and 2) if they offer end-to-end encryption, which means the company itself can’t access that health data to begin with. Reading through dozens of product review sites we narrowed our research in on ten companies that seem to make the majority of recommended consumer health products on the market: Amazfit Apple Coros Garmin Google (including Fitbit) Hume Oura Polar Suunto Whoop We reviewed each company’s public facing policies, then emailed them to confirm those findings. Here’s what we found. Transparency Reports Are Few and Far Between Companies should provide transparency reports of how often they provide data to the government, including information about whether it’s an official demand or an unofficial request. We have been calling on tech companies to publish transparency reports for a long time , but the practice is still rare across the industry. That’s especially true with fitness gadgets. Only two of the companies we surveyed, Apple and Google (which also owns Fitbit), currently publish transparency reports. Apple , Google , and Whoop promise to notify users of law enforcement requests in publicly available documentation. Oura now does too, after an update to their privacy policy in June 2026 that was perhaps prompted by a series of requests from journalist Zack Whittaker. In that same update and in an email to us, Oura promises that it is “actively evaluating ways to provide greater visibility into how we handle these requests, like through a transparency report.” This is promising, and we hope the company agrees that transparency reports are the best option moving forward. Any company that handles data that’s of interest to law enforcement and governments owes it to their users to publish transparency reports and, when legally possible, notify users when that data is requested. Similarly, Suunto does not currently publish transparency reports, but in an email reply to our questions the company did express an openness to potentially doing so, stating, “We continuously evaluate our transparency practices and may publish additional information, such as a transparency report, in the future if we believe it would provide meaningful value for users and support our data protection efforts.” We hope they do, as these sorts of reports are a useful metric for all of us to better understand if and when our data can potentially be accessed by law enforcement. We could not find instances where the other companies publicly state a policy around notification or transparency reports, and no others replied to our email questions. Any company that handles data that’s of interest to law enforcement and governments owes it to their users to publish transparency reports and, when legally possible, notify users when that data is requested. This is especially true of personal health data, which can reveal our movements, and be used to infer details about what we’re doing at any given moment. End-to-End Encrypted Data Is Far Too Rare of a Feature End-to-end encryption is a method to ensure that your personal data is only accessible by you, and not the company who makes the device a...
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But few of these tools provide the sorts of privacy and security promises we demand from all technology, let alone tech that captures personal health data. Health data is increasingly an important part of law enforcement or government investigations. Law enforcement can try to get access to this data through subpoenas or warrants.
TL;DR:
Any company that handles data that’s of interest to law enforcement and governments owes it to their users to publish transparency reports and, when legally possible, notify users when that data is requested.
Techdirt
Jul 15, 19:53
Fifth Circuit Looks Like It’s Ready To Roll Back Its Decision Recognizing Due Process Rights For Migrants
Well, it was fun while it lasted. And even while it still (theoretically) lasts, it’s really nothing more than the Fifth Circuit saying rights can violated, but only for 90 days at a time. Earlier this month, the Fifth Circuit managed to deliver a very un-Fifth Circuit decision, finding in favor of rights and against […]
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Fifth Circuit Looks Like It’s Ready To Roll Back Its Decision Recognizing Due Process Rights For Migrants. Well, it was fun while it lasted. And even while it still (theoretically) lasts, it’s really nothing more than the Fifth Circuit saying rights can violated, but only for 90 days at a time.
TL;DR:
Earlier this month, the Fifth Circuit managed to deliver a very un-Fifth Circuit decision, finding in favor of rights and against […]
Eff
Jul 15, 18:50
California Steps Back From Dangerous Expansion of its Age-Gating Law
The California legislature has stepped back from a plan that would have expanded its age-gating law, removing language that could have compounded serious threats to users’ speech, privacy and security just to browse the internet. A.B. 1856 , authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, will now move forward through the legislature without its most problematic pieces. EFF still believes the underlying law that A.B. 1856 amends, A.B. 1043 , is unconstitutional. Signed into law in 2025 (and effective January of 2027), A.B. 1043 requires all operating systems and app stores to collect users’ ages, place them in various age brackets and then block young people from lawful speech and services depending on their age. We also believe that even though A.B. 1043 does not require age verification, the liability it creates for operating systems and app stores—including fining operating systems up to $7,500 per affected child for violating the law—will push those services to verify users’ ages. In practice, that could lead to more ID checks, more biometric scanning, more invasive data collection and risk of breach, and more barriers to adults’ and young people’s lawful speech. However, we appreciate that the Legislature has abandoned its plan to expand this problematic age-gating framework to browsers and websites. This would have significantly expanded this dangerous law before it even took effect. We thank the author and committee staff for recognizing these harms and not moving forward with this language. On top of that, EFF is pleased that an earlier amendment to A.B 1856 reduced the threat to the open-source community by exempting open-source operating systems . Given these changes, EFF has removed its opposition to A.B. 1856 . We appreciate the author for listening to concerns from advocates , developers and others about the effect it would have on open-source development and also around expanding this problematic framework . To be clear, we still believe the law passed last year threatens online anonymity, privacy, and security. A.B. 1043 is one of a troubling wave of proposals that encourage—or, in some cases, outright require—age verification. Our position on this is clear: no one should have to provide or verify their age to access the internet. Once users’ personal data is collected, it can easily be leaked, hacked, or misused. No matter the method, every age verification system demands that people hand over their sensitive and immutable personal information to link their offline identity to their online activity. That’s a bad deal for us all. Age-gating mandates are reshaping the internet in ways that are invasive, dangerous, and deeply unnecessary. But users are not powerless! We can challenge these laws, protect our digital rights, and build a safer digital world for all internet users, no matter their ages. This resource hub can help—so explore, share, and join us in the fight for a better internet.
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EFF still believes the underlying law that A.B. Our position on this is clear: no one should have to provide or verify their age to access the internet. We can challenge these laws, protect our digital rights, and build a safer digital world for all internet users, no matter their ages.
TL;DR:
The California legislature has stepped back from a plan that would have expanded its age-gating law, removing language that could have compounded serious threats to users’ speech, privacy and security just to browse the internet.
Techdirt
Jul 15, 17:53
Rubio Wanted To Ban ‘Censors’ From Entering The US. A Court Says He’s The One Censoring.
Last year, the Marco Rubio-run State Department announced that it would start denying visas to people who worked in misinformation/disinformation research, content moderation, fact-checking, or other compliance and trust & safety roles. So, yeah, if you were an EU-based person who worked on preventing child sexual abuse material from appearing online, the US government decided […]
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Rubio Wanted To Ban ‘Censors’ From Entering The US. A Court Says He’s The One Censoring.. So, yeah, if you were an EU-based person who worked on preventing child sexual abuse material from appearing online, the US government decided […]
TL;DR:
Last year, the Marco Rubio-run State Department announced that it would start denying visas to people who worked in misinformation/disinformation research, content moderation, fact-checking, or other compliance and trust & safety roles.
Theverge
Jul 15, 17:33
xAI sues a man for using Grok to generate CSAM ‘deepfakes’
The Elon Musk-owned xAI is suing a South Carolina man who allegedly used the company's Grok AI chatbot to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In a lawsuit reported earlier by Reuters, xAI claims Terry Wayne Harwood "knowingly and intentionally used Grok to circumvent safeguards, alter nonconsensual images, and generate and distribute CSAM," breaching the […]
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The Elon Musk-owned xAI is suing a South Carolina man who allegedly used the company's Grok AI chatbot to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In a lawsuit reported earlier by Reuters, xAI claims Terry Wayne Harwood "knowingly and intentionally used Grok to circumvent safeguards, alter nonconsensual images, and generate and distribute CSAM," breaching the […]
TL;DR:
The Elon Musk-owned xAI is suing a South Carolina man who allegedly used the company's Grok AI chatbot to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Theverge
Jul 15, 17:30
FCC plans to clear the way for more media consolidation
The Federal Communications Commission will vote next month on whether a single company can own broadcast stations that reach more than 39 percent of US TV households. In a Breitbart op-ed on Wednesday, Republican Chair Brendan Carr announced an August 6th vote to end the national ownership cap rule, which was intended to prevent one […]
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The Federal Communications Commission will vote next month on whether a single company can own broadcast stations that reach more than 39 percent of US TV households. In a Breitbart op-ed on Wednesday, Republican Chair Brendan Carr announced an August 6th vote to end the national ownership cap rule, which was intended to prevent one […]
TL;DR:
The Federal Communications Commission will vote next month on whether a single company can own broadcast stations that reach more than 39 percent of US TV households.
Eff
Jul 15, 17:02
🚫 Don't Let Congress Age-Gate the Internet | EFFector 38.13
The effort to age gate the internet is back in Washington—and now it has a new name. Recently passed by the House of Representatives, the KIDS Act is a sprawling package of proposals to control what we can see and say online. Supporters claim the KIDS Act is needed to protect minors online. But if lawmakers really want to make the internet safer, why are they encouraging more surveillance instead of protecting our privacy? We dive into this question with our EFFector newsletter . JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER For over 35 years, EFFector has been your guide to understanding the intersection of technology, civil liberties, and the law. This issue covers a victory for location privacy in the Supreme Court, disturbing developments in the militarization of domestic drones , and a controversial Congressional bill to control what we can see and say online. Prefer to listen in? EFFector is now available on all major podcast platforms. This time, we're chatting with EFF Senior Policy Analyst Joe Mullin on what would happen to the open internet if the KIDS Act becomes law. You can find the episode and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice : %3Ciframe%20height%3D%22200px%22%20width%3D%22100%25%22%20frameborder%3D%22no%22%20scrolling%3D%22no%22%20seamless%3D%22%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.simplecast.com%2F4e65dc91-33af-4dd4-ae88-1c8626b39537%3Fdark%3Dfalse%22%20allow%3D%22autoplay%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E Privacy info. This embed will serve content from simplecast.com Want to protect your right to online anonymity and access to the open web? Sign up for EFF's EFFector newsletter for updates, ways to take action, and new merch drops. You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
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🚫 Don't Let Congress Age-Gate the Internet | EFFector 38.13. Supporters claim the KIDS Act is needed to protect minors online. But if lawmakers really want to make the internet safer, why are they encouraging more surveillance instead of protecting our privacy?
TL;DR:
You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
Theverge
Jul 15, 13:48
Suno snatched millions of songs from YouTube, Genius, and Deezer
Suno data obtained in a hacking incident has exposed that the AI music generator was trained by scraping millions of songs and lyrics from online audio platforms, including YouTube Music, Deezer, and Genius, 404 Media reports. Given that Suno has avoided revealing what's in its training datasets and how they were acquired, this a rare […]
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Suno data obtained in a hacking incident has exposed that the AI music generator was trained by scraping millions of songs and lyrics from online audio platforms, including YouTube Music, Deezer, and Genius, 404 Media reports. Given that Suno has avoided revealing what's in its training datasets and how they were acquired, this a rare […]
TL;DR:
Suno data obtained in a hacking incident has exposed that the AI music generator was trained by scraping millions of songs and lyrics from online audio platforms, including YouTube Music, Deezer, and Genius, 404 Media reports.
Techdirt
Jul 15, 12:25
NYC Passes Click To Cancel Rules As Lina Khan Lives On
In late 2024 the Biden FTC under Lina Khan passed new “click to cancel” rules that made it easier to cancel subscriptions and services, promising to punish the worst offenders. It was a direct response to decades of sleazy behavior from companies (from AOL to the Wall Street Journal) that made cancelling services an overly […]
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In late 2024 the Biden FTC under Lina Khan passed new “click to cancel” rules that made it easier to cancel subscriptions and services, promising to punish the worst offenders. It was a direct response to decades of sleazy behavior from companies (from AOL to the Wall Street Journal) that made cancelling services an overly […]
TL;DR:
In late 2024 the Biden FTC under Lina Khan passed new “click to cancel” rules that made it easier to cancel subscriptions and services, promising to punish the worst offenders.
Theverge
Jul 15, 11:29
Daylight saving time is on track to become permanent in the US
The US is one step closer to observing daylight saving time year-round. On Tuesday, the House advanced the Sunshine Protection Act on a 308 to 117 vote, which would turn clocks one hour ahead permanently, as reported by CBS News. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social in May that the bill would save the […]
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Daylight saving time is on track to become permanent in the US. The US is one step closer to observing daylight saving time year-round. On Tuesday, the House advanced the Sunshine Protection Act on a 308 to 117 vote, which would turn clocks one hour ahead permanently, as reported by CBS News.
TL;DR:
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social in May that the bill would save the […]
Techdirt
Jul 14, 22:41
Paramount Falsely Threatens To Leave California After State Challenges Merger
Paramount is now threatening California regulators that they’ll be taking their ball and going home (to Texas? Israel?) after California and 11 other states filed an antitrust lawsuit against the company’s unpopular $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers. Paramount leaked word of the nonexistent move to Semafor, which dutifully parroted the empty threat: “Ellison’s confidantes […]
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Paramount Falsely Threatens To Leave California After State Challenges Merger. Israel?) after California and 11 other states filed an antitrust lawsuit against the company’s unpopular $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers. Paramount leaked word of the nonexistent move to Semafor, which dutifully parroted the empty threat: “Ellison’s confidantes […]
TL;DR:
Paramount is now threatening California regulators that they’ll be taking their ball and going home (to Texas?
Eff
Jul 14, 21:14
European Court: Apple Can Not Shirk Off its Interoperability Requirements
One of the best bulwarks against monopoly is interoperability—that is making a new product or service work with an existing product or service. Interoperability allows users, and not the manufacturers of their devices or largest player in a market, to decide what application best serves them. Unsurprisingly, companies like Apple have worked hard to resist interoperability requirements. On July 8, the General Court of the European Union (General Court) ruled against Apple in several cases the company brought against the European Commission ( joint cases ), affirming the company’s obligations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple argued in the cases that it should be exempted from the law’s requirements especially with regards to interoperability on multiple grounds. We applaud the General Court’s decision, and congratulate the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) as well as others who intervened in support of the Commission against Apple's attempt to shirk off its responsibilities, thus ensuring fair competition in European markets. A Positive Development for Europeans This is a clear and substantive win for developers and users in Europe. The stranglehold Apple exerts over its ‘walled garden’ is injurious for developers, users, and researchers alike. By confirming Apple’s obligations under the DMA, the General Court has ensured that developers will be given more choice on where they can publish their apps, and users will have more options to obtain apps which, for whatever reason, Apple dislikes. And researchers will have less roadblocks and hurdles to overcome in their studies of Apple’s OSes, particularly iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Apple argues that the interoperability requirements will force it to lower the security standards that have led Apple products’ users to trust their devices. While this self-serving logic is not entirely without merit, it is far from the inevitable outcome. Especially with regards to the App Store, users can be given clear, informed choice when leaving the Apple ecosystem to obtain apps elsewhere. While we urge European courts to take Apple’s security concerns seriously, we’ve previously noted that this should not be used as a smokescreen to protect anticompetitive behavior. Interoperability and security are not inherently at odds. When interoperable functionality is worked into the security model of a platform from the ground-up, a proper balance can be struck between two forces that are often falsely framed as naturally conflicting. While Apple OS platforms have not been built this way from the get-go, it is still possible, but takes more time to get it right. Here, the devil is in the implementation details. Apple’s Case Arguments and the Court’s Rebuttal Under the DMA, designation as a ‘gatekeeper’ is reserved for the biggest of Big Tech, companies that provide services deemed essential for businesses to reach end users. Apple is one of only seven companies that meet this designation, along with Alphabet, Amazon, Booking, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft. In its case, Apple argued that Article 6(7) of the DMA, specifying interoperability requirements for gatekeepers aimed at restoring fair competition, is unlawful in light of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (specifically the right to property), and as such its designation as a gatekeeper subject to the requirements is unlawful and should be annulled as a result. In its ruling, the General Court rejected the argument as Article 6(7) does not form the legal basis of the designation. Apple separately argues that the App Store fails to meet the requirements defining a core platform service (CPS), since the various stores (across iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS) do not constitute a single platform. A company’s gatekeeper status relies on it providing a CPS that is an important gateway for business users to reach end users. Here, the implications of the argument are clear: remove service designation as CPSes, remove the gatekeeper status. The court rejected the argument on the basis that “irrespective of the device on which it was available, each of the App Stores was used for the same purpose, namely to intermediate between end users and business users in the distribution of applications and in-app digital content.” Finally, the court rejected as inadmissible Apple’s argument that iMessage should not be classified as a number-independent interpersonal communication service (NIICS) constituting a CPS. This decision rested on the fact that the “classification does not, by itself, produce binding legal effects that bring about a change in Apple’s legal position” since iMessage was not listed as an “important gateway” in the designation decision and therefore was not subject to the DMA obligations. In ruling against Apple in favor of the European Commission, the General Court has set an important precedent in ensuring competitive fairness and openness in the digital marketplace. The landmark effects of ...
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European Court: Apple Can Not Shirk Off its Interoperability Requirements. Apple argues that the interoperability requirements will force it to lower the security standards that have led Apple products’ users to trust their devices.
TL;DR:
One of the best bulwarks against monopoly is interoperability—that is making a new product or service work with an existing product or service.
Techdirt
Jul 14, 20:49
How The Spread Of Local AI Models Makes Copyright Enforcement Harder
The central theme of Walled Culture the book (free digital versions available) is the growing incompatibility between traditional copyright law and the digital, online world. The culmination of that process was the EU Copyright Directive, passed in 2019. The Directive was supposed to be transposed into local laws by 2021, but a year after that deadline, many […]
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How The Spread Of Local AI Models Makes Copyright Enforcement Harder. The culmination of that process was the EU Copyright Directive, passed in 2019. The Directive was supposed to be transposed into local laws by 2021, but a year after that deadline, many […]
TL;DR:
The central theme of Walled Culture the book (free digital versions available) is the growing incompatibility between traditional copyright law and the digital, online world.
Techdirt
Jul 14, 18:12
Daily Deal: The 2026 Data Engineering Bundle featuring Databricks
The 2026 Data Engineering Bundle has 7 online courses designed to help learners build skills that align directly with industry expectations. The focus is on practical tools and languages used by data professionals: Python for programming, Pandas and NumPy for data manipulation, foundational certification prep and specialized work with Databricks, an industry-standard platform for data engineering […]
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A portion of all sales from Techdirt Deals helps support Techdirt. Register here Techdirt community members with Techdirt Credits can spotlight a comment as either the "First Word" or "Last Word" on a particular comment thread. You can register here or sign in to use it.
TL;DR:
The 2026 Data Engineering Bundle has 7 online courses designed to help learners build skills that align directly with industry expectations. The focus is on practical tools and languages used by data professionals: Python for programming, Pandas and NumPy for data manipulation, foundational certification prep and specialized work with Databricks, an industry-standard platform for data engineering […]
Techdirt
Jul 14, 16:24
ICE Camera Crews Are Labeling Themselves ‘Media,’ Filming Anti-ICE Protesters
This is pointless escalation, but pointless escalation is this administration’s brand. We already know ICE officers have gone out of their way to aim their phones at protesters and others who try to derail their masked kidnapping squads. And we know — thanks to public records and leaked documents — ICE has access to facial […]
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ICE Camera Crews Are Labeling Themselves ‘Media,’ Filming Anti-ICE Protesters. We already know ICE officers have gone out of their way to aim their phones at protesters and others who try to derail their masked kidnapping squads. And we know — thanks to public records and leaked documents — ICE has access to facial […]
TL;DR:
This is pointless escalation, but pointless escalation is this administration’s brand.
Eff
Jul 14, 15:17
Don’t Repeat NY’s 3D Printing Blunder
This year the state of New York had the dubious honor of being the first to pass a controversial provision to mandate all 3D printers come with surveillance and censorship. That means not only is there a ticking clock to protect every artist, researcher, engineer, and hobbyist in the state, but there is a real risk of other states thoughtlessly following suit—prior to the New York rules even taking effect. We, along with many other experts , already warned about this bill buried in the state’s crowded budget process. Hundreds of our supporters and 3D printing enthusiasts in New York reached out to their representatives hoping to kill this farcical bill. While there were some welcome amendments in response to the outcry, Albany passed it anyway. It might be well-intentioned, but bills like these sell a fantasy that can only have an untold negative impact on the privacy, free expression, and consumer rights of anyone using these general purpose devices. Behind the banner of reducing gun violence, which is nearly always committed with commercial firearms, New York lawmakers have passed draconian legislation that will let manufacturers lock in users and collect their data. Now that the bill has passed and been signed by Governor Hochul, let’s look at two important ways the final legislation changed since we last wrote about it , and why states like California shouldn’t make the same mistake . Reduced Risk for Lawful File Sharing The New York bill includes language that criminalizes access to firearm print files, a proposal correctly dropped by states like Colorado due to First Amendment concerns. While this made it through to the passed legislation, a few wins were still gained. Originally the legislation threatened felony charges for the storing and sharing of files, potentially impacting researchers, artists, and journalists with no intention of printing a firearm component. These charges were downgraded to a Class A misdemeanor. Two provisions criminalized file sharing. The first of the two provisions criminalizing this file sharing, which pertains to the sale or distribution of files in the state, gained an important exception for when a sender has a reasonable belief that the recipient won’t illegally print these components. However the second provision, pertaining to criminalizing file possession, complicates this. Under 2.12 of the subpart, people who possess the file with intent to share the files do not clearly get this same reasonable belief exception. In other words, if you share one of these files the actual sharing is covered by the exception, but the law makes it ambiguous whether possessing those same files is covered when you intend to share them. While this exception could have created some breathing room for researchers and journalists operating in good faith, this slapdash bill language leaves plenty of ambiguity and potential speech-chilling effects. However, these changes do offer a modicum of harm reduction in this unconstitutional law. Saving Face by Preserving Online Sale Originally the bill had a strange requirement for all 3D printers and Computer Numerical Control, or CNC, machines to be sold and delivered face-to-face, with no exception. That would have meant a major barrier to access, particularly for people in agricultural and rural areas of the state who uniquely benefit from in-home fabrication and repair. It also would have meant a major inconvenience for businesses using these devices. For everyone though, it meant fewer retailers to choose from and facing more stigma for using these devices. Fortunately this was dropped from the bill entirely. Next Step: We Find Out What Was Actually Passed In addition to being buried in the complicated legislative process of the NY budget and avoiding proper scrutiny, this bill also kicked the can down the road in determining what exactly is being mandated. In many respects, legislators passed a vibe. We’ll see how the actual law be developed over the next year by a working group with no mandated transparency to the public. Further, they have no obligation to ensure consumer safeguards in developing this state-mandated censorware. We are still concerned by the possibility of a biased working group acting in the interest of manufacturers or facing pressure to accept consumer harms in the standards they produce. Our remaining hope is this working group convened by the Department of State and the state university system is composed of actual experts who are aware of how unfeasible and harmful this mandate is, and prevent it from being realized. The Fight Continues New York is the first to go down this path of state-mandated censorship and surveillance software on 3D printers, but it’s far from the only one to entertain it. It is now more urgent that we fiercely oppose this trend in other states, like California , as they attempt to join the bandwagon—before even seeing the real-world impacts. Take action Don’t Let California Repeat NY’s ...
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We, along with many other experts , already warned about this bill buried in the state’s crowded budget process. Now that the bill has passed and been signed by Governor Hochul, let’s look at two important ways the final legislation changed since we last wrote about it , and why states like California shouldn’t make the same mistake .
TL;DR:
This year the state of New York had the dubious honor of being the first to pass a controversial provision to mandate all 3D printers come with surveillance and censorship.
Theverge
Jul 14, 13:18
Meta accused of using biased AI targeting for mass layoffs
A group of 26 former Meta employees is suing the company over claims that it used AI tools to unfairly target workers on leave with layoffs, as reported earlier by Reuters. In the lawsuit, the employees allege Meta determined which workers to dismiss based on performance data collected by a "constellation" of internal AI tools, […]
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A group of 26 former Meta employees is suing the company over claims that it used AI tools to unfairly target workers on leave with layoffs, as reported earlier by Reuters. In the lawsuit, the employees allege Meta determined which workers to dismiss based on performance data collected by a "constellation" of internal AI tools, […]
TL;DR:
A group of 26 former Meta employees is suing the company over claims that it used AI tools to unfairly target workers on leave with layoffs, as reported earlier by Reuters.
Techdirt
Jul 14, 12:25
A Dozen States Sue To Block Paramount’s Shitty, Unpopular Merger
A dozen states have filed an antitrust lawsuit to block Paramount/CBS’ $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers. The states argue the deal will undermine market competition, cause untold layoffs, result in higher prices and lower quality for consumers, and significantly harm a Hollywood entertainment industry that still hasn’t fully recovered from Covid, the streaming revolution, […]
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A Dozen States Sue To Block Paramount’s Shitty, Unpopular Merger. A dozen states have filed an antitrust lawsuit to block Paramount/CBS’ $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers. The states argue the deal will undermine market competition, cause untold layoffs, result in higher prices and lower quality for consumers, and significantly harm a Hollywood entertainment industry th…
TL;DR:
A dozen states have filed an antitrust lawsuit to block Paramount/CBS’ $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers.
Theverge
Jul 14, 05:00
New York becomes the first state to enact a data center moratorium
New hyperscale data centers can't set up shop in New York for up to a year now that Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has signed the nation's first statewide moratorium. But a bill passed by the state legislature that could restrict even more developments still awaits her signature. The order blocks new environmental permits for data […]
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New York becomes the first state to enact a data center moratorium. But a bill passed by the state legislature that could restrict even more developments still awaits her signature. The order blocks new environmental permits for data […]
TL;DR:
New hyperscale data centers can't set up shop in New York for up to a year now that Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has signed the nation's first statewide moratorium.
Techdirt
Jul 14, 03:01
Former CDC CMO: RFK Jr. Is Doing ‘Irreparable Harm’
I’m not sure who out there is in RFK Jr.’s corner anymore, beyond some unfortunately powerful people in seats of federal power at the moment. That Kennedy’s tenure at HHS has lasted even this long is as absurd as it is dangerous, given the mountains of chaos he’s created in a mere year and change […]
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Former CDC CMO: RFK Jr. Is Doing ‘Irreparable Harm’. That Kennedy’s tenure at HHS has lasted even this long is as absurd as it is dangerous, given the mountains of chaos he’s created in a mere year and change […]
TL;DR:
I’m not sure who out there is in RFK Jr.’s corner anymore, beyond some unfortunately powerful people in seats of federal power at the moment.
Techdirt
Jul 13, 20:05
Oregon AG Wants Pause On Paramount Merger, Hints At Federal Corruption
I think I’ve extensively explained at this point why the $111 billion merger between Paramount/CBS and Warner Brothers is a gargantuan pile of shit that will indisputably harm labor, consumers, markets, creatives, and potentially even national security. It doesn’t matter the company names; every single major media merger of this type ends badly for everyone […]
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I think I’ve extensively explained at this point why the $111 billion merger between Paramount/CBS and Warner Brothers is a gargantuan pile of shit that will indisputably harm labor, consumers, markets, creatives, and potentially even national security. It doesn’t matter the company names; every single major media merger of this type ends badly for everyone […]
TL;DR:
I think I’ve extensively explained at this point why the $111 billion merger between Paramount/CBS and Warner Brothers is a gargantuan pile of shit that will indisputably harm labor, consumers, markets, creatives, and potentially even national security.
Techdirt
Jul 13, 18:13
Trump Admin Supoenas NYT Reporters Because They Dared To Criticize His Qatari Graft Plane
Less than a month ago, Trump secured himself a $400 million plane for free — something he certainly couldn’t have accomplished if he weren’t the president of the United States. It’s no longer a mere appearance of corruption: it’s a 250-foot long luxury plane with 2,500 square feet of tangible corruption. Here are some details […]
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Less than a month ago, Trump secured himself a $400 million plane for free — something he certainly couldn’t have accomplished if he weren’t the president of the United States. It’s no longer a mere appearance of corruption: it’s a 250-foot long luxury plane with 2,500 square feet of tangible corruption. Here are some details […]
TL;DR:
Less than a month ago, Trump secured himself a $400 million plane for free — something he certainly couldn’t have accomplished if he weren’t the president of the United States.
Techdirt
Jul 13, 18:08
Daily Deal: uTalk Language Education
We have all wanted to learn a language at some point but it’s hard to get started. Some language learning tools can be complicated and very time-consuming. But with uTalk, you’ll be speaking keywords and phrases in no time, and will start to see the results straight away. It helps you overcome the language barrier […]
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Daily Deal: uTalk Language Education. Some language learning tools can be complicated and very time-consuming. It helps you overcome the language barrier […]
TL;DR:
We have all wanted to learn a language at some point but it’s hard to get started.
Eff
Jul 13, 17:30
Sony Nerfs Videogame Ownership
Legal intern Suzanne Castillo co-authored of this post. Playstation’s decision to kill physical game discs is the latest attack on our diminishing rights to access and engage with culture digitally. Rent-seeking corporations and negligent lawmakers share the blame–and they can do better. We’ve seen the same playbook used in the move to digital distribution of film, TV, and music: draw in customers with the convenience of a digital download, then limit physical access and move the goalpost on what it actually means to “own” a piece of media. The end goal is to turn the customer into a renter , stuck making regular subscription payments for access. Gamers are right to sound the alarm, and we must take this moment to fight for digital ownership before it’s too late. Disk Space Invaders Depriving gamers of physical discs leads to another obvious and immediate cost: data. Unlike other digital media like film and TV, video games require a ton of storage. Access to high speed internet is still abysmal in the US, making the high-speeds needed for digital game downloads a luxury some of us may take for granted. For many, a modern game can take days and exceed their data caps. This made physical discs, particularly for the biggest AAA titles , a logical choice that also largely spared gamers from losing traditional ownership rights. With physical disks, the cost of storing the game was included in the purchase. Own or Be Pwned Limiting customers to digital copies also pushes gamers further into rent-only copyright culture . Physical media comes with a "right of first sale," which means you can lawfully share, resell, alter, or destroy your own copy of a copyrighted work. This right has also helped protect the emergence of alternative community servers, and emulator addition of online play to games from the dial up era . But courts have held that digital media doesn't carry the same right, meaning no such protection is afforded to digital purchases. Your ability to freely share games with friends or pass them on to family members becomes totally subject to the whims of the distributor. So, for example, a digital-only approach effectively guts the second-hand market for games. Saving some money with a used game and recouping the costs by reselling are no longer an option. Even with steep discounts and holiday sales, this raises the minimum cost of engaging with the medium at all. The inevitable conclusion of the move to digital-only purchases is to lock gamers into subscription models , making their access totally dependent on the distributor— or, several distributors, as we’ve seen with major TV and movie streamers. A handful of companies actually own the games, and your only option is to regularly pay for fractured libraries of games you may never play and will never truly own . Achievement Locked Since digital games are easy to copy, distributors and publishers argue that they are in an arms race against piracy. The irony is that law-abiding customers consistently suffer collateral damage. Most digital distributors lock down the content they offer with restrictive user agreements and digital rights management (DRM) software. DRM software, in particular, imposes onerous controls on the game — like forcing internet connection for single player games or modifications that harm performance — and can even introduce serious privacy and security concerns. Any gamer or researcher in the US who wants to reduce this burden by removing or modifying that DRM risks a lawsuit, thanks to Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). This federal law makes it illegal to alter DRM software, and is a beloved tool for companies trying to restrict how we can lawfully use our purchases — whether it’s a copy of the newest tractor simulator or a literal tractor . And since much of this DRM is tied to user accounts, ownership of a game is also revocable and modifiable for any number of reasons outside of your control. Error in your subscription payment? Your account got hacked? Licensing deal falls through with a major publisher? Developers want to kill the game in an update? All of this can limit or change your ability to access the game long after your so-called “purchase.” Level-up Ownership Policymakers can and should work to restore our ownership rights for the digital age. That starts with legal protections ensuring that the same rights that apply to physical media apply to digital media. Next up? Reform Section 1201 of the DMCA to clarify that it does not forbid fair uses. At the state level, we need meaningful consumer protections. Some promising models include California’s AB 1921, which would clarify what customers are actually paying for on digital storefronts and ensure some protections for maintaining discontinued games. The gaming industry has done its best to kill the bill, including claiming that private community servers are illegal . If you bought it, you should own it, and EFF will continue ...
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Gamers are right to sound the alarm, and we must take this moment to fight for digital ownership before it’s too late. But courts have held that digital media doesn't carry the same right, meaning no such protection is afforded to digital purchases. All of this can limit or change your ability to access the game long after your so-called “purchase.
TL;DR:
The gaming industry has done its best to kill the bill, including claiming that private community servers are illegal . If you bought it, you should own it, and EFF will continue ...
Theverge
Jul 13, 14:35
States make last-ditch effort to stop the Paramount ‘media behemoth’
A dozen state attorneys general are trying to block the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery they warn would raise movie prices and crush cable TV distributors. The states - California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington - filed suit on Monday, arguing […]
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A dozen state attorneys general are trying to block the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery they warn would raise movie prices and crush cable TV distributors. The states - California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington - filed suit on Monday, arguing […]
TL;DR:
A dozen state attorneys general are trying to block the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery they warn would raise movie prices and crush cable TV distributors.
Techdirt
Jul 13, 12:27
Musk’s Starlink Socks Customers With $1500 ‘High Demand’ Surcharge
For years I’ve noted that while Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite broadband system can be very useful for people with no other options (warzones, RVs, boats, rural Americans), the network has struggled to maintain performance as it grows into more mainstream markets, resulting in not only widespread slowdowns, but also the company socking users with massive […]
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And last week, Reddit users began complaining that they were automatically hit with a $1500 demand surcharge . So as the network scales up, Starlink will be forced to impose more and more limits and restrictions on usage to ensure that most people have an acceptable experience.
TL;DR:
For years I’ve noted that while Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite broadband system can be very useful for people with no other options (warzones, RVs, boats, rural Americans), the network has struggled to maintain performance as it grows into more mainstream markets, resulting in not only widespread slowdowns, but also the company socking users with massive […]
Theverge
Jul 13, 05:22
Social media limits are coming for teens across Europe
The European Union is weighing sweeping new restrictions on children's and teenagers' access to social media, including age limits, an outright ban, and phased access. Social media platforms could also be forced to prove their services are not harmful before young people are allowed to use them. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said […]
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Social media limits are coming for teens across Europe. Social media platforms could also be forced to prove their services are not harmful before young people are allowed to use them. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said […]
TL;DR:
The European Union is weighing sweeping new restrictions on children's and teenagers' access to social media, including age limits, an outright ban, and phased access.
Theverge
Jul 12, 08:00
The fight against AI data centers is just beginning
This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the data center buildout, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes on Sunday at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Years before the AI boom threatened local power […]
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The fight against AI data centers is just beginning. For more on the data center buildout, follow Emma Roth. How it started Years before the AI boom threatened local power […]
TL;DR:
This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world.
Theverge
Jul 11, 10:18
White House taps the guy who keeps crying ‘aliens’ to run UFO group
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb will head the UAP Science Advisory Council established by the White House, the Pentagon, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and "the intelligence community." The Council will provide scientific reports and advice to the UAP Governing Board, in an effort to "resolve the nature of UAP," or […]
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Avi Loeb is best known for making questionable claims about evidence of alien technology. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths. Now he’s best known for suggesting that Oumuamua was not an exo-comet, but an alien probe ; and that small metal spheres found in the ocean were the wreckage of an alien spacecraft .
TL;DR:
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb will head the UAP Science Advisory Council established by the White House, the Pentagon, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and "the intelligence community." The Council will provide scientific reports and advice to the UAP Governing Board, in an effort to "resolve the nature of UAP," or […]
Theverge
Jul 11, 09:00
ICE are heavily armed killers. They’re also huge losers
Donald Trump's Homeland Security regime has been at the center of two critical stories in the past two weeks. In the first, federal agents shot and killed a man and quickly got to work justifying the use of force under the flimsiest of pretenses. In the other, it made house calls to people who said […]
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ICE are heavily armed killers. In the first, federal agents shot and killed a man and quickly got to work justifying the use of force under the flimsiest of pretenses. In the other, it made house calls to people who said […]
TL;DR:
Donald Trump's Homeland Security regime has been at the center of two critical stories in the past two weeks.
Techdirt
Jul 10, 22:50
How Google And AI Nearly Made A Seasoned Reporter Spiral
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. Last month, my colleagues and I published an investigation into a Texas oil refinery startup, America First Refining, that had secretly gotten investment from Donald Trump Jr. We discovered a saga involving the Trump administration’s tariff policy, sanctioned Russian oil and an Indian billionaire family’s private zoo. […]
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How Google And AI Nearly Made A Seasoned Reporter Spiral. Last month, my colleagues and I published an investigation into a Texas oil refinery startup, America First Refining, that had secretly gotten investment from Donald Trump Jr. We discovered a saga involving the Trump administration’s tariff policy, sanctioned Russian oil and an Indian billionaire family’s private zoo.
TL;DR:
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license.
Techdirt
Jul 10, 20:18
Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Sell Me Lies, Sell Me Sweet Meta Lies
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
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Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Sell Me Lies, Sell Me Sweet Meta Lies. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
TL;DR:
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw.
Techdirt
Jul 10, 18:06
FCC General Counsel Channels Founding Fathers To Falsely Claim First Amendment Allows Banning Porn
Another senior Trump administration official is gleefully showing off his true colors: The current general counsel for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published an opinion column with the Heritage Foundation’s news outlet The Daily Signal calling for stronger obscenity regulation. From the Founding through most of American history, courts allowed the legislature to control pornographic […]
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Another senior Trump administration official is gleefully showing off his true colors: The current general counsel for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published an opinion column with the Heritage Foundation’s news outlet The Daily Signal calling for stronger obscenity regulation.
TL;DR:
Another senior Trump administration official is gleefully showing off his true colors: The current general counsel for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published an opinion column with the Heritage Foundation’s news outlet The Daily Signal calling for stronger obscenity regulation. From the Founding through most of American history, courts allowed the legislature to control pornographic […]
Techdirt
Jul 10, 16:23
Adults Broke The Internet, And They’re Trying To Fix It By Kicking Kids Off
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of developmental psychologist Candice Odgers. I’ve mentioned her and her work on the site many times, and she was a guest on my podcast as well. She actually has expertise and has done the work to look at the impact of social media on kids. In many ways […]
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Adults Broke The Internet, And They’re Trying To Fix It By Kicking Kids Off. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of developmental psychologist Candice Odgers. I’ve mentioned her and her work on the site many times, and she was a guest on my podcast as well.
TL;DR:
She actually has expertise and has done the work to look at the impact of social media on kids.
Eff
Jul 10, 15:00
Building Our Future Together
In my first weeks as Executive Director of EFF, I’ve been reminded every day how consequential this moment is in determining what kind of future we will have. We are on the edge. What each one of us steps up to do – with our expertise, energy, and resources – will determine whether our future is one of openness, security, and fundamental rights, or one controlled through fear, surveillance, and centralized power. I am proud to take the torch and help lead our EFF community forward at this pivotal time in history. And we need you in the fight . Right now, we are celebrating an important U.S. Supreme Court win in Chatrie v. United States that reaffirmed our right to privacy in our location data and will help curb one flank of supercharged government surveillance. But in another case, the Court overturned 90 years of precedent limiting executive power and rubber-stamped the President’s firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. The U.S. government also issued a chilling directive to Anthropic to prohibit the company from allowing foreign nationals to access its newest technology – then rescinded it two weeks later. And legislation limiting access to social media is advancing in many places around the world. Each headline is different, but they tell one story: Many of the threats that once seemed hypothetical are now reality, and EFF’s work to ensure technology supports rights, justice, freedom, and innovation for all people has never been more critical. Governments and large corporations possess surveillance capabilities that were unimaginable just a few years ago. Ever greater concentrations of power are shaping speech, creativity, markets, and democratic institutions. Governments are increasingly seeking to control the internet and people’s ability to access information and communicate freely. Our community’s work is fundamental to the future of our countries, our livelihoods, and literally our lives. I am also mindful that the United States marked its 250 th anniversary last week and that this week is EFF’s 36 th birthday. Anniversaries, like leadership changes, naturally invite reflection on where we are in history and challenge us to look ahead. What does it mean for a democracy, founded in an analog age, to survive in the digital world? It is also an opportunity to ask how our EFF community can be even stronger, so we can help bring more people into the work of making sure technology serves everyone. I began my career in public-interest work in Silicon Valley at the height of the 1990s dotcom boom, working at some of the earliest nonprofit “digital divide” programs that provided community access to computers and the internet, because I have always believed in the power of technology to create greater opportunity for all, not just profit for a few. I have dedicated my career to public interest technology because I am driven to see technology’s promise realized in my lifetime, and there is no other organization in the world that can do more to meet this moment and build a future where technology truly works for people than EFF. These are perilous times. It is also a moment of extraordinary possibility. The future of AI has not been written and we can work together to get it right. We can make sure our laws reflect the needs of the modern digital age. We can build the technologies that empower rather than marginalize communities. For me, the work starts with recognizing that digital rights are not a siloed policy issue. We must fight and win on the digital terrain to organize, speak freely, access healthcare, find work, receive an education, and participate fully in democracy. We can and must reject a false choice between innovation and civil liberties, and build power across movements to make sure technology truly works for people. This challenge is what EFF was purpose-built to tackle. When EFF was founded in 1990, the World Wide Web did not yet exist, cell phones were the size of bricks, and EFF’s founders understood something remarkably prescient: Technology and civil liberties would become inseparable. Now we all live digital lives, and the important digital rights issues that EFF has worked on since 1990 have become kitchen-table issues all around the world. EFF’s founders understood that how technology is built, developed, used, and controlled deeply intersects with rights, justice, freedom, and democracy. EFF’s unique combination of world-class lawyers, activists, and public interest technologists pursue change simultaneously in the courts, legislatures, companies, and our communities, and pierce through false choices. This integrated, intersectional approach, grounded in deep legal, policy, and technical expertise, is a linchpin in fighting and winning against some of the most powerful forces in the world – both governments and trillion-dollar companies. We defend people against unlawful government data collection and challenge license plate and face surveillance in our communities. We shape ...
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United States that reaffirmed our right to privacy in our location data and will help curb one flank of supercharged government surveillance. It is also an opportunity to ask how our EFF community can be even stronger, so we can help bring more people into the work of making sure technology serves everyone.
TL;DR:
This challenge is what EFF was purpose-built to tackle.
Eff
Jul 10, 13:19
Automated Moderation Is Here to Stay—Accountability Must Keep Pace
This post is part 2 in a series about automated content moderation. Read the first post here . When whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked a set of documents from Meta in 2020, among the revelations was a jarring statistic: The company’s algorithms designed to detect terrorist content incorrectly deleted nonviolent Arabic-language content 77 percent of the time, while failing to detect hate speech under the company’s own policies in many instances. Meta’s own transparency report released later that year demonstrated similar findings . Five years later, researchers in the region report that overzealous moderation remains a problem , while paths to remedy have all but collapsed. Where these systems are faltering in Arabic, they’re positively failing in less-resourced languages. As a 2025 report from the Center for Democracy and Technology found, labeled datasets in certain languages and dialects such as Maghrebi Arabic and Kiswahili contain inconsistencies, bias, and inaccuracies due to the limited hiring of annotators who actually speak the languages as well as shifts in the languages themselves. An investigation into ChatGPT’s outputs in several low-resource languages demonstrates the depth of problem. But language disparities are just one of several concerns as automated moderation becomes more widespread. From the systemic suppression of content from Palestine to the repeated misclassification of LGBTQ+ content as adult or explicit material , these varied examples demonstrate the risks of overreliance on automated moderation—and the need for stronger safeguards. Transparency, Cultural Competence, Appeals As we discussed in Part 1 of this series, automated systems can process content at a scale that humans never could, potentially enabling better moderation at scale and alleviating the psychological load on ill-paid moderators whose jobs require them to view incredibly disturbing content. But automated systems also reproduce existing biases, struggle to understand context, and often make mistakes that disproportionately affect journalists, activists, artists, and other vulnerable and marginalized communities. As Rachel Griffin wrote in 2023 , “Perfectly accurate moderation is not only technically out of reach but intrinsically impossible.” Despite those intrinsic flaws, there is a great deal companies, policymakers, and civil society can do to help ensure that highly-automated systems operate in ways that respect human rights, minimize predictable harms, and provide meaningful accountability when they fail. If companies are going to continue relying on automation to moderate users’ speech—and there is little reason to believe they won’t—then accountability must evolve alongside these technologies. That evolution can start with committing to the Santa Clara Principles 2.0 . These principles, first outlined in 2020 and re-launched in 2021 after substantial international input, reflect the needs and expectations of the global community and specifically address automation. The first Foundational Principle states: Companies should ensure that human rights and due process considerations are integrated at all stages of the content moderation process, and should publish information outlining how this integration is made. Companies should only use automated processes to identify or remove content or suspend accounts, whether supplemented by human review or not, when there is sufficiently high confidence in the quality and accuracy of those processes. Companies should also provide users with clear and accessible methods of obtaining support in the event of content and account action. Drawing on the Santa Clara Principles 2.0 , international human rights standards, and years of research documenting the shortcomings of automated moderation, we propose eight recommendations for policymakers thinking about regulation and companies deploying AI-assisted content moderation systems. Automated technologies should help, not replace, human moderators. For example, automated systems can help flag and prioritize content for review, while humans can interpret context, handle sensitive cases, and refine system performance. Companies must be transparent about when and how automation is used in content decisions. Companies must regularly audit their automated systems for bias, with particular attention to low-resource languages, vulnerable and marginalized communities, and conflict zones. Users must have the ability to appeal, and to provide context when they believe human or automated moderation decisions have wrongfully removed their content. Appeals should be promptly evaluated and decided by human moderators. Companies should regularly assess the human rights impact of their moderation decisions, and issue public statements of the results If they rely on third-party vendors, companies should carefully (and regularly) audit those vendors for compliance with these same principles Lawmakers should avoid promoting and passing legi...
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Automated Moderation Is Here to Stay—Accountability Must Keep Pace. Companies must be transparent about when and how automation is used in content decisions. Users must have the ability to appeal, and to provide context when they believe human or automated moderation decisions have wrongfully removed their content.
TL;DR:
This post is part 2 in a series about automated content moderation.
Techdirt
Jul 10, 12:22
FTC Strikes Settlement With John Deere On ‘Right To Repair’
To be clear, the FTC under Donald Trump and new boss Andrew Ferguson has been a dangerous embarrassment. Whether it’s the firing of both Democratic Commissioners, the politically motivated investigations, the extremist attacks on trans people, the agency’s useless attacks on porn, or its efforts to undermine free speech, the Trump FTC has largely been […]
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FTC Strikes Settlement With John Deere On ‘Right To Repair’. To be clear, the FTC under Donald Trump and new boss Andrew Ferguson has been a dangerous embarrassment. Whether it’s the firing of both Democratic Commissioners, the politically motivated investigations, the extremist attacks on trans people, the agency’s useless attacks on porn, or its efforts to undermine free spe…
TL;DR:
To be clear, the FTC under Donald Trump and new boss Andrew Ferguson has been a dangerous embarrassment.
Theverge
Jul 10, 10:19
I spent a week using the Trump phone — it sucks
The Trump phone was never a serious phone. Not when it was announced last June, in dodgy renders and with an incoherent spec sheet. Nor when Trump Mobile admitted - just two weeks later - that it wouldn't be made in the US. Not even when the company revealed the final phone, first to me […]
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I spent a week using the Trump phone — it sucks. Nor when Trump Mobile admitted - just two weeks later - that it wouldn't be made in the US. Not even when the company revealed the final phone, first to me […]
TL;DR:
The Trump phone was never a serious phone.
Theverge
Jul 10, 06:52
Meta risks $12B EU fine over addictive Instagram and Facebook feeds
Meta is in breach of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), a preliminary investigation has found, over the "addictive" design of Instagram and Facebook. It's likely to be forced to redesign both apps, and could face a fine of up to $12 billion. The European Commission said Meta "did not adequately assess the risks of […]
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Meta risks $12B EU fine over addictive Instagram and Facebook feeds. It's likely to be forced to redesign both apps, and could face a fine of up to $12 billion. The European Commission said Meta "did not adequately assess the risks of […]
TL;DR:
Meta is in breach of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), a preliminary investigation has found, over the "addictive" design of Instagram and Facebook.
Eff
Jul 9, 20:58
The House Passed The KIDS Act—The Senate Should Reject It
Last week, the House voted on the KIDS Act , a disjointed package of legislation that seeks to control Americans’ web browsing and private messaging. The package combines a revised version of the Kids Online Safety Act ( KOSA), with several other internet bills, study bills, reporting requirements, and new regulations. Different parts of the bill pressure online services to impose different age-gating schemes, using different standards. EFF opposed this bill , along with many of our members and supporters. Take action Tell Congress: no internet age-gates The bill passed the House, 267-117. It now heads to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain. But this fight is not over. Even if you took our earlier action to contact the House, we need you to reach out to your Senators today. The KIDS Act Will Lead to Mandatory Age Checks Many of the bills in the KIDS Act share the same premise: that children and teenagers should have different experiences online than adults. In practice, that requires websites and apps to determine who is under 18—and who isn’t. That’s where the problems with the KIDS Act start. EFF certainly supports giving all users better privacy and safety tools online. But those protections should not, and do not need to, come at the expense of privacy or free expression. Unfortunately, that’s exactly the tradeoff the KIDS Act makes. There is no way to determine a user’s age online that is both privacy protective and accurate. Some age verification processes may rely on collecting government-issued ID, while others may use biometric scans. Others will use algorithms to guess a user’s age based on facial images or online behavior. But no matter the method, every system demands users hand over sensitive personal information that links their offline identity to their online activity. And then, once that valuable data is collected, it can be leaked, hacked, or misused. In fact, we’ve already seen several breaches of age verification providers. The Bill Still Regulates Online Speech The revised KOSA language within the KIDS Act still pressures companies to police lawful speech online. Platforms must “establish, implement, maintain, and enforce” policies that address content like gambling or the use of alcohol or cannabis. This encourages platforms to broadly restrict speech on these topics, which could include a teen seeking advice on a parent’s gambling problem or searching for substance abuse recovery resources. When platforms are required to create and enforce content moderation policies that regulators can sue them over, they will often err on the side of deleting speech. Protect Privacy For Everyone There is a better way to protect young people online. Instead of encouraging a complicated system of age checks, more monitoring, and more restrictions on access to information, Congress could finally pass a strong, comprehensive privacy law that benefits all users. A great place to start would be to ban behavioral advertising that tracks us across the web —again, for users of all ages. We urge the Senate to oppose the KIDS Act and instead focus on a strong, bipartisan privacy package for all users. Take action Tell the senate to reject the kids act
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The House Passed The KIDS Act—The Senate Should Reject It . Take action Tell Congress: no internet age-gates The bill passed the House, 267-117. There is no way to determine a user’s age online that is both privacy protective and accurate.
TL;DR:
That’s where the problems with the KIDS Act start. EFF certainly supports giving all users better privacy and safety tools online.
Techdirt
Jul 9, 20:21
World Cup Propels Surveillance To New Heights
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the largest sporting event in history. It’s also the most surveilled World Cup ever. If you’re visiting or traveling around host cities, then you and your face, behavior, movement and devices are being monitored by governments and private companies. The […]
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World Cup Propels Surveillance To New Heights. It’s also the most surveilled World Cup ever. If you’re visiting or traveling around host cities, then you and your face, behavior, movement and devices are being monitored by governments and private companies.
TL;DR:
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
Eff
Jul 9, 18:30
European Commission Chooses to Keep EU Users Locked Up Behind Big Tech’s Gates
Users are always seeking more control over their social networking experience to make it better, whether to improve privacy or enhance flexibility. Interoperability between social networking platforms like Facebook and TikTok has so many benefits that solve those issues. Say you’re on multiple platforms because you have friends you follow on different networks, but you’ve decided to choose one platform with better privacy practices. With interoperability, you could switch and still interact with friends who remain on larger platforms. It could also enable independent apps with better privacy controls and more user choice. These are the untapped possibilities that could benefit users in the European Union under the 2022 Digital Markets Act ( DMA ). Yet, the European Commission, in its first review of the DMA, announced in April it had decided not to extend the DMA’s interoperability mandate to social networking and didn’t give a deadline or a timeline for enforcing that part of the Act. The Commission said “there is no clear demand” from users and businesses for social networking interoperability and, in any case, it’s too technically complex at the moment. Meanwhile, the Big Tech platforms that have been slow-walking interoperability over the last two years, erecting a myriad of hurdles for users seeking more freedom to choose other platforms, get a pass. This is a huge disappointment and a missed opportunity by the Commission. Interoperability dismantles one of the biggest barriers faced by users who want to leave the tech giants’ platforms: the choice between changing to a platform you prefer or staying behind on a platform where all your friends, communities, and customers are. The DMA, which went into force in 2024, aims to foster more choices for European Union users and encourage competition and innovation by forcing so-called gatekeeper platforms like Meta, Apple, and Google, to open their ecosystems to competitors. The regulation does a great deal to foster the integration of competing services and devices with the ecosystems of very large online platforms that act as gatekeepers. It even requires interoperability for messaging services, despite the significant technical and privacy challenges involved . So, it’s odd that the Commission is using complexity as a shield against taking on social networking interoperability. The internet already runs on complex interoperable systems. Approaches like ActivityPub , the decentralized networking protocol behind the “ Fediverse ,” which gave rise to decentralize d networks like Mastodon, already exist. The DMA shouldn’t mandate a specific protocol, but it can require meaningful interoperability outcomes. The argument that there’s no real demand for social networking interoperability also falls flat. Users want the ability to move across platforms, choose the content they’d like to see from platforms, and not be tied down to a single platform. But there’s no way to get there—the platforms are doing little to open their social networking ecosystems. And now you have the DMA’s enforcer saying it’s not going to make them change. Demand for alternatives won’t materialize at scale until users see real progress towards interoperability, something the Commission has the power to do. Having decided there’s little demand and too much complexity to proceed with mandating social networking interoperability, the C ommission said it “will continue to monitor and assess how these services evolve.” This wait-and-see-posture only hurts users and strengthens and further entrenches Big Tech incumbents. The DMA is supposed to center on the rights of technology users and be the pathway to an internet experience where you decide which software runs on your devices, where it’s easy to find the best products and services, and where you can leave a platform for a better one without forfeiting your social relationships. Meanwhile, Big Tech is also resisting the DMA’s openness requirements. For example, Apple is supposed to be opening up iOS devices to rival app stores. Yet, the smartphone giant’s plan for opening its App Store levies junk fees and onerous conditions on app makers and is effectively impossible for any competitor to use . It’s not just Apple pushing back against DMA enforcement. Meta's response is a “pay for privacy “system, in which users who do not consent to Meta’s surveillance will have to pay to use the service, or be blocked from it. Whether their plan complies with the DMA remains under review. Nowhere in the DMA does it say social networking companies get to install a toll booth for users seeking to benefit from privacy rights the regulation grants them. The future EU Digital Fairness Act is another opportunity to protect users from such practices by declaring them unfair. The Commission has responded to these developments with investigations , preliminary rulings , and fines . Meanwhile, users are missing out on greater choice and flexibility in how t...
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European Commission Chooses to Keep EU Users Locked Up Behind Big Tech’s Gates. But there’s no way to get there—the platforms are doing little to open their social networking ecosystems. Meta's response is a “pay for privacy “system, in which users who do not consent to Meta’s surveillance will have to pay to use the service, or be blocked from it.
TL;DR:
Users are always seeking more control over their social networking experience to make it better, whether to improve privacy or enhance flexibility.
Techdirt
Jul 9, 18:07
The Party That Screams About The Evils Of Socialism Wants To Nationalize AI Companies
It’s hard to believe that the same people who spent the Biden years screaming that Democrats were “socialists” out to destroy free market capitalism are now cheerfully handing the federal government ownership stakes in private companies. And yet here we are. Just as Trumpists have decided that their go-to strategy for trying to rile up […]
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It’s hard to believe that the same people who spent the Biden years screaming that Democrats were “socialists” out to destroy free market capitalism are now cheerfully handing the federal government ownership stakes in private companies. And yet here we are. Just as Trumpists have decided that their go-to strategy for trying to rile up […]
TL;DR:
It’s hard to believe that the same people who spent the Biden years screaming that Democrats were “socialists” out to destroy free market capitalism are now cheerfully handing the federal government ownership stakes in private companies.
Theverge
Jul 9, 13:00
OpenAI rolls out GPT-5.6 after government green light — and announces ‘ChatGPT Work’
About two weeks after OpenAI's GPT-5.6 was caught up in regulatory drama - rolled out only to government-approved organizations during a "limited preview" period - the company has received the Trump administration's green light for a public rollout of the model. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called it "the best model we have ever produced." To […]
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About two weeks after OpenAI's GPT-5.6 was caught up in regulatory drama - rolled out only to government-approved organizations during a "limited preview" period - the company has received the Trump administration's green light for a public rollout of the model. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called it "the best model we have ever produced." To […]
TL;DR:
About two weeks after OpenAI's GPT-5.6 was caught up in regulatory drama - rolled out only to government-approved organizations during a "limited preview" period - the company has received the Trump administration's green light for a public rollout of the model.
Techdirt
Jul 9, 12:34
MuskCorp Tries To Bribe Memphis With Cheaper Starlink So They’ll Ignore xAI Data Center Pollution
Civil rights groups like the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have noted how Elon Musk’s Colossus xAI data centers in Memphis disproportionately pollute the air in minority neighborhoods. A joint lawsuit by SELC, Earthjustice, and the NAACP filed last April argued that Musk and friends didn’t bother to get the necessary permits to run the 57 gas turbines […]
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Civil rights groups like the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have noted how Elon Musk’s Colossus xAI data centers in Memphis disproportionately pollute the air in minority neighborhoods. A joint lawsuit by SELC, Earthjustice, and the NAACP filed last April argued that Musk and friends didn’t bother to get the necessary permits to run the 57 gas turbines […]
TL;DR:
Civil rights groups like the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have noted how Elon Musk’s Colossus xAI data centers in Memphis disproportionately pollute the air in minority neighborhoods.
Theverge
Jul 9, 09:45
ICE agents are making house calls for online critics
A few hours after checking into a hotel in New York City, David Streever woke up to a call from the front desk saying someone was looking for him. Streever had just landed on a return trip from Finland, where he'd vacationed with his daughter. Though Streever didn't know it yet, while he'd been away, […]
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ICE agents are making house calls for online critics. Streever had just landed on a return trip from Finland, where he'd vacationed with his daughter. Though Streever didn't know it yet, while he'd been away, […]
TL;DR:
A few hours after checking into a hotel in New York City, David Streever woke up to a call from the front desk saying someone was looking for him.
Eff
Jul 9, 09:15
Google's new remote attestation scheme is every bit as terrible as its old remote attestation scheme
Google owes its existence to the open web, but today, its technological “innovations” have much to do with locking users into a “walled garden.” The latest of these is “ reCAPTCHA Mobile Verification ,” an experimental initiative that will let companies block users if they are running independent, "de-googled" versions of Android. These “indie Android” versions are favored by people who want to protect their privacy and their attention by blocking trackers and ads. Worse, this is just the latest in a line of similarly user-hostile measures. Long before “agentic AI,” we had the idea that software would act as your agent on the internet. That's why the old-fashioned technical term for a browser is a “user agent.” Your browser acts on your behalf to retrieve information and then show it to you, in the format you choose. It's your agent . This is a powerful and profound idea. It is because browsers are our “agents” that we expect them to accept our directives, say, by blocking pop-ups, or by turning off autoplay sound, or by blocking commercial surveillance trackers . Your browser does all that because your browser works for you . The reason your browser can work for you is that the web is an open, standardized technology. In theory, anyone who follows the standards published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) can make a browser, and that web browser can connect to any web server. Browsers and servers are interoperable . It's the same force that means you can put anyone's gas in your gas-tank, or anyone's shoelaces in your shoes, or anyone's milk on your cereal. But what if manufacturers could dictate those choices to you? What if your light socket refused to use a lightbulb unless it was officially blessed by the socket's manufacturer? What if your dishwasher refused to wash your dishes unless you bought them from one of the manufacturer's “dish partners?” What if your toaster refused to toast “unauthorized bread?” It's hard to see how a company could win its market with this strategy. After all, if the dishes are really better than the competition's, you'd buy them voluntarily, without any need for law or technology to force the matter. The only reason to make a dishwasher that refuses a rival's dishes is if the manufacturer's own dishes are ugly, expensive, and/or badly made. But once a company owns the market — once they've achieved dominance by buying out their rivals; by bribing potential competitors to stay out of their lane; and by engaging in deceptive conduct to trap key suppliers and customers — they can cement their dominance by blocking interoperability, keeping out rival dishes, milk, gas, lightbulbs, shoelaces and bread, capturing their whole market and squeezing it. That's what Google has done, and that's what Google wants to do more of Google's commercial behavior has been so unethical, deceptive and abusive that the company just lost three federal antitrust cases . This thrice-convicted monopolist paid Apple — more than $20b/year — to stay out of the search market: It cheated app vendors , ripping them off with sky-high junk fees and onerous conditions that raised prices while lowering the share of your spending that went to the companies whose products you were paying for. It cheated advertisers , rigging the ad market to gouge businesses on ad prices and underinvesting to fight rampant ad-fraud, sucking hundreds of billions out of the productive economy for overpriced ads that no one saw. Google wasn't always this way. The “don't be evil” company owes its very existence to the open web ecosystem. When the company started to index the web in 1998, it was playing on an open field, where any web server could talk to any “user agent,” even one whose user was a startup like Google, that was making a copy of every page on the server. For years, Google thrived on the open web, and built open technologies. Android — the mobile operating system that Google bought in 2005 — was presented as an “open” alternative to existing mobile offerings, and as the mobile market collapsed into two companies — Google and Apple — Google always presented Android as the open alternative to Apple's “walled garden.” But there were always ways in which Google's “open” Android wasn't exactly open. The company engaged in illegal “tying” arrangements that forced hardware vendors and carriers to lock out versions of Android that were created by Google's competitors. In other words, even though Google offered a mobile platform that was (mostly) technically open, it found other ways to try to choke off the market oxygen for alternative Android versions that tried to capitalize on that technical openness. But life finds a way. The existence of an open, modifiable, tinkerer-friendly mobile operating system meant Android hackers could create alternatives to Google's (de facto) walled garden, which thrived in the cracks in that garden wall. Operating systems like CalyxOS , PureOS and Graphene offered ...
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These “indie Android” versions are favored by people who want to protect their privacy and their attention by blocking trackers and ads. Long before “agentic AI,” we had the idea that software would act as your agent on the internet. Google wasn't always this way.
TL;DR:
For years, Google thrived on the open web, and built open technologies.
Eff
Jul 8, 23:15
"We Want Texans to Know Their Rights": Q&A with Mayday Health on the Impact of Surveillance on Abortion Care
Last May, EFF reported that a sheriff’s office in Texas searched data from more than 83,000 automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras to track down a woman suspected of self-managing an abortion. ALPRs are promoted as tools for keeping communities safe by finding missing persons and locating stolen vehicles, but this case showed how ALPRS can be weaponized to investigate people’s private healthcare decisions. And these aren’t the only tools in the surveillance arsenal: others include location tracking tools like Locate X , which can show a person’s visit to an abortion clinic, or search histories which might be used as evidence of a person’s interest in obtaining abortion pills. Taken together, these tools create a dangerous surveillance pipeline that threatens everyone’s health privacy. Too often, though, the public is unaware of the threat, and one nonprofit is working to change that. Following EFF and 404 Media’s report on Texas’s use of Flock cameras, eye-catching billboards popped up in Houston, warning drivers that if they’re pregnant, the state of Texas could be tracking them. Photo provided by Mayday Health These billboards came from Mayday Health , a nonprofit dedicated to sharing information about abortion pills, birth control, and gender-affirming care. We spoke with Leo Raisner, Executive Director of Mayday Health, about the billboards to learn more about the campaign and organization and to discuss how surveillance affects reproductive freedom. *** THOMAS: Why did Mayday Health start this campaign in Texas? RAISNER: Well, we read the incredible reporting coming from EFF about Texas's surveillance . We want Texans to know their rights, to know their options, and to know that there are organizations and people who have their back. So we decided to put up a few billboards around the Houston area to remind people that they still have options. Digital advertising in the space, as I know you're well aware of, faces enormous platform restrictions from Meta and Google, whereas billboards reach people in the physical world without algorithmic gatekeeping and without requiring anyone to search for information. So at the very least, if a driver's passing by the billboard, we’re spreading information that they should be careful that they might be surveilled, and also there are different options. There's a website where they can come learn more about those options. THOMAS: And how have the billboards been received so far? Have you heard anything from folks in the Houston area yet? RAISNER: Yeah, we've heard some messages of support on social media DMs. We're just thrilled about how many drivers these messages are going to reach. They'll be up for 4 weeks, and are expected to hit over 1,000,000 drivers during that 4-week campaign period. THOMAS: Are there other ways that Mayday Health has seen surveillance systems impact people seeking healthcare? RAISNER: You know, we go all over the country and talk to folks who are seeking reproductive healthcare options in states where clinics are banned, and we direct folks to our website where they can learn more about abortion pills. We make privacy very central to how we operate. Privacy is not just an afterthought for us. When people arrive at our website, we direct them to the Digital Defense Fund , which offers people privacy and security resources as they're navigating reproductive healthcare in states where they might be being surveilled. We don't collect cookies , we don't collect identifying information from visitors to our site. We want people to know their options, and we don't have any interest in knowing who they are. THOMAS: Why do you think the work of the digital rights movement is so important to the work of the reproductive health rights and justice movement? RAISNER: I mean, those two movements are inextricably linked. The anti-abortion movement is using every tool in their toolbox to prevent people from getting the healthcare access they need, whether that's surveilling people online or closing down brick - and - mortar clinics, but we encourage people to visit Mayday Health and learn that they still have options no matter where they live. THOMAS: Is there anything else that you would like the readers of our blog to know about Mayday Health? RAISNER: I'd love for people to know that abortion pills are FDA approved. They're safe, they're effective, and they're available through the mail. *** EFF has said it time and time again – surveillance and reproductive freedom cannot coexist . Whether the tracking occurs over the internet or through license plate reader systems with over 83,000 cameras, it is an invasion of privacy. Protecting our digital privacy is more critical now than ever. Help EFF fight back against this digital dragnet and protect reproductive freedom for all by making a donation.
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"We Want Texans to Know Their Rights": Q&A with Mayday Health on the Impact of Surveillance on Abortion Care. We want Texans to know their rights, to know their options, and to know that there are organizations and people who have their back. Help EFF fight back against this digital dragnet and protect reproductive freedom for all by making a donation.
TL;DR:
*** EFF has said it time and time again – surveillance and reproductive freedom cannot coexist .
Techdirt
Jul 8, 22:30
An Indian Billionaire Was Targeted By Trump. Then He Poured Money Into A Startup Secretly Backed by Donald Trump Jr.
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. In late November in Jamnagar, India, the scions of two of the most powerful families in the world stood face-to-face. On one side was 30-year-old Anant Ambani, son of one of the richest men in Asia. On the other was Donald Trump Jr. For months, the […]
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An Indian Billionaire Was Targeted By Trump. Then He Poured Money Into A Startup Secretly Backed by Donald Trump Jr.. On one side was 30-year-old Anant Ambani, son of one of the richest men in Asia.
TL;DR:
On the other was Donald Trump Jr.
Techdirt
Jul 8, 20:13
Comcast/NBC To Split Back Into Smaller, Shittier Companies
For a while there, you might remember how giant telecom monopolies, running out of new subscribers, all decided to get into the media business. But because terrible telecom monopoly executives can’t innovate and generally don’t know how competition works, it never really goes that well. The various Yahoo/Tumblr/Verizon/AOL exploits were a legendary mess, only outshined […]
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Comcast/NBC To Split Back Into Smaller, Shittier Companies. But because terrible telecom monopoly executives can’t innovate and generally don’t know how competition works, it never really goes that well. The various Yahoo/Tumblr/Verizon/AOL exploits were a legendary mess, only outshined […]
TL;DR:
For a while there, you might remember how giant telecom monopolies, running out of new subscribers, all decided to get into the media business.
Techdirt
Jul 8, 18:19
Mexico Passed Speech Laws To Protect The Powerless. The Powerful Used Them To Silence Critics.
For over a decade, a particular argument keeps resurfacing from well-meaning progressives: the rise of authoritarianism around the globe is a good reason to pass laws suppressing speech. The idea is that somehow, magically, without free speech, authoritarians and fascists would never come to power in the first place. This is historically illiterate. It’s also […]
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Mexico Passed Speech Laws To Protect The Powerless. The Powerful Used Them To Silence Critics.. The idea is that somehow, magically, without free speech, authoritarians and fascists would never come to power in the first place.
TL;DR:
For over a decade, a particular argument keeps resurfacing from well-meaning progressives: the rise of authoritarianism around the globe is a good reason to pass laws suppressing speech.
Techdirt
Jul 8, 18:14
Daily Deal: The Premium Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Super Bundle
The Premium Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Super Bundle is a twelve-course digital toolkit designed to take you from coding novice to AI architect. The curriculum breaks down complex data science concepts into actionable steps, guiding you through hands-on projects using Python, data analysis tools, and advanced neural networks. Whether you want to automate everyday tasks, […]
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Daily Deal: The Premium Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Super Bundle. The curriculum breaks down complex data science concepts into actionable steps, guiding you through hands-on projects using Python, data analysis tools, and advanced neural networks. Whether you want to automate everyday tasks, […]
TL;DR:
The Premium Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Super Bundle is a twelve-course digital toolkit designed to take you from coding novice to AI architect.
Techdirt
Jul 8, 16:34
Fifth Circuit Says Gov’t Can Violate Migrants’ Due Process Rights… But Only For 90 Days
Good news!(?) It’s good news of sorts, so we’ll go with a qualified “good news!” here. There’s a little table setting that needs to be done to explain why it’s better now than it was before the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court continued ingratiating itself to race-motivated tyranny. I realize that’s not a great pitch in […]
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Fifth Circuit Says Gov’t Can Violate Migrants’ Due Process Rights… But Only For 90 Days. There’s a little table setting that needs to be done to explain why it’s better now than it was before the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court continued ingratiating itself to race-motivated tyranny. I realize that’s not a great pitch in […]
TL;DR:
Good news!(?) It’s good news of sorts, so we’ll go with a qualified “good news!” here.
Techdirt
Jul 8, 12:32
ABC’s The View Wimps Out, Shies Away From Politics After Trump Threats
Back in February, Trump FCC Boss Brendan Carr launched a fake “investigation” of ABC because the network’s comedians and daytime talk show hosts hadn’t adequately kissed Republican ass. Five months later and ABC’s The View is wimping out when it comes to hosting politicians at all, for fear it will upset the country’s mad idiot […]
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Back in February, Trump FCC Boss Brendan Carr launched a fake “investigation” of ABC because the network’s comedians and daytime talk show hosts hadn’t adequately kissed Republican ass. Five months later and ABC’s The View is wimping out when it comes to hosting politicians at all, for fear it will upset the country’s mad idiot […]
TL;DR:
Back in February, Trump FCC Boss Brendan Carr launched a fake “investigation” of ABC because the network’s comedians and daytime talk show hosts hadn’t adequately kissed Republican ass.
Techdirt
Jul 8, 02:56
ESA Lobbying Against ‘Stop Killing Games’: Hosting Private Minecraft Servers Is Illegal Piracy
As we mentioned previously, the Stop Killing Games movement has come to America and there is currently an effort to get some legislation based on the movement’s goals on the books in California. The movement hit a snag recently when the written version of the bill failed to make it out of committee on a […]
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As we mentioned previously, the Stop Killing Games movement has come to America and there is currently an effort to get some legislation based on the movement’s goals on the books in California. The movement hit a snag recently when the written version of the bill failed to make it out of committee on a […]
TL;DR:
As we mentioned previously, the Stop Killing Games movement has come to America and there is currently an effort to get some legislation based on the movement’s goals on the books in California.
Techdirt
Jul 7, 17:57
The Courts’ Solution To Overpriced Court Records: Make Them More Expensive
For many, many years on Techdirt we’ve bemoaned the fact that federal court documents are not available for free as they should be. Instead, we have PACER, a bloated, expensive, difficult to use system that charges you for every “page” it loads up for you (including search results). The whole thing is a sham. Indeed, […]
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The Courts’ Solution To Overpriced Court Records: Make Them More Expensive. Instead, we have PACER, a bloated, expensive, difficult to use system that charges you for every “page” it loads up for you (including search results). The whole thing is a sham.
TL;DR:
For many, many years on Techdirt we’ve bemoaned the fact that federal court documents are not available for free as they should be.
Techdirt
Jul 7, 16:29
Trump’s Reflecting Pool Failures To Be Taken Out On US Olympic Canoeist David Hearn
Yet another way Trump was going to make America great again was by giving one of his pool boys a no-bid contract to make the Lincoln Reflecting Pool even greater than it always had been. Rather than allow it to remain — at the very least — serviceable, Trump insisted the bottom needed to be […]
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Trump’s Reflecting Pool Failures To Be Taken Out On US Olympic Canoeist David Hearn. Yet another way Trump was going to make America great again was by giving one of his pool boys a no-bid contract to make the Lincoln Reflecting Pool even greater than it always had been. Rather than allow it to remain — at the very least — serviceable, Trump insisted the bottom needed to be […]
TL;DR:
Yet another way Trump was going to make America great again was by giving one of his pool boys a no-bid contract to make the Lincoln Reflecting Pool even greater than it always had been.
Eff
Jul 7, 16:21
Automated Moderation Is Here to Stay
This blog post is part 1 of a 2-part series. The second part will set out recommendations for companies and policymakers. Six years ago—one month into a global pandemic—we argued that the automated moderation processes many platforms were rapidly adopting should be highly transparent, easily appealable, and temporary. We warned that "protocols adopted in times of crisis often persist when the crisis is over." That warning proved prescient. The use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify, flag, and moderate content has become the new norm—a permanent feature of how platforms govern speech online. In this two part series, we’re take stock of this new norm, and considering what platforms can and should do to ensure that AI serves online expression rather than stifling it. A brief history of automated content moderation From spam filtering and keyword blacklists to the hash-matching technologies used to identify child sexual abuse material and terrorist content, automated technologies have been used in commercial content moderation for many years. While these tools have long posed risks to freedom of expression, their use was, for quite some time, relatively limited in scope. Then, in 2017, a blog post published by Facebook (now Meta) described the company's "fairly recent" use of artificial intelligence to identify, classify, and remove violent extremist content. At the same time, Facebook emphasized caution, noting that it did not want to suggest there was "any easy technical fix." Just one year later, Mark Zuckerberg appeared before the U.S. Senate's Commerce and Judiciary Committees and disclosed that "99 percent of the ISIS and Al Qaida content" removed by Facebook was flagged by AI "before any human sees it." He also stated that Facebook was "developing A.I. tools that can identify certain classes of bad activity proactively and flag it for our team at Facebook." At the time, we raised concerns about the ethical implications of using AI in this manner. Then came 2020. The sudden reduction of the human moderation workforce , combined with a dramatic increase in social media use—and with it, a surge in misinformation—created the perfect conditions for platforms to expand their reliance on AI-driven moderation. It quickly became apparent that companies'—and particularly Meta's—approach to moderation during the pandemic represented a backslide in transparency, freedom of expression, and access to remedy. The increased reliance on automation was a significant factor. The costs and benefits of AI content moderation We knew in 2020 that the use of AI to moderate content would present problems for online freedom of expression. Today, those problems are well-documented. A 2025 joint declaration by special rapporteurs and representatives of the United Nations (UN), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Organization of American States (OAS), and African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) states: “The use of AI content moderation can lead to over-removal, discrimination and censorship. Reliance on inherently biased datasets and opaque training processes can amplify pre-existing inequalities, risking homogenisation of expression, and erasure of linguistic and cultural diversity.” EFF and many of our allies have documented these impacts. For example, our 2019 paper co-authored with Witness and Syrian Archive examined the impact of extremist content regulations—and their implementation through automation and AI—on human rights documentation. A 2020 report from Human Rights Watch highlighted the consequences of these removals, noting: "There is no way of knowing how much potential evidence of serious crimes is disappearing without anyone's knowledge." The Center for Democracy and Technology's recent series on content moderation in the Global South demonstrates persistent inequities in content moderation of four “low-resource” languages—so-called because the relative scarcity of training data makes it more difficult to develop equitable and accurate AI models for them. Content moderation often disproportionately impacts vulnerable and historically marginalized groups, and AI content moderation is no different. GLAAD recognizes the role AI plays in scaling content moderation but notes that “when moderation systems lack nuance, transparency, and human oversight, they can fail to curb harassment and wrongly suppress legitimate LGBTQ content.” These failures are not incidental. They are a predictable consequence of deploying automated systems to make complex judgments about language, culture, context, and identity at scale. All of that said, automated content moderation can offer important benefits. The primary one: helping to spare human content moderators who must review content that varies from whimsical to horrific, often for little pay and with devastating mental health consequences. Outsourcing this work to the bots can offer some relief—though it’s worth noting...
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Automated Moderation Is Here to Stay. The use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify, flag, and moderate content has become the new norm—a permanent feature of how platforms govern speech online.
TL;DR:
The costs and benefits of AI content moderation We knew in 2020 that the use of AI to moderate content would present problems for online freedom of expression.
Eff
Jul 7, 16:17
Help EFF Cut the AI Hype
In the global race to build and dominate the AI industry, it can sure seem like the interests of ordinary people sit last on the agenda. It's just the opposite for EFF. While companies furiously jam AI tools into their veins and your eyeballs, EFF’s technologists, activists, and attorneys have been meticulously cutting through the hype to ensure AI can serve your privacy and free expression. Technology has leaned into a new era, and this summer you can help EFF fight for the people. JOIN EFF Over the next two weeks, we’re encouraging you to support the cause as an EFF member for as little as $10 each month . You can get great member swag every year like our privacy puffy stickers, Claw Back t-shirt, and Privacy Badger Crewneck. Fight mass surveillance! Pictured: Claw Back member t-shirt and Privacy Badger Crewneck. AI tools—beyond their marketing fluff—demonstrate both incredible potential and real danger. With the support of members around the world, EFF detangles the possibilities from the anxieties and threats with the care and nuance it deserves. In recent months, EFF: Mobilized people against the GUARD Act , which would require problematic age verifications systems for AI companions. Joined civil society partners to call out a General Services Administration proposal that would make AI tools less safe and less useful . Sued for answers under the Freedom of Information Act to uncover how the government is using AI to evaluate requests for medical care . Testified before the U.S. Congress Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection. The scope of AI, both the good and the bad , multiplies every day. If we want the AI-powered benefits of efficiency, scientific discovery, and greater accessibility to knowledge, then we also need strong protections against surveillance, harms to creativity and innovation online, perpetuating systemic bias, and privacy violations now. With AI taking over the public consciousness, you can be assured that EFF will never stop advocating for you. Together, we can ensure that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for all people. Join EFF ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S. 501(c)(3) organization. We've received top rati ngs from the nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator since 2013! Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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Help EFF Cut the AI Hype. It's just the opposite for EFF. Fight mass surveillance!
TL;DR:
Join EFF ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S.
Theverge
Jul 7, 13:47
ABC tells the government to get out of its newsrooms
ABC is firing back at the Federal Communications Commission after the agency opened an investigation into The View's airtime of political candidates. In a letter to the FCC on Tuesday, ABC argues that the agency's actions pose a risk to editorial independence by targeting programs "perceived as unfriendly to the current administration," as reported earlier […]
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ABC is firing back at the Federal Communications Commission after the agency opened an investigation into The View's airtime of political candidates. In a letter to the FCC on Tuesday, ABC argues that the agency's actions pose a risk to editorial independence by targeting programs "perceived as unfriendly to the current administration," as reported earlier […]
TL;DR:
ABC is firing back at the Federal Communications Commission after the agency opened an investigation into The View's airtime of political candidates.
Techdirt
Jul 7, 12:29
Corruption Showdown: Verizon, SpaceX Square Off Over Cell Phone Unlocking
Earlier this year I noted how the Trump FCC, at the direct request of wireless phone giants, destroyed popular phone unlocking rules that would have made it easier and cheaper to switch wireless carriers. The rules, applied via spectrum acquisition and merger conditions after decades of activism, required that Verizon unlock your phone within 60 days […]
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Earlier this year I noted how the Trump FCC, at the direct request of wireless phone giants, destroyed popular phone unlocking rules that would have made it easier and cheaper to switch wireless carriers. The rules, applied via spectrum acquisition and merger conditions after decades of activism, required that Verizon unlock your phone within 60 days […]
TL;DR:
Earlier this year I noted how the Trump FCC, at the direct request of wireless phone giants, destroyed popular phone unlocking rules that would have made it easier and cheaper to switch wireless carriers.
Techdirt
Jul 6, 17:55
Censorship Lawsuit Against Disinformation Researchers Dismissed — After Succeeding At Actual Censorship
Trump-appointed Louisiana federal judge Terry Doughty has spent years bending over backwards trying to help some MAGA faithful manufacture nonsense claims about “censorship” for some grifters getting moderated on social media. As you’ll recall, he issued a bizarrely problematic ruling on July 4th three years ago, in which he said of perfectly reasonable, non-coercive communication […]
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Trump-appointed Louisiana federal judge Terry Doughty has spent years bending over backwards trying to help some MAGA faithful manufacture nonsense claims about “censorship” for some grifters getting moderated on social media.
TL;DR:
Trump-appointed Louisiana federal judge Terry Doughty has spent years bending over backwards trying to help some MAGA faithful manufacture nonsense claims about “censorship” for some grifters getting moderated on social media.
Techdirt
Jul 6, 16:32
DOJ Using Gang, Terrorist Prosecutors To Ensure People Opposed To Trump Are Treated Like Gang Members, Terrorists
The authoritarianism has been out in the open pretty much since day one with this presidency. Things that leak out around the edges — unaccompanied by official statements, announcements, or randomly-capitalized Truth Social posts — would embarrass any normal administration. But with this administration, new information about new awfulness rarely manages to provoke even a […]
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DOJ Using Gang, Terrorist Prosecutors To Ensure People Opposed To Trump Are Treated Like Gang Members, Terrorists. The authoritarianism has been out in the open pretty much since day one with this presidency.
TL;DR:
But with this administration, new information about new awfulness rarely manages to provoke even a […]
Theverge
Jul 6, 14:36
America’s greatest idea is still under threat
The United States of America recently turned 250 years old. What a spectacle! The fireworks were amazing, and millions of proud people celebrated across the nation - even around the world. France lit up the Eiffel Tower; Japan had fireworks. French fighter jets flew above New York City with trails of red, white, and blue […]
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America’s greatest idea is still under threat. The fireworks were amazing, and millions of proud people celebrated across the nation - even around the world. French fighter jets flew above New York City with trails of red, white, and blue […]
TL;DR:
The United States of America recently turned 250 years old.
Techdirt
Jul 6, 12:27
Meta’s AI ‘Perv Glasses’ Now Come With Stupid Comcast-esque Usage Restrictions
Despite a lot of pretense, Meta, permanently deadbolted to Mark Zuckerberg’s outsized ego, simply isn’t an interesting, ethical, competent, or innovative company. They’re mostly an ad monopoly pretending to be Apple. They poured untold billions of dollars into their soggy and broadly uninteresting metaverse gambit, now they’re pouring untold billions of dollars into their fourth-place […]
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Meta’s AI ‘Perv Glasses’ Now Come With Stupid Comcast-esque Usage Restrictions. Despite a lot of pretense, Meta, permanently deadbolted to Mark Zuckerberg’s outsized ego, simply isn’t an interesting, ethical, competent, or innovative company. They’re mostly an ad monopoly pretending to be Apple.
TL;DR:
They poured untold billions of dollars into their soggy and broadly uninteresting metaverse gambit, now they’re pouring untold billions of dollars into their fourth-place […]
Techdirt
Jul 5, 19:00
Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt
This week, both our winners on the insightful side come in response to the German court ruling that Google is liable for false claims in its AI overviews. In first place, it’s an anonymous comment about Bruce Schneier’s reaction to the ruling: In second place, it’s A Guy with the first comment on the post: […]
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Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt. This week, both our winners on the insightful side come in response to the German court ruling that Google is liable for false claims in its AI overviews. In first place, it’s an anonymous comment about Bruce Schneier’s reaction to the ruling: In second place, it’s A Guy with the first comment on the post: […]
TL;DR:
This week, both our winners on the insightful side come in response to the German court ruling that Google is liable for false claims in its AI overviews.
Theverge
Jul 5, 18:30
Some of the nation’s rich are letting AI teach their kids
Most Americans don't trust AI. It's proven that it doesn't know what safe toppings for pizza are. People don't even want to listen to AI music. But none of that matters for some of America's wealthy, who are turning to AI to teach their kids instead of traditional schools. Companies like Forge Prep and Alpha […]
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Some of the nation’s rich are letting AI teach their kids. People don't even want to listen to AI music. Companies like Forge Prep and Alpha […]
TL;DR:
Most Americans don't trust AI.
Theverge
Jul 5, 10:23
Infuriating Google commercial imagines the founding fathers embracing AI
"Group project, but make it 1776." That's how a new commercial for Google Workspace opens. And things only get cringier from there. The clip imagines what it would be like if the founding fathers turned to Google's collaboration tools and Gemini to help them draft the Declaration of Independence. Ben Franklin texts Thomas Jefferson to […]
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Infuriating Google commercial imagines the founding fathers embracing AI. And things only get cringier from there. The clip imagines what it would be like if the founding fathers turned to Google's collaboration tools and Gemini to help them draft the Declaration of Independence.
TL;DR:
"Group project, but make it 1776." That's how a new commercial for Google Workspace opens.
Techdirt
Jul 3, 19:05
Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Making The Best Of A Ban Situation
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
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Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Making The Best Of A Ban Situation. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
TL;DR:
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw.
Theverge
Jul 3, 11:00
While you’re watching the World Cup, the feds may be watching you
It's a big year for America. It's the semiquincentennial, otherwise known as America250, and the United States is cohosting the World Cup. But spectators at these events - and the millions of people who live in the cities hosting them - may not realize that they, too, are being watched. From Kansas City to New […]
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While you’re watching the World Cup, the feds may be watching you. It's the semiquincentennial, otherwise known as America250, and the United States is cohosting the World Cup. But spectators at these events - and the millions of people who live in the cities hosting them - may not realize that they, too, are being watched.
TL;DR:
It's a big year for America.
Theverge
Jul 3, 10:41
I finally got my Trump phone
Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. One year on, our phones have finally arrived. 12 months, 16 days, 21 hours, and 54 minutes after I first heard about Trump Mobile's T1 Phone 8002 (gold version), I'm finally holding one in my own hands. That's right, The Verge's Trump […]
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I finally got my Trump phone. One year on, our phones have finally arrived. That's right, The Verge's Trump […]
TL;DR:
Where's the Trump phone?
Techdirt
Jul 3, 02:39
The Nintendo/Palworld Patent Suit Appears To Be Heading For A Muted Conclusion
It’s been a while since we checked in on the Nintendo patent suit in Japan against Pocketpair, the company behind the hit game Palworld. If you need a quick refresher, here you go. Pocketpair made a game that was clearly inspired by the Pokémon series of games, but which also did no direct copying of […]
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The Nintendo/Palworld Patent Suit Appears To Be Heading For A Muted Conclusion. If you need a quick refresher, here you go. Pocketpair made a game that was clearly inspired by the Pokémon series of games, but which also did no direct copying of […]
TL;DR:
It’s been a while since we checked in on the Nintendo patent suit in Japan against Pocketpair, the company behind the hit game Palworld.
Techdirt
Jul 2, 22:04
Sotomayor Trashes SCOTUS Majority For Cherry-Picking Qualified Immunity Cases To Reverse
Qualified immunity — crafted out of thin air by the US Supreme Court — has rarely been anything but an easy way for government employees to duck out of lawsuits before they’re actually asked to defend themselves against allegations of rights violations. The Supreme Court has continually narrowed this doctrine, pretty much ensuring that if […]
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Qualified immunity — crafted out of thin air by the US Supreme Court — has rarely been anything but an easy way for government employees to duck out of lawsuits before they’re actually asked to defend themselves against allegations of rights violations. The Supreme Court has continually narrowed this doctrine, pretty much ensuring that if […]
TL;DR:
Qualified immunity — crafted out of thin air by the US Supreme Court — has rarely been anything but an easy way for government employees to duck out of lawsuits before they’re actually asked to defend themselves against allegations of rights violations.
Techdirt
Jul 2, 20:05
T-Mobile Jacks Up Prices For Everybody, Ignores Years Of ‘Uncarrier’ Promises
In the wake of the Sprint T-Mobile merger, wireless carriers immediately stopped trying to compete on price (exactly what deal critics had warned would happen when you reduce sector competition). T-Mobile, which once tried to differentiate itself as the consumer-friendly “uncarrier,” almost immediately began behaving just like AT&T and Verizon, starting with firing 9,000+ people. It’s how […]
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In the wake of the Sprint T-Mobile merger, wireless carriers immediately stopped trying to compete on price (exactly what deal critics had warned would happen when you reduce sector competition).
TL;DR:
In the wake of the Sprint T-Mobile merger, wireless carriers immediately stopped trying to compete on price (exactly what deal critics had warned would happen when you reduce sector competition).
Techdirt
Jul 2, 17:59
Thin-Skinned Palantir Loses Its Bid To Bully A Swiss Magazine Into Publishing Its Rebuttals To Embarrassing Reporting
Earlier this year we wrote about the ridiculous thin-skinned executives at Palantir suing a small independent Swiss online magazine, Republik, that had reported on the great lengths the company had gone to, trying to get the Swiss government to purchase Palantir’s surveillance technology. Palantir knew they couldn’t sue for defamation because, you know, everything Republik […]
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Earlier this year we wrote about the ridiculous thin-skinned executives at Palantir suing a small independent Swiss online magazine, Republik, that had reported on the great lengths the company had gone to, trying to get the Swiss government to purchase Palantir’s surveillance technology. Palantir knew they couldn’t sue for defamation because, you know, everything Republik […]
TL;DR:
Earlier this year we wrote about the ridiculous thin-skinned executives at Palantir suing a small independent Swiss online magazine, Republik, that had reported on the great lengths the company had gone to, trying to get the Swiss government to purchase Palantir’s surveillance technology.
Eff
Jul 2, 15:52
LGBT Q&A: How Can I Wipe Online Data That Points To My Queer Identity?
This Pride, we’re answering all your digital rights questions in season two of our initiative, LGBT Q&A . You Asked: Is there a way for me to wipe data about me online that could point to my queer identity? EFF’s Answer: You cannot protect everything all the time, but there are ways to wipe information about yourself online. Most information available about you online will typically be found in two places: The site where you voluntarily posted the data, such as your pictures and videos on social media, comments in user reviews and forums, and even classified postings for items you’ve sold. A data broker . These companies collect personal information, repackage it, and sell it to the highest bidders. This information often includes your address, phone number, details about your family members, and more. So you might not want this information out there, especially if it points to your queer identity. The best time to take steps to protect yourself is before anything bad happens, because once this information is in the hands of bad actors you have fewer options. To see what information people might find about you online, you can look for it for yourself . This is as simple as opening up a search engine and entering your name, nickname, handle, avatar and seeing what comes up. It can also be worth searching for your address, phone number, and email addresses to check what's out there. Do this in a private browsing window or a separate browser than the one you normally use to ensure you’re not logged into any accounts that might skew the results, like a Google account. It’s also best to try to make a lot of your information hard to find in the first place—and we’ve got you covered on how to do this. Establish a strong security baseline: use unique passwords (a password manager helps simplify this) and set up two-factor authentication for your online accounts to add an extra layer of protection when logging into your accounts. Add our install-and-forget tracker blocking tool, Privacy Badger , which lets you browse in peace and stops the sorts of web trackers that compile information about your habits for advertising purposes and for data brokers. Remove your advertising ID on your phone to help prevent some tracking there, too (directions for Android or iPhone ). This way less information about you is available for purchase, making it harder for corporations to profit from your online activities. Ask data brokers to delete your personal data. You might spend the time doing it yourself. If you’re in California, you can use the Privacy Protection Agency’s tool for this. You also might use professional services like EasyOptOuts and Optery to help minimize the information available about you online from data brokers and similar sources. You can remove yourself from Google results by heading to the “ Results about you ” page, then entering your information. Once set up, you’ll get notifications if some new types of information about you appear in Google Search. Just remember that this will not remove the information from the internet, it just won’t show up in Google’s search. You also should consider auditing your digital footprint on public-facing social media and forums. Different people have different tolerance for risk when it comes to announcing who we are and what we are doing in these online spaces. You can make a list of every social media or forum account you’ve had over the years, and review the public-facing content about you, including your name, contact information like email addresses or phone numbers, and pictures that might show your home or workplace. You can also review the account settings to ensure you’re comfortable with the privacy options and that you’ve got strong login credentials. For more in depth advice check out our Surveillance Self Defense guide on managing your digital footprint.
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To see what information people might find about you online, you can look for it for yourself . You also might use professional services like EasyOptOuts and Optery to help minimize the information available about you online from data brokers and similar sources. Just remember that this will not remove the information from the internet, it just won’t show up in Google’s search.
TL;DR:
This Pride, we’re answering all your digital rights questions in season two of our initiative, LGBT Q&A . You Asked: Is there a way for me to wipe data about me online that could point to my queer identity?
Eff
Jul 2, 15:04
EFF and Allies: X’s FTC Petition to Waive Privacy Violation Order Should be Rejected
X Corp. should not be able to escape privacy compliance because it changed its name. On May 15, X Corp. filed a petition before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to set aside or modify an order issued in 2022 requiring the company to report regularly to the FTC for its violations of user data. The order or “consent decree” is a result of misleading the platforms’ 140 million users by using private information given to secure accounts, like phone numbers and email addresses, for targeted advertising. It also fined the company $150 million for the infraction. As part of an open comments period, EFF and allies including Demand Progress, National Consumers League (NCL) and Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) call on the FTC to reject this petition . The 2022 order was a renewal of an order stemming from a previous violation. Back in 2011 , Twitter (now X) reached a settlement with the FTC after the regulator found Twitter had failed to secure users’ personal information, resulting in exposure of that data to hackers. The settlement banned the company from misrepresenting its data protection measures, required it to set up safeguards on user data, and regularly report its security posture for twenty years. The renewal updated the expiration of X’s obligations to 2042, but if the FTC accepts X's petition, it would end much sooner. In arguing to set aside the order, X remarks that since the order in 2011 it has “built an entirely new privacy and information security program staffed by new personnel operating under new leadership with a … philosophy grounded on the importance of privacy and information security.” These sweeping assurances that corporate restructuring led to a fundamental change in X’s policy and practices around user data should be met with a healthy dose of skepticism, given evidence to the contrary. For example, the company’s quiet rollout integrated its AI model Grok with the platform in 2024, trained (without meaningful consent ) on X user data. The company was also subject to a massive data breach in 2025. Even if a rotation of leadership led to prioritizing privacy and information security, our letter highlights that this would not be sufficient grounds to remove the order, “ because the FTC orders bind the corporate entity. Those obligations do not dissolve when the employees who negotiated or administered it depart.” X argues that its entry into the AI space should be reason not to continue the oversight, claiming that “terminating the Order is critical to advancing American leadership in artificial intelligence.” Here again, broad-stroke claims that the guardrails in place “[diverts] engineering resources from innovation to compliance paperwork” ignores the dangers that AI introduces to user data. Far from being a reason to waive the order, clever attacks on models trained on user data has the ability to supercharge the types of secondary use violations that led to the 2022 order renewal. After all, an entire art has been developed around engineering LLM prompts to reveal the data a model was originally trained on. Our response to X’s petition debunks many claims the company uses in its arguments. For example, there’s little evidence the order placed an undue financial burden on X. In our letter, we note that the compliance cost is merely “a rounding error against the $200 billion valuation of X Corp. following the xAI merger.” Strong safeguards on our information require eagle-eyed oversight when that data is abused and misused for profiteering ventures. X’s actions not only showed us this in the past, but continue to do so in the present day. We and our civil society partners urge the FTC to take the clear, sensible path and reject X’s petition.
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EFF and Allies: X’s FTC Petition to Waive Privacy Violation Order Should be Rejected. As part of an open comments period, EFF and allies including Demand Progress, National Consumers League (NCL) and Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) call on the FTC to reject this petition .
TL;DR:
filed a petition before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to set aside or modify an order issued in 2022 requiring the company to report regularly to the FTC for its violations of user data.
Techdirt
Jul 2, 12:30
More IPO Fluffing: Musk’s Starlink Hints At Becoming Full Wireless Phone Company
Last month, SpaceX began making lobbying filings in support of phone unlocking rules making it easier to switch your phone between wireless providers. You might recall that the Biden FCC was on the cusp of installing such rules before the Trump administration, hand in hand with giant telecoms, dismantled them (Trump’s FCC will have to […]
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More IPO Fluffing: Musk’s Starlink Hints At Becoming Full Wireless Phone Company. Last month, SpaceX began making lobbying filings in support of phone unlocking rules making it easier to switch your phone between wireless providers.
TL;DR:
You might recall that the Biden FCC was on the cusp of installing such rules before the Trump administration, hand in hand with giant telecoms, dismantled them (Trump’s FCC will have to […]
Theverge
Jul 2, 06:23
OpenAI floats giving Trump administration 5 percent cut of AI boom
OpenAI has floated giving the US government a 5 percent ownership stake as a way of easing tensions with the Trump administration and blunting mounting public backlash against AI, according to the Financial Times. CEO Sam Altman argued that giving the public a financial interest in the company would be the best way to share […]
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OpenAI has floated giving the US government a 5 percent ownership stake as a way of easing tensions with the Trump administration and blunting mounting public backlash against AI, according to the Financial Times. CEO Sam Altman argued that giving the public a financial interest in the company would be the best way to share […]
TL;DR:
OpenAI has floated giving the US government a 5 percent ownership stake as a way of easing tensions with the Trump administration and blunting mounting public backlash against AI, according to the Financial Times.
Techdirt
Jul 2, 02:58
No, Tim Sweeney, Valve Isn’t ‘Irresponsible’ For Having An AI Disclosure Tag On Games
There are bad takes on AI, and then there are bad takes on AI. Some of you think my takes on the use of AI in gaming are bad. Cool, love you, kiss kiss. I think the takes from folks on both extremes, the never-AI-ers and the AI evangelists, are pretty awful most of the […]
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No, Tim Sweeney, Valve Isn’t ‘Irresponsible’ For Having An AI Disclosure Tag On Games. Some of you think my takes on the use of AI in gaming are bad. I think the takes from folks on both extremes, the never-AI-ers and the AI evangelists, are pretty awful most of the […]
TL;DR:
There are bad takes on AI, and then there are bad takes on AI.
Techdirt
Jul 1, 21:55
German Court Says Google Is Liable For False Claims In Its AI Overviews Because They Are Its Own Words
Legal systems have always struggled to keep up with rapid technological change, and things are no different in the world of generative AI. There are still relatively few rulings on the new issues that the roll-out of AI-based services is raising. That makes a ground-breaking judgment from a court in Germany particularly important. It concerns […]
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German Court Says Google Is Liable For False Claims In Its AI Overviews Because They Are Its Own Words. There are still relatively few rulings on the new issues that the roll-out of AI-based services is raising. That makes a ground-breaking judgment from a court in Germany particularly important.
TL;DR:
Legal systems have always struggled to keep up with rapid technological change, and things are no different in the world of generative AI.
Techdirt
Jul 1, 19:56
Supreme Court Decides Not To Destroy The First Amendment Just Yet
While we’ve been discussing a bunch of other Supreme Court end-of-term decisions this week, we should also call out two decisions the Supreme Court thankfully decided not to make. These non-decisions continue to help preserve First Amendment speech protections. First, and most importantly, they rejected Alan Dershowitz’s attempt to appeal his laughably embarrassing SLAPP suit […]
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Supreme Court Decides Not To Destroy The First Amendment Just Yet. These non-decisions continue to help preserve First Amendment speech protections. First, and most importantly, they rejected Alan Dershowitz’s attempt to appeal his laughably embarrassing SLAPP suit […]
TL;DR:
While we’ve been discussing a bunch of other Supreme Court end-of-term decisions this week, we should also call out two decisions the Supreme Court thankfully decided not to make.
Techdirt
Jul 1, 17:59
The DEA Is A Domestic Terrorist Organization That’s Trying To Kill Children
Plenty of people are going to disagree with this headline. But why should I bother defending it when I can let the government dig its own hole? From Executive Order 14367, issued by President Trump last December: Illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic. Two milligrams, an almost undetectable trace amount […]
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The DEA Is A Domestic Terrorist Organization That’s Trying To Kill Children. But why should I bother defending it when I can let the government dig its own hole? From Executive Order 14367, issued by President Trump last December: Illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic. Two milligrams, an almost undetectable trace amount […]
TL;DR:
Plenty of people are going to disagree with this headline.
Techdirt
Jul 1, 16:24
The Supreme Court Upholds The Constitution. Barely.
Look, 5-4 Supreme Court decisions count just as much as 9-0 ones, and a 5-4 decision getting it right is still a win, but for a number of reasons, the 5-4 decision in Trump v. Barbara, regarding the issue of birthright citizenship is terrifying. This isn’t a complicated issue. This isn’t an issue that should […]
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Look, 5-4 Supreme Court decisions count just as much as 9-0 ones, and a 5-4 decision getting it right is still a win, but for a number of reasons, the 5-4 decision in Trump v. Barbara, regarding the issue of birthright citizenship is terrifying. This isn’t a complicated issue. This isn’t an issue that should […]
TL;DR:
Look, 5-4 Supreme Court decisions count just as much as 9-0 ones, and a 5-4 decision getting it right is still a win, but for a number of reasons, the 5-4 decision in Trump v.
Techdirt
Jul 1, 12:26
Hey Ezra Klein: Why Did You Stop Talking About Broadband And The Infrastructure Bill?
Last fall, Ezra Klein was getting a lot of attention for his book Abundance, which basically argued that American had become bureaucracy-obsessed and fallen out of love with building things. I thought it was mostly simplistic cack, downplaying or ignoring the fact that the U.S. government has become so blisteringly corrupt, it clearly no longer […]
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Hey Ezra Klein: Why Did You Stop Talking About Broadband And The Infrastructure Bill?. I thought it was mostly simplistic cack, downplaying or ignoring the fact that the U.S. government has become so blisteringly corrupt, it clearly no longer […]
TL;DR:
Last fall, Ezra Klein was getting a lot of attention for his book Abundance, which basically argued that American had become bureaucracy-obsessed and fallen out of love with building things.
Theverge
Jul 1, 04:41
Cleared by the US, derailed by the UK: Getty’s Shutterstock merger falls apart
Getty is planning to axe its $3.7 billion merger agreement with Shutterstock after a UK regulator imposed restrictions that would prevent part of Shutterstock's business from being included in the deal. The move comes despite the US Department of Justice granting the deal "unconditional antitrust clearance" in February. In an SEC filing published on Tuesday […]
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Cleared by the US, derailed by the UK: Getty’s Shutterstock merger falls apart. The move comes despite the US Department of Justice granting the deal "unconditional antitrust clearance" in February. In an SEC filing published on Tuesday […]
TL;DR:
Getty is planning to axe its $3.7 billion merger agreement with Shutterstock after a UK regulator imposed restrictions that would prevent part of Shutterstock's business from being included in the deal.
Techdirt
Jun 30, 22:28
Alito Made ‘History and Tradition’ His Signature Weapon. Too Bad He Doesn’t Seem To Know Any History.
Call me crazy, but I tend to think when Supreme Court Justices make a big sweeping statement in one case, they should actually follow it through with other cases. You may recall, for example, that in the Dobbs case, where the right to an abortion was overturned, Justice Samuel Alito took the ‘history and tradition’ […]
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Alito Made ‘History and Tradition’ His Signature Weapon. Too Bad He Doesn’t Seem To Know Any History.. You may recall, for example, that in the Dobbs case, where the right to an abortion was overturned, Justice Samuel Alito took the ‘history and tradition’ […]
TL;DR:
Call me crazy, but I tend to think when Supreme Court Justices make a big sweeping statement in one case, they should actually follow it through with other cases.
Theverge
Jun 30, 20:03
Anthropic’s long-sidelined Fable 5 is greenlit to return
After weeks of negotiating with the Trump administration, Anthropic is finally going to be able to bring Claude Fable 5 back online. In a post on X, Anthropic said it plans to begin restoring access tomorrow. Anthropic: We've received notice that the Department of Commerce has lifted export controls on Claude Fable 5 and Mythos […]
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Anthropic’s long-sidelined Fable 5 is greenlit to return. In a post on X, Anthropic said it plans to begin restoring access tomorrow. Anthropic: We've received notice that the Department of Commerce has lifted export controls on Claude Fable 5 and Mythos […]
TL;DR:
After weeks of negotiating with the Trump administration, Anthropic is finally going to be able to bring Claude Fable 5 back online.
Techdirt
Jun 30, 18:15
John Roberts Believes In The Unitary Executive, Except For When It Might Crash His Investment Portfolio
It is zero surprise that the Supreme Court officially overturned its 91-year-old precedent first created in Humphrey’s Executor. That case held that when Congress designates an agency as independent of the executive branch, the president cannot just fire its commissioners. The Humphrey’s Executor opinion stopped FDR from trying to fire an FTC Commissioner he didn’t […]
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John Roberts Believes In The Unitary Executive, Except For When It Might Crash His Investment Portfolio. That case held that when Congress designates an agency as independent of the executive branch, the president cannot just fire its commissioners. The Humphrey’s Executor opinion stopped FDR from trying to fire an FTC Commissioner he didn’t […]
TL;DR:
It is zero surprise that the Supreme Court officially overturned its 91-year-old precedent first created in Humphrey’s Executor.
Techdirt
Jun 30, 18:11
Daily Deal: The Courses Digest, Labs Digest, and Exams Digest Bundle
The Courses Digest, Labs Digest, and Exams Digest Bundle gives you unlimited access to expertly crafted online courses, interactive labs and study tools. Whether you’re aiming for industry-recognized certifications or expanding your tech expertise, this bundle will help you get there with courses on CompTIA, AWS, Microsoft, Cisco, Salesforce, and more. It’s on sale for […]
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The Courses Digest, Labs Digest, and Exams Digest Bundle gives you unlimited access to expertly crafted online courses, interactive labs and study tools. Whether you’re aiming for industry-recognized certifications or expanding your tech expertise, this bundle will help you get there with courses on CompTIA, AWS, Microsoft, Cisco, Salesforce, and more. It’s on sale for […]
TL;DR:
The Courses Digest, Labs Digest, and Exams Digest Bundle gives you unlimited access to expertly crafted online courses, interactive labs and study tools.
Theverge
Jun 30, 17:20
Amazon fined $2.25 million for failing to help identity theft victims
The Federal Trade Commission fined Amazon $2.25 million to settle claims that the company failed to help customers who fell victim to identity theft, as reported earlier by Bloomberg. In its complaint, the FTC accuses Amazon of refusing to provide customers with information about purchases made with fraudulent accounts, in violation of the Fair Credit […]
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The Federal Trade Commission fined Amazon $2.25 million to settle claims that the company failed to help customers who fell victim to identity theft, as reported earlier by Bloomberg. In its complaint, the FTC accuses Amazon of refusing to provide customers with information about purchases made with fraudulent accounts, in violation of the Fair Credit […]
TL;DR:
The Federal Trade Commission fined Amazon $2.25 million to settle claims that the company failed to help customers who fell victim to identity theft, as reported earlier by Bloomberg.
Techdirt
Jun 30, 16:41
Brendan Carr And The Trump FCC Hid Their Communications With Dodgy DOGE Bros
DOGE was always designed to provide flimsy pseudo-efficiency cover for wholesale corruption. It was designed to pretend that the government was “cutting waste and fraud” while a bunch of velour tracksuit wearing con men stripped the country for parts and sold what was left off the back loading dock. As we’ve since explored, DOGE also […]
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Brendan Carr And The Trump FCC Hid Their Communications With Dodgy DOGE Bros. DOGE was always designed to provide flimsy pseudo-efficiency cover for wholesale corruption. It was designed to pretend that the government was “cutting waste and fraud” while a bunch of velour tracksuit wearing con men stripped the country for parts and sold what was left off the back loading dock.
TL;DR:
DOGE was always designed to provide flimsy pseudo-efficiency cover for wholesale corruption.
Techdirt
Jun 30, 12:34
NCOSE Lawyers Got Caught Citing Fake Cases. Their Corrected Brief Had More Fake Cases.
The folks at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) have spent decades demonizing technology (and speech) they don’t understand, so it seems particularly ironic that they’re now getting benchslapped for allowing AI hallucinated citations in legal filings. First, some background: NCOSE has gone through a few different branding phases, but for a long while […]
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NCOSE Lawyers Got Caught Citing Fake Cases. Their Corrected Brief Had More Fake Cases.. First, some background: NCOSE has gone through a few different branding phases, but for a long while […]
TL;DR:
The folks at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) have spent decades demonizing technology (and speech) they don’t understand, so it seems particularly ironic that they’re now getting benchslapped for allowing AI hallucinated citations in legal filings.
Theverge
Jun 30, 10:44
The Supreme Court stops Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship
The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, ruling 6-3 against President Donald Trump's effort to end the longstanding constitutional right via executive order. Birthright citizenship dates back to Reconstruction. Under the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 to guarantee citizenship and equal protection to the children of formerly enslaved people, anyone born in the United […]
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The Supreme Court stops Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship. Birthright citizenship dates back to Reconstruction. Under the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 to guarantee citizenship and equal protection to the children of formerly enslaved people, anyone born in the United […]
TL;DR:
The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, ruling 6-3 against President Donald Trump's effort to end the longstanding constitutional right via executive order.
Eff
Jun 30, 08:08
LGBT Q&A: What Data Are Companies in the UK Collecting When Verifying My Age?
This Pride, we’re answering all your digital rights questions in season two of our initiative, LGBT Q&A . You Asked: I live in the UK, and we have age verification now on a bunch of websites (including Reddit) and now on iPhones. Can you explain what sort of data companies are actually collecting when they check for age and whether there are any real threats to my safety? EFF’s Answer: Age verification is a process where a website or service checks your age to determine whether a user is over a certain age, in the UK this age is 18. As of July 2025 , all platforms in the UK that host content considered by the UK government and the country’s telecommunications regulator Ofcom to be harmful are legally obligated to check that their users are over the age of 18. If not, users cannot access the content. There are various privacy implications for data sharing with age verification. Unfortunately, because services may use different methods to verify users’ ages, you’ll usually have to do a little digging to learn how each provider you have verifies their users, and consider what information might be harmful to your personal safety: The data itself: What info does each method require users to disclose? Access: Who can see the data during the course of the verification process? Does anything other than the age result leave your phone or device? Is the provider told your date of birth, or just if you’re over 18? Which third party services see the information you send? Retention: Who will hold onto that data after the verification process, and for how long? Sometimes it’s deleted immediately. Sometimes it hangs around forever, waiting for a data breach. Audits: How sure are we that the provider’s stated claims around data access and retention will happen in practice? For example, are there external audits confirming that data is not accidentally leaked to another site along the way? Ideally these will be in-depth, security-focused audits by specialized auditors like NCC Group or Trail of Bits , instead of audits that merely certify adherence to standards. Visibility: Who will be aware that you’re attempting to verify your age, and will a third party provider know which platform you’re trying to verify for? Will they hang onto that data to build a profile of you? Last year, Ofcom outlined a number of methods for online services and platforms to check users' ages. Let's look at some methods in more detail. Facial Age Estimation First up we have facial age estimation , where you show your face via photo or video, and a technology provided by a company like Yoti or Persona analyses it to estimate your age. Most of these third-party verification services upload your photo to their servers during this process. Yoti claims that “as soon as an age has been estimated, the facial image is immediately and permanently deleted.” You might not want to use facial age estimation if you’re worried about a current picture of your face accidentally leaking—for example, if elements in the background of your selfie might reveal your current location. Some services like k-ID and Private ID will analyse your face directly on the device, so only the age result will leave your phone. If you do choose (or are forced to) use the face check system, be sure to snap your selfie without anything in the background that you'd be concerned with identifying your location or embarrassing you, in case the image leaks. Photo-ID Matching Photo-ID matching checks whether your photo matches a document that confirms your identity, such as a driving license or passport . This is usually considered the most sensitive, since your ID has quite a bit of information on you. For example, if you upload an image of a document that shows your face and age, and an image of yourself at the same time, these are compared to confirm they match. Like with facial age estimation services, you’ll usually be sent to a third-party provider, such as Yoti or Incode. You’d hope that they’d delete the data immediately, but that’s not always the case. Incode for example doesn’t automatically delete the data you give it once the process is complete; though if you’re reaching them through TikTok, TikTok does claim to “start the process to delete the information you submitted,” which should include telling Incode to delete your data once the process is done. If you want to be sure, you can ask Incode to delete that data yourself . But you’re relying on a service you don’t generally have a choice about doing the right thing, and we’ve already seen how that can fail. A previous system that Discord used to verify age had you send a picture to their general help forum, where all of the IDs sat around forever, until they got exposed in a massive data breach. Discord no longer uses that system to verify users’ ages. So, it might be fine, but unless you look into the exact company and all their practices, it’s hard to know. You can check out EFF’s guide for a few of the major p...
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LGBT Q&A: What Data Are Companies in the UK Collecting When Verifying My Age?. If not, users cannot access the content. There are various privacy implications for data sharing with age verification. Access: Who can see the data during the course of the verification process?
TL;DR:
You can check out EFF’s guide for a few of the major p...
Theverge
Jun 30, 08:00
Meet the lawyer who beat Elon Musk — twice
Watching Elon Musk fulminate at Bill Savitt during Musk v. Altman - the case in which Musk sued Sam Altman and OpenAI instead of seeing a therapist about his AI failures - was a bit like watching a toddler have a temper tantrum at his nursery school teacher. Savitt's questions were "designed to trick me," […]
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Meet the lawyer who beat Elon Musk — twice. Altman - the case in which Musk sued Sam Altman and OpenAI instead of seeing a therapist about his AI failures - was a bit like watching a toddler have a temper tantrum at his nursery school teacher. Savitt's questions were "designed to trick me," […]
TL;DR:
Watching Elon Musk fulminate at Bill Savitt during Musk v.
Techdirt
Jun 30, 03:10
NFP Restores All The Content From Climate.gov That Trump Attempted To Disappear
It’s no secret that Donald Trump has been waging an Orwellian war on knowledge and information for most of his second term thus far. While purging history of American racism, slavery, and anything else that makes us look less than perfect has been the primary focus in this war, so too has Trump attempted to […]
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It’s no secret that Donald Trump has been waging an Orwellian war on knowledge and information for most of his second term thus far. While purging history of American racism, slavery, and anything else that makes us look less than perfect has been the primary focus in this war, so too has Trump attempted to […]
TL;DR:
It’s no secret that Donald Trump has been waging an Orwellian war on knowledge and information for most of his second term thus far.
Techdirt
Jun 29, 20:10
VC Bros Claimed They Backed Trump To Protect AI. Trump Is Shutting Down AI. It Was Always About Access & Power
Back in July of 2024, when two of the biggest big shots in venture capital, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, explained why they had decided to go all in to back Donald Trump’s campaign for re-election, they talked up a good game about how they would support any candidate who supported their “little tech” agenda. […]
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They also whined about the Biden administration tech policies, in particular around AI, cryptocurrency, and antitrust. We have not met with President Biden. I even was able to get in contact with his office mate at MIT, who said ‘surely Gary will meet with you, it’s so important that he meets with you’… and he couldn’t get us the meeting.
TL;DR:
Back in July of 2024, when two of the biggest big shots in venture capital, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, explained why they had decided to go all in to back Donald Trump’s campaign for re-election, they talked up a good game about how they would support any candidate who supported their “little tech” agenda.
Eff
Jun 29, 18:23
EFF to Gov. Pritzker: Veto Illinois’ HB 5511
The Illinois legislature recently passed House Bill 5511 , which imposes a sweeping, device-level age-gating framework across nearly all internet-enabled hardware, operating systems, and online services. This well-intentioned but deeply flawed piece of legislation will harm young people who rely on the internet to access essential information and find community. That’s why we’re urging the Illinois governor to veto the measure. Under this new regime, digital platforms are forced to collect and share users' ages to platforms and websites. It also strips away basic, everyday features like personalized content feeds and overnight notifications for young people unless they can secure "verifiable parental consent." H.B. 5511 is a massive privacy and free speech nightmare. That’s why we sent a letter to formally urge Governor J.B. Pritzker to veto the bill. Much of H.B. 5511 is modeled after controversial legislation passed in California ( A.B. 1043 ) and New York’s Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act , both of which have already drawn immense blowback from open-source communities , privacy advocates , and tech stakeholders . For Illinois to copy this suspect age-bracketing regime before either law has even gone into effect, been tested in court, or proven functional is premature, economically risky, and legally wasteful. H.B. 5511 is a massive privacy and free speech nightmare. That’s why we sent a letter to formally urge Governor J.B. Pritzker to veto the bill. Far from protecting children, the bill will effectively dismantle online anonymity, jeopardize data security, and severely restrict access to constitutionally protected speech for young people and adults alike. Finally, these schemes cut off vital lifelines for vulnerable youth in non-traditional families and pose an existential threat to the open-source ecosystem that underpins the modern internet. For a deeper look at the constitutional, policy, and technological concerns with H.B. 5511, you can read our full letter here .
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Pritzker to veto the bill. Pritzker to veto the bill. Far from protecting children, the bill will effectively dismantle online anonymity, jeopardize data security, and severely restrict access to constitutionally protected speech for young people and adults alike.
TL;DR:
5511 is a massive privacy and free speech nightmare.
Techdirt
Jun 29, 18:09
The Insurrection Payout Fund Is Dead. Long Live The Federal Tort Claims Act!
It just wasn’t enough to pardon hundreds of people who raided the Capitol building to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss — people who assaulted police officers, smashed windows to gain entrance, shut down election proceedings for several hours, stole stuff from federal offices, and generally acted liked they intended to kill Vice President Mike Pence […]
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Trump was back in the White House and had stocked both the IRS and DOJ with loyalists. The end result was never going to be any but this: Trump’s IRS and DOJ agreed to give Trump a $1.776 billion fund , presumably for the sole purpose of rewarding MAGA insurrectionists for their loyalty.
TL;DR:
It just wasn’t enough to pardon hundreds of people who raided the Capitol building to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss — people who assaulted police officers, smashed windows to gain entrance, shut down election proceedings for several hours, stole stuff from federal offices, and generally acted liked they intended to kill Vice President Mike Pence […]
Eff
Jun 29, 17:25
Victory! Supreme Court Says Constitution Protects People’s Location Data
You have an expectation of privacy in location data that reveals your movements in the physical world, and even short-term surveillance of these movements is a search subject to the Fourth Amendment, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today in Chatrie v. United States . The case involved geofence warrants, a form of dragnet surveillance police have used to vacuum up location data from electronic devices of people who happen to be in the vicinity of a crime. EFF had joined the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Virginia, and the Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law in filing an amicus brief in the case. The decision in Chatrie is important: It is the first digital surveillance decision by the Court since its landmark 2018 ruling Carpenter v. United States, which involved prolonged tracking of people’s movements using cell phone location data. The new case expands that ruling by confirming that even shorter-term surveillance of location data can constitute a search because it can still reveal “private matters,” including “a wealth of detail about a person’s familial, political, professional, religious, and sexual associations.” The case is also important because the Court also recognized the records generated by the apps on a user’s phone—records we necessarily share with third-party tech company—are a user’s “own” and require Fourth Amendment protection. This is true, regardless of whether those records are “emails, documents, photographs, [ ] calendars” or location data. This will likely have broad implications for data generated by other apps on our phones, even if we click “agree” to sharing that data with third-party tech companies. Geofence warrants don’t name a suspect or a specific individual or device the way typical warrants do. Instead, they compel companies—almost always Google—to provide information on every electronic device in a given area during a given time period. This creates a high risk of suspicion falling on innocent people and can reveal sensitive and private information about where individuals have traveled in the past. Geofence warrants are the digital equivalent of police going person to person, home to home, without suspicion that any device holder has a connection to a crime. This turns innocent bystanders into suspects, just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In Chatrie , a 2019 geofence warrant compelled Google to search the accounts of all its hundreds of millions of users to see if any one of them was within a radius police drew around a Northern Virginia crime scene. This area amounted to several football fields in size and encompassed numerous homes, businesses, and a church. A federal district court in Virginia in 2022 held that the geofence warrant plainly violated the Fourth Amendment. If the police want to get information on every device in the area, they must also establish probable cause to search every person in the area, the court said. The judge noted the government lacked particularized probable cause as to every individual within the geofence, which swept up innocent people and covered over 70,000 square meters in a busy area. The decision set an important precedent in finding the warrant overbroad and unconstitutional and was later followed by a 2024 federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling holding that geofence warrants are “categorically prohibited by the Fourth Amendment.” However, the Chatrie lower court allowed the government to use the evidence it obtained because it relied on the warrant in “good faith.” A much divided en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in 2025 affirmed this “good faith” finding in the lower court’s opinion . Google in 2023 announced changes to how it stores location data, with the effect of eventually making it impossible for the company to respond to geofence warrants. Since July 2025, mass geofence searches of Google users’ location data have not been possible. However, Google is not the only company collecting location data, nor the only way for police to access mass amounts of data on people with no connection to a crime. As we’ve written about extensively, data brokers collect and aggregate location data from many different apps on our phones and provide that data to police. And police can use “ cell tower dump ” warrants to get access to data on everyone within range of specific cell towers. Suspicionless searches like these drag a net through vast swaths of information in hopes of identifying previously unknown suspects—ensnaring innocent bystanders along the way. Chatrie could have wide-ranging implications beyond location data as well. The Supreme Court affirmed that app data is subject to the Fourth Amendment, because users “reasonably view” it as their own and reasonably expect it “to be shielded from the ‘inquisitive eyes’ of the government.” Justice Gorsuch, in an opinion concurring in the judgment, called location data a user’s “per...
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Supreme Court Says Constitution Protects People’s Location Data. Since July 2025, mass geofence searches of Google users’ location data have not been possible. However, Google is not the only company collecting location data, nor the only way for police to access mass amounts of data on people with no connection to a crime.
TL;DR:
You have an expectation of privacy in location data that reveals your movements in the physical world, and even short-term surveillance of these movements is a search subject to the Fourth Amendment, the U.S.
Techdirt
Jun 29, 16:37
Actual Racism Is Invisible To Sam Alito, Because It’s Just His Own Worldview
A month ago, I wrote that the Supreme Court’s six conservative Justices have exactly one consistent rule on whose votes count: Black people’s votes shouldn’t count. The pattern was simple. If a ruling would help Black votes count, the Court — led by Justice Samuel Alito — found a reason to block it. If it […]
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Actual Racism Is Invisible To Sam Alito, Because It’s Just His Own Worldview. A month ago, I wrote that the Supreme Court’s six conservative Justices have exactly one consistent rule on whose votes count: Black people’s votes shouldn’t count. If a ruling would help Black votes count, the Court — led by Justice Samuel Alito — found a reason to block it.
TL;DR:
A month ago, I wrote that the Supreme Court’s six conservative Justices have exactly one consistent rule on whose votes count: Black people’s votes shouldn’t count.
Theverge
Jun 29, 12:00
Lawmakers want to ban AI companies from selling your health data
A new proposal would ban the sale of Americans' health and location information to data brokers - including information people reveal to an AI chatbot like ChatGPT or Claude. In the coming weeks, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) are planning to debut a new version of the Health and Location […]
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A new proposal would ban the sale of Americans' health and location information to data brokers - including information people reveal to an AI chatbot like ChatGPT or Claude. In the coming weeks, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) are planning to debut a new version of the Health and Location […]
TL;DR:
A new proposal would ban the sale of Americans' health and location information to data brokers - including information people reveal to an AI chatbot like ChatGPT or Claude.
Theverge
Jun 29, 11:10
Supreme Court allows firing of FTC commissioners, ends agency independence
The Supreme Court just placed once-independent agencies more firmly under presidential control. The court ruled in Slaughter v. Trump with a 6-3 vote that President Donald Trump had the authority to fire the Federal Trade Commission's two Democratic commissioners, even though it broke with decades of prior legal precedent at the time. The justices have […]
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Supreme Court allows firing of FTC commissioners, ends agency independence. The court ruled in Slaughter v. Trump with a 6-3 vote that President Donald Trump had the authority to fire the Federal Trade Commission's two Democratic commissioners, even though it broke with decades of prior legal precedent at the time.
TL;DR:
The Supreme Court just placed once-independent agencies more firmly under presidential control.
Theverge
Jun 28, 17:42
China’s Z.ai claims it can match Mythos on cybersecurity
China's Zhipu AI (Z.ai) released its open-weight GLM-5.2, and some researchers have claimed that it matches Mythos in certain bug-finding and cybersecurity scenarios. While GLM lags behind models from Anthropic and OpenAI in other, more general tasks, it seems that China has dramatically reduced the gap in the capabilities between its models and those of […]
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China's Zhipu AI (Z.ai) released its open-weight GLM-5.2, and some researchers have claimed that it matches Mythos in certain bug-finding and cybersecurity scenarios. While GLM lags behind models from Anthropic and OpenAI in other, more general tasks, it seems that China has dramatically reduced the gap in the capabilities between its models and those of […]
TL;DR:
China's Zhipu AI (Z.ai) released its open-weight GLM-5.2, and some researchers have claimed that it matches Mythos in certain bug-finding and cybersecurity scenarios.
Techdirt
Jun 26, 20:03
Ctrl-Alt-Speech: The Ctrl-Alt-Speech Reading List (Teaser)
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
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Ctrl-Alt-Speech: The Ctrl-Alt-Speech Reading List (Teaser). Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
TL;DR:
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw.
Techdirt
Jun 26, 18:05
The EU Wants To Grow Homegrown Tech. Its Courts Keep Making That Impossible.
Just a couple weeks ago, the European Commission put out its plan for “European tech sovereignty.” It’s not surprising that Europeans are looking at their internet platform options and seeing a choice between US companies and Chinese companies as something that isn’t that appealing. Of course, Europe has mostly itself to blame for this mess. […]
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The EU Wants To Grow Homegrown Tech. Its Courts Keep Making That Impossible.. Of course, Europe has mostly itself to blame for this mess.
TL;DR:
Just a couple weeks ago, the European Commission put out its plan for “European tech sovereignty.” It’s not surprising that Europeans are looking at their internet platform options and seeing a choice between US companies and Chinese companies as something that isn’t that appealing.
Techdirt
Jun 26, 16:33
Cash Patel: FBI Director Apparently Paying Off FBI Allies With Personal Slush Fund
This is not the only administration to engage in corruption. Most administrations have to some extent. It’s that corruption is the everyday, front-page business of this administration. It’s so brazen, it’s insulting. It demands Americans pretend nothing matters but what Trump wants and, to a lesser extent, whatever his current roster of obliging subservients want. […]
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Cash Patel: FBI Director Apparently Paying Off FBI Allies With Personal Slush Fund. It’s that corruption is the everyday, front-page business of this administration. It demands Americans pretend nothing matters but what Trump wants and, to a lesser extent, whatever his current roster of obliging subservients want.
TL;DR:
This is not the only administration to engage in corruption.
Eff
Jun 26, 16:18
EFF to Grindr: This Pride Month, Put Safety and Privacy Over Profits
This Pride month, we’re calling on the dating app Grindr to prioritize LGBTQ+ user safety by making privacy the default across its platform. That means no more sharing personal data with advertisers or training AI on private information without users’ opt-in consent. Grindr is a dating app for the LGBTQ+ community; and for queer people, privacy violations can have life-altering consequences. Information that reveals someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status can be used by employers, governments, family members, scammers, or bad actors to inflict harassment, discrimination, arrest, or violence. For example, data from Grindr and other gay dating apps was sold by data brokers and used to 'out' (the act of disclosing someone's sexual orientation without permission) a gay priest in 2021. Despite being the world's most popular gay dating app, Grindr has repeatedly mishandled users' sensitive data . Grindr has been caught sharing users' HIV status and precise location with advertisers without obtaining valid consent, resulting in reprimands and fines in several countries. Its former Chief Privacy Officer even sued , alleging the company fired him for raising concerns about Grindr prioritizing “profit over privacy." Grindr ended several of its most egregious data sharing practices after they were exposed. But more changes are needed if Grindr wants to earn back trust and prove its commitment to users’ privacy and safety. This Pride month, we’re calling on Grindr to make privacy the default and ensure the immediate implementation of two changes to better protect its users: Opt Users Out of Behavioral Advertising by Default Grindr currently allows users to opt out of behavioral advertising, but that protection is not enabled automatically ( except in some unspecified regions ). As we’ve long warned , behavioral advertising relies on the collection and sharing of personal data across a vast network of advertisers, intermediaries, and data brokers. Once information enters this ecosystem, users have little control over where it goes or how it is used: people’s most private and intimate information can be aggregated, sold, and combined with information from other sources to create detailed personal profiles. By default, Grindr appears to share data with numerous advertising and tracking companies. Using TrackerControl , an app developed by privacy researcher Konrad Kollnig, we recorded Grindr contacting 20 third-party tracking domains during 15 minutes of app activity (see Grindr_TrackerControl_06-23-2026.csv for exported results). TrackerControl observed Grindr contacting Big Tech companies and ad-tech intermediaries, many of which have faced significant legal scrutiny for privacy violations. Several of these companies auction off ad space through a process called “real-time bidding,” which can expose user data to hundreds of additional companies and be exploited by data brokers . The dangers of Grindr’s default settings exposing users’ personal data to this ecosystem are not hypothetical. Between approximately 2017 to 2020, a location data broker collected the precise movements of millions of Grindr users from digital advertising networks and made them available for sale. The commercially available data was allegedly so detailed that, in some cases, it could be used to infer romantic encounters between specific Grindr users. Although Grindr has stated that it no longer shares precise location data or profile information with advertisers, it acknowledges sharing other personal data, including mobile advertising identifiers (MAIDs)—unique, persistent device IDs that allow advertising companies and data brokers to connect data about the same individual across different sources. MAIDs are not anonymous, and an entire industry exists to link them to more directly identifying information, like emails and phone numbers. According to Grindr’s privacy policy, companies receiving users’ MAIDs “ are aware that such data is being transmitted from Grindr ,” which could expose a users’ sexuality to the advertising and data broker ecosystem. Opt Users Out of AI Training on Personal Data by Default Grindr should stop training its AI models on users’ personal data without opt-in consent. Grindr has been investing heavily in AI features as its CEO strives to make Grindr an “ AI-first business .” New AI features include a wingman chatbot , profile recommendations based on users’ inferred “type” , summaries of previous interactions with other users, and AI-generated insights about other profiles (like responsiveness, typical online hours, and engagement patterns ). By default, Grindr uses its users’ personal data to train the AI models behind these features. Grindr claims to never use sensitive health information for AI training and requires users to opt-in to AI training on “special-category” data, which includes chat content and precise location. But Grindr automatically enrolls users in AI training on other pr...
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EFF to Grindr: This Pride Month, Put Safety and Privacy Over Profits. By default, Grindr appears to share data with numerous advertising and tracking companies. According to Grindr’s privacy policy, companies receiving users’ MAIDs “ are aware that such data is being transmitted from Grindr ,” which could expose a users’ sexuality to the advertising and data broker ecosystem.
TL;DR:
That means no more sharing personal data with advertisers or training AI on private information without users’ opt-in consent.
Eff
Jun 26, 16:06
Hate “The Algorithm?” RSS Is One of the Tools You’ve Been Looking For
Poke your head into just about any online social network—or any general conversations about internet culture—and you’ll likely find a boogieman: the algorithm. Since at least the moment Facebook introduced ( and apologized for ) its News Feed, “the algorithm” has been shorthand for the ways the tech giants control what we see and when we see it. In the age of enshittification, there is a push to reclaim our feeds and networks. Good news: there’s a tool that’s been around for decades that can help wrangle many of your feeds into something manageable: Really Simple Syndication, more commonly known as RSS. What’s RSS and How Do I Use It? RSS has been around since 1999, but its real publicity glow-up came from Google Reader , a newsreader service that Google offered between 2005 and 2013 . Despite the alarm bells people rang at the time , the death of Google Reader wasn’t the death of RSS, and many replacements have come and gone over the years. RSS may seem complicated, but it boils down to one general concept: when websites publish new content, like news articles, blog entries, webcomics, videos, or podcasts, that content gets added to an RSS feed, where your RSS reader (aka newsreader, feed reader, or aggregator) will show you that content in chronological order. If you’ve ever used a podcast player like Apple Podcasts or Spotify to follow different podcasts , you’ve used RSS. You can think of it like an internet-wide “follow” button, where you can track the contents of websites, users, and more. People talk about RSS like it’s a power user’s secret trick to making the internet more usable, but the real secret is that it’s not that hard to set up and use. Here’s what you need to do: Find an RSS reader : RSS readers come in many forms. Feedly, NewsBlur, or The Old Reader, are web-based, but have their own apps (though they also support third-party apps). Others, like NetNewsWire, are app-based, and support either using a web-based RSS reader like Feedly, or a local file. Some live in browsers or web extensions . There’s an abundance of choice in RSS readers, and part of the fun is finding one that best accomplishes what you want to do. But don’t worry about finding the right RSS reader right away. One of the many magic tricks of RSS is that it is platform agnostic, and nearly every RSS reader—whether it's a website or an app, supports importing and exporting a list of the sites you subscribe to. This means you can change RSS readers in a couple minutes. If you need some help finding an RSS reader, Wired , The Verge , and Privacy Guides all have useful roundups. Collect your feeds: As for adding websites to your feeds, the process is straightforward. Most RSS readers are designed to help find the feed for a site for you, so you don’t need to go hunting down a special link. Just drop the URL of what you want to follow in your reader, and if an RSS feed exists, it should be able to find it. If not, some sites, including ours (and our current podcast, EFFector as well as our last series, How to Fix the Internet ), provide direct links to our RSS feeds. Sort, filter, and build your feed : Adding a bunch of new feeds can be overwhelming, particularly for news sites. RSS readers typically include folders, which let you group similar feeds together and can be great for lifting up low-traffic updates you don’t want to miss. Your reader may also have different filters, like the option to block any article that contains “sponsored post.” RSS Is the Best Way to Follow the News It can be very difficult to follow the news, whether that means politics, tech policy, or your hobbies. Solutions like Google News or Apple News have tried to make this simpler, but many find that their algorithmic feeds are as often a source of frustration and annoyance as they are genuinely useful. And no matter how often you tap on news stories that matter to you from publications you respect, there may always be stories that refuse to bubble up. RSS can make reading the news much easier, reliable, and more private. The vast majority of news sites have RSS feeds you can subscribe to, and many, including CNN , The New York Times , BBC , Wired , Politico , and many others, offer RSS for specific sections or special feeds that include the full text of articles for subscribers, so you aren’t just pummeled with a firehose of news all day long (we’ll get to a tip below in the next section that tackles this problem if they don’t have separate feeds, though). In many cases, you can read articles right in your RSS reader, never being forced to engage with wonky comments sections or poor design choices on websites. Of course, the news isn’t just general news sites, it also includes hobbyist or more niche sites, local news offerings, and blogs. Most of these sorts of websites also offer RSS feeds, as do newsletter platforms like Substack or Ghost. RSS Offers One Way to Fix Some Social Feeds Decentralized social media like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threa...
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Hate “The Algorithm?” RSS Is One of the Tools You’ve Been Looking For. RSS can make reading the news much easier, reliable, and more private. Most of these sorts of websites also offer RSS feeds, as do newsletter platforms like Substack or Ghost. RSS Offers One Way to Fix Some Social Feeds Decentralized social media like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threa...
TL;DR:
Here’s what you need to do: Find an RSS reader : RSS readers come in many forms.
Eff
Jun 26, 15:22
Lawmakers Must Act Now to Prevent Armed Police Drones
This is not science fiction. It’s not premature. If towns, cities, states, or the federal government want to act to reign in the emergence of armed police drones and robots , we have precious little time. In the absence of substantial regulation around when and how domestic law enforcement in the United States can deploy force using drones, the companies that markets technology to law enforcement have been moving. It’s past time concerned people take notice. Cities should not procure weaponized drones or robots, and multi-purpose drones and robots should be restricted from causing harm. Since 2021, EFF has been advocating against the use of armed robots or drones by law enforcement. This call has become more urgent as companies are moving in to take advantage of the lax regulatory landscape. This month, two disturbing developments raised concerns that we might be on the verge of a larger trend of drone militarization. The first is that the CEO of Skydio, one of the most prolific vendors of police drones in the United States, signaled that the company has a more permissive attitude toward arming their drones in some contexts than many people expected. When asked on a podcast about the public perception that the company had restrictions around letting the military arm their drones, CEO Adam Bry said , “This is an area where I’ve gotten some things wrong. We said some things previously that led folks externally and internally to believe that, for example, we would prevent the military from putting weapons on our drones […] It’s very easy to sit back in a Silicon Valley office and think that we’re very smart, that we know the technology, and the idea of using it for X, Y, or Z thing seems evil or bad, so we’re going to write a policy or ban people from doing it. I think that’s ultimately misguided.” Simply put: he is signaling that Skydio will not implement restrictions on their customers’ use of their devices. Bry was specifically asked about the military arming drones but the question reveals a disturbing truth: whether police arm drones domestically is currently based more on the internal ethical commitments of companies than it is any laws created by elected officials. Combining Skydio’s huge amount of police contracts , including supplying entire fleets for Drone as First Responders (DFR) programs, and the tendency of military technologies like surveillance aerostats to get redeployed on U.S. soil, creates a real recipe for the emergence of armed police drones. The other piece on the chess board to keep our eye on is the introduction of weaponized drones as a tool of school safety. A company called Campus Guardian Angel will run pilot programs in schools in Georgia and Florida in Fall 2026 to introduce drones that are designed to swarm, distract, crash into, and even shoot irritants at potential school shooters. This comes just years after a large national backlash that got the large police tech company Axon to pause its development of drones armed with tasers as a solution to school shootings. Although it may be obvious to some people, it’s worth saying again: antagonizing an active shooter with a small drone is a dangerous idea. In chaotic situations, deploying physical harm via drone is likely to get bystanders or good samaritans hurt by accident. It is also unproven that this technology will work to distract or deter an actual school shooter–especially when the demonstrations we see online revolve around crashing drones into stationary mannequins in pristine, controlled conditions. Another important question: What would happen if a potential shooter shoots at the small moving drone and endangers the people fleeing behind it? After all, in the demonstrations we’ve seen it is unclear if these drones have the ability to see what is behind them. This is an unproven and potentially dangerous method of combating the very serious problem of gun violence in schools, and it’s one that helps to normalize armed drones as a solution to other policing problems as well. These developments also mean It’s not enough to follow San Francisco’s lead, which became the first city to change its policy regarding how robots could be used in order to ban police from using deadly force via robots in 2022 . A robust and effective policy must include both drones and robots (not one or the other), and it has to explicitly prevent drones and robots from deploying any body harm — including deadly force and less-lethal measures like kinetic strikes, pepper spray, rubber bullets, or tasers. In addition, cities and states should not procure weaponized drones and robots. Since 2021, EFF has been advocating against the use of armed robots or drones by law enforcement. This call has become more urgent as companies are moving in to take advantage of the lax regulatory landscape. We cannot continue to rely solely on the good will of companies that make their money selling technology to police departments to protect us from danger...
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Lawmakers Must Act Now to Prevent Armed Police Drones. In the absence of substantial regulation around when and how domestic law enforcement in the United States can deploy force using drones, the companies that markets technology to law enforcement have been moving.
TL;DR:
In addition, cities and states should not procure weaponized drones and robots. Since 2021, EFF has been advocating against the use of armed robots or drones by law enforcement.
Eff
Jun 26, 15:05
We Can Still Stop California’s 3D Printer Surveillance Scheme
Ignoring EFF’s warnings about the dangers and impossibility of implementing a new mandate for 3D print surveillance software , the California State Assembly has signed off on legislation to do just that. In the process, legislators amended the bill to make it even more confusing, while failing to address the risks to privacy, speech, and consumer rights. We must renew our call on legislators to drop this bill as it heads to the state senate, and protect the tools of creators in the state. Take action Tell CA Senators to stand with creators What’s changed about the bill? Since we first wrote about AB 2047 , a bill targeting 3D printers for the rare, impractical, and already outlawed practice of manufacturing firearms without a license, it has picked up several amendments. Some are welcome changes, but most have only highlighted the technocratic absurdity of the proposed scheme. Our core concerns — that this mandate censors lawful speech, builds out corporate surveillance, and criminalizes open source experimentation — have not been remedied. Removes criminalization of resale Starting with one silver lining, the current bill includes a carveout for the private resale of devices. The original bill would have made it a criminal offense for an individual to resell 3D printers purchased before this mandated censorship and surveillance software. This is a clear win for the 3D-printing community, but it is unfortunately not enough. Ineffective carveouts for open source One of the most dangerous aspects of the bill is that it criminalizes individual users for common practices, like creating and using alternative open source programs with their 3D printer. New amendments provide a carveout for the use of an open source tool, but only if it includes compliant censorship software. The bill burdens open source developers with ambiguous and unrealistic standards for print blocking, and continues to create a chilling effect for open source users. Removes any actual requirement to work To reiterate — there is no world where the mandated technology actually works as intended. It will both block lawful use of 3D printers, and allow firearms to be printed by anyone determined to do so. There is no amendment that can change this reality. Instead, the current bill simply drops the pretense that this mandate is expected to work. The performance standard of algorithms changed from “effectively prevent[ing] a technically skilled user from evading [the algorithm]” to “substantially reduce the likelihood of foreseeable circumvention attempts…” The bill will still require all prints to be surveilled, but instead of testing efficacy against a skilled user, it just plays whack-a-mole with the (literally) infinite number of circumventions that any user can employ. Further, the bill now leaves us with an unclear process that relies on non-governmental third parties to define standards, and now relies on manufacturers and resellers to self-police. Hollywood gets a cut The bill includes yet another carve out for commercial users. This time for the entertainment industry, which makes extensive use of 3D printers for props and costumes. That’s fine for big studios, but it leaves out indie filmmakers, cosplayers, and many other small creators. This is simply a defensive edit to limit corporate opposition. There isn’t a clear division in 3D-printing between consumer and commercial tools. These are general purpose tools which might be picked up by a prop department of a big studio, or an artist getting ready for Comic Con. Indeed consumer level products are not only used by amateur artists and engineers developing their skills. Commercial 3D printers, like their traditional 2D equivalents, are frequently used in workplaces, as well as by professionals honing their skills or just trying to get some work done at home. Commercial carveouts hands printer manufacturers the ability to sell a more expensive tier of printers, locking-in and up-charging their commercial customers. Some of those customers will choose to buy general retail versions, but that carries its own price: increased risk of IP theft as all printed files are surveilled the same way they are for hobbyists. That means a real risk of businesses leaking any prototypes or new designs to not only the printer manufacturer, but potentially snooping governments and/or the general public through data breaches . Demand your senator oppose AB 2047 This updated version of AB 2047 downgrades performance standards and removes oversight while still threatening privacy and choice for users of 3D printers . A printer surveillance system won’t work for its intended purpose , and will only harm law abiding users. Act now to demand your senators to vote no on this ineffective and invasive bill. Take action Tell CA Senators to stand with creators
More:
We Can Still Stop California’s 3D Printer Surveillance Scheme. In the process, legislators amended the bill to make it even more confusing, while failing to address the risks to privacy, speech, and consumer rights. A printer surveillance system won’t work for its intended purpose , and will only harm law abiding users.
TL;DR:
Ignoring EFF’s warnings about the dangers and impossibility of implementing a new mandate for 3D print surveillance software , the California State Assembly has signed off on legislation to do just that.
Theverge
Jun 26, 14:00
The beautiful shame
While European tourists marvel at ranch dressing, Buc-ee's, and other wonders of Middle America, would-be World Cup attendees from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have experienced a different American pastime: exclusion. President Donald Trump's nakedly racist immigration policies have prevented scores of people from traveling to the United States for the event - even, […]
More:
While European tourists marvel at ranch dressing, Buc-ee's, and other wonders of Middle America, would-be World Cup attendees from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have experienced a different American pastime: exclusion. President Donald Trump's nakedly racist immigration policies have prevented scores of people from traveling to the United States for the event - even, […]
TL;DR:
While European tourists marvel at ranch dressing, Buc-ee's, and other wonders of Middle America, would-be World Cup attendees from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have experienced a different American pastime: exclusion.
Theverge
Jun 26, 13:00
OpenAI unveils GPT-5.6 amid US AI regulatory drama
Less than 24 hours after news broke that OpenAI would stagger its next model release at the request of the Trump administration, that model, GPT-5.6, is here. On Friday, the company unveiled the limited preview of its new GPT 5.6 model suite: Sol, the flagship; Terra, a medium-tier model for "high-volume work"; and Luna, a […]
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OpenAI unveils GPT-5.6 amid US AI regulatory drama. Less than 24 hours after news broke that OpenAI would stagger its next model release at the request of the Trump administration, that model, GPT-5.6, is here. On Friday, the company unveiled the limited preview of its new GPT 5.6 model suite: Sol, the flagship; Terra, a medium-tier model for "high-volume work"; and Luna, a […]
TL;DR:
Less than 24 hours after news broke that OpenAI would stagger its next model release at the request of the Trump administration, that model, GPT-5.6, is here.
Techdirt
Jun 26, 12:35
Surprise: CBS’ ‘Ombudsman’ Has Been A Useless Trump Lackey
You might recall that one of the conditions of the FCC’s approval of The Ellison family’s $8 billion acquisition of CBS was that the agency would install a “ombudsman” at the network to ensure CBS journalism was appropriately feckless and deferential to our mad, idiot king. This was particularly ironic given decades of whining by Republicans about […]
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You might recall that one of the conditions of the FCC’s approval of The Ellison family’s $8 billion acquisition of CBS was that the agency would install a “ombudsman” at the network to ensure CBS journalism was appropriately feckless and deferential to our mad, idiot king. This was particularly ironic given decades of whining by Republicans about […]
TL;DR:
You might recall that one of the conditions of the FCC’s approval of The Ellison family’s $8 billion acquisition of CBS was that the agency would install a “ombudsman” at the network to ensure CBS journalism was appropriately feckless and deferential to our mad, idiot king.
Theverge
Jun 26, 10:07
Anthropic’s Mythos mess is only getting worse
It's been two weeks since Anthropic took its Mythos-class models offline after a Friday evening ultimatum from the Trump administration. The company sprang into action immediately, sending a barrage of executives to Washington, DC. But updates have been suspiciously lacking, with no resolution in sight. Anthropic declined to comment multiple times this week about the […]
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Anthropic’s Mythos mess is only getting worse. The company sprang into action immediately, sending a barrage of executives to Washington, DC. Anthropic declined to comment multiple times this week about the […]
TL;DR:
It's been two weeks since Anthropic took its Mythos-class models offline after a Friday evening ultimatum from the Trump administration.
Theverge
Jun 26, 04:40
Trump Mobile will take your $499 right now
Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. We still don't have the phones we preordered yet, but this week the T1 hit open sale, no deposit required. Trump Mobile's T1 Phone is now available for anyone to buy directly. The phone has previously trickled out to a small number […]
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Trump Mobile will take your $499 right now. We're going to keep talking about it every week. Trump Mobile's T1 Phone is now available for anyone to buy directly.
TL;DR:
Where's the Trump phone?
Techdirt
Jun 26, 03:07
Stop Killing Games Pivots To Amending Digital Fairness Act In EU After Loss
Well, perhaps the demise of the Stop Killing Games movement in the EU was overstated. We were just talking about how the attempt to introduce new legislation to support the goals of the movement were defeated, despite a petition with over a million signatures and a parliamentary hearing that reportedly went very well. Given that […]
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Stop Killing Games Pivots To Amending Digital Fairness Act In EU After Loss. Well, perhaps the demise of the Stop Killing Games movement in the EU was overstated. We were just talking about how the attempt to introduce new legislation to support the goals of the movement were defeated, despite a petition with over a million signatures and a parliamentary hearing that reportedl…
TL;DR:
Well, perhaps the demise of the Stop Killing Games movement in the EU was overstated.
Eff
Jun 25, 23:39
Primed for Malware: Stop Selling Compromised Android Devices
Time and time again, researchers have found numerous compromised Android devices for sale at large online retailers like Amazon. When these devices get individually reported, we have seen some noted efforts to take them down. But this is a systemic problem and Amazon and other major online retailers must make a corresponding systemic and intentional effort to stop these devices from entering people’s homes and ultimately their networks. As a refresher: Last year, Google wrote that one major campaign, deemed BADBOX , affected 10 million uncertified devices that were running Android’s open-source software (Android Open Source Project or AOSP). These devices span from TVs and streaming devices to digital picture frames. Even now , someone can go on Amazon and Walmart and buy one of these devices. Not all of them come from Amazon and Walmart, but it’s fair to assume since they have the lion’s share of the market . Most well-known Android-based devices don’t come with just “stock Android.” The operating system is usually Android plus additional features that the manufacturer wanted. These custom versions of Android often come with pre-installed applications that range from useful to innocuous bloatware to actual malware. Many Android OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) pre-install apps that may not be visibly represented by an icon in your list of installed apps. This obscurity makes the issue particularly hard for users to identify any potential threats. Since the initial BADBOX analysis, there have been more reports of large campaigns and clusters of different devices participating in malicious activities that utilize people’s home networks to engage in illegal activity. Task forces in the private sector have made an effort to take down these existing Command and Control structures, but these actors may pivot and evolve to flood the market with more devices. Online retailers can stop this cycle. A multi-billion dollar company like Amazon should offer more resources, like their anti-fraud efforts , given that these products may have facilitated conditions for large scale attacks and illegal activity. It would also be helpful if they communicated malware-related take downs in a more visible way to consumers who are seeking very similar devices with shared characteristics. Identifying these devices can be tricky, but it’s not impossible because they tend to follow a pattern. For example, the FBI warned consumers this year to avoid TV streaming devices that claim to provide free sports, tv shows, and movies, a common tactic used by the makers of these malware-filled Android devices that leverages people’s exhaustion from spending money on countless streaming services. We detailed what sorts of indicators to look for on a device you’ve purchased. But it’s not just the storefronts. There are other parts of this ecosystem that need to improve too, like increased engagement in firmware transparency and the actual manufacturers of the devices themselves being held accountable for these malware laced products. On Prime Day, we urge retailers like Amazon to better empower users with information they need to make safe and smart decisions.
More:
When these devices get individually reported, we have seen some noted efforts to take them down. But this is a systemic problem and Amazon and other major online retailers must make a corresponding systemic and intentional effort to stop these devices from entering people’s homes and ultimately their networks.
TL;DR:
Time and time again, researchers have found numerous compromised Android devices for sale at large online retailers like Amazon.
Eff
Jun 25, 21:15
EFF, TEDIC and CEJIL Challenge Secrecy in the Use of Face Recognition in Paraguay
Seeking transparency and accountability in Paraguay’s use of facial recognition, EFF, the Association of Technology, Education, Development, Research, Communication (TEDIC), and the Centre for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights against the state for arbitrarily denying access to information about its implementation and use of the technology as a tool for mass surveillance that erodes people’s privacy rights. The case involves the Ministry of the Interior and National Police’s installation in 2019 of surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology in Asunción . Maricarmen Sequera, a lawyer and executive director of TEDIC, filed an information request with the ministry seeking details and protocols about the implementation and use of facial recognition systems and the personal data processing involved. The request sought information about, among other things, whether the state had conducted human rights or data protection impact assessments, as well as if it had developed measures and protocols for avoiding abuses, illicit uses of personal data, and other risks in the deployment of the facial recognition system. The state denied most of the information requested, arguing that implementation details, protocols, and the processing of individuals' personal data were confidential security information. TEDIC contested the secrecy in courts, but the analyses lagged and ultimately sustained the denial of information. The petition filed last Friday (19) cites Inter-American standards upholding the public’s right to access information, particularly in relation to national security, that the Paraguayan authorities disregarded in denying TEDIC’s information request. The petition also argues that the refusal of information violated privacy and the right to informational self-determination . The petition asks the Commission to recognize a violation of those rights and require the state to deliver the information requested. Further, the petition seeks an order compelling the state to adopt mandatory permanent mechanisms of active transparency regarding the acquisition, contracting, implementation, financing, functioning, and use of surveillance technologies by public bodies, especially those that incorporate processing of biometric data or artificial intelligence systems. It also asks the Commission to order the state to mandatory procedures for human rights impact assessments prior to acquiring and using surveillance technologies, particularly those that collect biometric data or use artificial intelligence. The state’s lack of transparency in this case is not an isolated incident, both in Paraguay and in Latin America, where opacity in matters of security and surveillance is the unsettling rule. The situation gets worse with the increasing normalization of intrusive surveillance technologies by states in the region. The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission emphasized that states should disclose surveillance capabilities and contracts, and acknowledge state use of surveillance technologies at a meaningful level of detail, to facilitate essential public debate on the necessary limitations of surveillance in democratic societies and ensure compliance with international human rights law. We hope that the Inter-American Commission upholds the robust safeguards in the Inter-American System and advances access to information and privacy rights in a case that can set a crucial precedent for the region.
More:
EFF, TEDIC and CEJIL Challenge Secrecy in the Use of Face Recognition in Paraguay. The state denied most of the information requested, arguing that implementation details, protocols, and the processing of individuals' personal data were confidential security information.
TL;DR:
Seeking transparency and accountability in Paraguay’s use of facial recognition, EFF, the Association of Technology, Education, Development, Research, Communication (TEDIC), and the Centre for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights against the state for arbitrarily denying access to information about its implementation and use of the technology as a tool for mass surveillance that erodes people’s privacy rights. The case involves the Ministry of the Interior and National Police’s installation in 2019 of surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology in Asunción .
Eff
Jun 25, 20:49
Four Years After Dobbs, Anti-Abortion Lawmakers Keep Coming for Online Speech
This week marks four years since Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade ’s constitutional protections for people seeking abortion care. Anniversaries are a moment to take stock, and over the last four years, EFF has seen firsthand how digital rights and reproductive rights have become increasingly intertwined. One major way this has happened: the fight over abortion has also become a fight over online speech and government censorship as a steady stream of proposed laws, cease-and-desist letters, lawsuits, and government investigations have targeted the websites and online resources that help people find and learn about reproductive healthcare. This is an effort by anti-abortion government officials to mold the information ecosystem, restrict what people can read, and cut off the ways people communicate with one another. We’ve watched this build for years, and the encouraging news is that many of these efforts have failed . The worrying news is that they keep coming. And if they’re allowed to succeed, this could have repercussions for freedom of expression online beyond reproductive rights. Targeting Sites That Just Share Information The clearest tell that this is also a war on speech is that officials have aimed their efforts not just at abortion providers or the entities that prescribe and sell medication abortion, but also at websites that do nothing more than tell people what their options are, how to find a doctor, and where abortion remains legal. Cease-and-Desists & Takedown Demands State attorneys general have been hitting these online information hubs with cease-and-desist letters and takedown demands. Just this month, for example, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sent cease-and-desist letters to multiple groups with abortion-related websites, including Plan C , a public health campaign that provides educational resources and research on abortion access. Plan C doesn’t sell or ship abortion pills. It simply provides information. Marshall’s office nonetheless claimed Plan C’s website “facilitates, aids, and abets” illegal abortion. The Arkansas attorney general similarly sent out cease-and-desists to several organizations regarding their websites, including Mayday Health , which, like Plan C, provides only information and does not directly prescribe or mail pills. What’s especially concerning is that the state doesn’t have to win, or even file, a lawsuit to get what it wants. In another example from earlier this year, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley threatened legal action and ordered the Prairie Abortion Fund to scrub information off of its website, not because the fund sold pills, but because its site linked to several outside informational resources. The Attorney General primarily focused on the fund’s link to Plan C, meaning the biggest alleged issue was a link to a website that links to other websites where pills can be accessed. What’s especially concerning is that the state doesn’t have to win, or even file, a lawsuit to get what it wants. Especially for smaller organizations and funds, a letter threatening legal action can be enough to chill their speech, causing them to remove important content and go quiet. Censorship Mandates Legislators in multiple states have also attempted to make it illegal to share resources on how to obtain an abortion, including on purely informational websites with a national or global audience. South Dakota recently passed a law making it a felony to “advertise” anything “described in a manner calculated to lead another to use or apply it for producing an abortion.” Language this broad can easily apply to websites that simply engage in First Amendment-protected advocacy or provide educational resources. Mayday Health, which operates one such website, has since sued the state in federal court to block the law. The lawsuit argues the law could reach something as small as wearing a sweatshirt that carries Mayday’s web address. Other state legislatures have made similar efforts. Last year, for example, Texas introduced a bill that would have made it illegal to “provide information” on how to obtain an abortion-inducing drug. If you exchanged emails, had an online chat, or created a website that shared information about legal abortion services in other states, you could have violated this bill. Luckily this particular bill did not pass, but Texas has attempted to pass similar laws for several years now . Dressing Censorship Up as Consumer Protection A major way anti-abortion officials are targeting online speech is by weaponizing consumer protection and deceptive advertising laws, claiming that providing information about abortion violates them. This tactic is a threat to free speech rights. The First Amendment protects publishing truthful information on a public issue, and the Supreme Court has expressly said that includes providing information about legal abortion in a state where it is illegal. Yet states like South ...
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Four Years After Dobbs, Anti-Abortion Lawmakers Keep Coming for Online Speech. If you exchanged emails, had an online chat, or created a website that shared information about legal abortion services in other states, you could have violated this bill. This tactic is a threat to free speech rights.
TL;DR:
It simply provides information.
Theverge
Jun 25, 17:57
OpenAI will delay GPT-5.6 after Trump administration request
The Trump administration, apprehensive of potential security issues, has reportedly asked OpenAI to stagger the release of its next big-ticket model, GPT-5.6. The Information reported that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees Wednesday in a company Q&A that it would release GPT-5.6 in limited preview form - granting access only to a small group of […]
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OpenAI will delay GPT-5.6 after Trump administration request. The Trump administration, apprehensive of potential security issues, has reportedly asked OpenAI to stagger the release of its next big-ticket model, GPT-5.6. The Information reported that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees Wednesday in a company Q&A that it would release GPT-5.
TL;DR:
The Trump administration, apprehensive of potential security issues, has reportedly asked OpenAI to stagger the release of its next big-ticket model, GPT-5.6.
Eff
Jun 25, 17:28
The FCC’s Spam Call Proposal Is Just a Data Collection Scheme
The Federal Communications Commission wants to require telecommunications providers to collect vast amounts of personal information from every person who wants a phone number in the name of combatting scam and spam calls. This plan will fail to combat the deluge of unwanted calls people in the United States receive every day while giving untrustworthy companies a gold mine of information that would harm everyday consumer’s privacy, access to communications, and ability to speak freely. The requirement to provide ID and an address would completely cut off the ability to have an anonymous phone line , which would mean many people in the most precarious situations imaginable: domestic violence and human trafficking survivors, unhoused people, and children without stable homes, would not be able to gain access to a crucial lifeline. EFF, along with ACLU, has submitted comments advising the FCC to abandon this proposal entirely . This Rule Will Not Decrease Spam Calls Requiring phone providers to collect consumers’ information will not appreciably decrease or eliminate unwanted calls. The FCC knows this because it confesses in its own rulemaking that “the most effective way to prevent unwanted calls from reaching American consumers is by ensuring they never enter the network.” Further, the Federal Trade Commission found that “a significant proportion, if not the majority, of unwanted robocalls originate from overseas.” Collecting the personal information of everyone who wants to make a phone call will not put a dent in fraudulent calls. What will address unwanted calls is the FCC’s STIR/SHAKEN technical standards , which already exist. While STIR/SHAKEN is not perfect, it is actually a technical solution to the problem of spam calls. And where less than 50% of American telecommunication providers have fully implemented the protocol , the FCC should put its energy toward 100% compliance to reduce the scale of unwanted calls, instead of collecting consumer’s private information. The FCC gives away the true reason for this proposal in their own comments: this is a move to shut down the very existence of anonymous phones, aka burner phones . FCC says in their comments: “Enhanced KYC information can assist law enforcement to more easily identify callers that use the network to perpetuate crimes by ensuring that voice providers have accurate and complete customer information. The KYC information gathered and verified would help ensure that law enforcement gets accurate information in response to subpoenas when investigating crimes. For example, can enhanced KYC rules assist law enforcement in investigating organized criminal groups that use the network to facilitate illegal activities? Can they be used to deter or detect trafficking operations that use communication networks to buy and sell illicit goods?” Anonymous phones are not just used by people to break the law, they are also used by activists who wish to remain anonymous, privacy conscious consumers, people escaping domestic violence, people escaping human trafficking, journalists who need to reach out to confidential sources, and other people in desperate situations. Anonymous phone lines are a lifeline to many, one which this proposal would cut off without any alternative. Mass Data Collection Makes Us All Less Safe Mass data collection of individuals does not address unwanted calls, but it does make us all less safe online. The telecommunications industry has proven time and again that they’re poor stewards of personal information. They’ve been at the center of several large-scale data breaches in recent years and their data practices leave much to be desired. In 2024, AT&T disclosed two large data breaches. One in which 7.6 million existing account holders and more than 65 million former customers had their information leaked onto the dark web, and another in which more than 100 million customer account call and text logs were downloaded. Another large provider, Comcast, suffered a data breach in 2023 where nearly 36 million account holder’s information was stolen, including the last four digits of their Social Security Number and date of birth. In 2024, the nation’s CALEA infrastructure, which law enforcement uses to tap and trace calls, was breached in the Salt Typhoon attacks . Experts maintain that U.S. communications networks remain vulnerable , and even this administration acknowledges these attacks as an ongoing threat. If telecoms can’t even protect the most sensitive communications infrastructure in the nation how can we expect that they will protect our identities? In addition to their poor cybersecurity practice, these providers themselves abuse the information in their possession. In Scott v AT&T, AT&T, among others, made consumer information available to hundreds of third parties without the consumer’s express consent. Though the case was dismissed because AT&T forces its consumers to sign arbitration agreements, it shows the compl...
More:
The FCC’s Spam Call Proposal Is Just a Data Collection Scheme. FCC says in their comments: “Enhanced KYC information can assist law enforcement to more easily identify callers that use the network to perpetuate crimes by ensuring that voice providers have accurate and complete customer information.
TL;DR:
The Federal Communications Commission wants to require telecommunications providers to collect vast amounts of personal information from every person who wants a phone number in the name of combatting scam and spam calls.
Techdirt
Jun 25, 16:39
Judge Says Florida’s Social Media Law Is “Literally Impossible” To Obey. Thanks To The Supreme Court, It Gets A Trial Anyway.
Remember a few years ago when both Texas and Florida passed laws trying to tell social media companies they couldn’t moderate political content? Those cases eventually made their way to the Supreme Court, where the Court (as it’s been known to do) kinda punted: sending the cases back to the lower courts on technical legal […]
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Judge Says Florida’s Social Media Law Is “Literally Impossible” To Obey. Thanks To The Supreme Court, It Gets A Trial Anyway.. Those cases eventually made their way to the Supreme Court, where the Court (as it’s been known to do) kinda punted: sending the cases back to the lower courts on technical legal […]
TL;DR:
Remember a few years ago when both Texas and Florida passed laws trying to tell social media companies they couldn’t moderate political content?
Eff
Jun 25, 16:00
Are Your Local Police Using Flock Safety ALPRs to Scan for Immigrants?
When a car passes an automated license plate reader (ALPR), its plate is captured and instantly compared against a list of vehicles that police are actively looking for or that police have identified for real-time surveillance. These are called “hotlists,” and EFF has learned that one used by agencies across the country targets immigrants on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Agencies using Flock Safety ALPR systems commonly allow the plates their cameras collect to be compared against the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) hotlists. These hotlists are broken into "topics," such as "Gang or Suspected Terrorist," "Stolen Vehicle," and "Missing Person." Flock Safety told EFF via email: "Local agencies add/remove license plates from the NCIC list. The FBI curates the NCIC list, and pushes it out to local agencies. Once the list leaves the FBI, they do not see any agency alerts. They only see when a local agency adds or removes plates from the list." But one list is different: The "Immigration Violator" hotlist is populated exclusively by ICE, and it is the only agency authorized to enter or maintain records in this system, according to the NCIC operator manual . It includes license plates associated with administrative warrants , which are issued by ICE agents without judicial review. The manual further describes the data: The Immigration Violator File contains records on criminal aliens who have been deported for drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, or serious violent crimes and on foreign-born individuals who have violated some section of the Immigration and Nationality Act. And: If the ICE has reasonable grounds to believe that the subject may be operating a particular vehicle or a vehicle bearing a particular license plate, the vehicle and/or license data may be included in the record. Buried in the Flock Safety administrative interface, there is a drop-down menu where agencies select which NCIC topics to subscribe to. If Immigration Violator is selected, the local agency will receive an alert that a vehicle ICE is looking for has been sighted. According to Flock Safety, ICE itself does not get an alert, although the local agency may contact ICE to let them know. Many agencies also participate or collaborate with immigration enforcement (through, for example, 287(g) agreements ) and may take steps to stop a vehicle based on one of these alerts. In many places, using ALPRs for immigration enforcement is against city or state law–or at minimum, against agency policy. But using this hotlist is immigration enforcement. For example, Sparks Police Department's ALPR transparency portal lists immigration enforcement among the "prohibited uses." Yet, records show Sparks utilizes ICE's Immigration Violator hotlist. Many agencies publicly acknowledge using NCIC hotlists, but don't publish which ones. So, EFF filed public records requests with agencies around the country to figure how to identify at least which agencies may be using the Immigration Violator hotlist. Here are links to the documents from the 13 agencies that have responded so far. Agencies with the Immigration Violators Hotlist Enabled Blue Island Police Department, IL Sparks Police Department, NV Agencies Using NCIC Hotslists, But Immigration Violators Is Disabled Baraboo Police Department, WI Boonsboro Police Department, MD Elmira Police Department, NY Franklin Township Police Department, NJ Medford Police Department, OR New Braunfels Police Department, TX Oro Valley Police Department, AZ Quincy Police Department, MA Reno Police Department, NV Roselle Police Department, IL Sterling Police Department, IL Knowing whether your agency has this box checked isn't just useful information—it's the kind of evidence that can change how officials vote when a contract comes up for renewal. So, how can you find out if your local agency is using the Immigration Violator list? It takes some digging, and you may not be successful. But here's what has worked for us in some instances. STEP 1: Conduct background research. The first questions you want to try to answer are: Does your local agency use Flock Safety ALPRs, and if so, Are they using NCIC hotlists? To answer the first question, here are two sites to try: AtlasofSurveillance.org - This is an EFF project to catalog the technologies law enforcement agencies use. You can search for your agency to see if they use ALPR. EyesonFlock.com - This site includes an index of every agency that maintains a Flock Safety "Transparency Portal." These portals often disclose what hotlists an agency uses. You'll want to look for your agency, then click the outbound link to their transparency portal, if they have one. Once you're on the transparency portal, you'll want to look for two things. Is "immigration enforcement" a prohibited use? If it is, you might find that the agency is violating its own policies. Does the agency list "NCIC" as one of its hot lists? Not all agencies ...
More:
Are Your Local Police Using Flock Safety ALPRs to Scan for Immigrants?. According to Flock Safety, ICE itself does not get an alert, although the local agency may contact ICE to let them know. So, EFF filed public records requests with agencies around the country to figure how to identify at least which agencies may be using the Immigration Violator hotlist.
TL;DR:
If it is, you might find that the agency is violating its own policies. Does the agency list "NCIC" as one of its hot lists? Not all agencies ...
Theverge
Jun 25, 13:58
Polestar has been muscled out of the US market
Polestar won't be allowed to sell its electric vehicles model year 2027 and beyond in the US after the federal government denied the company's request for authorization under a new rule banning vehicles with software from China. In a press release, the company says the decision to retreat from the US follows a recent decision […]
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Polestar won't be allowed to sell its electric vehicles model year 2027 and beyond in the US after the federal government denied the company's request for authorization under a new rule banning vehicles with software from China. In a press release, the company says the decision to retreat from the US follows a recent decision […]
TL;DR:
Polestar won't be allowed to sell its electric vehicles model year 2027 and beyond in the US after the federal government denied the company's request for authorization under a new rule banning vehicles with software from China.
Techdirt
Jun 25, 12:34
Marco Rubio Personally Authorized Detention Of An Immigrant Who Criticized A Politician Trump Likes
It’s absolutely irritating to be living under the thumb of an administration filled to the brim with facile subservients who think they’re the biggest and best people to ever walk the earth. It’s a bunch of boys pretending to be men, right up until they have to talk to the boss, at which point they […]
More:
It’s absolutely irritating to be living under the thumb of an administration filled to the brim with facile subservients who think they’re the biggest and best people to ever walk the earth. It’s a bunch of boys pretending to be men, right up until they have to talk to the boss, at which point they […]
TL;DR:
It’s absolutely irritating to be living under the thumb of an administration filled to the brim with facile subservients who think they’re the biggest and best people to ever walk the earth.
Eff
Jun 25, 06:40
The KIDS Act Would Require Age Checks To Get Online
Within the next week, Congress is preparing to vote on the KIDS Act , a sprawling package of legislation that seeks to control Americans’ web browsing and private messaging. The package includes a revised version of the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, combined with a collection of other internet bills, study bills, reporting requirements, and new regulations. Instead of debating any of these proposals on their merits, lawmakers are attempting to move them all at once under an ultra-expedited process. The package of cobbled-together bills is a mess, with different age-gating schemes for different services, using different standards. It’s a lot of complexity, and a lot of legal risk. Faced with that, many companies will conclude that the safest option is restrictive age-checking practices across their entire platforms. Buried inside the KIDS Act are provisions that will push online services to verify all users’ ages, require government-directed moderation policies for online speech, and even create new rules about private and encrypted communications. While supporters continue to claim this bill protects minors online, its requirements come at the expense of privacy, free expression, and the ability of people of all ages to use the internet without revealing sensitive data. Take action Tell Congress to reject this age-gating bill The KIDS Act Pressures Platforms to Check Everyone's Age Supporters of KOSA have said the bill doesn’t require age verification. And technically, the KOSA section of the bill does say that KOSA shouldn’t be read to require age verification. But if you read the rest of the bill, that disclaimer starts to look hollow. Throughout the KOSA section of the legislation, special protections, controls, messaging settings, and parental tools are required whenever a website or app “knows or should have known” a user is a child (defined in the bill as anyone under 13) or a teen (defined as anyone between 13 and 16 years old). The problem is a website operator doesn’t need actual knowledge that a user is a minor to get in legal trouble. It applies when a platform “knows or should have known” a user’s age—a low, negligence-style standard of knowledge. If an online service gets it wrong, it’s going to be up to courts and regulators to decide, after the fact, if an online service “should” have known a user was 16. To try to avoid liability, services will have to determine which users are teenagers and which are not. Most won’t be able to simply trust their users. They’ll have to collect more information about age, before any lawsuit or government action arises. Some companies may respond by requesting driver's licenses or passports. Others will rely on age-estimation systems that attempt to guess users' ages by looking at existing activity or doing facial scans. Existing estimation systems make mistakes when estimating children’s ages correctly, which is a big problem when that is the population KOSA is trying to protect. And the systems fail more frequently for people of color , people with disabilities , and trans and nonbinary people . The bill’s authors seem to know this is a problem. On the one hand, the new KOSA section says age verification is not required. On the other, it repeatedly imposes obligations that depend on knowing whether a user is under 17. But a disclaimer doesn’t magically eliminate legal risk, especially for smaller services and startups that can’t afford to defend lawsuits or fight regulators. Take action The "KIDS Act" Is an Age Surveillance Bill KOSA is not the only part of this package that creates age-verification pressure. The SAFE BOTS Act, like KOSA, goes back to the standard that if a service “knows or should have known” that a user is a minor it can’t offer certain chatbot features. The SCREEN Act requires services that host sexually explicit content to determine whether users are “more likely than not” under the relevant age limit, before allowing access to certain content. The consequences of this liability will not be limited to minors. If websites and apps are expected to reliably identify teenagers, adults will be asked to prove they are adults. The result is a less private internet for everyone. The KIDS Act Pressures Platforms To Police Lawful Speech The new version of KOSA removes the bill’s infamous "duty of care" provision, a significant change. The revised KOSA requires covered platforms to "establish, implement, maintain, and enforce " policies and procedures addressing several categories of content and conduct. Some categories, such as true threats and sexual exploitation, involve unlawful activity. Others are much broader. The bill specifically requires policies addressing the "sale or use" of narcotic drugs, tobacco products, cannabis products, gambling, and alcohol. It also restricts discussions around financial fraud. Sounds straightforward enough. Then you remember how people actually talk—online and off. Can teens discuss addiction...
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The KIDS Act Would Require Age Checks To Get Online. On the one hand, the new KOSA section says age verification is not required. Then you remember how people actually talk—online and off.
TL;DR:
Within the next week, Congress is preparing to vote on the KIDS Act , a sprawling package of legislation that seeks to control Americans’ web browsing and private messaging.
Techdirt
Jun 25, 03:05
Surveillance Tech Company Is Pitching An Unholy ALPR/Stingray Hybrid To Law Enforcement
Here’s something no one but cops and the tech firms that love cops wanted: an ALPR that can scoop up pretty much any information being broadcasted by cars and the devices carried by the people inside them. As if ALPRs weren’t already controversial enough, here comes a tech company offering that makes most ALPRs (including […]
More:
Here’s something no one but cops and the tech firms that love cops wanted: an ALPR that can scoop up pretty much any information being broadcasted by cars and the devices carried by the people inside them. As if ALPRs weren’t already controversial enough, here comes a tech company offering that makes most ALPRs (including […]
TL;DR:
Here’s something no one but cops and the tech firms that love cops wanted: an ALPR that can scoop up pretty much any information being broadcasted by cars and the devices carried by the people inside them.
Techdirt
Jun 24, 22:02
Elon Musk Threatens To Sue Rep. Khanna For… Citing The Lancet About How DOGE Cuts Will Likely Lead To Millions Of Deaths
We’ve been pointing out for years that the supposedly “free speech absolutist” Elon Musk is one of the most aggressive abusers of state power to create chilling effects against his critics. So it should come as little surprise to anyone paying attention, that he’s at it again: threatening to sue Rep. Ro Khanna for Khanna’s […]
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We’ve been pointing out for years that the supposedly “free speech absolutist” Elon Musk is one of the most aggressive abusers of state power to create chilling effects against his critics. So it should come as little surprise to anyone paying attention, that he’s at it again: threatening to sue Rep. Ro Khanna for Khanna’s […]
TL;DR:
We’ve been pointing out for years that the supposedly “free speech absolutist” Elon Musk is one of the most aggressive abusers of state power to create chilling effects against his critics.
Techdirt
Jun 24, 20:03
He Moved A Box Of Leftist Zines. MAGA’s Favorite Judge Just Gave Him 30 Years.
In Trump’s America, the First Amendment is a dead letter. If you’re seen as anti-Trump, you apparently no longer have any rights at all. We’ll get to the man who moved a box of zines and got thirty years — he wasn’t even at the protest, but the judge claimed he was aiding a “terrorist […]
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He Moved A Box Of Leftist Zines. MAGA’s Favorite Judge Just Gave Him 30 Years.. We’ll get to the man who moved a box of zines and got thirty years — he wasn’t even at the protest, but the judge claimed he was aiding a “terrorist […]
TL;DR:
In Trump’s America, the First Amendment is a dead letter.
Techdirt
Jun 24, 17:59
Public Records Bill Would Make California The ‘Most Secretive’ State In The US
There aren’t many governments out there actually trying to be more transparent. Every so often, a law gets passed that benefits the public more than its benefits the government, but these are the exceptions, not the rule. California experienced one of these anomalies fairly recently. In 2019, a law was passed that finally made police […]
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Public Records Bill Would Make California The ‘Most Secretive’ State In The US. There aren’t many governments out there actually trying to be more transparent. In 2019, a law was passed that finally made police […]
TL;DR:
Every so often, a law gets passed that benefits the public more than its benefits the government, but these are the exceptions, not the rule.
Techdirt
Jun 24, 17:54
Daily Deal: The Ultimate AWS Data Master Class Bundle
The Ultimate AWS Data Master Class Bundle has 9 courses to get you up to speed on Amazon Web Services. The courses cover AWS, DevOPs, Kubernetes Mesosphere DC/OS, AWS Redshift, and more. It’s on sale for $40. Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is powered and curated by StackCommerce. A portion of all sales from Techdirt […]
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Daily Deal: The Ultimate AWS Data Master Class Bundle. The courses cover AWS, DevOPs, Kubernetes Mesosphere DC/OS, AWS Redshift, and more. A portion of all sales from Techdirt […]
TL;DR:
The Ultimate AWS Data Master Class Bundle has 9 courses to get you up to speed on Amazon Web Services.
Theverge
Jun 24, 17:40
Charlie Kirk’s legacy is a 30-year sentence for moving zines
Just days after a gunman killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk, it became clear that President Donald Trump would use the assassination to fuel a crackdown on free speech. To avenge Kirk's death, the administration vowed to go after so-called "antifa" (otherwise known as antifascist) terrorists. Now that promise is bearing fruit. This week, eight Texas […]
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Charlie Kirk’s legacy is a 30-year sentence for moving zines. To avenge Kirk's death, the administration vowed to go after so-called "antifa" (otherwise known as antifascist) terrorists. This week, eight Texas […]
TL;DR:
Just days after a gunman killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk, it became clear that President Donald Trump would use the assassination to fuel a crackdown on free speech.
Eff
Jun 24, 16:20
🦅 Domestic Spying Takes an L | EFFector 38.12
Sold to the public as a foreign surveillance tool, Section 702 is the law has let intelligence agencies spy on millions of Americans’ private conversations without a warrant. Despite years of revelations about this law's misuse, Congress has repeatedly reauthorized Section 702 without meaningful reform. Until this month, that is, when it finally lapsed in a major victory for privacy. In our latest EFFector newsletter , we're covering the expiration of Section 702 and what happens next . JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER For over 35 years, EFFector has been your guide to understanding the intersection of technology, civil liberties, and the law. This issue covers a disastrous plan to overhaul the U.S. Copyright Office, why the UK's social media ban will cause more harm than it prevents, and a new Senate bill taking aim at government pressure to silence lawful speech online . Prefer to listen in? EFFector is now available on all major podcast platforms. This time, we're chatting with EFF Senior Policy Analyst Matthew Guariglia on what the expiration of Section 702 means for warrantless domestic spying. You can find the episode and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice : %3Ciframe%20height%3D%22200px%22%20width%3D%22100%25%22%20frameborder%3D%22no%22%20scrolling%3D%22no%22%20seamless%3D%22%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.simplecast.com%2Faa8b6660-bde6-466d-80e3-156cddad0e95%3Fdark%3Dfalse%22%20allow%3D%22autoplay%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E Privacy info. This embed will serve content from simplecast.com Want to protect your private conversations? Sign up for EFF's EFFector newsletter for updates, ways to take action, and new merch drops. You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
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Sold to the public as a foreign surveillance tool, Section 702 is the law has let intelligence agencies spy on millions of Americans’ private conversations without a warrant. Despite years of revelations about this law's misuse, Congress has repeatedly reauthorized Section 702 without meaningful reform.
TL;DR:
You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
Theverge
Jun 24, 13:36
Google’s new rules for the app store will allow alternative billing next week
While the court still hasn't signed off on the massive settlement resolving Epic's antitrust lawsuit against Google for having a monopoly over Android's app store with Google Play, the tech giant says it will start rolling out changes to the way it handles billing for developers worldwide. As announced in March, the flat 30 percent […]
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The 30 percent app store rate is going away, and now you might pay developers directly for Android apps. Google: everything we learned in Fortnite court see all updates Richard Lawler is a senior editor following news across tech, culture, policy, and entertainment.
TL;DR:
While the court still hasn't signed off on the massive settlement resolving Epic's antitrust lawsuit against Google for having a monopoly over Android's app store with Google Play, the tech giant says it will start rolling out changes to the way it handles billing for developers worldwide.
Theverge
Jun 24, 13:25
The $27 million Al proxy war over Alex Bores ends in a draw
The expensive, $27 million political proxy war between Anthropic and OpenAI came to a draw last night when Alex Bores, a New York state Assemblyman whose popularity surged after being targeted by a pro-AI super PAC, narrowly lost the Democratic primary to represent New York's 12th Congressional district. Prior to the race, Bores, a former […]
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Anthropic didn’t get Bores elected to Congress in the NY-12 primary— but OpenAI didn’t crush him, either. Tina Nguyen is a Senior Reporter for The Verge and author of Regulator , covering the second Trump administration, political influencers, tech lobbying and Big Tech vs.
TL;DR:
The expensive, $27 million political proxy war between Anthropic and OpenAI came to a draw last night when Alex Bores, a New York state Assemblyman whose popularity surged after being targeted by a pro-AI super PAC, narrowly lost the Democratic primary to represent New York's 12th Congressional district.
Techdirt
Jun 24, 12:28
Trump Threatens ABC For Doing Journalism About His Reflection Pool Screw Up
Earlier this year America’s idiot king offered a no-bid contract to one of his ex-con Mara Lago donors to “fix” the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. It… did not go well. Said pool is now full of algae and peeling paint, and it’s created an interesting attention flashpoint for the press and another perfect metaphor for […]
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Trump Threatens ABC For Doing Journalism About His Reflection Pool Screw Up. Earlier this year America’s idiot king offered a no-bid contract to one of his ex-con Mara Lago donors to “fix” the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Said pool is now full of algae and peeling paint, and it’s created an interesting attention flashpoint for the press and another perfect metaphor for […]
TL;DR:
Earlier this year America’s idiot king offered a no-bid contract to one of his ex-con Mara Lago donors to “fix” the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Techdirt
Jun 24, 03:18
Kotaku’s Pre-Judging AI In Gaming Coverage Is Getting Very Dumb
I recognize that when we talk about AI generally, and specifically AI in the gaming industry, there are some people out there who will simply dogmatically insist that this technology doesn’t have a place in the industry and never will. This typically comes along with two chief concerns: concerns about artistic expression if AI is […]
More:
I recognize that when we talk about AI generally, and specifically AI in the gaming industry, there are some people out there who will simply dogmatically insist that this technology doesn’t have a place in the industry and never will. This typically comes along with two chief concerns: concerns about artistic expression if AI is […]
TL;DR:
I recognize that when we talk about AI generally, and specifically AI in the gaming industry, there are some people out there who will simply dogmatically insist that this technology doesn’t have a place in the industry and never will.
Techdirt
Jun 23, 22:15
Spain’s Internet Blocks Have A Flimsy Legal Basis, While Lacking Both Oversight & Accountability
Afew weeks ago, Walled Culture wrote about Hadopi, France’s infamous copyright enforcement mechanism. The so-called “graduated response” – aka “three strikes and you are out” – has been around for over 15 years now, has cost French taxpayers a fortune, and has never achieved any of its aims. As the Walled Culture post suggested, the latest […]
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Spain’s Internet Blocks Have A Flimsy Legal Basis, While Lacking Both Oversight & Accountability. The so-called “graduated response” – aka “three strikes and you are out” – has been around for over 15 years now, has cost French taxpayers a fortune, and has never achieved any of its aims. As the Walled Culture post suggested, the latest […]
TL;DR:
Afew weeks ago, Walled Culture wrote about Hadopi, France’s infamous copyright enforcement mechanism.
Techdirt
Jun 23, 20:11
FTC Sues Transgender Health Nonprofit One Month After A Federal Court Called Its Investigation An Unconstitutional First Amendment Violation
Last week the FTC decided to file an obviously censorial, legally baseless lawsuit against an educational non-profit in an attempt to punish the organization for its speech in a manner that is clearly way outside the bounds of the FTC’s authority. The case serves no purpose other than to punish an organization for its speech… […]
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The case serves no purpose other than to punish an organization for its speech… […]
TL;DR:
Last week the FTC decided to file an obviously censorial, legally baseless lawsuit against an educational non-profit in an attempt to punish the organization for its speech in a manner that is clearly way outside the bounds of the FTC’s authority.
Techdirt
Jun 23, 18:08
Trump Starts Arresting People Because His Reflecting Pool Makeover Is Just Algae And Peeling Paint
Yeah, that’s a shame. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy bigger asshole. It’s as if Trump asked his underlings to generate the perfect metaphor for his second administration and they fucking nailed it. Trump has tried to impose his self-gratification on an event even he can’t possibly hope to destroy: the 250th anniversary […]
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Trump Starts Arresting People Because His Reflecting Pool Makeover Is Just Algae And Peeling Paint. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy bigger asshole. It’s as if Trump asked his underlings to generate the perfect metaphor for his second administration and they fucking nailed it.
TL;DR:
Trump has tried to impose his self-gratification on an event even he can’t possibly hope to destroy: the 250th anniversary […]
Techdirt
Jun 23, 18:03
Daily Deal: The Modern No-Code Development Bundle
The Modern No-Code Creator Bundle is an extensive online curriculum specifically developed to enable individuals to construct professional websites, applications & automated workflows without the necessity of writing any code. It has five courses, covering leading no-code platforms and tools like ChatGPT, Mendix, and Tabnine. It is ideally suited for novices and non-technical professionals, empowering […]
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Daily Deal: The Modern No-Code Development Bundle. It has five courses, covering leading no-code platforms and tools like ChatGPT, Mendix, and Tabnine. It is ideally suited for novices and non-technical professionals, empowering […]
TL;DR:
The Modern No-Code Creator Bundle is an extensive online curriculum specifically developed to enable individuals to construct professional websites, applications & automated workflows without the necessity of writing any code.
Techdirt
Jun 23, 16:31
Illinois’ Social Media Tax Is A Modern Stamp Act — And Just As Doomed
England imposing the Stamp Act on the American colonies back in 1765 was one of the final moves that pushed those colonies into open revolt for their independence. The law sought to tax printed communications, and England justified it by saying it was needed to pay for British soldiers in the colonies. That it also […]
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Illinois’ Social Media Tax Is A Modern Stamp Act — And Just As Doomed. England imposing the Stamp Act on the American colonies back in 1765 was one of the final moves that pushed those colonies into open revolt for their independence. The law sought to tax printed communications, and England justified it by saying it was needed to pay for British soldiers in the colonies.
TL;DR:
England imposing the Stamp Act on the American colonies back in 1765 was one of the final moves that pushed those colonies into open revolt for their independence.
Theverge
Jun 23, 13:00
Why corporate AI super PACs spent $27 million on a local election
Hello and welcome to Regulator, the newsletter for Verge subscribers chronicling the misadventures of their favorite tech overlords and Washington swamp creatures. ("Favorite" is, of course, subjective.) Not a subscriber yet? Sign up here, especially if you want the hot scoop on quality Amazon Prime Day deals recommended by the wonderful humans of The Verge's […]
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Why corporate AI super PACs spent $27 million on a local election. ("Favorite" is, of course, subjective.) Not a subscriber yet? Sign up here, especially if you want the hot scoop on quality Amazon Prime Day deals recommended by the wonderful humans of The Verge's […]
TL;DR:
Hello and welcome to Regulator, the newsletter for Verge subscribers chronicling the misadventures of their favorite tech overlords and Washington swamp creatures.
Techdirt
Jun 23, 03:30
Stop Killing Games Legislation Rejected By EU
Well, this is very disappointing. Over the first half of this year, we’ve talked about the resurgence of the Stop Killing Games movement, which aims to push various governments to legislate out the practice of video game publishers sunsetting their games and making them unplayable afterwards. The aims of the movement are simple: publishers can […]
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Stop Killing Games Legislation Rejected By EU. Over the first half of this year, we’ve talked about the resurgence of the Stop Killing Games movement, which aims to push various governments to legislate out the practice of video game publishers sunsetting their games and making them unplayable afterwards. The aims of the movement are simple: publishers can […]
TL;DR:
The aims of the movement are simple: publishers can […]
Techdirt
Jun 22, 20:17
Trump Still Wants His MAGA Slush Fund… And His Cabinet Refuses To Sign Declarations That It’s Gone
In mid-May, the Todd Blanche-run DOJ agreed to “settle” the fake case Donald Trump had brought against his own IRS. The “settlement”? A $1.776 billion fund to pay reparations to the MAGA faithful. Much of that money was expected to flow to January 6th insurrectionists — many of them convicted of actual crimes that Trump […]
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Trump Still Wants His MAGA Slush Fund… And His Cabinet Refuses To Sign Declarations That It’s Gone. A $1.776 billion fund to pay reparations to the MAGA faithful. Much of that money was expected to flow to January 6th insurrectionists — many of them convicted of actual crimes that Trump […]
TL;DR:
In mid-May, the Todd Blanche-run DOJ agreed to “settle” the fake case Donald Trump had brought against his own IRS.
Techdirt
Jun 22, 18:10
As Suspected, The ‘Trump Phone’ Is Just A Cheap Overseas Knockoff With Some Garish Yellow Paint
The Trump Organization still hasn’t shipped their promised Trump “made in America” phone to most of the customers who laid down a $100 deposit a year ago. But they did recently start to ship early review copies to a handful of outlets and preferred cultists. What outlets generally found wasn’t surprising: it’s a pretty substandard […]
More:
As Suspected, The ‘Trump Phone’ Is Just A Cheap Overseas Knockoff With Some Garish Yellow Paint. But they did recently start to ship early review copies to a handful of outlets and preferred cultists. What outlets generally found wasn’t surprising: it’s a pretty substandard […]
TL;DR:
The Trump Organization still hasn’t shipped their promised Trump “made in America” phone to most of the customers who laid down a $100 deposit a year ago.
Techdirt
Jun 22, 16:40
Moral Panic Beats First Amendment In Sixth Circuit’s Ohio Social Media Ruling
The Sixth Circuit just handed Ohio a win on its social media law restricting minors, and reading the majority opinion, it’s immediately obvious why: the court fell hook, line, and sinker for the moral panic that social media is inherently poisonous to children. The first few pages of the decision are nothing but cherry-picked, out-of-context […]
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The Sixth Circuit just handed Ohio a win on its social media law restricting minors, and reading the majority opinion, it’s immediately obvious why: the court fell hook, line, and sinker for the moral panic that social media is inherently poisonous to children. The first few pages of the decision are nothing but cherry-picked, out-of-context […]
TL;DR:
The Sixth Circuit just handed Ohio a win on its social media law restricting minors, and reading the majority opinion, it’s immediately obvious why: the court fell hook, line, and sinker for the moral panic that social media is inherently poisonous to children.
Techdirt
Jun 22, 12:33
ICE: We Don’t Have A Database Of ICE Protesters, Just A Database Of People Who Are *Probably* ICE Protesters
It’s no secret ICE officers are using their phones and their tech toys to do way more than they’ll openly admit to doing. Tech tools that can be abused will be abused. And ICE has plenty of those, including an app that’s supposed to be used for “verification” of migrant status, but is just facial […]
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ICE: We Don’t Have A Database Of ICE Protesters, Just A Database Of People Who Are *Probably* ICE Protesters. Tech tools that can be abused will be abused. And ICE has plenty of those, including an app that’s supposed to be used for “verification” of migrant status, but is just facial […]
TL;DR:
It’s no secret ICE officers are using their phones and their tech toys to do way more than they’ll openly admit to doing.
Techdirt
Jun 19, 19:05
Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Close Your Apps And Think Of England
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
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Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Close Your Apps And Think Of England. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
TL;DR:
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw.
Eff
Jun 19, 09:45
The UK’s New Under-16 Social Media Ban Will Cause More Harm Than It Prevents
This week, politicians in the UK pushed forward with plans to eviscerate privacy and free speech on the internet by announcing a ban on social media for users under 16 that is set to take effect in Spring 2027. The UK government continues to falsely characterize this policy as a necessary response to growing concerns about online harms for young people. In reality, much like the Online Safety Act , it will cause more harm than it will prevent. Users of all ages are burdened with proving their age before accessing content, with social media platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X included in the ban. There remains no reliable, privacy-preserving method of verifying the age of every internet user and methods vary from one platform to the next. Young people will not simply be protected from being contacted by adults or endlessly scrolling—they’ll also lose access to educational videos on YouTube, local events on Facebook, and potentially cut off from distant friends and family. Public policy must be effective, proportionate and respectful of fundamental rights. Young people deserve better than a policy built on panic, and all internet users deserve a safe and free internet. A social media ban generates headlines, but it will not solve the problem. A Brief History of Age-Gating in the UK Age restriction proposals in the UK date back to a decade ago, when the proposed Digital Economy Bill was put forth to (among other things) restrict young people from accessing pornographic websites. While the Digital Economy Act of 2017 passed without age-based restrictions, it laid the groundwork for later age verification measures. Over the next few years, age checks for porn websites were announced then delayed several times . But it wasn’t until a consultation under the 2016-2019 May government and the 2020 publication of the Online Harms Whitepaper that age verification became a broader idea. In 2023, the UK passed the controversial Online Safety Act, establishing powers that could weaken privacy protections and freedom of expression for internet users worldwide. In July 2025, the government implemented age assurance measures on sites hosting “harmful” content. And despite politicians affirming repeatedly that the Online Safety Act would solve all of the problems with online safety, this year they decided it in fact did not go far enough. American social psychologist and The Anxious Generation author Jonathan Haidt—who has called for age-related social media bans around the world, despite significant scientific doubt about his research— met with the UK Health Secretary in February to push for the ban. In March, politicians introduced plans for a social media ban into the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to “prevent children under the age of 16 from becoming or being users” of “all regulated user-to-user services,” to be implemented by “highly-effective age assurance measures”—effectively banning under-16s from social media. When this proposal came before the House of Commons, MPs defeated and proposed their own amendment : enabling the Secretary of State to introduce provisions “requiring providers of specified internet services” to prevent access by children, under age 18 rather than 16, to specified internet services or to specified features; and to restrict access by children to specified internet services which ministers provide. But the social media ban does not stop there. The provision also requires internet service providers to limit the time kids spend online, and has rules about who can contact them online. These extreme rules will take decisions about using technology away from families and put them in the hands of government regulators. The history of this proposal shows that the UK government has repeatedly returned to the same flawed idea: restricting access to online services by requiring age checks for everyone. But the fundamental problems have not changed. There is still no widely available way to verify age online without compromising privacy—but even if there were, broad restrictions on social media will inevitably limit access to lawful speech, and valuable online communities, and arts and culture.
More:
The UK’s New Under-16 Social Media Ban Will Cause More Harm Than It Prevents. Young people deserve better than a policy built on panic, and all internet users deserve a safe and free internet. In 2023, the UK passed the controversial Online Safety Act, establishing powers that could weaken privacy protections and freedom of expression for internet users worldwide.
TL;DR:
There is still no widely available way to verify age online without compromising privacy—but even if there were, broad restrictions on social media will inevitably limit access to lawful speech, and valuable online communities, and arts and culture.
Eff
Jun 19, 09:35
EFF Joins 60+ Groups Urging the UK to Halt Face Estimation at the Border
This week, EFF joined Foxglove, Human Rights Watch, and 60 other organizations in writing to the UK’s Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, raising serious concern about the Home Office’s decision to deploy Facial Age Estimation (FAE) to assess asylum-seeking children from 2027. The letter points to four key concerns: Discrimination As with most face estimation and recognition tools, there is ongoing bias in the deployment of these technologies. With FAE, many have highlighted its baked-in failures and discrimination, particularly in relation to women and people of color. Evidence shows that FAE is most accurate for estimating the ages of Eastern European men, but even then it consistently produces errors. The Home Office itself noted “that FAE performance can vary depending on ethnicity” and skin tone. Inaccuracy The Home Office has admitted that FAE systems are imprecise for analyzing 16-to 18-year-olds, with even the “top systems” having an “error margin of around 2.5 years here.” This is exactly the age range for which the Home Office has chosen to deploy this technology. And this error margin will be widened yet further because children seeking asylum often suffer from trauma-induced aging. Lawfulness of Use of Children’s Data Major concerns exist around the lawful basis on which the Home Office, or its chosen third-party FAE vendors, could have sought consent to collect and process photographs or data from asylum-seeking children to train this system. Further, there is no clarity on the images and/or data that this technology has been trained on. Lack of Necessary Disclosure The Home Office claims “extensive testing has already been carried out across diverse groups, including different ethnicities, genders and age ranges, indicating promising performance and accuracy.” But these purported “promising” results have not been published, nor have any Equality or Data Protection Impact Assessments. The letter continues by requesting clarification on several key questions regarding these concerns. EFF and partners have provided the UK government 21 days for a response, and we urge the Home Office to take on this uphill task in good faith and release the information. You can read the letter in full here .
More:
EFF Joins 60+ Groups Urging the UK to Halt Face Estimation at the Border. EFF and partners have provided the UK government 21 days for a response, and we urge the Home Office to take on this uphill task in good faith and release the information. You can read the letter in full here .
TL;DR:
This week, EFF joined Foxglove, Human Rights Watch, and 60 other organizations in writing to the UK’s Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, raising serious concern about the Home Office’s decision to deploy Facial Age Estimation (FAE) to assess asylum-seeking children from 2027. The letter points to four key concerns: Discrimination As with most face estimation and recognition tools, there is ongoing bias in the deployment of these technologies.
Theverge
Jun 19, 09:00
T1 Phone PR firm is ‘not assisting Trump Mobile any further’
Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. We don't have the phones we preordered yet, but this week we received unexpected news from Trump Mobile's media relations manager. If you've been following my reporting on the Trump phone, you'll know that Trump Mobile doesn't exactly keep open lines of […]
More:
T1 Phone PR firm is ‘not assisting Trump Mobile any further’. We don't have the phones we preordered yet, but this week we received unexpected news from Trump Mobile's media relations manager. If you've been following my reporting on the Trump phone, you'll know that Trump Mobile doesn't exactly keep open lines of […]
TL;DR:
Where's the Trump phone?
Techdirt
Jun 19, 02:39
CBS Signs Licensing Deal With ‘Peanuts’ People To Duck Legal Issues From Colbert’s Last Show
I can’t say I know for sure that Stephen Colbert is a Techdirt reader, but I very much believe he is. His interests align somewhat with ours, he often comments on some of the same topics we do, and, it turns out, he decided to troll his previous employer during his last show in a […]
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CBS Signs Licensing Deal With ‘Peanuts’ People To Duck Legal Issues From Colbert’s Last Show. I can’t say I know for sure that Stephen Colbert is a Techdirt reader, but I very much believe he is. His interests align somewhat with ours, he often comments on some of the same topics we do, and, it turns out, he decided to troll his previous employer during his last show in a […]
TL;DR:
I can’t say I know for sure that Stephen Colbert is a Techdirt reader, but I very much believe he is.
Eff
Jun 18, 22:34
Canada Is Forging Ahead with Its Dangerous Surveillance Bill
With no serious debate, including on proposed amendments, Canada is blazing full speed ahead with Bill C-22, which would threaten encryption and increase surveillance. Also known as the Lawful Access Bill, Bill C-22 is currently moving forward quickly to a vote despite the many, many criticisms civil liberty groups and the tech industry have hurled at it. As we’ve discussed before , Bill C-22 is dangerous on multiple levels. It pushes for requirements for metadata retention, expands information sharing with foreign governments, and establishes a mechanism that allows Canada’s Ministry of Public Safety to demand that companies create backdoors, effectively breaking encryption. That mechanism was a key facet of Part 2 in Bill C-22, and the government prevented it from being independently debated. In a deep analysis of the bill , Citizen Lab and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association detail every one of flaws of this proposal, concluding that most elements are unsalvageable. A wide range of tech companies agree . Signal, Apple, Google, and several VPN providers oppose the bill, and some have said they’d likely be forced to either cut Canadians off from certain features or shut down services in Canada altogether. The Canadian government wants this dangerous, complicated, overreaching bill passed before June 19 . Bill C-22 is riddled with privacy problems that affect millions of people. It should be debated and studied fully, not jammed through on an arbitrary deadline. OpenMedia is offering a tool for Canadians to contact their elected representatives about the bill. Actions taken on OpenMedia's website are governed by OpenMedia's privacy policy, not EFF's.
More:
Canada Is Forging Ahead with Its Dangerous Surveillance Bill. Also known as the Lawful Access Bill, Bill C-22 is currently moving forward quickly to a vote despite the many, many criticisms civil liberty groups and the tech industry have hurled at it. Bill C-22 is riddled with privacy problems that affect millions of people.
TL;DR:
With no serious debate, including on proposed amendments, Canada is blazing full speed ahead with Bill C-22, which would threaten encryption and increase surveillance.
Eff
Jun 18, 21:56
EFF Thanks SerpApi For Helping Us Protect Free Speech Online
EFF is grateful for SerpApi ’s generous support, helping us fight for your rights to speak and access information online. SerpApi has been giving to EFF every year since 2018, and alongside our 32,000 individual donors, their gift is critical to keeping up the fight. Whether in the courts, halls of power, or broader policy debates, we appreciate the work this support has made possible over the years. Some examples: We sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to stop an unconstitutional social media surveillance program to identify and punish individuals who express viewpoints the government disagrees with. We helped develop the Santa Clara Principles , a framework to reign in overbroad content moderation so that all users are treated fairly and offered consistent tools for recourse if their speech is censored by tech companies. In the whitepaper Unfiltered: How YouTube’s Content ID Discourages Fair Use and Dictates What We See Online , we pushed back on YouTube for silencing individual creators in the interest of protecting a small number of giant copyright holders. We stood with whistleblowers and dissidents persecuted for their online speech. We continued the fight to protect Section 230 . We live in an era when lawful speech and the right to access information are being targeted by Big Tech and governments around the world that are hostile to dissent. Free speech online is core to EFF’s mission, and SerpApi’s support will help us continue the fight to protect everyone’s right to free expression.
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EFF Thanks SerpApi For Helping Us Protect Free Speech Online. Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to stop an unconstitutional social media surveillance program to identify and punish individuals who express viewpoints the government disagrees with.
TL;DR:
EFF is grateful for SerpApi ’s generous support, helping us fight for your rights to speak and access information online.
Techdirt
Jun 18, 20:06
Wyden And Cruz Team Up On A Bill To Stop Government Jawboning. It’s… Actually Pretty Good?
Senators Ron Wyden and Ted Cruz have released the JAWBONE Act (“Justice Against Weaponized Bureaucratic Overreach to Networked Expression Act”) as a way to prevent government suppression of speech. While some of the premises behind it are silly and nonsensical, the actual law is not bad. Of course, if it became law, the Trump admin […]
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Wyden And Cruz Team Up On A Bill To Stop Government Jawboning. It’s… Actually Pretty Good?. Of course, if it became law, the Trump admin […]
TL;DR:
Senators Ron Wyden and Ted Cruz have released the JAWBONE Act (“Justice Against Weaponized Bureaucratic Overreach to Networked Expression Act”) as a way to prevent government suppression of speech.
Eff
Jun 18, 19:46
Call for Submissions: Digital Pride
This Pride season, join EFF and the Queer Arts Collective in building a creative space at the intersection of digital justice and artistic expression. We’re looking for fresh, untold, historically censored takes on digital liberation. Whether it’s pointing the lens towards an issue you feel is underrepresented in digital justice efforts; sharing personal accounts of joy, pleasure, or sorrow under surveillance; painting your widest imagination for our communities using technology for good instead of carcerality and doom—we want to see it and we want it to expand our own understanding of what’s important and beautiful. We’re going to be curating between five and nine art pieces across writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry) and visual arts (photography, drawing, painting). We welcome fluidity in medium and genre, and cross-genre works of all kinds, such as graphic storytelling and collaborations. We are looking for works that convey the importance of digital liberation and ways of achieving it, particularly from under-represented perspectives. Pieces will be selected based on interpretation of the theme, emotional resonance (does it surprise, move, frighten, delight?), and overall curatorial cohesion for each issue. Submissions that adhere to the following length guidelines are preferred: (NON)FICTION - max 1500 words POETRY - max 2 poems VISUAL ARTS - max 1 artwork, which can be a serialized collection. Please submit to [email protected] by June 30, 2026, including your piece as an attachment and a short bio in the body of the email, alongside anything else we should know about your submission. You can expect to hear back from us around July 31, and we aim to have the first issue published in September. If we select your submission for publication on both EFF and Queer Arts Collective websites, we will compensate you between $25 - $50, depending on the number of pieces published. There is no fee for entry. Please only submit one piece or a contained series for this call, and wait for us to get back to you before submitting again. If you plan to submit both individually and as part of a collective, one submission in each of these categories applies. Your submission must be your original work and you must have the legal right to authorize us to publish it, but it need not be created specifically for this project; you may submit a work you have published previously. Please disclose any use of AI in a note in your application—this will not disqualify your entry, though we value transparency of labor exchange. As attempting to witness art is a highly subjective endeavor, please don't consider not being selected as anything other than circumstantial. We are looking to foster a community of artists working for digital justice, and would love to see more from you in the future. You will retain all legal rights to your work, but agree to provide EFF and Queer Arts Collective with a non-exclusive and non-time-limited license to publish your work on their websites and other promotional materials, such as in zines. Meet the Judges Kit Walsh is an EFF attorney who works to protect the rights of activists, journalists, researchers, and dissenters in order to build a better world. She is also a Nebula-award-winning author and is best known for her tabletop roleplaying game Thirsty Sword Lesbians. Paige Collings is an EFF activist working to dismantle systems of oppression and advance collective liberation. Her work focuses on highlighting how state surveillance and corporate restrictions stifle marginalized communities and perpetuate historic injustices and harm. She works with activists across the globe to facilitate systemic change by speaking truth to power and creating spaces for alternative imaginations. The Queer Arts Collective is an NYC-based collective run by queer and racialized artist-activists, looking to make space for art that is deliberately disruptive of structural hierarchies that power the status quo.
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Call for Submissions: Digital Pride. If we select your submission for publication on both EFF and Queer Arts Collective websites, we will compensate you between $25 - $50, depending on the number of pieces published. There is no fee for entry. Paige Collings is an EFF activist working to dismantle systems of oppression and advance collective liberation.
TL;DR:
This Pride season, join EFF and the Queer Arts Collective in building a creative space at the intersection of digital justice and artistic expression. We’re looking for fresh, untold, historically censored takes on digital liberation.
Eff
Jun 18, 19:38
A New Bill Takes Aim at Government Pressure to Silence Lawful Online Speech
Last week, Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Wyden introduced the Justice Against Weaponized Bureaucratic Overreach to Networked Expression, or JAWBONE Act . The bipartisan legislation creates a federal cause of action against government officials who coerce or attempt to coerce broadcasters, interactive computer services, or AI providers into taking actions against lawful, First-Amendment-protected speech, and establishes a transparency system for government communications with those intermediaries about user expression. We thank the Senators for their leadership on this important issue. Jawboning occurs when the government pressures private companies to censor speech protected by the First Amendment, and it’s not always obvious to the public or to the victims what has actually happened. Deleting posts or cancelling accounts because a government official or agency demanded it or even made threats in making those demands—just like spying on people’s communications on behalf of the government —raises serious free speech concerns. Among other things, this bill would provide a new legal right to bring claims against the government in federal court, in addition to what the First Amendment provides. At EFF, we’re continuing to fight back on behalf of those censored by government coercion. One recent example: we represent the creator of ICEBlock , an app that allows the public to report immigration enforcement activity in their communities. In June 2025, high-ranking federal officials began threatening to investigate and prosecute the creator of ICEBlock , Joshua Aaron. In October 2025, the U.S. Attorney General demanded Apple remove ICEBlock from the App Store, and the company complied. The government’s coercion violated Aaron’s First Amendment rights. We’ve also filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the same government agencies that threatened Aaron and other services that provided forums to report ICE activity. The lawsuit seeks the disclosure of the government’s communications with Apple, Google, and Meta that forced the services to remove lawful speech. When federal officials pressure private companies into censoring protected speech, it can violate the First Amendment. But, not every communication from a government agency to a platform is unconstitutionally coercive. Treating legitimate communication and information-sharing between the government and private actors as though it were always unconstitutional would chill the valuable, good-faith engagement that supports a healthier and safer internet and nation for all Americans. This is a complex issue, and one that is important for Congress and the courts to get right. Finally, contrary to what many in Congress have been saying, social media platforms and other internet intermediaries have their own First Amendment rights to decide how they moderate users’ speech. They are not “state actors” and do not have an obligation under the First Amendment to allow all user speech on their platforms. EFF filed an amicus brief setting out our position in 2018 , and we’ve said it in many cases since . The Supreme Court recognized again in the Netchoice cases that these services have a right to curate and edit their users’ speech, whether or not it aligns with the government’s position. And, it’s important to defend that First Amendment right so that governments cannot dictate how to edit a company’s site according to the government’s wishes and desires . To prevent jawboning by default, companies must be free to curate their platforms as they wish. EFF applauds Senators Cruz and Wyden for taking this critical issue seriously, and we look forward to working with Congress on this bipartisan bill as it moves through the process. We hope it lands on the right balance to provide additional protections for everyday users around freedom of expression.
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A New Bill Takes Aim at Government Pressure to Silence Lawful Online Speech. When federal officials pressure private companies into censoring protected speech, it can violate the First Amendment. This is a complex issue, and one that is important for Congress and the courts to get right.
TL;DR:
At EFF, we’re continuing to fight back on behalf of those censored by government coercion.
Eff
Jun 18, 19:36
Court Records Should Be Free
Court records belong to the public. Yet anyone seeking access to federal court filings through PACER, a government software system that stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records, is usually required to pay hefty fees to search for and view documents. PACER’s fees have long acted as a barrier that makes it hard, especially for low income people, to see and understand the work produced by our own public servants. That's why EFF joined a broad group of organizations supporting the Open Courts Act of 2026, legislation that would modernize the federal courts' electronic filing systems and eliminate PACER fees. The bill would replace the aging PACER and CM/ECF systems with a modern, unified platform designed to improve public access, strengthen cybersecurity, and reduce long-term costs. Supporters note that PACER currently collects more than $150 million annually in fees from the public, despite court records being public documents. The Open Courts Act would also make court records easier to find, access, and understand. The legislation builds on a similar proposal , also supported by EFF, that previously won bipartisan support in the Senate Judiciary Committee but did not become law before the end of the congressional session. This is not a new issue for EFF. More than a decade ago, we criticized PACER's paywalls and the removal of some court records from online access, arguing that the public should not have to pay to read the law and the judicial decisions that shape it. The Open Courts Act would move U.S. courts a big step closer to that goal. In addition to EFF, the bill is supported by Fix the Court , the group pushing this bill forward, as well as civil society groups, open government watchdogs, and media groups. Public access to the courts is a cornerstone of democratic accountability. Let’s eliminate unnecessary barriers to court records , and bring the federal judiciary’s tech into the modern era. Read the full letter supporting the Open Courts Act of 2026
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Court Records Should Be Free. The Open Courts Act would also make court records easier to find, access, and understand. The Open Courts Act would move U.S.
TL;DR:
Court records belong to the public.
Eff
Jun 18, 19:00
Field Notes from a Year of OPSEC Training
Late last year, as part of our annual “Year in Review” series, we summarized our efforts providing digital privacy and security advice to at-risk communities. OPSEC trainings (short for operational security, a catch-all term we use to describe any kind of workshop, advising session, assessment, or presentation about operational security for individuals and organization) are something we've long provided, but until recently, something we’ve never broadcasted. This has become a critical aspect of our work over the years, keeping us grounded and in touch with the realities of tech-enabled violence as well as evolving resistance strategies used by movement workers. Hoping other security trainers and organizers copy our homework, here’s a more thorough breakdown. NOT TRADITIONAL PENTESTING To be clear, we're not a 'pentesting' company, which refers to the methodological process of testing a person or organization's security and privacy posture, nor an information security (infosec) firm that offers anything within scopes of traditional security assessments. Infosec companies almost always adhere to a cycle of: discovery/reconnaissance; > vulnerability scanning and testing; > exploitation of vulnerabilities found; > and a reportback of recommended mitigation strategies. Such full-spectrum audits can run the gamut of testing network security, physical security, organization posture against phishing or ransomware attacks, web app security, and more. For many organizations, the value of such engagements is immeasurable. Such companies—although equipped with the technical sophistication to do full-spectrum digital security auditing and testing—often lack the critical points of view of human rights defenders and activists. Many human rights defenders and liberation movement workers are critically under-resourced and unable to meet the high costs of engagement with such infosec companies. But that’s not what we offer. Our trainings center the needs of people on the ground, and offer this work pro bono. The cycle of engagement our work tends to take is similar to the lifecycle of pentesting outlined above, but with some key differences better suited to people-powered movements. We begin with a period of discovery about the organization we’re engaging with, learning about their work, the issue space they’re working in, and the types of threats their peers have faced in the past. Relying on our knowledge of known threat actors (state-operated threats, non-state actors, surveillance mechanisms, and more), we conduct a thorough threat modeling and risk assessment exercise, surfacing critical pieces of information about what we ought to prioritize protecting and from what. Sometimes that’s enough for a group to get started on improving their security plans, and we send them on their way. After receiving consent from the group to do so, we may perform some OSINT (open source intelligence) investigation and map out a sketch of their digital footprint. This often looks like some combination of discoverability through public records, data broker ecosystems, and breach databases, as well as risks they may incur through the services they rely on for their web presence. That latter part can be done with typical pentesting reconnaissance tools, as well as our own project Privacy Badger for mapping the trackers on their website, which pose them and their users some amount of risk. Working from this sketch of their digital footprint, opportunities to lessen the reach of their data exposure, or at least the more sensitive areas they ought to be aware of, become apparent. For a more in-depth engagement, we take the information gathered from the guided threat modeling exercises, as well as the digital footprint we’ve developed for them, and we move on to training the participants on what they need to address their threats. Sometimes that looks like a deep dive on encryption and how it can be used to protect data backups and secure communications. Other times it looks like getting very knowledgeable and practiced on the various ways to stay safe from surveillance threats encountered at a protest . Often though, our engagement with those asking for advice on how to strengthen their OPSEC is as simple as presenting materials covered in our Surveillance Self-Defense (SSD) project, but with EFF staff to help apply those lessons to their context. MOVEMENTS AND COMMUNITIES ADVISED Requests for such training mostly arise organically, either via referral, from our participation in external media, or driven by an interest in SSD. Naturally, the demand for accessible OPSEC advice escalates along with the general sophistication and reach of surveillance technology. And as authoritarianism creeps and continues to threaten the movement workers fighting against it, there's a marked urgency for that demand. The types of communities and liberation movement workers that reach out run a wide array of experiences, but some commonalities stick out....
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Such companies—although equipped with the technical sophistication to do full-spectrum digital security auditing and testing—often lack the critical points of view of human rights defenders and activists. Other times it looks like getting very knowledgeable and practiced on the various ways to stay safe from surveillance threats encountered at a protest .
TL;DR:
Late last year, as part of our annual “Year in Review” series, we summarized our efforts providing digital privacy and security advice to at-risk communities.
Eff
Jun 18, 18:45
AI Regulation Should Be Rational, Not Retaliatory
The Trump administration’s approach to AI safety, particularly the generative AI models that regularly grab headlines, has been haphazard at best. At worst, it’s unconstitutional. As EFF and our allies explained in an amicus brief , the Pentagon’s actions against one company, Anthropic, violate the First Amendment because they were motivated by the administration’s desire to punish an uncooperative company, not legitimate concerns about national security. By and large, the Trump administration’s AI strategy has minimized regulation in the name of “winning” the global “race” to develop leading frontier models. It has pared back regulations intended to address even the most serious AI threats—like AI-enabled cyberattacks on government systems—to protect AI innovation. Yet it has repeatedly singled out one AI company for arbitrary, heavy-handed rules and sanctions. For years, the federal government relied on Anthropic’s models for use in its classified systems. But after Anthropic resisted the government’s demands to use Anthropic’s models to autonomously kill people or spy on Americans, the government declared war on the “woke” company. It designated the company a “supply chain risk,” effectively banning agencies and government contractors from doing business with the company. A court issued a preliminary injunction preventing these sanctions from taking effect, as EFF and other civil liberties organizations urged it to do in an amicus brief filed earlier this year. But absent judicial action, these sanctions would’ve cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars. Either way, it sent a clear signal that companies must adhere to the government’s wishes or face similar consequences. As we explained in our brief filed today , these sanctions were clear retaliation for the company’s public refusal to allow the Pentagon to use its models to develop fully autonomous weapons and spy on Americans. This kind of retaliation is unconstitutional. In a recent executive order, the Trump administration took its war on Anthropic even further, by imposing “export controls” that ban any foreign nationals from using Anthropic’s new Mythos and Fable models. To comply with this order, Anthropic shut down the models altogether. These extreme measures were purportedly justified by security concerns. The administration said it feared that Anthropic’s Mythos-class models could be used to find and exploit existing vulnerabilities in software code—hardly a new feat for an LLM. Anthropic itself has contributed to public anxieties about its Mythos-class models, initially claiming that Mythos was too dangerous for public release and restricting access to a handful of partners. The company’s CEO called for a pause on AI development, citing fears that the technology was becoming too powerful. But regulators should be cutting through the hype, not feeding it. Even if Mythos’s capabilities were a modest improvement over existing technology, others are already closing the gap. In other words, nothing about Mythos is so uniquely dangerous that it warrants exceptional export controls to protect the public. Yet other LLMs with similar offensive cybersecurity capabilities are not subject to export controls. Instead, the government has embraced a voluntary system in which companies are encouraged to submit models to the government for cybersecurity testing 30 days before releasing them to the public. AI policy should be reasonably responsive to real-world risk, grounded in the realities of the technology, and no more burdensome than necessary to protect the public. But the government’s haphazard decision to impose export controls on Mythos-class models, while subjecting other AI models to nothing more than a voluntary, light-touch framework, meets none of these criteria. As leading cybersecurity experts and executives recently explained in an open letter , these sanctions prevent developers and security teams from using the best models to find and fix vulnerabilities before adversaries, armed with nearly as capable AI, can exploit them. Decades Later, Code Is Still Speech More importantly, export controls on important software tools like LLMs can undermine the free flow of digital communications and technologies that activists, innovators, and ordinary users desperately need. Freedom of expression requires access to these tools. Depriving the public of the best AI threatens our rights without making us any safer. EFF has long opposed government efforts to restrict the publication of non-classified software to the general public. In the 1990s, EFF challenged export controls on encryption software, helping establish the principle that “code is speech,” protected by the First Amendment. Courts recognized that software is not just a functional tool—it’s a means of ideas, knowledge, and technical know-how. And they recognized that the government was overreaching in trying to restrict private developers from sharing their improvements in computer ...
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For years, the federal government relied on Anthropic’s models for use in its classified systems. But after Anthropic resisted the government’s demands to use Anthropic’s models to autonomously kill people or spy on Americans, the government declared war on the “woke” company.
TL;DR:
The Trump administration’s approach to AI safety, particularly the generative AI models that regularly grab headlines, has been haphazard at best.
Techdirt
Jun 18, 18:06
Surveillance Is Good Because I Want Drivers I Don’t Like To Be Punished: Cleveland Columnist
Here it is: the dumbest defense of automatic license plate readers I’ve ever read. While we can subtract some points because the person writing it has no power to install/un-install/cover in garbage bags surveillance tech, he’s a regular contributor to a long-running newspaper in a major city. And since this paper is still willing to […]
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Surveillance Is Good Because I Want Drivers I Don’t Like To Be Punished: Cleveland Columnist. While we can subtract some points because the person writing it has no power to install/un-install/cover in garbage bags surveillance tech, he’s a regular contributor to a long-running newspaper in a major city. And since this paper is still willing to […]
TL;DR:
Here it is: the dumbest defense of automatic license plate readers I’ve ever read.
Techdirt
Jun 18, 16:29
Trump Surrenders To Iran On Virtually Every Point
If there’s one thing that Donald Trump has shown over the years, it’s that he will get his most sycophantic MAGA loyalists to insist there are perfectly obvious reasons why whatever he’s about to do is absolutely necessary… and then Trump will do the opposite, and all those hangers-on will magically change their story within […]
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What Trump signed is a one-page memorandum of understanding with a 60-day time limit. After that, another deal needs to happen — one that may or may not actually get signed. The thing being called a historic peace agreement is, in legal terms, a note on the back of a napkin that expires in two months.
TL;DR:
If there’s one thing that Donald Trump has shown over the years, it’s that he will get his most sycophantic MAGA loyalists to insist there are perfectly obvious reasons why whatever he’s about to do is absolutely necessary… and then Trump will do the opposite, and all those hangers-on will magically change their story within […]
Theverge
Jun 18, 13:00
The Onion’s rebooted InfoWars is coming July 2nd
The Onion's InfoWars officially has a launch date: On July 2nd, the conspiracy network previously run by Alex Jones will return as a comedy and media platform. The reboot comes more than a year and a half after news broke that the satirical news site was working to acquire the property owned by Jones, a […]
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The Onion’s rebooted InfoWars is coming July 2nd. The Onion's InfoWars officially has a launch date: On July 2nd, the conspiracy network previously run by Alex Jones will return as a comedy and media platform. The reboot comes more than a year and a half after news broke that the satirical news site was working to acquire the property owned by Jones, a […]
TL;DR:
The Onion's InfoWars officially has a launch date: On July 2nd, the conspiracy network previously run by Alex Jones will return as a comedy and media platform.
Techdirt
Jun 18, 12:26
Trump DOJ Trying To Protect Musk From Lawsuit Over Memphis AI Data Center Pollution
For a long time organizations like the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have noted how Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis disproportionately pollutes the air in minority neighborhoods. A joint lawsuit by SELC, Earthjustice, and the NAACP filed last April argued that Musk and friends didn’t even bother to get the necessary permits to […]
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For a long time organizations like the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have noted how Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis disproportionately pollutes the air in minority neighborhoods. A joint lawsuit by SELC, Earthjustice, and the NAACP filed last April argued that Musk and friends didn’t even bother to get the necessary permits to […]
TL;DR:
For a long time organizations like the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have noted how Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis disproportionately pollutes the air in minority neighborhoods.
Theverge
Jun 18, 10:21
The midterms are going to be a data security nightmare
One messy database is threatening to disenfranchise thousands or even millions of registered voters, while leaving even more at risk of intimidation or data breaches, in the name of solving a problem that barely exists. As the 2026 midterm elections approach, election and privacy experts are sounding alarms about the Department of Homeland Security's Systematic […]
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One messy database is threatening to disenfranchise thousands or even millions of registered voters, while leaving even more at risk of intimidation or data breaches, in the name of solving a problem that barely exists. As the 2026 midterm elections approach, election and privacy experts are sounding alarms about the Department of Homeland Security's Systematic […]
TL;DR:
One messy database is threatening to disenfranchise thousands or even millions of registered voters, while leaving even more at risk of intimidation or data breaches, in the name of solving a problem that barely exists.
Theverge
Jun 18, 10:00
Who decides when AI is too dangerous?
On today’s episode of Decoder, my guest is Hayden Field, senior AI reporter for The Verge. Often when Hayden comes on the show, it’s because something has gone wrong in the world of AI. Last weekend, that something was a pretty intense mix of Anthropic, the Trump administration, and Anthropic’s new AI model, Fable 5. […]
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Who decides when AI is too dangerous?. On today’s episode of Decoder, my guest is Hayden Field, senior AI reporter for The Verge. Often when Hayden comes on the show, it’s because something has gone wrong in the world of AI.
TL;DR:
Last weekend, that something was a pretty intense mix of Anthropic, the Trump administration, and Anthropic’s new AI model, Fable 5. […]
Eff
Jun 17, 21:26
The Free and Open Web Is Under Attack at the IETF
The ability to access publicly available information using automated tools is a central value and benefit of a free and open internet. Automated access—often called crawling or scraping—powers important, useful tools for locating, preserving, and analyzing online information. For example, crawling and scraping helps journalists, researchers, and watchdog organizations report the news, find security flaws, and investigate discrimination. Crawling the web allows non-profits like the Internet Archive to preserve historical copies of websites. Tools for automated comparison shopping allow consumers to find the best deals on items they want to buy. And so on. Yet the open internet access is increasingly under threat from publishers and Big Tech companies alike. Fearing lost advertising and licensing revenues, website operators increasingly claim that they need to lock down their sites from bots that crawl public web content to train or operate AI models. Some companies are even trying to embed their business models into internet standards by changing Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) technical standards that shape much of the internet. Many of their economic anxieties are understandable. AI bots can strain websites’ infrastructure, in some cases, degrading site performance or taking them offline altogether. Upgrading systems costs money that some sites may not have. And AI is likely to disrupt the business models many publishers adopted in response to the rise of the internet, if users rely on AI overviews instead of visiting source websites. However reasonable these fears may be, the answer is not to chang e the IETF standards from neutral protocols that encourage openness to restrictive requirements designed to monetize internet access. The worst of these proposed standards would give websites far greater ability to automatically block legitimate, lawful scraping and crawling. For example, the AI Preferences working group is working on proposals to give publishers a way to express “ preference signals” against crawling web data for AI-related purposes, including to train models, generate outputs, and help users search the web. These preference signals would be expressed through robots.txt and could potentially become legally binding in some jurisdictions. Another working group, called Web Bot Auth , is pursuing efforts to protect sites from overly-aggressive bots tha t strain website resources—a positive goal that could meaningfully improve the internet in the AI era. But Web Bot Auth is simultaneously pursuing a much more dangerous path as well: standards changes that would enable sites to cryptographically identify bots so that they can more easily block anyone they wish—not just “ bad” actors, but competitors, dissidents, or anyone who hasn ’ t paid for the right to access sites using automated tools. If sites restrict crawling to a preapproved list of cryptographically authenticated bots, they could require licensing payments from those wishing to crawl their sites. This would close off the open web to researchers, archivists, and startups without the ability to pay for automated access. Websites may have legitimate reasons to worry about AI ’ s impacts on their traffic and advertising revenue, but those reasons must be weighed against the benefits of the open web. These proposals would effectively give website operators veto power over a wide range of important uses—from the investigations and archival works described above to accessibility tools for people with disabilities, to research efforts aimed at holding governments accountable. That is why we are fighting back against these threats to open access. EFF and our allies in the open internet community have successfully resisted some of the most dangerous IETF proposals thus far—and won ’ t stop working to protect the open web from efforts to manipulate internet standards to undermine the right to freely access the internet in any legal way, including with automated tools.
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The Free and Open Web Is Under Attack at the IETF. Some companies are even trying to embed their business models into internet standards by changing Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) technical standards that shape much of the internet.
TL;DR:
The ability to access publicly available information using automated tools is a central value and benefit of a free and open internet.
Eff
Jun 17, 20:33
The NO FAKES Act Could Silence Satire, Commentary, And News
The NO FAKES Act is supposed to target harmful AI-generated impersonations. But in reality, it will make it easier to suppress commentary, satire, and other lawful speech. That's why EFF has signed a letter urging the Senate Judiciary Committee not to advance the bill in its current form. Take action Tell Congress to Say No to NO FAKES In the letter, EFF joins a coalition of civil society groups in pointing out that the bill would import many of the worst features of the DMCA notice-and-takedown system into an even broader range of online expression. Faced with a “heckler’s veto” over legal speech, platforms will have incentives to remove content first and ask questions later. The bill offers no protection for a platform’s judgment about an often difficult question—whether a particular piece of content is satire, parody, commentary, or news. Any platform that guesses wrong faces penalties of up to $750,000 per work. NO FAKES could also undermine the rights of the people it is supposed to protect. The new federal “likeness” right could be licensed or transferred to others, so individuals will lose control over the use of their own face and voice. That’s not theoretical—workers in the entertainment industry are routinely asked to sign broad contracts about the future use of their likenesses. As the letter notes: A background actor who signs a release on set or an ordinary person who clicks through a platform's terms of service could end up with the right to their own face and voice in someone else's hands, for years, with federal enforcement behind it. EFF and the other signatories urge Congress to examine existing legal remedies and pursue narrowly tailored solutions to genuine harms. The last thing we need is a sweeping new intellectual property right that threatens free expression. In addition to EFF, the letter is signed by the Center for Democracy & Technology, the American Civil Liberties Union, Fight for the Future, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, the Organization for Transformative Works, Public Knowledge, the R Street Institute, The Future of Free Speech, and the Woodhull Freedom Foundation. Read the full letter here. Take action Tell Congress to Say No to NO FAKES
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The NO FAKES Act Could Silence Satire, Commentary, And News. But in reality, it will make it easier to suppress commentary, satire, and other lawful speech. That's why EFF has signed a letter urging the Senate Judiciary Committee not to advance the bill in its current form.
TL;DR:
Read the full letter here. Take action Tell Congress to Say No to NO FAKES
Techdirt
Jun 17, 20:00
You Have Less Than A Week To Tell The FCC That Carr’s Censorial Attack On ABC Is Nonsense
You have less than a week to weigh in on Brendan Carr’s obviously bullshit retaliatory censorial attack on Disney. While it’s quite clear that Carr is likely to ignore the comments, they still very much matter. It needs to be in the public record that the public is against this attack on free speech and […]
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You Have Less Than A Week To Tell The FCC That Carr’s Censorial Attack On ABC Is Nonsense. You have less than a week to weigh in on Brendan Carr’s obviously bullshit retaliatory censorial attack on Disney. While it’s quite clear that Carr is likely to ignore the comments, they still very much matter.
TL;DR:
It needs to be in the public record that the public is against this attack on free speech and […]
Techdirt
Jun 17, 17:53
Military Official Admits Boat Strike May Have Murdered Human Trafficking Victims
The US military has engaged in extrajudicial killings via drone strikes since it was first shown this tech could be used to murder people. The War on Terror has given us more than two decades of drone strikes — all of which have used war-related justifications to excuse them without the actual authorization of Congress. […]
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The US military has engaged in extrajudicial killings via drone strikes since it was first shown this tech could be used to murder people. The War on Terror has given us more than two decades of drone strikes — all of which have used war-related justifications to excuse them without the actual authorization of Congress.
TL;DR:
The US military has engaged in extrajudicial killings via drone strikes since it was first shown this tech could be used to murder people.
Techdirt
Jun 17, 16:26
FISA 702 Surveillance Authority Expires Because Donald Trump Tried To Tie It To A Voting Bill He Couldn’t Pass
On Friday, the government’s Section 702 surveillance authority lapsed! It may be temporary, but it’s still an important milestone. Section 702 was one of the surveillance programs Ed Snowden exposed in 2013 — and even after the exposure, the NSA has continued abusing it to spy on Americans. It’s the tool that lets the NSA […]
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FISA 702 Surveillance Authority Expires Because Donald Trump Tried To Tie It To A Voting Bill He Couldn’t Pass. Section 702 was one of the surveillance programs Ed Snowden exposed in 2013 — and even after the exposure, the NSA has continued abusing it to spy on Americans. It’s the tool that lets the NSA […]
TL;DR:
On Friday, the government’s Section 702 surveillance authority lapsed!
Theverge
Jun 17, 14:28
Anthropic got hit by export rules nobody understands
Anthropic has spent much of this week fighting to get its newest AI models back online after the Trump administration abruptly ordered the company to cut access for all foreign nationals, including users inside the US and its own employees, forcing Anthropic to block access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for everyone. "To my […]
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Governing AI through opaque, ad hoc interventions is unsustainable, experts warn. “To my knowledge, this is the first time US export controls have been used to control access to an AI model in this way.
TL;DR:
Anthropic has spent much of this week fighting to get its newest AI models back online after the Trump administration abruptly ordered the company to cut access for all foreign nationals, including users inside the US and its own employees, forcing Anthropic to block access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for everyone.
Theverge
Jun 17, 12:27
Vibe-decoding the White House-Anthropic fight over Fable
Hello and welcome to Regulator, an email for Verge subscribers about technology, politics, and what happens when science crashes headlong into self-interest. Not a subscriber? Sign up here today! Got the scoop on a petty feud that's going to somehow fundamentally reshape the entire field of frontier AI development? Send 'em over to [email protected]. Back […]
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Vibe-decoding the White House-Anthropic fight over Fable. Got the scoop on a petty feud that's going to somehow fundamentally reshape the entire field of frontier AI development? Send 'em over to [email protected].
TL;DR:
Hello and welcome to Regulator, an email for Verge subscribers about technology, politics, and what happens when science crashes headlong into self-interest.
Techdirt
Jun 17, 12:22
CNN Resident Fact Checker Disappeared From Air As Company Waited For Trump Merger Approval
CNN brass have been waiting to get federal approval of their problematic $111 billion merger with Paramount. As we’ve detailed exhaustively, the high debt load from the CBS/Paramount and Warner Brothers merges is going to result in mass layoffs, higher consumer prices, and sagging quality control at the resulting company. It’s what always happens. It’s […]
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CNN Resident Fact Checker Disappeared From Air As Company Waited For Trump Merger Approval. CNN brass have been waiting to get federal approval of their problematic $111 billion merger with Paramount.
TL;DR:
CNN brass have been waiting to get federal approval of their problematic $111 billion merger with Paramount.
Techdirt
Jun 16, 20:14
The UK’s Teen Social Media Ban Is Political Theater, Not Child Safety Policy
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is not having a particularly good time of being the UK’s leader. Basically everyone thinks he’s doing a terrible job and it seems unlikely that he’ll be in the role much longer. Apparently desperate to turn the tide on being historically disliked, he’s decided to grab the most reliable life […]
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The UK’s Teen Social Media Ban Is Political Theater, Not Child Safety Policy. Basically everyone thinks he’s doing a terrible job and it seems unlikely that he’ll be in the role much longer. Apparently desperate to turn the tide on being historically disliked, he’s decided to grab the most reliable life […]
TL;DR:
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is not having a particularly good time of being the UK’s leader.
Eff
Jun 16, 18:56
Onward, Friends
After 26 years, today is my last day at EFF. It's been a terrific and wild ride — the organization has grown from a tiny band of fighty people trying to plant a flag for freedom and justice in the coming digital world into a large, established band of fighty people doing, well, much the same. The world around us has changed enormously. Our core values haven't budged. I'm proud of what we've achieved: freeing encryption, defending coders, pushing to rein in government and corporate surveillance and ensure the right to have a private conversation online, standing up for free speech and anonymous speech, fighting for network neutrality and safe voting machines, busting stupid patents, and making sure copyright didn't become the one law that rules the internet. That's only the start. We've stopped more bad legislative, regulatory, and legal ideas than I can count, built tools that millions rely on to protect their privacy, and helped encrypt the web. I've long said EFF is the plumber of the internet — finding the clogs and barriers that prevent technology from serving freedom, justice, and innovation for everyone. In addition to presenting cases in courts across the land, testifying in Congress and in California, in the European Parliament and at the United Nations, I went onto the internet with Stephen Colbert and engaged in a healthy disagreement with Jon Stewart . I wrote a lot of it down in a book , hoping to recruit others to the cause. The work has been hard and often frustrating at times. But looking back, the fun parts are what I remember most. None of it would have been possible without EFF’s stalwart members. More than 30,000 people, some with big wallets and some with small ones, give us what we need to stand up to bullies and fight for the long haul. EFF has always served as a beacon for people who know that for technology to support freedom, justice, and innovation for all the people of the world, we need a dedicated band of folks working overtime on behalf of users, innovators, and creators. There's still plenty left to do. We haven't killed the third-party doctrine, tamed the surveillance business model, or gotten metadata the constitutional protection it deserves. Stupid patents persist as does the overreach of DMCA section 1201 and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The government is now the largest purchaser of data from shady brokers, communities everywhere are fighting license plate readers and other street-level surveillance, and we haven't reined in NSA and FBI spying nearly enough. Meanwhile, the rise of AI is supercharging problems we've fought against for years. But I'm proud of what we've built together. I'm grateful to every EFFer — past, present, and future — who threw in with us when the odds were long and the pay was much better elsewhere. I'm grateful to the EFF Board and especially to my mentors and friends Pam Samuelson and Shari Steele, along with my longtime partner in justice, Lee Tien, who has been working with me since the Bernstein case . Fighting for justice is easier when you have a posse: coworkers, co-counsel, coalitions, interns, volunteers, and the heroic clients who trusted us to steward their cases in ways that bent the law toward everyone's benefit. Twenty-six years later, EFF is part of a global diaspora of organizations defending internet freedom — and I'm proud of that too. I'm stepping down because good leaders should make way for new ones, and the time feels right. EFF is strong and full of fight. My successor Nicole Ozer — a longtime friend and collaborator — is exactly the right person for this moment. She understands EFF's role and values at a deep level and will protect them while helping the organization rise to meet what's coming. As for me, I'm not going far. After a few months off to reflect and walk dogs, I plan to get back into the fight for justice — likely heading back into the courtroom. And I'll be watching, cheering, donating, and wearing the merch from EFF, just like the rest of you.
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Twenty-six years later, EFF is part of a global diaspora of organizations defending internet freedom — and I'm proud of that too. EFF is strong and full of fight. After a few months off to reflect and walk dogs, I plan to get back into the fight for justice — likely heading back into the courtroom.
TL;DR:
After 26 years, today is my last day at EFF.
Techdirt
Jun 16, 18:31
Apparently The Real Reason Anthropic’s Models Are Offline: A Six-Year-Old Trump Grudge
Yesterday we wrote about the Trump administration forcing Anthropic to shut down Fable 5 and Mythos 5. The short version: dumb. Today, Axios got White House officials on the record, and it turns out the real reason is even dumber than we thought. In that original piece, we had pointed out that cybersecurity expert Katie […]
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Apparently The Real Reason Anthropic’s Models Are Offline: A Six-Year-Old Trump Grudge. Today, Axios got White House officials on the record, and it turns out the real reason is even dumber than we thought. In that original piece, we had pointed out that cybersecurity expert Katie […]
TL;DR:
Yesterday we wrote about the Trump administration forcing Anthropic to shut down Fable 5 and Mythos 5.
Techdirt
Jun 16, 12:27
The SpaceX IPO Sends Elon Musk And Trump’s Starlink Cronyism Into The Thermosphere
Last week Elon Musk successfully conned America and U.S. regulators into signing off on his preposterous SpaceX IPO, which immediately generated Musk $75 billion by comically over-stating the value of SpaceX, xAI, and Starlink. Then bone-grafting the entire pile of bullshit to the U.S. economy and your retirement account under the pretense that space data […]
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The SpaceX IPO Sends Elon Musk And Trump’s Starlink Cronyism Into The Thermosphere. regulators into signing off on his preposterous SpaceX IPO, which immediately generated Musk $75 billion by comically over-stating the value of SpaceX, xAI, and Starlink. economy and your retirement account under the pretense that space data […]
TL;DR:
Last week Elon Musk successfully conned America and U.S.
Theverge
Jun 16, 10:06
Florida sues TikTok for allegedly violating its social media ban for kids
The state of Florida is suing TikTok over claims the company isn't complying with the state's child safety law, which bans kids under 14 from creating social media accounts, as reported earlier by Reuters. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, alleges that TikTok still allows 13-year-olds in Florida to use the platform and is "actively deceiving" […]
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The state of Florida is suing TikTok over claims the company isn't complying with the state's child safety law, which bans kids under 14 from creating social media accounts, as reported earlier by Reuters. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, alleges that TikTok still allows 13-year-olds in Florida to use the platform and is "actively deceiving" […]
TL;DR:
The state of Florida is suing TikTok over claims the company isn't complying with the state's child safety law, which bans kids under 14 from creating social media accounts, as reported earlier by Reuters.
Eff
Jun 15, 23:35
EFFecting Change: LGBTQ+ Solidarity Against the Tide of Surveillance
LGBTQ+ communities are facing an escalating wave of censorship and targeted surveillance, but we can push back through mutual solidarity. Join us live to learn how safer virtual spaces get built, how platform policies and government pressure are reshaping the digital landscape, and what platform accountability actually looks like. Our panel will share ideas for direct action and concrete strategies you can bring back to your community. Whether you’re an activist, an ally, or just paying attention, this conversation is for you. Join the livestream online followed by live Q&A. EFFecting Change Livestream Series: LGBTQ+ Solidarity Against the Tide of Surveillance Wednesday, June 17th 9:00 am - 10:00 am Pacific - Check Local Time Livestream followed by Q&A This event is LIVE and FREE! About the Speakers Paige Collings As a lawyer, digital policy activist and community organizer, Paige works to dismantle systems of oppression and advance collective liberation. Her work focuses on highlighting how state surveillance and corporate restrictions stifle marginalized communities and perpetuate historic injustices and harm. She has worked with activists across the globe to facilitate systemic change by speaking truth to power and creating spaces for alternative imaginations; and her writing on digital justice has been featured in Wired, Politico, Teen Vogue, the Daily Beast and more. Jillian C. York Jillian is EFF's Director for International Freedom of Expression, based in London. Her work examines state and corporate censorship and its impact on culture and human rights, with a focus on historically marginalized communities. At EFF, she organizes coalitions, writes about and researches topics related to freedom of expression, leads the Speaking Freely interview series, and contributes to various other areas of the organization's work. Jillian is the author of Silicon Values: The Future of Free Speech Under Surveillance Capitalism (Verso, 2021), a contributor to several academic volumes , and has written for MIT Technology Review , The Guardian , and WIRED , among others . She is also a visiting professor at the College of Europe Natolin in Warsaw, and a regular speaker at global events. Soatok Dreamseeker Soatok Dreamseeker is a gay furry security engineer. He blogs about applied cryptography on his blog, Dhole Moments, and is developing key transparency to enable end-to-end encryption on the Fediverse. His puns are 100% whole groan. Luísa Franco Machado Luísa Franco Machado is an award-winning international expert in digital rights and data justice. She has also been a technical advisor in data governance and AI ethics for governments, NGOs, and international organizations worldwide, including the UN, OECD.AI, GIZ, and others. Luísa has carried on policy research at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Sciences Po Paris on the intersection between technology and socio-economic development. In 2022, the United Nations recognized them as a global Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among more than 6,500 advocates. In 2025 she was featured in Apolitical's Government AI 100 list as a rising star.
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EFFecting Change: LGBTQ+ Solidarity Against the Tide of Surveillance. Luísa Franco Machado Luísa Franco Machado is an award-winning international expert in digital rights and data justice. In 2025 she was featured in Apolitical's Government AI 100 list as a rising star.
TL;DR:
LGBTQ+ communities are facing an escalating wave of censorship and targeted surveillance, but we can push back through mutual solidarity.
Theverge
Jun 15, 23:00
Inside the fight over Claude Mythos 5
As the rest of the country celebrated the USA's first World Cup win and the New York Knicks championship, Anthropic spent its weekend fighting the Trump administration over its latest model release. At 5:21 PM on Friday, the company received a US export control directive to suspend access to its Mythos 5 and Fable 5 […]
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Inside the fight over Claude Mythos 5. As the rest of the country celebrated the USA's first World Cup win and the New York Knicks championship, Anthropic spent its weekend fighting the Trump administration over its latest model release. At 5:21 PM on Friday, the company received a US export control directive to suspend access to its Mythos 5 and Fable 5 […]
TL;DR:
As the rest of the country celebrated the USA's first World Cup win and the New York Knicks championship, Anthropic spent its weekend fighting the Trump administration over its latest model release.
Techdirt
Jun 15, 22:33
Judge Says Trump’s Attempt To Rewrite History At National Parks Is Illegal
What’s most disturbing about Trump’s “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order isn’t its fully-blinkered, jingoistic take on American history where America does no wrong and is almost always white right. I mean, that’s pretty awful on its own, but it’s the flip side of pretending whites do no wrong: pretending any victims […]
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What’s most disturbing about Trump’s “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order isn’t its fully-blinkered, jingoistic take on American history where America does no wrong and is almost always white right. I mean, that’s pretty awful on its own, but it’s the flip side of pretending whites do no wrong: pretending any victims […]
TL;DR:
What’s most disturbing about Trump’s “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order isn’t its fully-blinkered, jingoistic take on American history where America does no wrong and is almost always white right.
Techdirt
Jun 15, 20:05
Trump DOJ Friday News Dumps Its Approval Of The Job-Killing Paramount, Warner Bros Merger
The Trump “Department of Justice’s” “antitrust division” dumped its unsurprising approval of the terrible Paramount Warner Brothers merger late on Friday in the hopes people wouldn’t notice it. As we’ve noted the $111 billion megadeal is a historically harmful mess. Backed by billions in Saudi and Chinese cash (raising all sorts of foreign media influence […]
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Trump DOJ Friday News Dumps Its Approval Of The Job-Killing Paramount, Warner Bros Merger. As we’ve noted the $111 billion megadeal is a historically harmful mess. Backed by billions in Saudi and Chinese cash (raising all sorts of foreign media influence […]
TL;DR:
The Trump “Department of Justice’s” “antitrust division” dumped its unsurprising approval of the terrible Paramount Warner Brothers merger late on Friday in the hopes people wouldn’t notice it.
Techdirt
Jun 15, 18:06
The VCs Who Screamed That Biden Would Kill Powerful AI Models Seem Quite Chill About Trump Actually Doing It
Late Friday, Anthropic shut down access to its just-released Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models after the Trump administration slapped export controls on them — treating cutting-edge AI, in other words, like weapons. The trigger, it turns out, was a jailbreak. And the entity that tipped off the government? Amazon — one of Anthropic’s biggest […]
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The VCs Who Screamed That Biden Would Kill Powerful AI Models Seem Quite Chill About Trump Actually Doing It. And the entity that tipped off the government? Amazon — one of Anthropic’s biggest […]
TL;DR:
Late Friday, Anthropic shut down access to its just-released Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models after the Trump administration slapped export controls on them — treating cutting-edge AI, in other words, like weapons.
Techdirt
Jun 15, 12:37
Opposition Mounts To Trump FCC Plan To Kill Burner Phone Anonymity, Ramp Up Surveillance
Last month I noted how the Trump FCC had unveiled a brand new plan to “stop robocalls.” As with most efforts the proposal doesn’t actually do much to stop robocalls because a well-lobbied U.S. government (1) refuses to hold big companies accountable or collect fines, (2) constantly embraces weak rules that make telemarketers and debt […]
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Last month I noted how the Trump FCC had unveiled a brand new plan to “stop robocalls.” As with most efforts the proposal doesn’t actually do much to stop robocalls because a well-lobbied U.S. government (1) refuses to hold big companies accountable or collect fines, (2) constantly embraces weak rules that make telemarketers and debt […]
TL;DR:
Last month I noted how the Trump FCC had unveiled a brand new plan to “stop robocalls.” As with most efforts the proposal doesn’t actually do much to stop robocalls because a well-lobbied U.S.
Theverge
Jun 15, 04:19
Under-16 social media ban announced by UK government
The UK is the latest country to follow Australia in implementing a total social media ban for children under 16, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced. The ban, which could take effect from early next year, will be joined by wider measures that will also prevent children from talking to strangers in online games, livestreaming, […]
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The UK is the latest country to follow Australia in implementing a total social media ban for children under 16, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced. The ban, which could take effect from early next year, will be joined by wider measures that will also prevent children from talking to strangers in online games, livestreaming, […]
TL;DR:
The UK is the latest country to follow Australia in implementing a total social media ban for children under 16, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced.
Techdirt
Jun 13, 02:39
American Diabetes Association Fucked Up Real Bad Trying To Placate Trump Administration
As we near the halfway point in the second Trump presidential term, there’s something that is worth remembering: Donald Trump, like most nasty viruses, is a temporary condition. Trumpism may not be, though I have my doubts as to how long a cult of personality can survive without that specific personality leading the cult. But […]
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As we near the halfway point in the second Trump presidential term, there’s something that is worth remembering: Donald Trump, like most nasty viruses, is a temporary condition. Trumpism may not be, though I have my doubts as to how long a cult of personality can survive without that specific personality leading the cult.
TL;DR:
As we near the halfway point in the second Trump presidential term, there’s something that is worth remembering: Donald Trump, like most nasty viruses, is a temporary condition.
Eff
Jun 12, 23:49
Victory! 702 has Expired!
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act lets US intelligence agencies collect communications from foreigners abroad without a warrant, and routinely sweeps in Americans’ emails, messages, and calls in the process. The authority for this program is set to expire Friday, June 12th, 2026, at midnight. As we wrote earlier this week , Congress has been kicking the ball down the road for months now—temporarily postponing the expiration of the mass surveillance authority Section 702 of FISA in hopes that some consensus on a longer reauthorization could be reached. EFF has said for decades, every time this program is up for renewal: Section 702 should require a warrant before the Federal Bureau of Investigation can look at digital communications collected from Americans. If not, we should let the whole thing expire. And this time, it has, at least for a little while. Ironically, we have Bill Pulte to thank for this (probably temporary) reprieve. Earlier this month, Trump on Tuesday named Pulte – currently director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – to replace current DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who announced her resignation last month. As has been widely reported, Pulte lacks any intelligence, military, or congressional experience . Senate Democrats responded by refusing to move forward with their version of a bill to reauthorize Section 702. Similarly, the House refused to approve even a short-term renewal of the program. However, the potential for abuse of this program is not limited to one individual or one administration. And if Congress is this concerned about one particular individual having access to Americans’ most sensitive information, the responsible thing to do is to put more transparency, accountability, and oversight into the structure of this program. Members on both sides of the aisle understand this. As we have seen several times this year already, the appetite for reform is stronger than ever. We hope to continue to see strong bipartisan opposition in Congress to renewing Section 702 without a warrant requirement for backdoor searches. Until then, the authority for this program should remain expired.
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As we wrote earlier this week , Congress has been kicking the ball down the road for months now—temporarily postponing the expiration of the mass surveillance authority Section 702 of FISA in hopes that some consensus on a longer reauthorization could be reached.
TL;DR:
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act lets US intelligence agencies collect communications from foreigners abroad without a warrant, and routinely sweeps in Americans’ emails, messages, and calls in the process.
Techdirt
Jun 12, 18:07
Michigan Lawmakers Want To Ban Chinese-Tagged Vehicles From Even Visiting The State. You Know, For Privacy.
Michigan lawmakers are pushing legislation that wouldn’t just ban the sales of Chinese-made cars in the The Great Lakes State, it would ban cars with Chinese tags from even visiting. The Protecting America From Chinese Cars Act joins the Connected Vehicle Security Act aiming to protect U.S. car companies from cheaper Chinese EV competition in […]
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Michigan Lawmakers Want To Ban Chinese-Tagged Vehicles From Even Visiting The State. The Protecting America From Chinese Cars Act joins the Connected Vehicle Security Act aiming to protect U.S. car companies from cheaper Chinese EV competition in […]
TL;DR:
Michigan lawmakers are pushing legislation that wouldn’t just ban the sales of Chinese-made cars in the The Great Lakes State, it would ban cars with Chinese tags from even visiting.
Techdirt
Jun 12, 16:34
Bill Introduced That Would Codify The Right To Record Federal Law Enforcement Officers
Good news! (Maybe?) Federal legislators have introduced a bill that, if passed, would finally guarantee the right to record law enforcement officers. Here’s Reason’s CJ Ciaramella with the details: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D–Conn.) and Rep. Maxwell Frost (D–Fla.) introduced the “Right to Record Act of 2026,” which they say would create new consequences for individual […]
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Bill Introduced That Would Codify The Right To Record Federal Law Enforcement Officers. Here’s Reason’s CJ Ciaramella with the details: Sen. Maxwell Frost (D–Fla.) introduced the “Right to Record Act of 2026,” which they say would create new consequences for individual […]
TL;DR:
(Maybe?) Federal legislators have introduced a bill that, if passed, would finally guarantee the right to record law enforcement officers.
Techdirt
Jun 12, 12:27
Cable Lobbyists Show How Trump FCC’s Extortive ‘Foreign Router Ban’ Isn’t Workable
Back in March I noted how the Trump FCC under Brendan Carr had announced a “new ban” on all routers made overseas (which is pretty much all of them). At the time we also noted how this was less of a ban and more of a shakedown, with router manufacturers required to beg the Trump FCC for […]
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Cable Lobbyists Show How Trump FCC’s Extortive ‘Foreign Router Ban’ Isn’t Workable. Back in March I noted how the Trump FCC under Brendan Carr had announced a “new ban” on all routers made overseas (which is pretty much all of them). At the time we also noted how this was less of a ban and more of a shakedown, with router manufacturers required to beg the Trump FCC for […]
TL;DR:
Back in March I noted how the Trump FCC under Brendan Carr had announced a “new ban” on all routers made overseas (which is pretty much all of them).
Techdirt
Jun 12, 02:51
Bill Cassidy: Unaccountable & Tone Deaf On RFK Jr.
It appears Bill Cassidy is going to make every effort to ignore his own culpability for RFK Jr. on his way out the door. In case you need to be reminded, Cassidy was a key, if not deciding vote to confirm RFK Jr. to his current role as Secretary of HHS. Cassidy’s background is as […]
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Bill Cassidy: Unaccountable & Tone Deaf On RFK Jr.. In case you need to be reminded, Cassidy was a key, if not deciding vote to confirm RFK Jr. to his current role as Secretary of HHS.
TL;DR:
It appears Bill Cassidy is going to make every effort to ignore his own culpability for RFK Jr.
Techdirt
Jun 11, 22:30
US Researchers Say Trump’s Attack On Science Has Resulted In Self-Censorship
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The American academic research engine has long been the envy of the world. Generally well-funded, labs in the United States have been able to attract the best minds who generate breakthroughs and train the next generation workforce that powers the U.S. economy. But since the start of the […]
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US Researchers Say Trump’s Attack On Science Has Resulted In Self-Censorship. Read the original article. The American academic research engine has long been the envy of the world. Generally well-funded, labs in the United States have been able to attract the best minds who generate breakthroughs and train the next generation workforce that powers the U.S.
TL;DR:
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
Eff
Jun 11, 19:56
Yes to California's Bill to Ban Surveillance Pricing
Corporations harvest and monetize ever-growing amounts of our personal data, such as our browsing history and physical location . One bitter fruit of this poisonous tree is known as “surveillance pricing”: corporations offer the same product to two different people at two different prices, based on scrutiny of these people’s respective personal data. Surveillance pricing is bad for privacy, equity, and price transparency. So EFF supports a California bill, S.B. 2564 , which would ban this creepy practice. How Surveillance Pricing Works In 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published a report about the practices of six companies that provide surveillance pricing services to hundreds of other companies, including grocery stores and apparel retailers. The report found that surveillance pricing draws upon customers’ browsing history, physical location, and shopping transaction history. Customers’ data can come from the vendor itself, from its surveillance pricing service provider, or from third-party data brokers. Customers are sorted into groups based on their personal data, as is done for targeted ads . As a result of surveillance pricing, a business might offer two customers different prices for the same product, based for example on whether they are a new parent, or whether they live near a business’s competitor. As former FTC Chair Lina Khan explained : Initial staff findings show that retailers frequently use people’s personal information to set targeted, tailored prices for goods and services – from a person’s location and demographics, down to their mouse movements on a webpage. Unfortunately, the current FTC chair closed the FTC’s portal for public comments regarding surveillance pricing. Fortunately, the California Attorney General has initiated its own investigation of this practice. Researchers have identified many examples of surveillance pricing: The Princeton Review offered people who lived in some zip codes a higher price for test prep services, compared to people in other zip codes. As a result, Asians were twice as likely as non-Asians to be offered a higher price. In a year-long study of tens of millions of rides in Chicago, Uber and Lyft offered a higher price for trips that ended in neighborhoods with high non-white populations. Tindr offered older people (aged 30 to 49) higher prices for Tindr Plus, compared to younger people (aged 18-29). Orbitz offered people who used Apple computers a higher price for hotel rooms, compared to people who used other types of computers. Hotel booking sites offered people from San Francisco a higher price for hotel rooms, compared to people from other cities. Target offered a higher price to people physically located at the store, compared to people located elsewhere. Staples offered a higher price to customers who lived further from the company’s competitors, compared to customers who lived closer. Why EFF Hates Surveillance Pricing This practice is harmful in many ways. First, surveillance pricing invades our privacy. Vendors offer us a price only after scrutinizing our personal data about what we’ve clicked online and where we’ve travelled offline. Moreover, surveillance pricing incentivizes all businesses to harvest as much of our personal data as possible. Some businesses will use it for their own surveillance pricing. Other businesses, which might not themselves use it this way, will sell it to data brokers, which in turn will sell it to others for use in surveillance pricing. Second, surveillance pricing can disparately burden people of color and other vulnerable groups. For example, as described above, surveillance pricing led to Asian people paying more for test prep services, older people paying more for dating services, and people living in non-white neighborhoods paying more for a ride home. Third, surveillance pricing is opaque. Many people don’t even know when they’ve been subjected to it. Those that do often cannot determine the unknown reasons for the price they’re offered. As a result, consumer advocates will be less able to publish meaningful price comparisons to help consumers make choices. And regulators will be less able to identify unlawful pricing practices. Thus, EFF and many other groups object to surveillance pricing. Its defenders sometimes argue that surveillance pricing benefits consumers because it can lead to lower prices. But while some consumers some of the time might get lower prices because of surveillance of their personal data, other consumers will get higher prices, as shown by the examples above. Some recent studies indicate there will be losers and winners based on factors like whether a consumer is willing or able to switch products. Who loses or wins also will turn on the accuracy of the underlying data – yet surveillance pricing is often based on false information . In any event, both losers and winners of this price discrimination are harmed by surveillance. Privacy is a human right , not a property to b...
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Yes to California's Bill to Ban Surveillance Pricing. So EFF supports a California bill, S.B. But while some consumers some of the time might get lower prices because of surveillance of their personal data, other consumers will get higher prices, as shown by the examples above.
TL;DR:
Thus, EFF and many other groups object to surveillance pricing.
Techdirt
Jun 11, 18:05
Why Google’s New AI-Saturated Search Page Will Be A Disaster
Google didn’t invent full-text search of the Internet – that honor belongs to early pioneers such as WebCrawler, Lycos and AltaVista. But for the last 25 years or so, Google has been synonymous with online searching, providing the quickest and most effective way to find things online (although its results may be getting worse.) More recently, it has been adding […]
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Google didn’t invent full-text search of the Internet – that honor belongs to early pioneers such as WebCrawler, Lycos and AltaVista. But for the last 25 years or so, Google has been synonymous with online searching, providing the quickest and most effective way to find things online (although its results may be getting worse.) More recently, it has been adding […]
TL;DR:
Google didn’t invent full-text search of the Internet – that honor belongs to early pioneers such as WebCrawler, Lycos and AltaVista.
Eff
Jun 11, 17:20
‘News’ Site Keeps Hallucinating EFF Staffers
What do EFF staffers Sarah Chen , Javier Morales , Caitlin Chin , Emma Rodriguez , and Mikko Kopponen have in common? For one thing, they don’t exist. For another, all have been quoted as EFF experts in articles published in the past two months on a site called News-USA Today , which describes itself as “an independent news publisher focused on clear, accurate, and useful journalism.” Uh… (Please don’t confuse this site with USA Today , in which real EFF experts are accurately quoted on a regular basis.) News-USA Today is hardly the only slagheap that’s hallucinating or fabricating EFF personnel and quotes; as we wrote last September , media companies large and small are using AI to generate news content because it’s cheaper than paying for journalists’ salaries, but that savings can come at the cost of the outlets’ reputations— assuming they care about reputation at all. But this many fake EFF sources in two months? That’s making a play for the championship title of bogus news content. News-USA Today’s site proclaims , “Our goal is simple: give readers the facts and the context they need to make informed decisions.” It then defines its mission: “Deliver timely, factual reporting grounded in verifiable sources and public documents.” “Make complex topics understandable without losing nuance or accuracy.” “Serve the public interest by surfacing stories that affect lives, institutions, and communities.” “Maintain a clear separation between news, analysis, opinion, and sponsored content.” Attempts to reach contacts listed on the site went unanswered. In fact, after we reached out to them, they published a story on June 9 with quotes from Electronic Frontier Foundation Executive Director Jared Cohen — who also doesn’t exist. As we noted last year, EFF is all about having our words spread far and wide. Per our copyright policy , any and all original material on the EFF website may be freely distributed at will under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY) , unless otherwise noted. However, we don't want disreputable sites making up words (or false identities!) for us, whether or not they’re using AI. False quotations that misstate our positions damage the trust that the public and reputable media outlets have in us. The best thing a news consumer can do is invest a little time and energy to learn how to discern the real from the fake. It’s unfortunate that it's the public’s burden to put in this much effort, but while we're adjusting to new tools and a new normal, a little effort now can go a long way. As we’ve noted before in the context of election misinformation , the nonprofit journalism organization ProPublica has published a handy guide about how to tell if what you’re reading is accurate or “fake news,” as has FactCheck.org .
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‘News’ Site Keeps Hallucinating EFF Staffers. What do EFF staffers Sarah Chen , Javier Morales , Caitlin Chin , Emma Rodriguez , and Mikko Kopponen have in common? In fact, after we reached out to them, they published a story on June 9 with quotes from Electronic Frontier Foundation Executive Director Jared Cohen — who also doesn’t exist.
TL;DR:
But this many fake EFF sources in two months?
Techdirt
Jun 11, 16:25
ICE Officers Break Cameras. Cops Steal Them. Welcome To New Jersey.
If federal officers are going to murder another person, it will likely happen here. Newark, New Jersey is the newest battleground for the administration, as Trump goes to war with his own constituents. The foundation was laid months ago, when ICE officers assaulted, arrested, and illegally refused to grant access to detention facilities to congressional […]
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ICE Officers Break Cameras. Newark, New Jersey is the newest battleground for the administration, as Trump goes to war with his own constituents. The foundation was laid months ago, when ICE officers assaulted, arrested, and illegally refused to grant access to detention facilities to congressional […]
TL;DR:
If federal officers are going to murder another person, it will likely happen here.
Theverge
Jun 11, 13:23
The bill that would let Jimmy Kimmel sue Brendan Carr is here
Under a new bipartisan bill, Americans could sue for damages if a government official illegally tries to coerce a social media, AI, or broadcasting company to remove their post - regardless of whether the platform actually does it. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the JAWBONE Act on […]
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The bill that would let Jimmy Kimmel sue Brendan Carr is here. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the JAWBONE Act on […]
TL;DR:
Under a new bipartisan bill, Americans could sue for damages if a government official illegally tries to coerce a social media, AI, or broadcasting company to remove their post - regardless of whether the platform actually does it.
Theverge
Jun 11, 12:03
A warrantless wiretap law is about to expire — but surveillance networks aren’t actually ‘going dark’
Congress has failed to pass a three-week extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), with the House voting 218-198 against reauthorizing the controversial warrantless wiretapping authority through July 2nd. After a short-term extension earlier this year, the spying program now appears set to lapse for at least a week. This is […]
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Congress has failed to pass a three-week extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), with the House voting 218-198 against reauthorizing the controversial warrantless wiretapping authority through July 2nd. After a short-term extension earlier this year, the spying program now appears set to lapse for at least a week. This is […]
TL;DR:
Congress has failed to pass a three-week extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), with the House voting 218-198 against reauthorizing the controversial warrantless wiretapping authority through July 2nd.
Eff
Jun 11, 11:20
LGBT Q&A: We’re Back With Season 2!
Last June during Pride, we launched a new initiative— LGBT Q&A —where we answered your most pressing queer-related digital rights questions on EFF’s Instagram and TikTok accounts. No question was too big or too small! You asked us things like what pictures to use on dating apps; how to remove your name from internet searches; why homophobic content doesn't get removed after you report it; and how to stay safe at Pride marches. And this year, we’re doing it all again. Both online and offline, LGBTQ+ individuals and the fight for queer liberation are under threat; and the need for guidance and protection from prying eyes and oppressive structures is increasingly pertinent. This is particularly true for those of us who face consequences when intimate details around gender or sexual identities are revealed without consent. But we know that it can feel overwhelming to even start thinking about how you can protect yourself online in the face of these issues. That's why this Pride, we’re answering all your digital rights questions. How to submit your questions? If you would like to remain anonymous and away from social platforms, you can submit questions via this secure link . Head to EFF’s Reddit or the r/LGBTQ subreddit and submit your questions underneath the posts. Your questions can also be submitted under the linked posts on EFF’s Instagram and TikTok , as well as on our stories where you can submit questions directly. If you prefer Mastodon and Bluesky , comment your questions under the linked posts. As always, we will not engage with comments that discriminate against marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ+ community. We’re here to help build an online space where you get to decide what aspects of yourself you share with others, how you present to the world, and what things you keep private. Join us to make the internet private, safe, and full of pride.
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LGBT Q&A: We’re Back With Season 2! . That's why this Pride, we’re answering all your digital rights questions. How to submit your questions? Join us to make the internet private, safe, and full of pride.
TL;DR:
Last June during Pride, we launched a new initiative— LGBT Q&A —where we answered your most pressing queer-related digital rights questions on EFF’s Instagram and TikTok accounts.
Theverge
Jun 11, 06:40
iFixit Trump phone teardown confirms it’s an HTC dupe
After getting its hands on a Trump phone and tearing it apart, iFixit has confirmed what I first reported back in February: the T1 Phone is an almost exact duplicate of the HTC U24 Pro. iFixit partnered with NBC to get hold of the network's media sample of the Trump phone, along with a U24 […]
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After getting its hands on a Trump phone and tearing it apart, iFixit has confirmed what I first reported back in February: the T1 Phone is an almost exact duplicate of the HTC U24 Pro. iFixit partnered with NBC to get hold of the network's media sample of the Trump phone, along with a U24 […]
TL;DR:
After getting its hands on a Trump phone and tearing it apart, iFixit has confirmed what I first reported back in February: the T1 Phone is an almost exact duplicate of the HTC U24 Pro.
Theverge
Jun 11, 04:59
Ryanair is under investigation over charging parents to sit with their kids
European economy airline Ryanair is under investigation in the UK for charging parents mandatory fees to sit with their children. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was looking into whether the seating fees, which may be charging parents for the airline to meet its child safety and disability‑related obligations, are "unfair" under consumer […]
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European economy airline Ryanair is under investigation in the UK for charging parents mandatory fees to sit with their children. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was looking into whether the seating fees, which may be charging parents for the airline to meet its child safety and disability‑related obligations, are "unfair" under consumer […]
TL;DR:
European economy airline Ryanair is under investigation in the UK for charging parents mandatory fees to sit with their children.
Eff
Jun 10, 22:54
Congress Just Rushed Through a Disastrous Copyright Office Overhaul
In a voice vote earlier this week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6028 , the “Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act.” The legislation is presented as a technical reorganization of some government agencies, but it’s much more than that. H.R. 6028 would fundamentally change the U.S. Copyright Office, and not in a good way. The bill removes the Library of Congress’ current supervisory role over the Copyright Office, transfers several powers directly to the Register of Copyrights, and makes the Register a presidential appointee, confirmed by the Senate. These changes would make an office that’s already hugely influential in copyright and tech policy much more political. EFF first explained why that’s a terrible idea when it came up nearly a decade ago . This bill, like the older one, weakens the few public-interest checks and balances that do exist. We hope the Senate promptly rejects this bill. The Copyright Office Doesn’t Need More Politics—Or More Power The Copyright Office's main responsibilities are administrative and advisory. It registers copyrights, maintains records, grows the Library of Congress’s collections, and provides expertise to Congress on copyright law. But over the past two decades, the Office has also become increasingly influential in copyright policy debates that affect free expression, libraries, educators, competition—and everyday internet users. Unfortunately, it has not been a neutral advocate . The office’s recent report on the role of AI severely bungled the issue of fair use , prioritizing private licensing market “solutions” over user rights. Going further back, the Copyright Office supported one of the most infamous anti-internet proposals of all time—the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), a disastrous internet censorship proposal that sparked one of the largest online protests in history. The Office has repeatedly advanced positions that favored large entertainment-industry interests over the public interest. The Office also plays a major role in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Section 1201 rulemaking process, which determines when the public may lawfully bypass digital locks for activities such as security research, repair, preservation, or accessibility. EFF has used this process repeatedly to mitigate some of the worst harms of the DMCA . H.R. 6028 would move rulemaking authority over 1201 from the Librarian of Congress to the Register of Copyrights, further consolidating power within the Copyright Office itself. The bill also makes the Register of Copyrights a presidential appointee confirmed by the Senate. Each administration will be pressured to pick nominees aligned with their own policy preferences, and the powerful copyright owning industries will invest even more heavily in lobbying to get their way, and influence the selection. This position should be focused on administrative ability and actual expertise, not lobbying and politics. The Copyright Office Should Stay Connected To The Library of Congress H.R. 6028 would do more than change who appoints the Register of Copyrights. It would sever the Copyright Office from Library of Congress supervision and transfer many Librarian powers directly to the Register. The supervisory relationship exists for good reason, as the nation’s libraries have pointed out for years. The Library, while far from perfect, at least has the mission of preserving and providing access to knowledge. That should be an important public-interest counterweight in copyright debates. Congress has not explained how weakening the ties between the Library and the Copyright Office would serve the public better, or even seriously inquired about it. This Bill Was Rushed Through Back in March, EFF joined Public Knowledge, the Center for Democracy and Technology, library organizations and tech groups, urging Congress not to fast-track this legislation . We told them changes to the Copyright Office will have major consequences for the “speech rights, educational opportunities, and creative freedoms of all Americans.” Yet Congress moved forward without any hearings on the bill, and without meaningful examination. H.R. 6028 creates a years-long separation of the Copyright Office from the Library of Congress, transfers significant legal authority, and restructures the appointment process for the nation’s top copyright official. Changes like that deserve hearings, debate, and public scrutiny. H.R. 6028 got none of that. The Senate Should Stop This Bill Copyright law exists to serve the public and “promote the progress” of science and learning. The institutions that administer copyright law should do the same. H.R. 6028 would move the Copyright Office further away from that goal. Congress should be strengthening public-interest oversight of copyright policymaking, not looking for ways to concentrate more authority in a single presidentially appointed official. The Senate should reject H.R. 6028. The Copyright Office should s...
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Congress Just Rushed Through a Disastrous Copyright Office Overhaul. It registers copyrights, maintains records, grows the Library of Congress’s collections, and provides expertise to Congress on copyright law. The institutions that administer copyright law should do the same. H.R.
TL;DR:
Copyright Office, and not in a good way.
Techdirt
Jun 10, 22:34
California’s AB 412 Still Demands AI Developers Do The Impossible
California lawmakers are again considering A.B. 412, a bill that would require AI developers to identify and disclose copyrighted works used to train generative AI systems. The problem this year is the same as last year: it’s practically impossible to comply with this law. The bill demands information that often does not exist, and cannot realistically be obtained. EFF […]
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California’s AB 412 Still Demands AI Developers Do The Impossible. 412, a bill that would require AI developers to identify and disclose copyrighted works used to train generative AI systems. The problem this year is the same as last year: it’s practically impossible to comply with this law.
TL;DR:
The bill demands information that often does not exist, and cannot realistically be obtained. EFF […]
Techdirt
Jun 10, 20:30
LAPD Apparently Has Its Own Internal Cop Gang Problem
The more things change, the more they remain the same. That could be said of anywhere in this country, now that the Trump administration is trying to turn the clock back to 1940, if not 1840. But it’s especially true in Los Angeles, where law enforcement agencies have apparently learned nothing, despite being the ignition […]
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LAPD Apparently Has Its Own Internal Cop Gang Problem. The more things change, the more they remain the same. That could be said of anywhere in this country, now that the Trump administration is trying to turn the clock back to 1940, if not 1840.
TL;DR:
But it’s especially true in Los Angeles, where law enforcement agencies have apparently learned nothing, despite being the ignition […]
Eff
Jun 10, 19:25
The 702 Ultimatum: Warrant Requirement or Bust
For months now, Congress has been kicking the ball down the road— temporarily postponing the expiration of the mass surveillance authority Section 702 of FISA in hopes that some consensus could be reached. Now, with the deadline looming, the stakes have never been higher. Nearly every time the statute has come up for renewal, the people demanding privacy and civil liberties have had to compromise, but with current negotiations seemingly at an impasse, it’s time for surveillance maximalist lawmakers to come to the table. We say to the Intelligence Community crowd: Section 702 should require a warrant before the Federal Bureau of Investigation can look at digital communications collected from Americans. If not, we should let the whole thing expire. This is a serious proposition. The intelligence community can keep a useful national security surveillance tool if and only if they make FBI agents get a warrant signed by a judge before they sift through and read out private communications. A warrant requirement is not the only demand EFF has been making for changing Section 702, but it is the most important reform and it should happen before there is any more reauthorization of the policy. For too long, the FBI has been able to piggyback on a major national security tool as an unconstitutional backdoor way of reading Americans’ communications. 702 collects communications going to, from, or between people in other countries—including when they are contacted by people in the United States. Mass surveillance is just that—mass. It’s lacking any of the individualized suspicion that our legal system is based on. Take action TELL congress: 702 Needs Reform So, what’s been happening? On one side are surveillance hawks and intelligence community-devotees who think the mass surveillance of Americans is an acceptable, even valuable, product of this authority . This bipartisan coalition of privacy deniers think that 702 should be extended without any change, and they seem to be willing to let the authority expire rather than compromise with the lawmakers and public that are demanding common-sense reforms. They’ve been given a number of chances to pass bills that would implement some key incremental reforms , but those opportunities have not moved the needle. On the other side of the debate is a bipartisan coalition of people who understand that this authority can no longer operate as is . Section 702 is rife with problems, loopholes, and compliance issues that need fixing. The National Security Agency collects full conversations being conducted by and with overseas targets—including conversations by and with Americans in the U.S.—and stores them in massive databases. The NSA then allows other agencies, specifically the FBI, to access untold amounts of that information. In turn, the FBI takes a “finders keepers” approach to this data: they reason that since it's already collected under one law, it’s OK for them to see it. If the FBI wanted to get that data on their own, it would require them to get a warrant signed by a judge certifying that there is probable cause. Instead, under current practice, the FBI can query and even read the U.S. side of that communication without a warrant . What’s more, victims of this surveillance won’t know and have very few ways of finding out that their communications have been surveilled. Complicating this matter more is that the Trump administration has announced Bill Pulte as the new Director of National Intelligence, whose job it will be to oversee and direct U.S. intelligence agencies. This is particularly concerning because of Pulte’s history of using private information held by the government as a political weapon. In his FHFA role, he has accused several of the President’s political foes and targets—including New York State Attorney General Letitia James , U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook—of mortgage fraud based on private data held by his agency. Because of his looming appointment, many Democrats have vowed not to reauthorize Section 702 unless he is removed from the position. They shouldn’t stop there—they should use that leverage to demand a warrant requirement. The integrity of the people in charge of a program should not be the only thing that stands between Americans and violations of their civil liberties. What happens if 702 expires? As the New York Times reports, “The law, however, has a built-in safety net for a temporary lapse that allows the surveillance program to endure until annual certifications issued by the nation’s intelligence court expire, though such a scenario could invite legal challenges. The court recertified the program in March, meaning the N.S.A. could continue to operate the program through March 2027 even if the statute were to expire.” If Section 702 does stay expired past March 2027, the United States government will likely revert to using other programs and authorities to justify the surveillance of o...
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The 702 Ultimatum: Warrant Requirement or Bust. 702 collects communications going to, from, or between people in other countries—including when they are contacted by people in the United States. On one side are surveillance hawks and intelligence community-devotees who think the mass surveillance of Americans is an acceptable, even valuable, product of this authority .
TL;DR:
Mass surveillance is just that—mass.
Techdirt
Jun 10, 17:57
Daily Deal: The 2026 Data Engineering Bundle featuring Databricks
The 2026 Data Engineering Bundle has 7 online courses designed to help learners build skills that align directly with industry expectations. The focus is on practical tools and languages used by data professionals: Python for programming, Pandas and NumPy for data manipulation, foundational certification prep and specialized work with Databricks, an industry-standard platform for data engineering […]
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A portion of all sales from Techdirt Deals helps support Techdirt. Register here Techdirt community members with Techdirt Credits can spotlight a comment as either the "First Word" or "Last Word" on a particular comment thread. You can register here or sign in to use it.
TL;DR:
The 2026 Data Engineering Bundle has 7 online courses designed to help learners build skills that align directly with industry expectations. The focus is on practical tools and languages used by data professionals: Python for programming, Pandas and NumPy for data manipulation, foundational certification prep and specialized work with Databricks, an industry-standard platform for data engineering […]
Eff
Jun 10, 17:34
Enshittification Merch That Actually Fights Enshittification
Enshittification isn't just a sweary word to describe the accelerating decay of the online platforms, apps, and services that we rely on. It's a framework for understanding the structural incentives that make tech companies enemies of their own users over time—the surveillance business model, the erosion of privacy, the monopoly power that eliminates alternatives, the regulatory capture that prevents accountability. SUPPORT EFF GET LimITED EDITION MERCH + FIGHT ENSHITTIFICATION These are some of EFF's core fights and have been for over 35 years. EFF sues. EFF advocates. EFF codes. And EFF wins. EFF is the most profound and powerful disenshittifying force on the planet Earth, and I’ve been proud to fight alongside them for nearly 25 of those years. One of the lessons you learn in battles with very long timelines against very powerful actors is that these battles are deeply serious, and because of that they must also be fun . “Enshittification” took off as a shorthand in part because of the minor license to vulgarity it confers. It's slightly crass for a reason: getting people to engage with the abstract issues of tech policy can be hard at the best of times. No one knows this better than my colleagues at EFF, who consistently surprise me with their ability to make complex, technical concepts concrete , memorable , and sometimes even joyful . Words matter, but so do visuals. For the cover of the U.S. edition of my book, Enshittification , designer Devin Washburn of No Ideas studio created an iconic variation of the "pile of poo" emoji, with angry eyebrows and a grawlix-scrawled censor bar over its mouth. It instantly became the symbol of enshittification I’d been looking for. I liked it so much I ordered a couple hundred enamel pins and a couple thousand vinyl stickers and handed them out to people I met on my 33-city book tour. Even when giving them away, I was inundated with requests to buy more of them. I've since bought out Devin's rights to the image and released it under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license —free for anyone to use, remix, or build on, including commercially, with attribution. The high-resolution files are on Wikimedia Commons , Flickr , and the Internet Archive (including a PSD with an ink-density adjustment layer). It belongs to the commons now. But I made sure EFF had first crack at the design for their “official merch,” and they've done right by it. There are two items available now in the EFF shop , and all proceeds go directly to EFF's work defending digital rights. I’ve spent years admiring EFF’s merch and consistent, creative visual identity, so it fills me with pride to see this more-than-a-mere-poop-emoji in their shop. A recognizable visual shorthand is a genuine organizing tool. When someone sees the enshittification emoji, they know what the conversation is about. When you wear the pin or slap the sticker on your laptop, you're signaling that you understand what's happening to the internet, and that you know we can do better. You can get a $5 sticker: Or a $10 pin: Because the design is CC-licensed, you don't have to buy one. You can make your own merch, your own swag, your own illustrations. I made a lawn flag for my front garden. But if you do want to buy a sticker or pin , you can do so while supporting the most profound and powerful disenshittifying force on the planet Earth—the Electronic Frontier Foundation. SUPPORT EFF GET LimITED EDITION MERCH + FIGHT ENSHITTIFICATION
More:
Enshittification Merch That Actually Fights Enshittification . It's a framework for understanding the structural incentives that make tech companies enemies of their own users over time—the surveillance business model, the erosion of privacy, the monopoly power that eliminates alternatives, the regulatory capture that prevents accountability.
TL;DR:
SUPPORT EFF GET LimITED EDITION MERCH + FIGHT ENSHITTIFICATION
Eff
Jun 10, 17:29
🔊 Mass Surveillance for… Loud Music? | EFFector 38.11
Across the country, surveillance companies have spun a vast web of tens of thousands of license plate cameras. The people selling this tech want you to believe that it's for your safety, but how are authorities really using automated license plate readers (ALPR)? In this week's EFFector newsletter , we're looking at how these powerful surveillance networks have become universal people-trackers used for noise complaints and other low-level investigations. JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER For over 35 years, EFFector has been your guide to understanding the intersection of technology, civil liberties, and the law. This week's issue covers a victory for facial privacy , EFF's testimony to Congress about AI and surveillance, and troubling new examples of ALPR mission creep . Prefer to listen in? EFFector is now available on all major podcast platforms. This week, we're chatting with EFF Associate Director of State Affairs Rindala Alajaji about what she uncovered about police use of ALPR. And don't miss the EFFector news quiz. You can find the episode and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice : %3Ciframe%20height%3D%22200px%22%20width%3D%22100%25%22%20frameborder%3D%22no%22%20scrolling%3D%22no%22%20seamless%3D%22%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.simplecast.com%2F733a5637-dec4-4949-8c0f-976a5222c48a%3Fdark%3Dfalse%22%20allow%3D%22autoplay%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E Privacy info. This embed will serve content from simplecast.com Want to stay in the fight for privacy and free speech online? Sign up for EFF's EFFector newsletter for updates, ways to take action, and new merch drops. You can also fuel the fight against online surveillance when you support EFF today !
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🔊 Mass Surveillance for… Loud Music? Across the country, surveillance companies have spun a vast web of tens of thousands of license plate cameras. This week's issue covers a victory for facial privacy , EFF's testimony to Congress about AI and surveillance, and troubling new examples of ALPR mission creep .
TL;DR:
You can also fuel the fight against online surveillance when you support EFF today !
Techdirt
Jun 10, 16:28
ICE Wants To Hand Out Its Unproven Facial Recognition Tech To Thousands Of Cops
The Trump administration has thrown billions at purging non-white people from this country. Most of that has ended up in the hands of ICE, which has — in turn — thrown hundreds of millions at a number of private companies offering bespoke and/or off-the-shelf surveillance solutions. The slide down the slippery slope began less than […]
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ICE Wants To Hand Out Its Unproven Facial Recognition Tech To Thousands Of Cops. Most of that has ended up in the hands of ICE, which has — in turn — thrown hundreds of millions at a number of private companies offering bespoke and/or off-the-shelf surveillance solutions. The slide down the slippery slope began less than […]
TL;DR:
The Trump administration has thrown billions at purging non-white people from this country.
Theverge
Jun 10, 16:18
Kalshi adds required employment verification for some prediction market bets
The CFTC is considering its first regulation for prediction markets, as arrests over "insider trading" on everything from military operations to Google Search data continue to stack up. As CoinDesk reports, a notice of proposed rulemaking says "the proposal would establish a structured framework for evaluating whether such contracts involve an activity enumerated in Section […]
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The CFTC is considering its first regulation for prediction markets, as arrests over "insider trading" on everything from military operations to Google Search data continue to stack up. As CoinDesk reports, a notice of proposed rulemaking says "the proposal would establish a structured framework for evaluating whether such contracts involve an activity enumerated in Section […]
TL;DR:
The CFTC is considering its first regulation for prediction markets, as arrests over "insider trading" on everything from military operations to Google Search data continue to stack up.
Techdirt
Jun 10, 12:31
Supreme Court Surprisingly Backs FCC Effort To Punish AT&T, Verizon For Spying On Public Location Data
On one hand, the Trump administration wants to destroy most corporate oversight, consumer protection, labor rights, and regulatory autonomy. On the other hand, the administration very much wants to abuse government power and wield regulatory oversight in all sorts of terrible ways that censor speech, stifle journalism, and enable corrupt cronyism. I’ve long noted how […]
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Supreme Court Surprisingly Backs FCC Effort To Punish AT&T, Verizon For Spying On Public Location Data. On one hand, the Trump administration wants to destroy most corporate oversight, consumer protection, labor rights, and regulatory autonomy.
TL;DR:
On one hand, the Trump administration wants to destroy most corporate oversight, consumer protection, labor rights, and regulatory autonomy.
Theverge
Jun 10, 04:40
WhatsApp ordered to host rival AI assistants for free
Meta has been ordered by the European Commission to restore free WhatsApp access for chatbots made by rival AI providers while the regulator finishes its antitrust investigation. The rare interim measure announced on Tuesday was deemed necessary "to prevent serious and irreparable damage to competition" in the general-purpose AI assistant market. This is only the […]
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Meta has been ordered by the European Commission to restore free WhatsApp access for chatbots made by rival AI providers while the regulator finishes its antitrust investigation. The rare interim measure announced on Tuesday was deemed necessary "to prevent serious and irreparable damage to competition" in the general-purpose AI assistant market. This is only the […]
TL;DR:
Meta has been ordered by the European Commission to restore free WhatsApp access for chatbots made by rival AI providers while the regulator finishes its antitrust investigation.
Techdirt
Jun 10, 03:03
Trump Attempts To EO America Into Mimicking Denmark’s Vaccination Schedules
Back in January of this year, RFK Jr. clearly strong armed the CDC into changing the childhood vaccination schedules in America to mimic those of Denmark. The public messaging was crafted to sound as reasonable as possible and amounted to a claim that America was going to revise vaccination schedules to match those of another […]
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Trump Attempts To EO America Into Mimicking Denmark’s Vaccination Schedules. Back in January of this year, RFK Jr. clearly strong armed the CDC into changing the childhood vaccination schedules in America to mimic those of Denmark.
TL;DR:
The public messaging was crafted to sound as reasonable as possible and amounted to a claim that America was going to revise vaccination schedules to match those of another […]
Eff
Jun 9, 21:00
Tell Congress: Just Say No to NO FAKES
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to consider and vote on the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act (NO FAKES). Instead of targeting the real privacy harms posed by AI-generated replicas, this law would create another layer of internet censorship on top of the already existing legal and voluntary takedown systems. Congress should reject NO FAKES. Take action Tell Congress to Say No to NO FAKES As currently written, NO FAKES proposes to tackle the problems of misleading AI-generated replicas by creating a broad property right in someone's look, voice, and general style. However, there are all kinds of First Amendment-protected expression that would be swept under the NO FAKES regime—think about parody, news, criticism. NO FAKES also does a laughable job of protecting artists from use of their image in misleading ways. It doesn’t create a privacy right, but rather a property right that can easily be signed away—as major studios and record labels are almost certain to require in their contracts with artists. As a result, NO FAKES actually creates a new avenue for the exploitation of artists by companies instead of protection from misleading replicas. The bill also makes it trivially easy for protected speech to be censored. It is a supercharged version of the already flawed copyright takedown regime. It would essentially require platforms to institute filters that don't just look for exact matches of copyrighted material, as current filters do, but anything that might be a digital replica. Even though the latest version of this bill adds some forms of redress for bad faith takedowns, those provisions lack the teeth required to deter a malicious actor. NO FAKES targets speech, tools, and innovation instead of focusing on the real concern posed by these replicas: privacy. This bill was a bad idea when it was introduced , and got even worse when it was amended last year . Tell Congress to just say no to NO FAKES. Take action Tell Congress to Say No to NO FAKES
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Congress should reject NO FAKES. Tell Congress to just say no to NO FAKES. Take action Tell Congress to Say No to NO FAKES
TL;DR:
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to consider and vote on the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act (NO FAKES).
Techdirt
Jun 9, 18:11
CEOs Who Think AI Replaces Their Employees Are Just Bad CEOs
In the last three months I’ve had people forward me four separate examples of a CEO losing his or her mind over AI. What’s been striking to me is the similarity in each case: It would be an “all hands” email in which the CEO talks up how amazing LLM tools are and saying that […]
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CEOs Who Think AI Replaces Their Employees Are Just Bad CEOs. In the last three months I’ve had people forward me four separate examples of a CEO losing his or her mind over AI. What’s been striking to me is the similarity in each case: It would be an “all hands” email in which the CEO talks up how amazing LLM tools are and saying that […]
TL;DR:
In the last three months I’ve had people forward me four separate examples of a CEO losing his or her mind over AI.
Techdirt
Jun 9, 18:06
Daily Deal: The Ultimate Python & Artificial Intelligence Bundle
The Ultimate Python and Artificial Intelligence Bundle has 9 courses to help you take your Python and AI knowledge to the next level. You’ll learn about data pre-processing and visualization, artificial neural networks, how to use the Keras framework, and more. It’s on sale for $40. Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is powered and curated […]
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Daily Deal: The Ultimate Python & Artificial Intelligence Bundle. You’ll learn about data pre-processing and visualization, artificial neural networks, how to use the Keras framework, and more. Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is powered and curated […]
TL;DR:
The Ultimate Python and Artificial Intelligence Bundle has 9 courses to help you take your Python and AI knowledge to the next level.
Theverge
Jun 9, 17:34
Congress just gave DHS another $70 billion
Congress narrowly voted to fund President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda, giving the Department of Homeland Security $70 billion over the next three years. The house voted 214 to 212 in favor of the reconciliation bill Tuesday, following the Senate's 52-47 vote last Friday morning. The vote fell largely along party lines. Sen. Lisa Murkowski […]
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Congress just gave DHS another $70 billion. The house voted 214 to 212 in favor of the reconciliation bill Tuesday, following the Senate's 52-47 vote last Friday morning. The vote fell largely along party lines.
TL;DR:
Congress narrowly voted to fund President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda, giving the Department of Homeland Security $70 billion over the next three years.
Techdirt
Jun 9, 16:32
Court Shuts Down Some Trump Racism; Restores Green Cards, Visas To Residents Of ‘Travel Ban’ Countries
Trump has loved “travel bans” since his first term in office. It has nothing to do with making America safer or better and everything to do with making America whiter. People were opposed to Trump’s blanket bans all the way back in 2017, when the heads of tech companies managed to collectively grow enough spine […]
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Court Shuts Down Some Trump Racism; Restores Green Cards, Visas To Residents Of ‘Travel Ban’ Countries. It has nothing to do with making America safer or better and everything to do with making America whiter. People were opposed to Trump’s blanket bans all the way back in 2017, when the heads of tech companies managed to collectively grow enough spine […]
TL;DR:
Trump has loved “travel bans” since his first term in office.
Techdirt
Jun 9, 12:27
Meta Admits Its ‘AI’ Helped Hackers Compromise 20,000 Instagram Accounts
So last week we noted how Meta’s AI support assistant doled out access to high-profile Instagram accounts after hackers simply asked for it. Outside of using a VPN to match the account holder’s region, the hackers didn’t have to do literally anything of note to convince the Meta AI chatbot to provide access, suggesting like […]
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So last week we noted how Meta’s AI support assistant doled out access to high-profile Instagram accounts after hackers simply asked for it. Outside of using a VPN to match the account holder’s region, the hackers didn’t have to do literally anything of note to convince the Meta AI chatbot to provide access, suggesting like […]
TL;DR:
So last week we noted how Meta’s AI support assistant doled out access to high-profile Instagram accounts after hackers simply asked for it.
Theverge
Jun 9, 06:00
Amazon employees ask Seattle to put the brakes on new data centers
On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council will vote on whether to enact a one-year moratorium on new data centers - just two months after several companies proposed building five large-scale centers in the city. Among the moratorium's fiercest supporters are current employees from the city's biggest tech giant, Amazon, who joined others to testify in […]
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On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council will vote on whether to enact a one-year moratorium on new data centers - just two months after several companies proposed building five large-scale centers in the city. Among the moratorium's fiercest supporters are current employees from the city's biggest tech giant, Amazon, who joined others to testify in […]
TL;DR:
On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council will vote on whether to enact a one-year moratorium on new data centers - just two months after several companies proposed building five large-scale centers in the city.
Eff
Jun 8, 23:32
VICTORY: Meta Strips Facial Recognition Code From Smart Glasses App After Public Outcry
Just days after a damning WIRED report exposed that Meta had quietly embedded facial recognition technology (FRT) code into millions of phones, the tech giant has quietly acquiesced in demands to reverse course. Last week, researchers identified code in Meta AI, a companion app for its line of smart glasses, that could convert images of faces into unique biometric signatures to identify strangers in public. EFF’s Threat Lab verified these findings through static analysis, and reminded consumers to think twice before buying or using Meta’s surveillance glasses. Just as quietly as Meta embedded this code, the app’s June 5th app update appears to have quietly removed all those features and systems. Gone is the face-recognition technology, the code meant to trigger “Person recognized” alerts, and the machine learning models and databases designed to detect, digitize, and store the biometric signatures of people users engage with. When WIRED broke the news last week, Meta’s executives immediately went on the defensive . Yet, their actions speak louder than their tweets: less than 48 hours after the public caught wind of their plans, Meta quietly launched an update to scrub nearly all traces of the FRT system from their app. But this quiet deletion of code does not equal a permanent change of heart. Meta previously used face recognition, and stopped only after it faced the legal and financial consequences . Now the company has refused to answer WIRED’s inquiries on whether it plans to bring the NameTag system back in the future, or what they did with any data they may have already collected during internal testing. There are billions of reasons not to turn Meta’s customers into a distributed surveillance machine. This whiplash behavior proves exactly why we cannot rely on the "good will" of Big Tech to protect our digital rights. We need robust, enforceable consumer privacy laws, complete with a private right of action that allows everyday people to sue companies that violate their biometric privacy. While we won this round, Meta's FRT ambitions probably aren't going away. EFF will keep watching.
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VICTORY: Meta Strips Facial Recognition Code From Smart Glasses App After Public Outcry. Just days after a damning WIRED report exposed that Meta had quietly embedded facial recognition technology (FRT) code into millions of phones, the tech giant has quietly acquiesced in demands to reverse course.
TL;DR:
EFF will keep watching.
Eff
Jun 8, 23:28
How and Why to Fight Back Against Social Media Bans
Several U.S. states are pushing to ban young people from social media entirely. This marks the latest wave of censorship bills masquerading as “children’s online safety” measures, with states like Massachusetts , Idaho , Minnesota , North Carolina , South Carolina , Illinois , and EFF’s home state of California leading the charge. Just a few years ago, lawmakers supporting age-gating laws insisted their efforts were narrowly targeted at limiting young people’s access to adult content. At the time, we warned that they would not stop there : once the government established the authority and built the infrastructure to collect and “verify” massive troves of user data, it would inevitably sweep broader and broader categories of lawful speech into this mass surveillance and censorship system. Unfortunately, our predictions came true. As legislators across the country advance proposals that would block all young people from accessing the “ modern public square ,” the Overton window has shifted dramatically towards mass censorship—and the speed of this shift should concern all of us. This primer breaks down this dangerous wave of social media bans: how they work (and why they don’t), who they harm, and how we can fight back. How to Spot a Social Media Ban The details of these bills vary from state to state. Some (like California’s AB 1709 ) are a flat-out social media ban for all young people under a certain age, while other states (like South Carolina and Minnesota) allow access to young users who hand over even more data to show verifiable parental consent . Many bills regulate certain social media features, too, including by setting default privacy settings, time limits, or notification preferences for all accounts that fail the age-gate. As for the age-gating mechanism itself, most proposals fall into two broad categories: age verification bills and behavioral age estimation bills. Age Verification Bills require online services to collect highly sensitive data, including government ID and biometric information, from all users before either restricting or allowing them access. For example, take California’s social media ban ( AB 1709 ). Starting in January 2027, operating systems will be required to collect enough information from users to sort them into age groups, or “brackets.” Under AB 1709, social media apps would then use that age bracket information to completely block anyone under 16, while supposedly letting everyone else through. By contrast, Florida’s law ( HB 3 ) takes a more aggressive route by forcing platforms to verify users' identities directly, usually by contracting with private third-party companies to perform verification services. Behavioral Age Estimation Bills , on the other hand, are a more recent innovation of states like Minnesota ( HF 1438 ) and South Carolina ( H 4591 ). These bills require platforms to estimate the ages of users based largely on data that they already collect, including self-attested age, behavioral information, and account history and activity. In practice, these bills enable tech companies to use algorithms and/or AI to analyze our online behavior and estimate age based on that. Proponents of behavioral age estimation bills claim that their proposals avoid the massive security risks that come with mandatory age verification bills. However, much of the data that social media platforms collect from us “in the ordinary course of operation” is collected in order to serve us targeted behavioral ads . If we force platforms to use this imperfect data to make more important judgments about who can access their services, we risk entrenching those insidious data collection practices. Surely we don’t want to give social media companies more reasons to justify and sustain their reliance on this exploitative business model. If you want to dig into the nuance here, our terminology guide sheds more light on the technical differences between age verification and age estimation bills. Overall, it’s a lose-lose scenario: either platforms collect new forms of our most sensitive and immutable data, or they unleash their AI and algorithms on our existing behavioral data to make creepy guesses about who we are and what we deserve to see. No matter which age-gating method your state chooses to execute its social media ban, there will be lots of error at the margins—and lots of users who will be blocked or chilled from access to lawful online speech. Why Social Media Bans Are So Dangerous Social media bans are unconstitutional, discriminatory, and deeply misguided. They reinforce existing structures of oppression , and t hey are broadly unsupported by young people, whose voices are conspicuously absent from this conversation. They undermine parental decision-making and replace tailored family-level solutions with a one-size-fits-all bandaid. And, in the places we have seen social media bans go into effect, early reports show that they don't even work . For example, in Austra...
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How and Why to Fight Back Against Social Media Bans. These bills require platforms to estimate the ages of users based largely on data that they already collect, including self-attested age, behavioral information, and account history and activity. Why Social Media Bans Are So Dangerous Social media bans are unconstitutional, discriminatory, and deeply misguided.
TL;DR:
states are pushing to ban young people from social media entirely.
Eff
Jun 8, 19:12
Cheers to the Winners of EFF’s 17th Annual Cyberlaw Trivia Night!
On a warm June evening in San Francisco, attorneys and other legally-minded friends of EFF gathered for our 17th Annual Cyberlaw Trivia Night, an annual test of tech-related legal knowledge, and the ability to remember some deeply obscure facts under pressure. Returning Quizmaster Kurt Opsahl once again guided competitors through six rounds of trivia covering everything from intellectual property and free speech to privacy, security, and artificial intelligence. Teams wrestled with questions about geofence warrants, AI copyright disputes, the SOPA/PIPA internet blackout, Section 230, and even a Senate hearing featuring a contestant who was herself present at cyberlaw trivia. The judges’ table made it obvious that 2026 was a notable year. Weighing in on the toughest close calls were three folks with a deep history at our org: outgoing EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn and new Executive Director Nicole Ozer both sat at as judges, joined by new cyberlaw judge Mike Masnick, founder of Techdirt and a recipient of an EFF Award in 2020 . img_7522.jpeg The food was hot, the drinks were cold, and the competition was fierce. Teams including Shady Docket, Byte Club, Flock U, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Precedent, Nicky's Angels, and Betamaxxers battled through six rounds of challenging questions. When a question about Afroman's successful legal battle against Ohio sheriff's deputies came up, members of Byte Club offered to do more than name his most popular album: they offered to perform a rendition of “ Lemon Pound Cake ” (also the album name—tricky!) for the judges. This won no sway with the 3-judge Cyberlaw Judiciary, and the offer was politely declined. The teams racked their collective law-noggins about some of the details of recent legal battles over digital rights, and a round entitled “You Can Call Me AI.” After the IP round, which rewarded folks in the audience who could answer details about the server test, the trivia moved onto newsier questions, with questions about ICE apps, anti-ICE apps, recent defamation cases involving our sitting president, and the slogan of a mineral company that you might've heard on terrestrial radio anytime between the early aughts and this week. You don't have to wear a morning coat to win Supreme Court arguments, but knowing who did for 4 years might have helped you win the IP round. By the end of regulation play, the cyberlaw trivia competition was closer than we could have imagined. For the first time in Cyberlaw Trivia history, three teams finished tied for first place, sending the contest to two tiebreaker questions. The final question noted that Google had received more than 287,000 government information requests in the first half of 2025, and asked teams to estimate how many were received by OpenAI during the same period. Every team guessed over, but it was the victors, Shady Docket, who guessed the lowest: 260. (The real answer is 146.) As Shady Docket team member Erin Simon explained after the win: "As much as we love EFF, what we love even more is crushing other trivia teams." In second place were Nicky’s Angels. Rounding out the virtual podium in 3rd were the Betamaxxers, who jumped ahead early with a home-run run in the Free Speech round, getting every question correct. Each summer, EFF's Cyberlaw Trivia Night brings together the legal community that helps defend privacy, free expression, innovation, and digital rights. We want to especially thank this year Morrison Foerster, Fenwick, Wilson Sonsini, and Public Resource for supporting EFF's legal intern program. Are you an attorney interested in defending civil liberties in the digital world? Consider joining EFF's Cooperating Attorneys list. This network helps EFF connect people to legal assistance when EFF is unable to provide direct assistance. Fighting for first place at EFF’s Cyberlaw Trivia Night helps us fight for your rights online! Sponsor one of our annual events and join the movement for digital privacy, free speech, and innovation. Please visit eff.org/thanks or contact [email protected] for more information.
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Cheers to the Winners of EFF’s 17th Annual Cyberlaw Trivia Night! . This network helps EFF connect people to legal assistance when EFF is unable to provide direct assistance. Fighting for first place at EFF’s Cyberlaw Trivia Night helps us fight for your rights online! Sponsor one of our annual events and join the movement for digital privacy, free speech, and innovation.
TL;DR:
Please visit eff.org/thanks or contact [email protected] for more information.
Techdirt
Jun 8, 16:25
Trump-Appointed Judge Refers DOJ Lawyers For Discipline Over Their Anti-Trans Lawfare
There’s hardly anyone left in the Justice Department that has any deeper desire than just giving Trump what he wants. The few lawyers Trump didn’t purge resigned soon after it became clear the DOJ would be little more than personification of Trump’s vengeful whims. Lawyers with decades of experience were replaced with Trump loyalists, former […]
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Trump-Appointed Judge Refers DOJ Lawyers For Discipline Over Their Anti-Trans Lawfare. The few lawyers Trump didn’t purge resigned soon after it became clear the DOJ would be little more than personification of Trump’s vengeful whims. Lawyers with decades of experience were replaced with Trump loyalists, former […]
TL;DR:
There’s hardly anyone left in the Justice Department that has any deeper desire than just giving Trump what he wants.
Theverge
Jun 6, 11:05
The mayor of Shelbyville, Indiana, says only people who live in ‘shitty houses’ oppose data center
A proposed $2 billion data center has become a political flashpoint in the small city of Shelbyville, Indiana. And the controversy has only grown more intense after the mayor, Scott Furgeson, was caught on camera saying of the "No Data Center" signs going up that, "I've seen a lot of these all over town, but […]
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A proposed $2 billion data center has become a political flashpoint in the small city of Shelbyville, Indiana. And the controversy has only grown more intense after the mayor, Scott Furgeson, was caught on camera saying of the "No Data Center" signs going up that, "I've seen a lot of these all over town, but […]
TL;DR:
A proposed $2 billion data center has become a political flashpoint in the small city of Shelbyville, Indiana.
Techdirt
Jun 6, 02:39
‘Tomb Raider’ Remake Developed Using Some AI, Everyone Freaks, Crystal Dynamics Responds, And I’m Confused
Full disclosure: this post is going to pose way more questions than answers. That’s because the story of the Tomb Raider remake being produced by Crystal Dynamics and its inclusion of an AI disclosure on Steam makes no sense to me. So, let’s start at the beginning. Crystal Dynamics is making an updated version of […]
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‘Tomb Raider’ Remake Developed Using Some AI, Everyone Freaks, Crystal Dynamics Responds, And I’m Confused. That’s because the story of the Tomb Raider remake being produced by Crystal Dynamics and its inclusion of an AI disclosure on Steam makes no sense to me. Crystal Dynamics is making an updated version of […]
TL;DR:
Full disclosure: this post is going to pose way more questions than answers.
Eff
Jun 5, 19:28
Internet Age-Gates Are a Growing Global Threat
The internet is an essential resource for young people and adults to access information, explore community, and find themselves—both inside countries and across continents. Yet governments around the world continue to introduce and implement legislation requiring all online users to verify their ages before accessing the digital space. In some cases, politicians are going further, putting forth proposals to ban social media for younger users. In late 2025, Australia’s government rolled out the first complete ban on users under 16 from having social media accounts. In this sweeping regime, platforms are required to introduce age assurance tools to block under-16s, demonstrate that they have taken “reasonable steps” to deactivate accounts used by under-16s, and prevent any new accounts being created, or face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32 million USD). The 10 banned platforms—Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, Kick, Reddit, Twitch, and X—have each said they’ll comply with the legislation, which led to young people losing access to their accounts overnight . Reddit is currently challenging the law in Australian courts on constitutional grounds. Recent research notes how the ban is preventing teenagers from accessing news in the country. In the United Kingdom , rules took effect in mid-2025 under the Online Safety Act that require all online services available in the country to assess whether they host content considered harmful to children; if so, these services must introduce age checks to prevent children from accessing such content. Online services are also required to change their algorithms and moderation systems to ensure that content defined as harmful, like violent imagery, is not shown to young people. This approach is reckless, short-sighted, and we’ve already seen it introduce more harm to the young people that it is trying to protect. The UK’s scramble to find an effective age verification method shows us that there isn't one, and we’ve spent years urging UK politicians to abandon any measures that require platforms to collect data or remove privacy protections around users’ identities. Earlier this year, Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Affairs Minister, Meutya Hafid, announced that users under 16 would have their accounts on “high risk” platforms deactivated from 28 March. The platforms subject to this ban are YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox; with Hafid noting how this policy would make Indonesia “the first non-Western country to delay children's access to digital spaces according to age.” Similarly, the Malaysian government has recently pushed forward with plans to ban users under 16 from having accounts on social media platforms with at least 8 million users in Malaysia, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Users under the age of 16 are being told to download or transfer their data from these platforms in one month before the restrictions are applied. Platforms failing to comply with the ban may face penalties of up to $2.5 million USD. In Latin America, Brazil approved a new law in 2025 establishing that providers of information technology products and services directed to children and teenagers, or likely to be accessed by them, must conduct age checks when their products and services offer risks to underage users. Regulation requires age assurance for products and services that are not allowed for children and adolescents in accordance with Brazilian legislation. App stores and operating systems are required to provide age signals for other providers. While the law is already in force, full compliance with its obligations is expected for early 2027 , after the approval of further regulations and a transition period, and the authority responsible for enforcing the law is the Brazilian National Data Protection Agency . The list of concerns regarding the implementation of the law include: the wide scope of products and services that may fall within age-check obligations, how these obligations can affect non-proprietary operating systems and free software projects, and how effective the law's crucial data protection safeguards will be in a context of likely widespread age checks for accessing content online. Similarly, the European Union has taken large steps towards mandatory age verification that could undermine privacy, expression, and participation rights for everyone. Politicians are promoting an EU-wide approach to age verification through its age verification “app,” which will be fully interoperable with the Digital Identity Wallet . While this mini-app has been announced as technically ready to be rolled out “for citizens to use,” it comes with its own realm of potential privacy and security concerns , such as long-term identifiers (which could result in tracking) and over-exposure of personal information. The European Commission also supports age verification in various legi...
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Users under the age of 16 are being told to download or transfer their data from these platforms in one month before the restrictions are applied. Similarly, the European Union has taken large steps towards mandatory age verification that could undermine privacy, expression, and participation rights for everyone.
TL;DR:
Platforms failing to comply with the ban may face penalties of up to $2.5 million USD.
Techdirt
Jun 5, 18:08
340 Local News Outlets Now Blocking The Internet Archive
Earlier this year Nieman Lab broke the story that major news publishers, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and USA Today Co., had started blocking the Internet Archive for fear that AI companies might scrape the nonprofit’s repositories for training data. As one of the last bastions of archival history, that is, in case you’re not […]
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Earlier this year Nieman Lab broke the story that major news publishers, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and USA Today Co., had started blocking the Internet Archive for fear that AI companies might scrape the nonprofit’s repositories for training data. As one of the last bastions of archival history, that is, in case you’re not […]
TL;DR:
Earlier this year Nieman Lab broke the story that major news publishers, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and USA Today Co., had started blocking the Internet Archive for fear that AI companies might scrape the nonprofit’s repositories for training data.
Theverge
Jun 5, 17:15
Congress still can’t decide what to do about warrantless surveillance
The deadline to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is coming up a week from now on June 12th, and legislators seem no closer to reaching a deal. If this sounds like deja vu, it's because we've been here before. Congress reauthorized Section 702 in late April - but only for 45 […]
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Congress still can’t decide what to do about warrantless surveillance. If this sounds like deja vu, it's because we've been here before. Congress reauthorized Section 702 in late April - but only for 45 […]
TL;DR:
The deadline to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is coming up a week from now on June 12th, and legislators seem no closer to reaching a deal.
Eff
Jun 5, 17:01
LGBT Q&A Season 1 Recap: Staying Safer Online
Last year during LGBTQ+ Pride month, we launched an LGBT Q&A where we answered your most pressing digital rights questions on EFF’s Instagram and TikTok accounts. Ahead of LGBT Q&A Season 2 launching next week, we’re posting a recap with some of the questions we answered. Check them out below. You wanted to know : How to stay safe when dating online. You asked : I'm a 17 year old trans woman and my address is public on the Internet. What steps can I take to mitigate this risk? You wondered about : Tips for staying safe at Budapest Pride. You questioned : Why does homophobic content I report on social media not get removed? You asked : What pictures are safe to use on dating apps? You wanted to know : Is it safe to have gay, trans, and Palestinian flags in my bio? We’re here to help build an online space where you get to decide what aspects of yourself you share with others, how you present to the world, and what things you keep private. Join us to make the internet private, safe, and full of pride.
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LGBT Q&A Season 1 Recap: Staying Safer Online. Last year during LGBTQ+ Pride month, we launched an LGBT Q&A where we answered your most pressing digital rights questions on EFF’s Instagram and TikTok accounts. Ahead of LGBT Q&A Season 2 launching next week, we’re posting a recap with some of the questions we answered. You wanted to know : How to stay safe when dating online.
TL;DR:
Join us to make the internet private, safe, and full of pride.
Techdirt
Jun 5, 16:28
Former Cop Arrested For Not Being Sufficiently Reverential Of Charlie Kirk’s Corpse Scores $835K Lawsuit Settlement
MAGA got itself a martyr when Charlie Kirk was killed. The “violent left,” etc. as they say. One of it’s own practiced what he preached and his life was ended prematurely by someone practicing what Kirk preached. I mean, this is a direct quote of Charlie Kirk: Kirk argued that the benefits of having guns […]
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Former Cop Arrested For Not Being Sufficiently Reverential Of Charlie Kirk’s Corpse Scores $835K Lawsuit Settlement. One of it’s own practiced what he preached and his life was ended prematurely by someone practicing what Kirk preached. I mean, this is a direct quote of Charlie Kirk: Kirk argued that the benefits of having guns […]
TL;DR:
MAGA got itself a martyr when Charlie Kirk was killed.
Techdirt
Jun 5, 12:27
Top Paramount Lawyer Claims Opposition To Warner Brothers Merger Is ‘Antisemitic’
Paramount is clearly getting nervous about the growing opposition to its $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers, which is being intensely criticized for dodgy overseas funding, its dire impact on journalism, and the inevitable mass layoffs, consumer price hikes, and shittier overall product that always results from debt-fueled mega-media consolidation. There’s a certain desperation creeping […]
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Some of these people are trying to inflict harm on this transaction, really because of their own antisemitic views. Regulators and law enforcement officials will see right through that.” That is, of course, a whole lot of bullshit.
TL;DR:
Paramount is clearly getting nervous about the growing opposition to its $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers, which is being intensely criticized for dodgy overseas funding, its dire impact on journalism, and the inevitable mass layoffs, consumer price hikes, and shittier overall product that always results from debt-fueled mega-media consolidation.
Eff
Jun 4, 22:56
California’s AB 412 Still Demands Developers Do The Impossible
California lawmakers are again considering A.B. 412 , a bill that would require AI developers to identify and disclose copyrighted works used to train generative AI systems. The problem this year is the same as last year : it’s practically impossible to comply with this law. The bill demands information that often does not exist, and cannot realistically be obtained. EFF submitted an opposition letter to the California Senate Privacy Committee explaining why we continue to believe A.B. 412 is simply unworkable. To the extent developers do follow this law, it will have the effect of locking in the power of the largest companies in AI. A Burden That Can’t Be Met A.B. 412 sounds simple: just have AI developers create and keep a list of all the registered copyrighted works they use in AI training. That may seem straightforward. In practice, it’s anything but. There is no machine-readable “list” of copyrighted works at the U.S. Copyright Office. And many copyright holders can get a copyright without even depositing a publicly viewable sample of the work—for example, software companies may register copyright on proprietary code without revealing it to the public. And on the open internet, copyright information is often incomplete, unavailable, or impossible to verify. One image may be registered with the copyright office, while the next is licensed under a free Creative Commons license (like the images that EFF creates ), and the next is public domain. A message forum user might post an original story, photograph, or poem without any indication of ownership or registration status. The bill effectively asks developers to continuously cross-reference massive batches of online data against a copyright system that simply wasn’t designed to do so. If California passes A.B. 412, its impact will go far beyond the large AI companies we read about in the headlines. Not Just Big Tech Supporters often frame this bill as a way to help creative workers have some leverage against Big Tech, but the bill reaches much further than the big AI companies. Its definition of “developer” extends to anyone who makes a generative AI model available to Californians. That includes indie developers tinkering with an existing model, open-source initiatives, nonprofits, and other non-commercial efforts. Recent amendments added exemptions for universities and government entities, which is important, but that still leaves out a vast swathe of non-commercial tech work that’s done by people without full-time jobs in government or academia. Large companies will hire compliance teams and lawyers to navigate these requirements. Smaller organizations and independent developers usually can’t. The result will be fewer opportunities for startups and new entrants. Faced with this massive compliance burden, some won’t even try. Courts Are Already Deciding These Questions The bill is premised on the idea that copyright owners currently don’t have good remedies if they’re mistreated by AI companies. That simply isn’t true. And the growing wave of federal court filings in this space prove it. Content companies that want to sue tech companies, large or small, have no problem doing so . Those courts are still working through important questions about fair use and transformative use. Some courts have already concluded that many AI training activities qualify as fair use . Others continue to evaluate the issue. California lawmakers should not rush to impose new state regulation while those questions remain unresolved. This is why copyright is governed at the federal level: both creators and fair users benefit from a single set of nationwide rules. At this point, the bill remains a solution in search of a problem. Rights holders already have powerful tools to protect their interests under existing federal law. What this bill adds isn’t clarity or transparency, but a costly and essentially impossible compliance burden that will discourage small developers and researchers. California has been able to support both artistic creativity and tech innovation for decades now. But A.B. 412 does not strike the right balance. If you are a California resident and interested in speaking out about this bill, you can find and contact your representatives through this website .
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California’s AB 412 Still Demands Developers Do The Impossible. California lawmakers are again considering A.B. Rights holders already have powerful tools to protect their interests under existing federal law.
TL;DR:
412 , a bill that would require AI developers to identify and disclose copyrighted works used to train generative AI systems.
Techdirt
Jun 4, 22:37
Because Flock Can’t Be Trusted, Cities Are Covering Cameras With Garbage Bags
Flock Safety doesn’t seem to care about anyone. Not its customers, not those captured by its cameras, not even the legislators trying to find a balance between safety and privacy. Flock started out by pitching its cameras — with built-in license plate readers — to the kind of people with money to blow on unproven […]
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Because Flock Can’t Be Trusted, Cities Are Covering Cameras With Garbage Bags. Not its customers, not those captured by its cameras, not even the legislators trying to find a balance between safety and privacy. Flock started out by pitching its cameras — with built-in license plate readers — to the kind of people with money to blow on unproven […]
TL;DR:
Flock Safety doesn’t seem to care about anyone.
Eff
Jun 4, 21:18
Pulte Appointment Underscores Need to Reform Section 702 Spying
President Trump’s highly politicized appointment of an entirely unqualified acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) underscores why the government’s warrantless mass spying power must be reformed. Congress now faces a deadline of Friday, June 12 to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act , an unconstitutional program rife with problems, loopholes, and compliance issues. Section 702 allows the National Security Agency to collect communications from targets overseas – including communications with Americans in the U.S. – and stores them in massive databases. The NSA then allows other agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to access untold amounts of that information. Under current practice, the FBI can query and even read the U.S. side of that communication without a warrant . What’s more, victims won’t even know and have very few ways of finding out that their communications have been surveilled. EFF and other civil liberties advocates have been trying for years to know how data collected through Section 702 is used in domestic investigations and prosecutions. Our advocacy to reform Section 702 has been consistent across administrations, including when the federal Intelligence Community was run by people with experience in the relevant agencies. In fact, the 2004 law creating the position of DNI – which coordinates America’s 18 spy agencies – requires those who hold it to have “extensive national security expertise.” Enter Bill Pulte. Trump on Tuesday named Pulte – currently director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – to replace current DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who announced her resignation last month. Pulte l acks any intelligence, military, or congressional experience . “William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform . Pulte isn't a qualified intelligence administrator. He does, however, seem to be unquestioningly loyal to President Trump and willing to use his position to attack and smear the President’s political foes. Because Trump named him acting DNI, Pulte isn’t subject to Senate confirmation. And under the Vacancies Act, Pulte could remain in the role for about seven months. This is particularly concerning because of Pulte’s history of using private information held by the government as a political weapon. In his FHFA role, he has accused several of the President’s political foes and targets – including New York State Attorney General Letitia James , U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook – of mortgage fraud based on private data held by his agency. All these targets and others have denied wrongdoing. A federal criminal complaint filed against James in Virginia imploded after a judge found prosecutor Lindsey Halligan had been unlawfully appointed, and prosecutors twice failed to convince a grand jury to indict James. Pulte’s accusations against Schiff, Cook, and others have not led to criminal charges. Pulte also used his FHFA pulpit to attack then-Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and dismantle internal oversight . Pulte isn't a qualified intelligence administrator. He does, however, seem to be unquestioningly loyal to President Trump and willing to use his position to attack and smear the President’s political foes. As acting DNI, Pulte would have access to every scrap of classified information the Intelligence Community holds, and under Section 702, that includes massive amounts of information about Americans. Even lawmakers who are typically friendly to the intelligence community acknowledge that this is a disaster in the making. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who is the Senate Intelligence Committee’s ranking Democrat, told NPR that Pulte has "no experience in the military, no experience in Congress, no experience in the intel community or law enforcement" and was chosen because he is "100% loyal to doing anything and everything President Trump demands." And Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters “we don’t need a weaponized” national intelligence director. Asked about fears that Pulte might pursue Trump’s political opponents, Thune said: “We need professionals there.” Congress already has had trouble reauthorizing Section 702 as Freedom Caucus Republicans and many Democrats joined forces to demand reforms including the common-sense requirement that federal agencies get a probable cause warrant from a judge before searching any data involving Americans. Pulte’s appointment exemplifies why no administration should have the power granted by Section 702 without the independent judicial review required in seeking a warrant.
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Pulte Appointment Underscores Need to Reform Section 702 Spying. Congress now faces a deadline of Friday, June 12 to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act , an unconstitutional program rife with problems, loopholes, and compliance issues. Pulte isn't a qualified intelligence administrator.
TL;DR:
President Trump’s highly politicized appointment of an entirely unqualified acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) underscores why the government’s warrantless mass spying power must be reformed.
Eff
Jun 4, 20:52
EFF Testifies to Congress on Protecting Americans’ Rights from Government AI
Governments must not adopt emerging and powerful AI technologies without also adopting strong and clear safeguards to protect Constitutional rights, EFF Senior Policy Analyst Dr. Matthew Guariglia testified today to the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection. During the hearing on “ The AI Security Landscape: How Frontier Models, Agentic AI, and AI Coding Tools Are Reshaping Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Resilience ,” he explained that he use of generative AI for the purposes of mass government surveillance would supercharges unconstitutional violations of civil liberties. He also highlighted how government secrecy, in addition to the black box of for-profit proprietary technology, prevents the public and lawmakers from knowing when AI models make mistakes, including errors that seriously impact the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure and the lives of individuals. “AI also has a track record of getting things wrong—from false citations on legal briefs to a major AI mistake that sent DHS recruits to the field without proper training. There are likely more consequential examples that we do not even know about because of classification that would prevent a more thorough accounting," he said in his opening remarks. %3Ciframe%20width%3D%22560%22%20height%3D%22315%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2F5K_0etAPDxA%3Fsi%3Dw-RLGRR_I788C4Nh%26autoplay%3D1%26mute%3D1%22%20title%3D%22YouTube%20video%20player%22%20frameborder%3D%220%22%20allow%3D%22accelerometer%3B%20autoplay%3B%20clipboard-write%3B%20encrypted-media%3B%20gyroscope%3B%20picture-in-picture%3B%20web-share%22%20referrerpolicy%3D%22strict-origin-when-cross-origin%22%20allowfullscreen%3D%22%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E Privacy info. This embed will serve content from youtube.com “At this level the question is not how do we rein in AI, it’s how do we rein in the agencies that would unleash AI on the American public,” Matthew said in response to a question by Subcommittee Ranking Member Delia Ramirez, D-Ill. You can read his full testimony as prepared here , and his opening statement here .
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EFF Testifies to Congress on Protecting Americans’ Rights from Government AI. During the hearing on “ The AI Security Landscape: How Frontier Models, Agentic AI, and AI Coding Tools Are Reshaping Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Resilience ,” he explained that he use of generative AI for the purposes of mass government surveillance would supercharges unconstitutiona…
TL;DR:
Governments must not adopt emerging and powerful AI technologies without also adopting strong and clear safeguards to protect Constitutional rights, EFF Senior Policy Analyst Dr.
Techdirt
Jun 4, 20:35
In NetChoice V. Murrill, The Copia Institute Asks The Fifth Circuit Not To Keep Ignoring The First Amendment
It seems hardly a day goes by when another state doesn’t try to keep young people off the Internet. These attempts not only violate their First Amendment rights to interact with lawful speech, but everyone else’s as well, because the things platforms would need to do to comply with these laws inevitably impinge on everyone […]
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Murrill, The Copia Institute Asks The Fifth Circuit Not To Keep Ignoring The First Amendment. It seems hardly a day goes by when another state doesn’t try to keep young people off the Internet.
TL;DR:
These attempts not only violate their First Amendment rights to interact with lawful speech, but everyone else’s as well, because the things platforms would need to do to comply with these laws inevitably impinge on everyone […]
Eff
Jun 4, 20:08
Move Fast, Surveil Things
Meta has deployed facial recognition code to millions of their always-on surveillance glasses, according to new reporting by Wired . EFF’s Threat Lab was able to confirm that the facial recognition code is present through static analysis of the application. This dangerous new Meta functionality stores faceprints as a series of 2,048 numbers uniquely representing the positioning of a person’s facial features. When this feature is activated, it will convert every new face in the sightlines of the surveillance glasses into a series of numbers, and compare it to all the existing faceprints in the user’s database. Wired and EFF confirmed that the code is present and active, though not yet exposed to consumers. Another researcher confirmed that when they manually added a face to the app database by connecting the phone to a computer in debug mode and issuing a few commands, the glasses would subsequently detect that face when it came into view. Meta has already paid $650 million to settle a BIPA lawsuit challenging mass facial recognition of every photo posted to its platform, a feature which it has since shut down . Despite the billions of reasons not to , Meta seems to have created the capacity to turn their customers into a distributed surveillance machine. This is just one more reason to think twice before buying or using Meta’s surveillance glasses. Considering that Meta previously wrote in an internal document that they want to launch facial recognition “during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns," this invasive new feature doesn't come as a surprise. But Meta's surveillance plans won't escape public scrutiny that easily, and we'll be watching if this feature is rolled out to the public.
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When this feature is activated, it will convert every new face in the sightlines of the surveillance glasses into a series of numbers, and compare it to all the existing faceprints in the user’s database. Wired and EFF confirmed that the code is present and active, though not yet exposed to consumers.
TL;DR:
Meta has deployed facial recognition code to millions of their always-on surveillance glasses, according to new reporting by Wired .
Techdirt
Jun 4, 16:29
Trump DOJ Proudly Rewrites History By Deleting January 6 Insurrection Press Releases
History is written by the winners, they say. But it can also be written by losers. Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. In response, he told everyone the election had been rigged, if not actually stolen. He said some of this to his faithful MAGA followers the morning the election results were to be certified. […]
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Trump DOJ Proudly Rewrites History By Deleting January 6 Insurrection Press Releases. Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. He said some of this to his faithful MAGA followers the morning the election results were to be certified.
TL;DR:
History is written by the winners, they say.
Theverge
Jun 4, 14:38
Kevin O’Leary agrees to downsize massive Utah data center
Kevin O'Leary agreed to halve the size of his planned 40,000-acre data center in Utah amid mounting pressure from residents and activists, as reported earlier by local affiliate ABC4. The Shark Tank star sent a letter to Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams on Thursday, saying that he will remove 19,430 acres from the project, […]
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Kevin O’Leary agrees to downsize massive Utah data center. The Shark Tank star sent a letter to Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams on Thursday, saying that he will remove 19,430 acres from the project, […]
TL;DR:
Kevin O'Leary agreed to halve the size of his planned 40,000-acre data center in Utah amid mounting pressure from residents and activists, as reported earlier by local affiliate ABC4.
Techdirt
Jun 3, 22:41
Todd Blanche Pinky Swears The $1.8 Billion J6 Slush Fund Is Dead, But Won’t Sign Anything Saying That
There were some rumors earlier this week that, as it was facing a lot of pushback in court, in the media, and even among (a few) fellow Republicans in Congress, Donald Trump was going to drop his blatantly unconstitutional, illegal, and corrupt $1.776 billion slush fund for MAGA insurrectionists. And now it’s… sorta officially dead… […]
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“We are not moving forward with the fund, period,” Blanche said. Grace Meng asks for Blanche to put it into writing that the fund is not moving forward, Blanche declines to do so. It was done by Blanche and the DOJ.
TL;DR:
There were some rumors earlier this week that, as it was facing a lot of pushback in court, in the media, and even among (a few) fellow Republicans in Congress, Donald Trump was going to drop his blatantly unconstitutional, illegal, and corrupt $1.776 billion slush fund for MAGA insurrectionists.
Techdirt
Jun 3, 16:28
The Supreme Court’s Conservatives Have One Consistent Rule: Black Votes Shouldn’t Count
The Supreme Court’s conservatives have spent years systematically dismantling the Voting Rights Act, but the last seven months have been something else — a rapid-fire series of emergency docket rulings, procedural maneuvers, and carefully worded opinions that, taken together, make it effectively impossible to challenge racial gerrymandering. Not difficult. Impossible. And Justice Alito, in particular, […]
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None of the conservatives were willing to put their name on it. This was just the moment it became undeniable that the rule is: if it disenfranchises Black voters, we’ll allow it, if it empowers Black voters, we’ll block it.
TL;DR:
The Supreme Court’s conservatives have spent years systematically dismantling the Voting Rights Act, but the last seven months have been something else — a rapid-fire series of emergency docket rulings, procedural maneuvers, and carefully worded opinions that, taken together, make it effectively impossible to challenge racial gerrymandering.
Techdirt
Jun 3, 12:26
Whoops: Hackers Simply Had To Ask Meta ‘AI’ For Access To High Profile Instagram Accounts
404 Media reports that hackers were simply able to ask Meta AI for access to high-profile Instagram accounts, and the AI agent simply… well… obliged: “Hackers say that they used Meta’s AI support chatbot to break into a host of high-profile Instagram profiles by asking the support bot to change the email address associated with […]
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The claims coincide with a series of high-profile Instagram account takeovers, including the Barack Obama White House account , the Chief Master Sergeant of Space Force’s account , and Sephora’s account.” Last March Meta announced that it would be providing AI customer support to all accounts across Facebook and Instagram.
TL;DR:
404 Media reports that hackers were simply able to ask Meta AI for access to high-profile Instagram accounts, and the AI agent simply… well… obliged: “Hackers say that they used Meta’s AI support chatbot to break into a host of high-profile Instagram profiles by asking the support bot to change the email address associated with […]
Techdirt
Jun 2, 22:23
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA’s AB 1856 Exempts Open Source But Expands Age-Gating
After public outrage, California lawmakers are moving closer to exempting open-source operating systems from the sweeping age-bracketing regime mandated by last year’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043). Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, privacy, and security. While the open source exemption, if passed, would improve the law, the remaining amendments proposed […]
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One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA’s AB 1856 Exempts Open Source But Expands Age-Gating. Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, privacy, and security. While the open source exemption, if passed, would improve the law, the remaining amendments proposed […]
TL;DR:
After public outrage, California lawmakers are moving closer to exempting open-source operating systems from the sweeping age-bracketing regime mandated by last year’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043).
Techdirt
Jun 2, 18:07
School Phone Bans: Great Politics, Mediocre Education Policy
Before the current wave of laws banning mobile phones in schools, we had published a piece from some researchers who had looked at how similar bans had worked in Australia, with the conclusion that… they didn’t. At best, the research showed the evidence on school phone bans to be “weak and inconclusive.” Those authors suggested […]
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Before the current wave of laws banning mobile phones in schools, we had published a piece from some researchers who had looked at how similar bans had worked in Australia, with the conclusion that… they didn’t. At best, the research showed the evidence on school phone bans to be “weak and inconclusive.” Those authors suggested […]
TL;DR:
Before the current wave of laws banning mobile phones in schools, we had published a piece from some researchers who had looked at how similar bans had worked in Australia, with the conclusion that… they didn’t.
Eff
Jun 2, 16:41
We're Fighting Mass Surveillance Tech—and Winning
EFF is on the front lines of the fight against tech-enabled tyranny, but we aren't alone. Our team depends on your help to fight back against the surveillance state. JOIN EFF People around the world are pushing back against the mass surveillance that undermines privacy and free expression for everyone. You can help during EFF's spring membership drive. One of the people who joined the fight for digital rights is EFF client Will Freeman. Will created the website DeFlock.me to reveal the dangers of automated license plate readers ( ALPRs )—cameras that collect location data on every vehicle they see and upload that to a massive nationwide police database. Deflock.me turns the tables by enlisting ordinary people to track the locations of tens of thousands of ALPR cameras. But when the police spy-tech company Flock Safety went after Will's website with legal threats citing trademark law, he saw it for what it was: an attempt to silence critics and dim the light on mass surveillance. The company will try everything it can to downplay the criticism, but EFF will be right there demanding accountability. "I was totally unprepared to receive a cease & desist letter. I can see how most people would be bullied into submission by a threat like that. That's when I remembered Dave Maass from the EFF introduced himself via email several weeks before, so I reached out for help," Freeman says. And that's when EFF stepped in. Recognizing DeFlock.me as a quintessential expression of grassroots advocacy and a form of criticism protected by the U.S. First Amendment, EFF's lawyers helped Will fight back. And the Big Surveillance Tech flinched. But these battles against Flock's Spying tools rage on. In cities around the country, privacy advocates are pressuring officials to block or end contracts for ALPRs—and winning. The company will try everything it can to downplay the criticism, but EFF will be right there demanding accountability. Get the new Claw Back member t-shirt featuring a fierce feline swatting at community surveillance. You might empathize with him, but there’s a better way. Let’s end the law enforcement contracts, harmful practices, and twisted logic that enable mass spying in the first place. "I'm really grateful the EFF was able to step in and help. Without them, free speech would be only for those wealthy enough to defend themselves against billion dollar companies. We've grown a lot since then and are expanding our efforts to expose and push back against mass surveillance on our streets," Freeman says. Support the movement stop mass surveillance tech today when you join EFF ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S. 501(c)(3) organization. We've received top rati ngs from the nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator since 2013! Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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Our team depends on your help to fight back against the surveillance state. One of the people who joined the fight for digital rights is EFF client Will Freeman. The company will try everything it can to downplay the criticism, but EFF will be right there demanding accountability.
TL;DR:
Support the movement stop mass surveillance tech today when you join EFF ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S.
Techdirt
Jun 1, 22:22
Prosecutor Nopes Out Of The DOJ After Being Handed The James Comey ‘8647’ Case
The DOJ has gone past bleeding talent. Now, it’s just bleeding whatever. It’s one thing to do a bit of MAGA swagger before a captive audience and walk out with a criminal indictment that contains no evidence of criminal activity. It’s quite another thing to present that case to a court, where you’ll have to […]
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Prosecutor Nopes Out Of The DOJ After Being Handed The James Comey ‘8647’ Case. It’s one thing to do a bit of MAGA swagger before a captive audience and walk out with a criminal indictment that contains no evidence of criminal activity. It’s quite another thing to present that case to a court, where you’ll have to […]
TL;DR:
The DOJ has gone past bleeding talent.
Techdirt
Jun 1, 18:09
Judge Reopens Trump’s IRS Case, Wants To Know If The Court Was Defrauded
Most legal experts seemed pretty skeptical about the tactic of 35 former federal judges asking federal judge Kathleen Williams to reopen the case where Trump sued his own IRS demanding $10 billion. Turns out they were wrong — on Friday, Judge Williams reopened the case, not going so far as to investigate whether fraud had […]
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Most legal experts seemed pretty skeptical about the tactic of 35 former federal judges asking federal judge Kathleen Williams to reopen the case where Trump sued his own IRS demanding $10 billion. Turns out they were wrong — on Friday, Judge Williams reopened the case, not going so far as to investigate whether fraud had […]
TL;DR:
Most legal experts seemed pretty skeptical about the tactic of 35 former federal judges asking federal judge Kathleen Williams to reopen the case where Trump sued his own IRS demanding $10 billion.
Techdirt
Jun 1, 18:04
Daily Deal: uTalk Language Education
We have all wanted to learn a language at some point but it’s hard to get started. Some language learning tools can be complicated and very time-consuming. But with uTalk, you’ll be speaking keywords and phrases in no time, and will start to see the results straight away. It helps you overcome the language barrier […]
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Daily Deal: uTalk Language Education. Some language learning tools can be complicated and very time-consuming. It helps you overcome the language barrier […]
TL;DR:
We have all wanted to learn a language at some point but it’s hard to get started.
Eff
Jun 1, 14:25
Welcome New EFF Executive Director Nicole Ozer
EFF welcomes our new Executive Director Nicole Ozer today! Nicole is a legal expert on privacy and surveillance, artificial intelligence, and digital speech who previously served as the inaugural executive director of the Center for Constitutional Democracy at UC Law San Francisco. From 2004-2025, she was founding director of the Technology and Civil Liberties Program at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California . Nicole has long been a partner of EFF’s in the fight to defend civil liberties in the digital world. Many of us already know her, and she’s basically as close to EFF “family” as someone can be without actually having worked here. Over her more than two decades leading public interest technology work, Nicole has: spearheaded passage of the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act – working with EFF to enact the nation’s strongest electronic surveillance law, requiring a warrant for government access to electronic information; modernized California law to protect reading records in the digital age by helping, along with EFF , to craft the Reader Privacy Act, requiring a “super warrant” for government access; created a groundbreaking model law for local democratic oversight of surveillance systems which inspired 25 laws across the country that help safeguard the rights and safety of more than 17 million people; litigated civil liberties cases, including work with EFF on the NSA cases , and drafted influential amicus briefs on technology issues at all levels of state and federal court, including the U.S. Supreme Court and California Supreme Court; and developed multi-year campaigns to strengthen the anti-surveillance policies related to social media surveillance and face recognition of major technology companies and foster stronger privacy and free expression protection for billions of people worldwide. And that's just the TL;DR! You can read more about her bona fides here . EFF’s work to ensure technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation is more urgent than ever. And with Nicole’s decades of leadership in public interest technology work, EFF is poised to be stronger than ever to meet this moment and build for the fights ahead. Nicole succeeds Cindy Cohn , who has been with EFF for more than 25 years and served as executive director since 2015. Cindy is leaving EFF later this month – not to retire, but to find a role that puts her back in the courtroom doing what she does best: suing the government! She’ll still be part of the EFF community. We are living digital lives, using technology to connect, communicate, and mobilize for change. And we need you in these critical fights to defend and advance rights in the digital world – so join EFF today, and sign up for our EFFector newsletter to make sure you’re updated on the latest EFF news including upcoming events to help you get to know Nicole. Welcome Nicole!
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Nicole is a legal expert on privacy and surveillance, artificial intelligence, and digital speech who previously served as the inaugural executive director of the Center for Constitutional Democracy at UC Law San Francisco. From 2004-2025, she was founding director of the Technology and Civil Liberties Program at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California .
TL;DR:
EFF welcomes our new Executive Director Nicole Ozer today!
Techdirt
Jun 1, 12:29
AT&T Sues California Regulators For Trying To Make Broadband Affordable
Five years years ago AT&T effectively stopped selling DSL and started hanging up on DSL and copper phone line customers. While killing landlines and DSL is understandable given the limitations of the dated copper-based tech, the problem is that thanks to concentrated telecom monopolization, many of these customers were left without any replacement options due […]
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Five years years ago AT&T effectively stopped selling DSL and started hanging up on DSL and copper phone line customers. While killing landlines and DSL is understandable given the limitations of the dated copper-based tech, the problem is that thanks to concentrated telecom monopolization, many of these customers were left without any replacement options due […]
TL;DR:
Five years years ago AT&T effectively stopped selling DSL and started hanging up on DSL and copper phone line customers.
Theverge
Jun 1, 09:23
Microsoft could be the next Big Tech antitrust target
Over the past several years, Microsoft has largely managed to withstand populist calls to break up Big Tech while peers faced sweeping lawsuits. But a probe by the Federal Trade Commission suggests that grace period could be nearing an end. Earlier this year, Bloomberg outlined the contents of civil investigative demands (CIDs) - similar to […]
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Microsoft could be the next Big Tech antitrust target. But a probe by the Federal Trade Commission suggests that grace period could be nearing an end. Earlier this year, Bloomberg outlined the contents of civil investigative demands (CIDs) - similar to […]
TL;DR:
Over the past several years, Microsoft has largely managed to withstand populist calls to break up Big Tech while peers faced sweeping lawsuits.
Techdirt
May 31, 19:00
Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt
We’ve got a double-winner this week, but also a very very slow week overall on the funny side, so this will be a somewhat truncated post. On the insightful side, both top comments are similar thoughts in response to the judge dismissing charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, starting with this first-place winning comment from Huntly: […]
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We’ve got a double-winner this week, but also a very very slow week overall on the funny side, so this will be a somewhat truncated post. On the insightful side, both top comments are similar thoughts in response to the judge dismissing charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, starting with this first-place winning comment from Huntly: […]
TL;DR:
We’ve got a double-winner this week, but also a very very slow week overall on the funny side, so this will be a somewhat truncated post.
Techdirt
May 30, 19:00
This Week In Techdirt History: May 24th – 30th
This Week in 2016 This Week in 2011 This Week in 2006
TL;DR:
This Week in 2016 This Week in 2011 This Week in 2006
Techdirt
May 30, 02:39
Knox County, TN Rolls Back ‘Roots’ Book Ban After Backlash
It was just a week or so ago that we were talking about the absurd situation in Knox County, Tennessee, where local government used Tennessee’s book-banning laws to remove the book Roots from school libraries. Yes, this is the book by Alex Haley that spawned the 1970s miniseries of the same name and served as […]
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Knox County, TN Rolls Back ‘Roots’ Book Ban After Backlash. It was just a week or so ago that we were talking about the absurd situation in Knox County, Tennessee, where local government used Tennessee’s book-banning laws to remove the book Roots from school libraries. Yes, this is the book by Alex Haley that spawned the 1970s miniseries of the same name and served as […]
TL;DR:
It was just a week or so ago that we were talking about the absurd situation in Knox County, Tennessee, where local government used Tennessee’s book-banning laws to remove the book Roots from school libraries.
Techdirt
May 29, 22:24
How AI Can Lead To False Arrests & Wrongful Convictions
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. In Baltimore County, Maryland on Oct. 20, 2025, a 17-year-old student named Taki Allen was sitting outside his high school after football practice when an artificial intelligence-enhanced surveillance camera falsely identified the Doritos bag in his pocket as a gun. Within moments police […]
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How AI Can Lead To False Arrests & Wrongful Convictions. 20, 2025, a 17-year-old student named Taki Allen was sitting outside his high school after football practice when an artificial intelligence-enhanced surveillance camera falsely identified the Doritos bag in his pocket as a gun. Within moments police […]
TL;DR:
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
Eff
May 29, 20:15
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA's AB 1856 Exempts Open Source But Expands Age-Gating
After public outrage, California lawmakers are moving closer to exempting open source operating systems from the sweeping age-bracketing regime mandated by last year’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043). Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, privacy, and security. While the open source exemption, if passed, would improve the law, the remaining amendments proposed by AB 1856 would require all web browsers and websites to request and collect users’ ages. This is an expansion of last year's AB 1043's age-bracketing system that compounds its constitutional harms to users’ speech, privacy, and security. As AB 1856 moves on to the Senate, EFF will continue fighting for amendments that reduce those harms. AB 1856 Extends AB 1043’s Age-Gating Regime Last year, California passed AB 1043 , which requires all operating systems and app stores to create age-bracketing systems that segment users based on their ages. As we’ve written , that regime is a recipe for censorship: it creates unnecessary and unconstitutional barriers to accessing lawful online speech, threatens our right to anonymity, and pressures online services to collect troves of valuable and sensitive user data. On top of that, A.B. 1043’s wide-sweeping compliance burdens impose disproportionate harms on the open source ecosystem that underpins much of the modern web. Given these flaws, lawmakers introduced AB 1856 this year as a supposed “clean-up” bill for AB 1043. But instead of sticking to fixing AB 1043’s unique and serious harms (like its impact on open source operating systems), AB 1856 also expanded the regime even further—extending its age-bracketing requirements beyond operating systems and app stores to browsers and websites. EFF opposes AB 1856 on two grounds, which we explained in our opposition letter to the Assembly: The harms that age-gating regimes pose to users’ speech, privacy, and anonymity; and The disproportionate harms that this particular regime imposes on open source developers. Open Source Concerns Somewhat Alleviated By Amendment On May 28th, AB 1856 passed the Assembly in a nearly unanimous vote (68-1). Before that vote, however, AB 1856 was amended to exempt open source operating systems from liability for compliance with AB 1043. This is a meaningful improvement and a welcome relief for open-source developers, who have been loud and clear about how much of an existential threat A.B. 1043’s age-gating mandate would pose. The new exception reads: “ Operating system provider” does not mean a person or entity that distributes an operating system or application under license terms that permit a recipient to copy, redistribute, and modify the software. ” EFF understands this amendment to exempt open-source operating systems from the requirement to collect and transmit users’ age-bracket data. That is a definite win for open source developers. The bill is narrower now than it was before, and lawmakers clearly responded to concerns raised by EFF and the broader open source community. Some important questions still remain—for example, it is unclear how the law would apply when an open source operating system is incorporated into a commercial product or service. And, given the structure of where the exemption is placed under the “operating system provider” definition, lawmakers could stand to clarify that the exemption applies to open source operating systems and applications. Nonetheless, that ambiguity aside, this amendment does substantially reduce the threat that AB 1043 could have on many open source developers. AB 1856 Still Expands the Problematic Age-Bracketing Regime Don’t get us wrong—if this bill passes, we will be very happy that AB 1043 does not pose nearly the amount of harm to our friends behind open source operating systems. But even after these amendments, EFF remains opposed to AB 1856 because it ultimately expands California’s sweeping age-bracketing framework far beyond the original scope of AB 1043. In AB 1856 and its amendments, the Assembly failed to address the core problem with AB 1043’s age-bracketing regime: mandated age-gating systems threaten users’ speech, privacy, anonymity, and security. Even after these amendments, EFF remains opposed to AB 1856 because it ultimately expands California’s sweeping age-bracketing framework far beyond the original scope of AB 1043. Even though AB 1043 does not explicitly require companies to perform age verification, it nonetheless imposes a liability structure that strongly pressures companies to verify users’ ages anyway . In practice, that could lead to more ID checks, more biometric scanning, more invasive data collection and risk of breach, and more barriers to adults’ and young people’s lawful speech. In fact, instead of narrowing AB 1043’s wide net, AB 1856 expanded it to add browser providers and website operators to the list of entities that must comply with its age-bracketing requirements. This dramatically broaden...
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Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, privacy, and security. This is an expansion of last year's AB 1043's age-bracketing system that compounds its constitutional harms to users’ speech, privacy, and security. As AB 1856 moves on to the Senate, EFF will continue fighting for amendments that reduce those harms.
TL;DR:
Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, privacy, and security.
Techdirt
May 29, 20:09
Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Deus vs. Machina
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
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Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Deus vs. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on […]
TL;DR:
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw.
Techdirt
May 29, 18:15
Court Temporarily Freezes Trump’s $1.776 Billion ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Slush Fund To Figure Out WTF Is Going On
It’s been less than two weeks since the Justice Department created the obviously illegal and unconstitutional $1.776 billion slush fund to pay off MAGA loyalists and January 6th insurrectionists. There are a variety of lawsuits looking to put a stop to it, and we just wrote about dozens of former federal judges asking the original […]
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It’s been less than two weeks since the Justice Department created the obviously illegal and unconstitutional $1.776 billion slush fund to pay off MAGA loyalists and January 6th insurrectionists. There are a variety of lawsuits looking to put a stop to it, and we just wrote about dozens of former federal judges asking the original […]
TL;DR:
It’s been less than two weeks since the Justice Department created the obviously illegal and unconstitutional $1.776 billion slush fund to pay off MAGA loyalists and January 6th insurrectionists.
Techdirt
May 29, 18:10
Daily Deal: MasterBundle For Web Designers
A unique opportunity to get all that you need for your website in one single bundle. MasterBundle gives you over 1,300 essentials for setting your page to success. Get 20+ plugins, 100+ themes, 100+ templates, 200+ logos, and 800+ images great for creating a stunning, visit-worthy page. Not only that, this bundle also gives you […]
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Daily Deal: MasterBundle For Web Designers. MasterBundle gives you over 1,300 essentials for setting your page to success. Get 20+ plugins, 100+ themes, 100+ templates, 200+ logos, and 800+ images great for creating a stunning, visit-worthy page.
TL;DR:
A unique opportunity to get all that you need for your website in one single bundle.
Theverge
May 29, 17:48
SpaceX gets $4 billion contract to build missile-tracking ‘Golden Dome’ satellites
The Pentagon awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract to build missile-tracking satellites for President Donald Trump's planned "Golden Dome" defense system, as reported earlier by Bloomberg. In an announcement on Friday, the US Space Force says the sensor-equipped satellites will allow it to detect and track targets from space. The Elon Musk-owned SpaceX - which […]
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The Pentagon awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract to build missile-tracking satellites for President Donald Trump's planned "Golden Dome" defense system, as reported earlier by Bloomberg. In an announcement on Friday, the US Space Force says the sensor-equipped satellites will allow it to detect and track targets from space. The Elon Musk-owned SpaceX - which […]
TL;DR:
The Pentagon awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract to build missile-tracking satellites for President Donald Trump's planned "Golden Dome" defense system, as reported earlier by Bloomberg.
Techdirt
May 29, 16:21
City Lawmaker Responds To Flock Camera Ban By Demanding A Cell Phone Ban
Flock Safety has made its bed. It has courted homeowners associations and gated communities since it first arrived on the market, apparently hoping to convert inherent racism into perpetual revenue streams. Then it went to where the real bias has always existed: US law enforcement agencies. It promised to tie their systems in with those […]
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City Lawmaker Responds To Flock Camera Ban By Demanding A Cell Phone Ban. It has courted homeowners associations and gated communities since it first arrived on the market, apparently hoping to convert inherent racism into perpetual revenue streams. Then it went to where the real bias has always existed: US law enforcement agencies.
TL;DR:
Flock Safety has made its bed.
Techdirt
May 29, 12:22
Trump FCC Proposes Vile New Trans Panic TV Warnings
Last month the FCC quietly issued a public notice saying the Brendan Carr run agency was demanding that the TV Oversight Management Board (TVOMB) create new TV ratings to alert viewers to “transgender and gender non-binary programming” and “the discussion or promotion of gender identity themes” included in children’s programming. You are to ignore that […]
TL;DR:
Last month the FCC quietly issued a public notice saying the Brendan Carr run agency was demanding that the TV Oversight Management Board (TVOMB) create new TV ratings to alert viewers to “transgender and gender non-binary programming” and “the discussion or promotion of gender identity themes” included in children’s programming.
Theverge
May 29, 11:00
Trump’s mass deportations are impossible without racial profiling
Border security czar Tom Homan keeps threatening to "flood" New York City with ICE agents. But a new investigation shows that ICE has been quietly ramping up arrests in the New York area already - and disproportionately targeting Latino neighborhoods. The City, a local nonprofit news organization, found 430 street arrests in the metropolitan area […]
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Trump’s mass deportations are impossible without racial profiling. Border security czar Tom Homan keeps threatening to "flood" New York City with ICE agents. The City, a local nonprofit news organization, found 430 street arrests in the metropolitan area […]
TL;DR:
Border security czar Tom Homan keeps threatening to "flood" New York City with ICE agents.
Theverge
May 29, 08:30
Trump Mobile’s website still says the T1 Phone is ‘American-made’
Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. We've reached out, as usual, to ask about the Trump phone's whereabouts. As the phone's supposed launch continues, we noticed its website may be violating FTC rules. When the Trump phone was first announced last June, it was proudly promised to be […]
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Trump Mobile’s website still says the T1 Phone is ‘American-made’. Where's the Trump phone? When the Trump phone was first announced last June, it was proudly promised to be […]
TL;DR:
Where's the Trump phone?
Techdirt
May 29, 02:53
Stop Killing Games Gets Its First American Legislative Effort Out Of Committee in California
I’ve written quite a bit about the Stop Killing Games movement, in no small part because I think it’s way more important than most people think. Preserving cultural output is both important and, frankly, a key part of the bargain that is supposed to be copyright law. The fact that we offer video game publishers […]
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Stop Killing Games Gets Its First American Legislative Effort Out Of Committee in California. Preserving cultural output is both important and, frankly, a key part of the bargain that is supposed to be copyright law. The fact that we offer video game publishers […]
TL;DR:
I’ve written quite a bit about the Stop Killing Games movement, in no small part because I think it’s way more important than most people think.
Eff
May 28, 16:37
Age Verification is a Privacy Nightmare
In the rush to block young people from certain parts of the internet, lawmakers are creating a privacy and security nightmare for everyone. This scenario is already playing out globally. Help us stop it and keep the web open and accessible for all. JOIN EFF Protect the web for everyone Even with the best intentions, every online age verification scheme has the same result: users are forced to reveal sensitive personal information to third parties simply to access the web. Once that valuable data is centralized, it becomes an immediate target for leaks, hacks, and misuse. This isn’t hypothetical: it has already happened several times . By age gating the web, we serve up a honeypot of private info ripe for bad actors. But you can help us stop this when you join EFF. Support digital rights in EFF's new Claw Back member t-shirt and Privacy Badger Crewneck. Thanks to our members, EFF is on the front lines fighting against online age gating and identity verification online. We’re working with lawmakers to pass better policies, educating the public, and fighting the wildfire of age verification proposals around the world. Now all we need is you. 🐝 No, It’s Not a Bug We all want young people to be safe online, but we don’t need to trade everyone's digital rights to achieve it. These new restrictive mandates are used to justify government-led censorship and expanded surveillance. That's no accident. Whether you trust today’s lawmakers or not, handing anyone keys to new forms of censorship and surveillance is a serious risk. Because history shows us that these powers are always abused. It’s time to demand better. Join EFF today Help us claw back your privacy ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S. 501(c)(3) organization. We've received top rati ngs from the nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator since 2013! Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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Age Verification is a Privacy Nightmare. Thanks to our members, EFF is on the front lines fighting against online age gating and identity verification online. Join EFF today Help us claw back your privacy ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S.
TL;DR:
Join EFF today Help us claw back your privacy ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S.
Theverge
May 28, 10:08
CNN sues Perplexity over ‘verbatim’ copycat articles
CNN has filed a lawsuit against Perplexity, claiming that the startup's AI tools generate "verbatim" copies of its work, as reported earlier by CNN. The lawsuit, filed in a New York court on Thursday, also alleges that Perplexity provides users with information locked behind CNN's subscription. Perplexity, which offers an AI "answer" engine along with […]
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CNN has filed a lawsuit against Perplexity, claiming that the startup's AI tools generate "verbatim" copies of its work, as reported earlier by CNN. The lawsuit, filed in a New York court on Thursday, also alleges that Perplexity provides users with information locked behind CNN's subscription. Perplexity, which offers an AI "answer" engine along with […]
TL;DR:
CNN has filed a lawsuit against Perplexity, claiming that the startup's AI tools generate "verbatim" copies of its work, as reported earlier by CNN.
Theverge
May 28, 07:47
Temu fined more than $230 million by EU over illegal product sales
Temu has been fined €200 million (about $232 million) by the European Commission after it found that consumers are "very likely to encounter illegal items" on the popular Chinese e-commerce platform. According to the commission, Temu breached Digital Service Act (DSA) rules by failing to identify and assess the systemic risks of illegal products being […]
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Temu has been fined €200 million (about $232 million) by the European Commission after it found that consumers are "very likely to encounter illegal items" on the popular Chinese e-commerce platform. According to the commission, Temu breached Digital Service Act (DSA) rules by failing to identify and assess the systemic risks of illegal products being […]
TL;DR:
Temu has been fined €200 million (about $232 million) by the European Commission after it found that consumers are "very likely to encounter illegal items" on the popular Chinese e-commerce platform.
Theverge
May 27, 18:30
A Google employee allegedly used inside information to win $1.2 million on Polymarket
Federal prosecutors charged a Google employee with fraud after he allegedly made $1.2 million on Polymarket bets related to Search-related trends in 2025, as reported earlier by ABC News. In their now-unsealed complaint, prosecutors allege that Michele Spagnuolo "knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google's confidential, […]
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Federal prosecutors charged a Google employee with fraud after he allegedly made $1.2 million on Polymarket bets related to Search-related trends in 2025, as reported earlier by ABC News. In their now-unsealed complaint, prosecutors allege that Michele Spagnuolo "knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google's confidential, […]
TL;DR:
Federal prosecutors charged a Google employee with fraud after he allegedly made $1.2 million on Polymarket bets related to Search-related trends in 2025, as reported earlier by ABC News.
Theverge
May 27, 11:40
AI tried to bury this politician — now people have actually heard of him
By the time that the Democratic primary for New York's 12th congressional district wraps up in June, Anthropic and OpenAI will have spent millions on their battle over the political future of AI: who gets to regulate it, or who will be punished for trying to regulate it. But the real winner of their feud […]
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When all is said and done, Anthropic and OpenAI will have spent millions in their political proxy war. But the real winner may be the guy they’re currently fighting over. Instead, Bores is now a front-runner in the eight-person race to become the “face of Manhattan,” as New York Magazine recently put it in a cover feature .
TL;DR:
By the time that the Democratic primary for New York's 12th congressional district wraps up in June, Anthropic and OpenAI will have spent millions on their battle over the political future of AI: who gets to regulate it, or who will be punished for trying to regulate it.
Eff
May 26, 21:23
More License Plate Reader Mission Creep: School Residency Verification, Background Checks, and Noise Complaints
An EFF analysis of millions of searches of Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) data by police has uncovered a troubling pattern: in the absence of a warrant requirement to search ALPR databases, law enforcement agencies have moved beyond specific investigations to use these surveillance networks for virtually any whim. Our findings suggest that the absence of a warrant requirement has fostered a culture of unrestricted access to sensitive location data, allowing agencies to leverage that data beyond the scope of specific criminal investigations. As a refresher: Law enforcement agencies lease or purchase camera systems from Flock Safety and then mount them by the side of the road and at intersections to document every vehicle that passes, including the plate, make, model, color and distinguishing characteristics, along with the date, time and location of where it was seen. Law enforcement's talking points— often scripted by the company itself —trumpet their role in solving high-stakes crimes. But the data reveals a different story. What they're not saying is that ALPRs are also frequently used for extremely low-level investigations, such as verifying whether a student lives within a particular school zone. In some cases, police have even used this tech to conduct employment background checks and investigations into loud music complaints. Recently, a motorcyclist was even targeted for simply holding a cell phone while riding. The reach of this ALPR surveillance is amplified by the nature of the indiscriminate sharing these technologies encourage. Most agencies choose to share broadly, often as part of a nationwide pool, making it common for a single city's system to be searched hundreds of thousands of times each month. By analyzing these "network audit logs," privacy advocates and journalists have uncovered evidence of the technology being used to surveil protesters , abortion-seekers , immigrants , and even ethnic Roma populations . While these high-profile abuses are shocking, the more mundane uses are also problematic, signaling a massive, unchecked mission creep that has turned an alleged “crime-fighting” tool into a universal tracker of everyone’s movements. Residency Checks School systems in the U.S. conduct " residency verification " investigations of their parents or guardians to ensure enrolled children live in the district. To carry out these checks, some school districts have enlisted law enforcement officers for help, leveraging ALPR databases to track the comings and goings of families across the region. Buford City Schools in Georgia, which serves only about 6,000 students, illustrates the scale of this prying. Between January 2025 and March 2026, school police ran more than 375 searches where officers listed school residency verification, or simply "RV," as the reason for the search. That accounts for more than half of all ALPR searches in that period, and in those three months of 2026, three-quarters of all searches were related to residency verification. School officials stand by the searches. "[B]ecause Buford City Schools is a highly sought-after district, we experience ongoing challenges with residency fraud," a spokesperson told Appen Media, which shared the email with EFF. "Flock Safety is one of the tools we use to verify residency and protect the integrity of the Buford City School System for families who live within the district." A search of ALPR data will show a lot more than whether a family lives within the right zone. In these Buford cases, officers ran some searches across more than 5,800 different networks nationwide. Every time a plate is searched, it can reveal personal information about a family: when they go to the doctor, when they go to worship, when they go out at night, and where they travel on vacation. None of that is the school district's business, and these searches are a huge invasion of privacy. While Buford was by the far the most prolific, it wasn't the only agency to run school residency checks. For example, Delhi Township Police Department (DTPD) in Ohio ran 35 searches related to students in five schools in a three-month period during spring 2025, and similarly stood by the practice, citing a warning given to parents that submitting a false statement of residency may be a felony. After EFF sent an inquiry to DTPD, the agency conducted a brief investigation and found that "these searches were not done to verify residency upon submission, but to investigate cases where it was believed the form was filled out with false information." DTPD did not say what kind of evidence was required to establish suspicion before an ALPR query, nor did it offer information on how many of these investigations turned out to be justified. However, the official told EFF: "in response to your inquiry, the department will be implementing a change to how these queries are documented in the Flock system and internally, to increase accountability and help avoi...
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More License Plate Reader Mission Creep: School Residency Verification, Background Checks, and Noise Complaints. conduct " residency verification " investigations of their parents or guardians to ensure enrolled children live in the district.
TL;DR:
conduct " residency verification " investigations of their parents or guardians to ensure enrolled children live in the district.
Theverge
May 26, 08:00
AI warfare is already here
The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, an international forum that focuses on lethal autonomous systems, is hosted twice a year at the United Nations in Geneva. When Branka Marijan attended in November 2017, she thought the five-day sessions - which dealt largely in hypotheticals, speculating on a world where warfare was fought with killer robots […]
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The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, an international forum that focuses on lethal autonomous systems, is hosted twice a year at the United Nations in Geneva. When Branka Marijan attended in November 2017, she thought the five-day sessions - which dealt largely in hypotheticals, speculating on a world where warfare was fought with killer robots […]
TL;DR:
The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, an international forum that focuses on lethal autonomous systems, is hosted twice a year at the United Nations in Geneva.
Theverge
May 25, 14:28
Cox Media fined after bragging it spied on users through their phones
An exceptionally weird controversy has come back to haunt Cox Media and a pair of marketing firms, which claimed they were secretly listening to users via phones and smart devices - despite little evidence they actually could. On Thursday the Federal Trade Commission announced that Cox, MindSift, and 1010 Digital Works would pay a total […]
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Cox Media fined after bragging it spied on users through their phones. An exceptionally weird controversy has come back to haunt Cox Media and a pair of marketing firms, which claimed they were secretly listening to users via phones and smart devices - despite little evidence they actually could.
TL;DR:
On Thursday the Federal Trade Commission announced that Cox, MindSift, and 1010 Digital Works would pay a total […]
Theverge
May 25, 11:05
Pope Leo calls for being ‘profoundly human’ in the age of AI
Pope Leo XIV warned of the risks of AI and unconstrained technological power in his first major papal document released on Monday. Magnifica Humanitas is the pope's manifesto on "safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence," in which he discusses the dangers of AI-powered warfare, the effects of AI on labor, and […]
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Pope Leo XIV warned of the risks of AI and unconstrained technological power in his first major papal document released on Monday. Magnifica Humanitas is the pope's manifesto on "safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence," in which he discusses the dangers of AI-powered warfare, the effects of AI on labor, and […]
TL;DR:
Pope Leo XIV warned of the risks of AI and unconstrained technological power in his first major papal document released on Monday.
Holland & Knight
May 22, 13:59
Can Congress Fill the Cox v. Sony -Sized Hole in Copyright Law? - Holland & Knight
Can Congress Fill the Cox v. Sony -Sized Hole in Copyright Law? Holland & Knight
TL;DR:
Can Congress Fill the Cox v.
Theverge
May 22, 12:28
Google appeals search monopoly ruling, says it won business ‘fair and square’
Google officially filed its appeal of the federal ruling deeming it an illegal search monopolist, arguing the decision "crashed" through legal guardrails. "Google just prevailed in the marketplace fair and square," it writes in its legal filing. Google had already said it would appeal the ruling, which includes both the August 2024 decision about its […]
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Google appeals search monopoly ruling, says it won business ‘fair and square’. Google officially filed its appeal of the federal ruling deeming it an illegal search monopolist, arguing the decision "crashed" through legal guardrails. Google had already said it would appeal the ruling, which includes both the August 2024 decision about its […]
TL;DR:
Google officially filed its appeal of the federal ruling deeming it an illegal search monopolist, arguing the decision "crashed" through legal guardrails.
Theverge
May 22, 10:46
The Trump phone is not here
Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. We've reached out, as usual, to ask about the Trump phone's whereabouts. It's now been more than a week since Trump Mobile announced that phones would "start shipping this week." Last week Trump Mobile announced that the T1 Phone was ready to […]
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Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. We've reached out, as usual, to ask about the Trump phone's whereabouts. It's now been more than a week since Trump Mobile announced that phones would "start shipping this week." Last week Trump Mobile announced that the T1 Phone was ready to […]
TL;DR:
It's now been more than a week since Trump Mobile announced that phones would "start shipping this week." Last week Trump Mobile announced that the T1 Phone was ready to […]
Theverge
May 21, 18:27
States ask judge to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster
A federal judge is officially being tasked with deciding whether to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster. More than 30 states are asking Judge Arun Subramanian to order a sale of the ticketing giant, a "sufficient number" of large amphitheaters, and limit its ability to tie access to its remaining amps to the use of its promotions […]
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States ask judge to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster. A federal judge is officially being tasked with deciding whether to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster. More than 30 states are asking Judge Arun Subramanian to order a sale of the ticketing giant, a "sufficient number" of large amphitheaters, and limit its ability to tie access to its remaining amps to the use of its promo…
TL;DR:
A federal judge is officially being tasked with deciding whether to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster.
Britannica
May 21, 07:00
Cryptocurrency regulation: U.S. laws and global developments - Britannica
Cryptocurrency regulation: U.S. laws and global developments Britannica
TL;DR:
laws and global developments Britannica
Eff
May 20, 15:03
🔒 A Win for Encrypted Messaging | EFFector 38.10
When it comes to keeping our texts, chats, and other digital messages safe from prying eyes, we have a powerful tool: end-to-end encryption. Used correctly, end-to-end encryption turns our conversations online into secret messages that can only be decoded by their intended recipients. In our latest EFFector newsletter , we're covering new developments in this tool, and how you can use it to prevent tech companies, governments, and other eavesdroppers from listening in. JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER For over 35 years, EFFector has been your guide to understanding the intersection of technology, civil liberties, and the law. This latest issue covers the shaky science backing social media bans , Canada's surveillance nightmare bill , and a victory for keeping private messages private . Prefer to listen in? EFFector is now available on all major podcast platforms. This time, we're chatting with EFF Senior Security and Privacy Activist Thorin Klosowski on an important step forward for encrypted messaging—as well as a notable disappointment. You can find the episode and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice : %3Ciframe%20height%3D%22200px%22%20width%3D%22100%25%22%20frameborder%3D%22no%22%20scrolling%3D%22no%22%20seamless%3D%22%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.simplecast.com%2Fcb903071-798d-429d-91dc-52ae77015a7d%3Fdark%3Dfalse%22%20allow%3D%22autoplay%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E Privacy info. This embed will serve content from simplecast.com Want to protect your private conversations? Sign up for EFF's EFFector newsletter for updates, ways to take action, and new merch drops. You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
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JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER For over 35 years, EFFector has been your guide to understanding the intersection of technology, civil liberties, and the law. This time, we're chatting with EFF Senior Security and Privacy Activist Thorin Klosowski on an important step forward for encrypted messaging—as well as a notable disappointment.
TL;DR:
You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
Eff
May 19, 21:03
Microsoft Took a Step Toward Human Rights Accountability. Google and Amazon (and Others) Should Pay Attention!
For years, civil society organizations, workers, journalists, and human rights experts have warned that major technology companies risk enabling grave human rights abuses when they provide cloud computing, AI, and surveillance infrastructure to governments implicated in violations of international and humanitarian law. While many companies pay lip service to evaluating customers and contracts for human rights implications (lip service Exhibit A: Palantir !), too often those processes fail to provide any meaningful accountability when their standards are not met or are simply ignored. But recent developments at Microsoft suggest that accountability for failing to uphold the human rights standards that a company itself sets, even if incomplete, is possible. According to recent reporting , Microsoft’s Israel chief has departed amid an escalating ethical controversy surrounding the company’s business relationships with the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The move follows months of scrutiny, internal dissent, and sustained pressure from inside the organization along with press and civil society, especially after a report by The Guardian revealed that Microsoft technologies were used in systems connected to mass surveillance and military targeting operations in Gaza in ways that appeared to violate Microsoft’s own standards. This did not happen overnight. In September 2025, Microsoft reportedly suspended certain services after initial investigations raised serious concerns about how its cloud and AI infrastructure may have been used. That alone distinguished Microsoft from many of its peers. Rather than simply dismissing mounting concerns or hiding behind vague claims of neutrality, Microsoft appeared to recognize that providing technology in conflict settings creates real human rights responsibilities. Now, after additional investigation and continued public scrutiny, it appears the company has taken another step, one that should send a strong signal to others that violating Microsoft’s human rights commitments could cost you your job. This is important. There is still much more Microsoft should do, of course. The company has yet to fully disclose the scope of its findings, explain exactly which services were suspended, or clarify what safeguards remain in place to prevent its technologies from contributing to human rights abuses in the future. We shouldn’t have to infer the connection between this employment action and the company’s investigation. Just prior to reports that Microsoft had fired its Israel Country General Manager, EFF joined Access Now, Amnesty International, Fight for the Future, and 7amleh in a joint May 7, 2026 letter to Microsoft leadership calling on the company to publicly release the findings of its investigation, suspend business relationships tied to serious human rights abuses, and implement meaningful safeguards to prevent its technologies from contributing to further harm. The letter detailed allegations regarding Microsoft’s reported provision of Azure cloud and AI services to Israeli military and intelligence units involved in surveillance and targeting operations, while also pressing the company to take concrete human rights due diligence measures going forward. Those demands remain urgent, even as Microsoft appears to be taking some of the steps we urged. But even as we push for more, it is important to recognize when a company takes steps in the right direction. Because this is what it means to put human rights commitments into practice. It means acknowledging that human rights policies are not just branding exercises or transparency reports. It means accepting that companies providing cloud infrastructure and AI services have responsibilities when credible evidence emerges that their technologies may be enabling violations of international law. And it means taking concrete action when those risks become known. The allegations facing Microsoft are serious. Human rights organizations and investigative reporting have documented claims that Microsoft Azure services were used by Israeli military and intelligence units to process large-scale surveillance data, support AI-assisted targeting systems, and sustain military cloud infrastructure during the war in Gaza. The concerns raised extend beyond ordinary business risk; they implicate potential complicity in violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Faced with these allegations, Microsoft could have chosen the path many tech companies take: deny everything, attack critics, suppress worker dissent, and continue business as usual. Instead, the company appears to have begun responding to the evidence. Technology companies are not powerless bystanders. Cloud providers and AI companies make choices every day about who gets access to their infrastructure, under what conditions, and with what oversight. When companies claim to uphold human rights principles, those commitments should have operational consequences. Too ...
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Because this is what it means to put human rights commitments into practice. The allegations facing Microsoft are serious. When companies claim to uphold human rights principles, those commitments should have operational consequences.
TL;DR:
For years, civil society organizations, workers, journalists, and human rights experts have warned that major technology companies risk enabling grave human rights abuses when they provide cloud computing, AI, and surveillance infrastructure to governments implicated in violations of international and humanitarian law.
Eff
May 19, 15:06
Your Privacy Shouldn't Be A Corporate Decision
“ We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns. ”-Meta Internal Document on face recognition software for smart glasses, 2025 It’s unsurprising that a company would plan to release yet another privacy-invasive product. What is surprising is that they think we aren’t watching. You can help us keep them in check. JOIN EFF Meta isn't the only company actively eroding your privacy . We found that Google has broken its promise to some users to inform them about government surveillance. And Palantir is completely failing to live up to its purported human rights commitments. Corporations bear responsibility for violating user trust and human rights, and EFF is holding them accountable with your support . Watching the Watchers We're suing DHS and ICE to reveal their efforts to unmask online critics , creating privacy-enhancing free software , and pushing for stronger privacy laws for everyone. This is all thanks to over 30,000 EFF members— a community you can join today . Claw back your privacy with EFF's new member t-shirt! We’ve seen collective action rein in companies and bring them back on track to protect users. With you by our side, we can do it again. Join EFF today and be part of the community making this work possible. ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S. 501(c)(3) organization. We've received top rati ngs from the nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator since 2013! Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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Your Privacy Shouldn't Be A Corporate Decision. JOIN EFF Meta isn't the only company actively eroding your privacy . This is all thanks to over 30,000 EFF members— a community you can join today .
TL;DR:
JOIN EFF Meta isn't the only company actively eroding your privacy .
Eff
May 18, 18:03
We Updated Our Privacy Policy. Here's What Changed and Why.
We recently updated our privacy policy for the first time since 2022. Most of the changes are clarifications, reorganizations, and improvements in transparency, particularly around how third-party tools that run parts of our site operate. But one change is substantive enough that we want to address it directly. The Change You Should Know About: Opt-In Email Tracking We want to know how we’re doing with our advocacy: which campaigns get your attention and which do not, which topics you are very interested in, which less so, and which not at all. It helps us to do our work better and to prioritize or rethink our strategies as we push to build support for freedom, justice and innovation around the world. So, to give us a rough picture of how we’re doing, we are introducing the option for you to provide explicit, opt-in consent for us to see how you interact with the emails we send you. That includes whether you open emails, and whether you click on the links inside them. We know what you’re thinking: Doesn’t EFF strongly oppose nonconsensual tracking? You bet we do. Sneaky email tracking is ubiquitous on the web and EFF’s opposition to it remains unchanged. We have never used email tracking pixels and we’re not changing that. We’re not building profiles and we’re not sharing the data and we’re definitely not selling it. But we do want to give you the option of allowing us to learn about how our communications are landing with you. Here’s how consent will work. We will ask, and if you say yes, we’ll be able to see whether you opened an email or not, and whether you clicked on any links. That's it. If you say no, or ignore the ask entirely, nothing will change and we’ll do no tracking. If you say yes, you can change your mind and opt out at any time by clicking an opt-out link in any future email or by contacting [email protected] . We have heard many EFF members say that EFF is one of the only organizations that they trust with consent to track their emails. That trust is important, and we do not take it lightly. But it led us to think that if we ask, enough of you would agree that we could have a better picture of how our campaigns and other emails to you are landing and that, in turn, could help us decide what to double down on and what to change. By giving you a real ability to consent, EFF is taking a very different path than most of the web. Asking isn’t the norm; it’s more or less never an option to say no and dark patterns often make it hard even if it looks like you can. Unfortunately, estimates have shown that 2/3s of emails received by users contain tracking, regardless of whether the senders received explicit consent at the time when a recipient signs up to receive their mailings. Automatic, nonconsensual tracking doesn’t have to be the default, and it shouldn’t be. We hope our approach works and it inspires others. It shouldn’t be an abnormality that users are not tracked by default, and that only users who feel comfortable doing so choose to consent to tracking. We hope that our example will show mailing platforms, organizations, and users that a privacy-protective approach is better and worth doing and can still give an email sender a solid understanding what campaigns and other messages resonate with recipients. We weighed this decision carefully. We know that email tracking is something we've criticized when used covertly or without meaningful consent and that many people don’t like at all. For EFF, an opt-in requirement isn't a formality. It's the key distinction between a sneaky strategy and an aboveboard relationship with you. And to us, it’s just a common sense approach based on respect. It’s also consistent with our advocacy and approach to technology. We have said for many years that strong consumer privacy laws must require real opt-in consent before data is collected. And we have walked our talk in other ways as well, including in pushing for Do Not Track policies and in Privacy Badger, which protects you from ads and trackers that violate the principle of user consent. Again, this behavior has been our suggestion for privacy policies, and privacy laws. In 2022 we released a guide for nonprofits that recommended the following: Not tracking email open rates can, unfortunately, sometimes cause list “hygiene” problems, because it becomes difficult to know whether email subscribers on your list are still interested. You can send occasional emails to ensure subscribers want to receive emails, either using open or click tracking, and informing people that the purpose of that specific email is to determine active subscribers. The essential point is to let users know when you are using tracking, and to do it in a limited way when possible.... The Internet Archive found that while they preferred to use no open tracking in their emails to subscribers, too many unreachable email addresses had been added to their list over the years, and some email addresses had even become spam traps. To contin...
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We Updated Our Privacy Policy. We have heard many EFF members say that EFF is one of the only organizations that they trust with consent to track their emails. Again, this behavior has been our suggestion for privacy policies, and privacy laws.
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We have heard many EFF members say that EFF is one of the only organizations that they trust with consent to track their emails.
Eff
May 18, 17:15
We Must Not Normalize Digital Surveillance Abuses. EFF’s New Guide Underlines Concrete Steps to Fight Back.
Poor accountability, feeble control mechanisms, and insufficient legal frameworks have led to systematic human rights violations in the Americas, with no consistent remedy or reparation to victims. What's needed is to materialize essential guarantees and measures to combat repeated surveillance abuses in the region. To help build a path for solutions, EFF launches the guide Tackling Arbitrary Digital Surveillance in the Americas , adding to our extensive work leveraging human rights norms to confront state privacy violations. The document compiles privacy, data protection, and access to information guarantees established within the Inter-American Human Rights System to provide concrete, actionable guidance to governments in the Americas to curb the vicious cycle of state digital surveillance abuses. It outlines the safeguards and institutional measures necessary to protect individuals and details rules, parameters, and standards to overcome current pernicious practices and trends. As concerns over national and public security intensify, countries in the region seem to increasingly normalize the pervasiveness of digital surveillance technologies and their arbitrary use by security forces as a distorted form of protection. However, no actual protection can arise from arbitrary surveillance. When public security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies neglect or harm settled rights in the name of national security or public order, they too become a threat. Tolerating rights violations creates the dire situation that the Freedom of Expression Special Rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights thoroughly analyzed in his report about the serious impacts of digital surveillance on freedom of expression in the Americas. The great majority of states in Latin America have ratified the American Convention on Human Rights. As such, the parameters and rules our new guide describes stem directly from their obligations before international human rights law. State agents and institutions must take the necessary measures to make them a reality. As EFF’s guide points out, states must implement clear and precise legal frameworks that: define surveillance powers and limitations; ensure all surveillance measures pursue legitimate aims without discriminatory ends; subject interference with privacy to rigorous necessity and proportionality analysis; require prior judicial authorization for digital surveillance measures; maintain detailed records of surveillance operations; establish independent civilian oversight institutions with technical expertise and enforcement powers; guarantee individuals' right to informational self-determination and proper notification; and provide effective remedies and reparation for victims of surveillance abuses. States must also put in place the institutional processes and structures to give effect to these legal guarantees. As we stress in the document , States that embrace the guide’s recommendations will not only comply with their international obligations, but will also build more resilient, rights-respecting security architectures capable of addressing genuine threats without sacrificing the freedoms they exist to protect. Civil society leaders, activists, legal experts, public defenders, oversight institutions, and state officials committed to human rights must gather and ramp up the fight against the normalization of digital surveillance abuses in the Americas. We hope that EFF’s new guide can serve as a crucial tool in strengthening this fight, one that we have joined since our early days.
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Poor accountability, feeble control mechanisms, and insufficient legal frameworks have led to systematic human rights violations in the Americas, with no consistent remedy or reparation to victims. What's needed is to materialize essential guarantees and measures to combat repeated surveillance abuses in the region.
TL;DR:
To help build a path for solutions, EFF launches the guide Tackling Arbitrary Digital Surveillance in the Americas , adding to our extensive work leveraging human rights norms to confront state privacy violations.
Eff
May 13, 17:10
Help EFF Solve an Issue That's Bigger than Creepy Ads
Millions of people around the world use EFF's Privacy Badger . This browser extension blocks the hidden trackers that twist your web browsing into a commodity for Big Tech, advertisers, scammers, and data brokers. But did you know that we’re trying to solve an issue that’s even bigger than creepy ads and user profiling? You can help. JOIN EFF Online tracking isn't just creepy and unethical. It also enables government surveillance. Widespread commercial surveillance and weak privacy laws allow data brokers to harvest your data and sell it to law enforcement agencies including the FBI, CBP, and ICE. The government exploits this system to buy sensitive information about you that they would ordinarily need a warrant to collect, like your location over time . With your help, EFF is fighting back. Our team is working to enact stronger laws to uphold your privacy. We’re advocating for consumer rights in the courts. We’re investigating how these technologies affect our communities . And we’re cutting off surveillance advertising at the source with tools like Privacy Badger for everyone. You can support this work as an EFF member. End Mass Surveillance Privacy is a human right because it gives you a fundamental measure of security and freedom. That is why we at EFF focus on your ability to have private conversations and interact with the world using technologies that you choose. But when tools that many of us must rely on serve corporate surveillance, they also feed government surveillance. We owe it to ourselves to fight the mass spying used to control and intimidate people. Let’s do this. For a limited time, you can join EFF as a monthly or one-time donor and pick up a new Privacy Badger Crewneck sweatshirt . The embroidered Privacy Badger mascot appears above Traditional Chinese for " privacy ” because human rights are universal. You can also get a set of puffy stickers as a token of thanks. Our little Ghostie protects privacy in Arabic, English, Japanese, Persian, Russian, and Spanish. Claw Back! This year’s member t-shirt is hot off the press featuring an orange cat swatting at the street-level surveillance equipment multiplying in our communities. You might empathize with him, but there’s a better way. Let’s end the law enforcement contracts, harmful practices, and twisted logic that enable mass spying in the first place. You can support our mission for technology in the public interest today. Join the movement and become an EFF member. ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S. 501(c)(3) organization. We've received top rati ngs from the nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator since 2013! Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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Help EFF Solve an Issue That's Bigger than Creepy Ads. You can support this work as an EFF member. The embroidered Privacy Badger mascot appears above Traditional Chinese for " privacy ” because human rights are universal.
TL;DR:
You can support this work as an EFF member.
Eff
May 13, 16:48
The Science is Not Settled: How Weak Evidence is Fueling a National Push to Ban Social Media for Youth
As statehouses ramp up for 2026, we’re seeing a familiar and concerning trend of lawmakers rushing to regulate the internet based on shockingly shaky science. From the California State Assembly to the Massachusetts and Minnesota legislatures , a wave of bills is crashing against the digital lives of young people, with proponents of these measures framing social media access as a "public health epidemic," or a "mental health crisis," even though we have yet to see any of the settled science that those labels usually invoke. As a digital rights organization dedicated to the civil liberties of all users, EFF’s expertise lies in reminding lawmakers that young people enjoy largely the same free speech and privacy rights as adults. EFF is not a social science research shop, but we can read the emerging research. What that research shows is much more nuanced than what is claimed by those proposing to ban young people from social media, and it is clear that research and theories used to justify these sweeping bans is far from settled. The rush to ban access to digital platforms is being fueled by "pop psychology" narratives and a collection of statistically flawed studies that do not meet the rigorous standards required for such a massive infringement on youth autonomy and constitutional rights. The Lie of A "Settled" Consensus The current legislative push relies heavily on a specific, media-friendly narrative that the "great rewiring" of the adolescent brain is a proven fact. This theory suggests that smartphones and social media are the primary, if not sole, drivers of a global uptick in teen anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self harm, etc. While this narrative makes for a compelling airport-bookstore read, it quickly collapses under the scrutiny of the broader scientific community. Independent researchers, including developmental psychologists from institutions like the University of California, Irvine , and Brown University , have repeatedly found that the evidence for such claims is mixed , blurry , and often contradictory . Large-scale meta-analyses covering dozens of countries have failed to show a consistent, measurable association between the rollout of social media and a decline in global well-being. In reality, we are seeing a classic case of what many of our middle school science teachers warned us about: "correlation" being sold as “causation." Additionally, the studies used to support these measures often fail to account for or exclude significant alternative explanations for rising teen anxiety and depression, such as the lasting impact of pandemic-era isolation, the persistent threat of school gun violence, and mounting economic or climate-related stress. By focusing narrowly on social media, these findings frequently overlook the broader societal factors that also impact youth mental health. The Cult of the "Anxious" Expert The current push for blanket social media bans relies almost exclusively on the work of Jonathan Haidt, particularly his book The Anxious Generation . While Haidt is an amiable and brilliant storyteller, he is not a clinical psychologist or a specialist in child development. He is a social psychologist who writes about moral psychology at a business school. Nonetheless, the book has made it to every Best Seller list , and with Haidt revered as an expert on podcasts with massive reach, like Oprah , Joe Rogan , Michelle Obama , and Trevor Noah —his message has been heard by a large subset of society, which primarily relies on: no smartphones or social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more “unsupervised, real-world independence.” To highlight Haidt’s reach when it comes to legislation banning social media: the California committee analysis for the proposed California social media ban mentions Haidt 20 times; the Governor of Utah promoted the book as a “must-read” months before signing the nation’s first social media ban ; Haidt is cited in bill analysis for the bill banning social media in Florida; his work is mentioned in a federal bill aiming to ban phones in schools; and he provided formal testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (Subcommittee on Technology, Privacy, and the Law) in May 2022. While Haidt’s research has been paramount to legislation stripping millions of young people of their rights to expression and connection, his conclusions are not without challenge, and many experts in the field argue that the evidence is less than ironclad. The “Bad Science” Fueling Social Media Bans While we can admit that Jonathan Haidt’s "great rewiring" theory makes for a gripping narrative, we cannot ignore that independent researchers and statisticians have identified significant flaws in the data used to justify it . Which means we are currently watching policymakers legislate blanket bans based on evidence that would be rejected in almost any other field of public health. The reality is that research has consistently disproven the oft-assumed lin...
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As statehouses ramp up for 2026, we’re seeing a familiar and concerning trend of lawmakers rushing to regulate the internet based on shockingly shaky science. From the California State Assembly to the Massachusetts and Minnesota legislatures , a wave of bills is crashing against the digital lives of young people, with proponents of these measures framing social media access as…
TL;DR:
As a digital rights organization dedicated to the civil liberties of all users, EFF’s expertise lies in reminding lawmakers that young people enjoy largely the same free speech and privacy rights as adults.
Eff
May 12, 22:11
Broken Promises: RIP Instagram’s End-to-End Encrypted DMs
Last week, Instagram ended its opt-in, and therefore rarely used, end-to-end encryption feature . Years after publicly promising to provide the privacy protections of end-to-end encryption across its platforms by default, it instead gave up on that technical challenge. Now, we've all lost an option for safer conversations on one of the biggest social media platforms in the world. In an announcement in 2023, Meta bragged about how it had successfully encrypted Messenger, and teased that Instagram was in progress. Even before then, they’d talked about how important encryption was in Messenger and Instagram in a white paper published in 2022, stating: We want people to have a trusted private space that’s safe and secure, which is why we’re taking our time to thoughtfully build and implement e2ee by default across Messenger and Instagram DMs. So where did the reversal come from? In a statement , Meta claimed that, “Very few people were opting in to end-to-end encrypted messaging in DMs.” This isn’t all that surprising, as turning it on was an optional four-step process that few people knew about. Defaults matter, and Meta’s choice to blame people for failing to opt into this feature is proof of how much. In that same statement, the company pointed people to WhatsApp for access to encrypted messaging. Yet if Meta truly wanted people to have a trusted private space to communicate, it would meet them everywhere they are: on WhatsApp, on Messenger, and on Instagram. But at least Meta was straightforward about the fact that it will not continue to support or work on this feature. That's rare. Most tech company promises aren’t broken explicitly, they just remain undelivered long enough to be forgotten. This is particularly disappointing as other companies take even bigger swings, like Google and Apple working together to implement end-to-end encryption over Rich Communication Services (RCS), and Signal’s continued work to make its app simpler and easier to use for everyone. Meta abandoning this principle is disheartening, especially as we are still waiting for other promised features from the company, like end-to-end encryption in Facebook Messenger group messages . Instead of blaming users for not using these sorts of features and then abandoning the promise of delivery, Meta—and other tech companies—should start by enabling strong privacy protective features by default.
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Years after publicly promising to provide the privacy protections of end-to-end encryption across its platforms by default, it instead gave up on that technical challenge. In that same statement, the company pointed people to WhatsApp for access to encrypted messaging.
TL;DR:
Instead of blaming users for not using these sorts of features and then abandoning the promise of delivery, Meta—and other tech companies—should start by enabling strong privacy protective features by default.
Eff
May 12, 16:48
Victory! End-to-End Encrypted RCS Comes to Apple and Android Chats
This week, Apple released iOS 26.5 , an update that supports end-to-end encryption for Rich Communication Services (RCS), meaning conversations between Android and iPhone will soon be encrypted in the default chat apps. This has been a long time coming, and is a welcome delivery on a promise both Google and Apple made . With this update, conversations that take place between Apple’s Messages app and Google Messages on Android will be end-to-end encrypted by default, as long as the carrier supports both RCS and encrypted messages (you can find a list of carriers here ). RCS messages are a replacement for SMS , and in 2024 Apple started supporting it, making for a marked improvement in the quality of images and other media shared between Android and iPhones. Now, those conversations can also benefit from the increased privacy and security that end-to-end encryption offers, making it so neither Google, Apple, nor the cellular carriers have access to the contents of messages. This feature comes courtesy of both Apple and Google supporting the GSMA RCS Universal Profile 3.0 , which implements the Messaging Layer Security protocol for encryption. Metadata will likely still be collected and stored for these conversations, making alternatives like Signal still a better option for many conversations. Likewise, if you back up those conversations to the cloud, they may be stored unencrypted unless you enable Advanced Data Protection on iOS ( Google Messages end-to-end encrypts the text of messages in backups, but not the media, so we’d like to see a similar offering as ADP on Android ). Still, this is a significant step forward for the privacy of millions of conversations worldwide. End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging is still marked as beta on Apple devices, likely because the rollout is dependent on carriers as well as the Android phone running the most recent version of Google Messages. It might take some time before you get this feature in your chats and until you do, remember that the conversations are not protected with end-to-end encryption. But once everyone in the conversation is on the right software version and the carrier support is implemented, you will see a lock icon and the text, “Encrypted” at the top of the conversation for any chats you have over RCS, as seen here: We applaud Apple and Google for getting this across the finish line and Encrypting It Already ! More companies should take these sorts of difficult but necessary steps to protect the privacy of our conversations and our data.
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End-to-End Encrypted RCS Comes to Apple and Android Chats. Still, this is a significant step forward for the privacy of millions of conversations worldwide. More companies should take these sorts of difficult but necessary steps to protect the privacy of our conversations and our data.
TL;DR:
More companies should take these sorts of difficult but necessary steps to protect the privacy of our conversations and our data.
Eff
May 12, 16:41
EFF Launches New Offline Campaign for Saudi Wikipedian Osama Khalid
Osama Khalid was just twelve years old when he began contributing to Wikipedia Arabic. In the height of the blogging era, he became a prolific blogger, publishing writings on his home country of Saudi Arabia, meetups he attended, and his opinions and observations about open source technology and freedom of expression. He advocated for internet freedom, contributed time and translations to various projects—including EFF’s HTTPS Everywhere —and was a thoughtful presence at the conferences he attended around the world…all while training to become a pediatrician. In July of 2020, he was detained amid a wave of arbitrary arrests carried out by the Saudi authorities during the Covid-19 lockdown and initially given a five-year prison sentence. That sentence was later increased on appeal to 32 years, then reduced in 2023 to 25 years, and again to 14 years this past September. In a joint letter that we signed on to in April, the Saudi human rights organization ALQST , which has been leading the campaign for Osama’s release, wrote: “The huge discrepancy between sentences handed down at different stages in the case underscores the arbitrary manner in which sentencing is carried out in the Saudi judicial system.” So, what was his “crime”? Sharing information online that conflicted with official narratives. Osama’s Wikipedia contributions included pages on critical human rights issues in Saudi Arabia, including the treatment of women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul (herself an EFF client) and Saudi Arabia’s infamous al-Ha’ir prison . His blog, which has since been taken offline, included articles such as one criticizing government plans for the surveillance of encrypted platforms. Over the years, we’ve campaigned for the release of a number of individuals imprisoned for their speech. Our contributions to the campaigns of Ola Bini , the Swedish software developer who has been targeted by the government of Ecuador for the past seven years, and Alaa Abd El Fattah , have had real impact. These cases are reminders that attacks on free expression are rarely confined to borders: governments around the world continue to use vague cybercrime laws, national security claims, and politically motivated prosecutions to silence critics, technologists, journalists, and activists. Supporting these two—and others we’ve highlighted in our Offline project—has never been about defending only individuals. It has also been about defending the principle that writing code, sharing ideas, criticizing governments, and organizing online should not be treated as crimes. Public pressure, international solidarity, legal advocacy, and sustained campaigning can shift the political cost of repression—and, in some cases, help secure meaningful protections for those targeted. That’s why we’re highlighting Osama’s case and will continue to work with partners including ALQST to advocate for his release. Osama Khalid, like so many human rights defenders, journalists, and internet users detained by the Saudi government, deserves to be free.
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EFF Launches New Offline Campaign for Saudi Wikipedian Osama Khalid. Osama’s Wikipedia contributions included pages on critical human rights issues in Saudi Arabia, including the treatment of women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul (herself an EFF client) and Saudi Arabia’s infamous al-Ha’ir prison .
TL;DR:
Osama Khalid, like so many human rights defenders, journalists, and internet users detained by the Saudi government, deserves to be free.
Eff
May 12, 15:45
A Hackers Guide to Circumventing Internet Shutdowns
Internet shutdowns are devastating for human rights . When people are disconnected from the internet and digital services, it impacts all aspects of their life—from accessing essential information, to seeking medical care, or communicating with loved ones, both in that country and externally. But on January 8th, 2026, the government of Iran shut down internet communications for the entire country as a rebellion threatened to topple the authoritarian government. The government then proceeded to execute as many as 656 dissidents over the next 3 months , though the actual number could be much higher. Which is part of the point: shutdowns often precede government acts of violence. Iran’s shutdown was hardly an isolated incident. Earlier this month, the U.S. military invaded Venezuela and kidnapped the Venezuelan president shortly after US cyber forces shut down all internet access and power grids for the capital city of Caracas. India routinely shuts off internet access in the Kashmir region , and Syria shut down internet communications as many as 73 times, most recently in 2025. Even the UK recently had a localized temporary internet shutdown . At the time of this writing there are 14 ongoing internet shutdowns worldwide. Government shutdowns aren’t the only reason an entire region or country might lose internet access. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires can take out internet connections in many regions of the world, and will only increase as climate change ramps up. They can completely disable the communications infrastructure relied upon by victims, their families, first responders, and disaster relief efforts. Having an alternate way to communicate in such times can save lives. One way to limit the impact of such shutdowns is to prepare in advance by setting up systems and structure for circumvention and resiliency. To keep people connected during internet shutdowns and blackouts, communication networks must be operational before and after the disaster or shutdown. To be effective, they must be widespread so that people can get access to them reliably, and they must be usable by a majority of the community. And any viable solution must be accessible and sustainable on a community level, not just to people with vast financial resources or technical knowledge. You shouldn’t have to be a tech wizard to be able to communicate with your neighbors! Radios There are many ways for a community to build their own disaster resilient communications. Radios, for example, are cheap, decentralized, and resilient. Many people with moderate technical skill have set up Meshtastic repeaters. Meshtastic is a way to use a common unlicensed radio spectrum and a t echnology called LoRA to have peer-to-peer decentralized communications with people in your neighborhood or city. When you buy a Meshtastic device (cheap ones cost around $20) you can link it to your phone and send text messages to people in your area without ever touching the telephone network or the internet. Messages are delivered directly from person to person over public radio waves. There is also amateur radio, also known as ham radio, which has been used in disaster communications for decades. Ham radio requires a license, but allows you to communicate farther than Meshtastic, using repeaters or even bouncing signals off the stratosphere to talk to people on the other side of the planet or even on the International Space Station. It is even possible to access the internet over ham radio. Peer-to-peer messaging apps Another option for internet communication during a shutdown is peer-to-peer messaging apps. One such project,called Briar , uses the Bluetooth functionality on phones to route messages from device to device until they reach their destination, even in instances where there is no internet. However, Briar faces the same problems many mesh projects do: almost nobody has the app installed and it’s difficult to use. If a mesh chat app isn’t already widely installed before an internet shutdown, it’s going to be even harder to get people to install it en masse once the shutdown starts. A similar effort called bitchat has recently gained some attention . Bitchat is a peer-to-peer chat system that routes over Nostr , Tor , and Bluetooth. It is unfortunately tainted in many people’s eyes by being a project by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, but it is open source and runs on both Android and iOS. It was used with some success in Iran during the latest internet shutdown . Another option is Delta Chat , which uses PGP for encryption and email for routing, while still being much simpler to use than either technology. Delta Chat is highly regarded in Iran for its ability to route a message through even the tiniest sliver of email access. Satellite internet Satellite internet is an internet connection that uses a connection to a satellite dish to reach the internet, such as Starlink. Since there are no wires and no physical connection to infrastructur...
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A Hackers Guide to Circumventing Internet Shutdowns . Internet shutdowns are devastating for human rights . Satellite internet Satellite internet is an internet connection that uses a connection to a satellite dish to reach the internet, such as Starlink.
TL;DR:
Internet shutdowns are devastating for human rights .
Eff
May 11, 20:18
Canada’s Bill C-22 Is a Repackaged Version of Last Year’s Surveillance Nightmare
Last year, the Canadian government pushed Bill C-2 , which would erode Canadian digital rights in the name of “border security.” The bill was so bad it didn’t even make it to committee because of the backlash from the privacy community. Now, the spring’s worst sequel, Bill C-22 , aka The Lawful Access Act, is trying it again. As with most sequels, Bill C-22 makes some tweaks to problematic elements, but largely retains the same problems. The bill forces digital services, which could include telecoms, messaging apps, and more, to record and retain metadata for a full year, and expands information sharing with foreign governments, including the United States. Metadata can reveal a lot about who you communicate with, where you go, and when you do so. Expanding the collection of metadata would require companies to store even more information about their users than they already do, providing an incentive for bad actors to access that information. Worst of all, Bill C-22 erodes the privacy of millions by providing a mechanism for the Minister of Public Safety to demand companies create a backdoor to their services to provide law enforcement access to data, as long as these mandates don’t introduce a “systemic vulnerability.” These widespread surveillance backdoors would likely facilitate even more data breaches than we see already. The bill also bans companies from even revealing the existence of these orders publicly. The definitions of both “systemic vulnerabilities” and “encryption” are not clear enough in C-22, leaving wiggle room for the government to demand that companies circumvent encryption. And the overbroad definitions in the bill can include apps as well as operating systems. Canadian officials have made it clear they believe it’s possible to add surveillance without introducing systemic vulnerabilities, which is just not true. Surveillance of encrypted communications is fundamentally a systemic vulnerability. This resembles what happened in the UK last year, when the government demanded that Apple implement this type of backdoor into its optional Advanced Data Protection feature, which then forced Apple to revoke the feature for its UK users instead of complying with the request. To this day, UK users still do not have access to this powerful, privacy-protective feature that provides stronger protections for data stored in iCloud. Both Meta and Apple are concerned that C-22 would give the Canadian governments similar powers, and both companies have come out against the bill . The U.S. House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees also sent a joint letter to Canada’s Minister of Public Safety highlighting the concern around backdoors into encrypted systems. The dangers of these sorts of backdoors are not theoretical. In 2024, the Salt Typhoon hack took advantage of a system built by Internet Service Providers to give law enforcement access to user data. When you build these systems, hackers will come. Canadians deserve strong privacy protections, transparency into how companies handle user data, and clear safeguards around encrypted data. Bill C-22 provides none of that, instead reaching further into the digital pockets of tech companies to build broad lawful access mechanisms. Further reading Full text of C-22 Canadian Civil Liberties Association statement and letter Open Media blog on C-22 EFF’s blog on bill C-2
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Now, the spring’s worst sequel, Bill C-22 , aka The Lawful Access Act, is trying it again. Both Meta and Apple are concerned that C-22 would give the Canadian governments similar powers, and both companies have come out against the bill . Bill C-22 provides none of that, instead reaching further into the digital pockets of tech companies to build broad lawful access mechanisms.
TL;DR:
Last year, the Canadian government pushed Bill C-2 , which would erode Canadian digital rights in the name of “border security.” The bill was so bad it didn’t even make it to committee because of the backlash from the privacy community.
Eff
May 11, 20:12
EFF to Fourth Circuit: Electronic Device Searches at the Border Require a Warrant
EFF, along with the national ACLU, the ACLU affiliates in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit urging the court to require a warrant for border searches of electronic devices under the Fourth Amendment, an argument EFF has been making in the courts and Congress for nearly a decade. The Fourth Circuit heard oral arguments on May 8. The Knight Institute at Columbia University and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press also filed a helpful brief focusing on the First Amendment implications of border searches of electronic devices. The case, U.S. v. Belmonte Cardozo , involves a U.S. citizen whose cell phone was manually searched after he arrived at Dulles airport near Washington, D.C., following a trip to Bolivia. He had been on the government’s radar prior to his international trip and had been flagged for secondary inspection. Border officers found child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his phone, and he was later arrested and criminally charged. The district court denied the defendant’s motion to suppress the images and other data obtained from the warrantless search of his cell phone. He was ultimately convicted of child pornography and sexual exploitation of minors because he had used social media to entice minors to send him sexually explicit photos of themselves. The number of warrantless device searches at the border and the significant invasion of privacy they represent is only increasing. In Fiscal Year 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted 55,318 device searches , both manual (“basic”) and forensic (“advanced”). A manual search involves a border officer tapping or mousing around a device. A forensic search involves connecting another device to the traveler’s device and using software to extract and analyze the data to create a detailed report the device owner’s activities and communications. However, both search methods are highly privacy-invasive, as border officers can access the same data that can reveal the most personal aspects of our lives, including political affiliations, religious beliefs and practices, sexual and romantic affinities, financial status, health conditions, and family and professional associations. In our amicus brief , we argued that the Fourth Circuit should adopt the same legal standard for both manual and forensic searches, and that standard should be a warrant supported by probable cause and issued by a neutral judge. The highly personal nature of the information found on electronic devices is why there should not be different legal standards for different methods of search, and why a judge should determine whether the government has provided credible preliminary evidence that there’s a likelihood that further evidence will be found on the device indicating wrongdoing by the specific traveler. Moreover, we argued that “the process of getting a warrant is not unduly burdensome,” and that “getting a warrant would not impede the efficient processing of travelers. If border officers have probable cause to search a device, they may retain it and let the traveler continue on their way, then get a search warrant. Or, where there is truly no time to go to a judge, the exigent circumstances exception may apply on a case-by-case basis.” The Fourth Circuit in prior cases only considered forensic device searches at the border. In U.S. v. Kolsuz (2018) , the court held that the forensic search of the defendant’s cell phone at the border “must be considered a nonroutine border search, requiring some measure of individualized suspicion” of a transnational offense, but the court declined to decide whether the standard is only reasonable suspicion or instead a probable cause warrant. Then in U.S. v. Aigbekaen (2019) , the court held that a forensic device search at the border in support of a purely domestic law enforcement investigation requires a warrant. The court also reiterated the general Kolsuz rule for a forensic border-related device search: the “Government must have individualized suspicion of an offense that bears some nexus to the border search exception's purposes of protecting national security, collecting duties, blocking the entry of unwanted persons, or disrupting efforts to export or import contraband.” Now, manual searches are before the court. In urging the Fourth Circuit to adopt a warrant standard for both manual and forensic device searches at the border, we argued that the U.S. Supreme Court’s balancing test in Riley v. California (2014) should govern the analysis here. In that case, the Court weighed the government’s interests in warrantless and suspicionless access to cell phone data following an arrest, against an arrestee’s privacy interests in the depth and breadth of personal information stored on a cell phone. The Court concluded that the search-incident-to-arrest warrant excep...
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EFF to Fourth Circuit: Electronic Device Searches at the Border Require a Warrant. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit urging the court to require a warrant for border searches of electronic devices under the Fourth Amendment, an argument EFF has been making in the courts and Congress for nearly a decade.
TL;DR:
The number of warrantless device searches at the border and the significant invasion of privacy they represent is only increasing.
Eff
May 11, 17:37
EFF Stands in Solidarity With RightsCon and the Global Digital Rights Community
When governments shut down spaces for dialogue, dissent, and collective organizing, the damage extends far beyond a single event. The abrupt cancellation of RightsCon 2026—the world’s largest annual global digital rights conference—is not just a logistical disruption for thousands of researchers, journalists, technologists, and activists—it is part of a growing global pattern of shrinking civic space and increasing hostility toward free expression and independent civil society. Just days before the conference was set to begin and as participants had begun to arrive in Lusaka, organizers announced that RightsCon would no longer proceed in Zambia or online after mounting political pressure and demands that would have excluded vulnerable communities and constrained discussion. The U.N.’s World Press Freedom Day, which was set to take place just prior to the conference, was scaled down in light of the events, and its press freedom prize ceremony postponed to a later date. RightsCon has long served as one of the few truly global convenings where civil society groups, grassroots organizers, technologists, and policymakers can meet on equal footing to confront some of the most urgent human rights challenges of the digital age—from censorship and surveillance to internet shutdowns, platform accountability, and the safety of marginalized communities online. EFF has had a presence at RightsCon since its inception in 2011, and had planned to meet with and learn from international partners and present our work during several sessions in Lusaka. The cancellation is especially devastating because of what RightsCon represents. For many advocates—particularly those from the global majority— it is not merely another conference . It is a rare opportunity to build solidarity across borders, form lasting partnerships, learn from other regions’ experiences, secure funding and support for local work, and ensure that the people most impacted by digital repression have a seat at the table. Holding the event in southern Africa carried particular significance, promising to elevate regional voices and strengthen local digital rights networks. What happened in Zambia sends a chilling message. According to organizers and multiple reports, the pressure surrounding the event included Chinese government demands to exclude Taiwanese participants and moderate discussions around politically sensitive topics. At a moment when governments around the world are increasingly restricting protest, targeting journalists, cutting funds for human rights work, banning young people from online communities, censoring speech, and criminalizing civil society activity, the cancellation of RightsCon reflects the broader erosion of democratic space online and offline. Organizations from the digital rights community have spoken out forcefully against the government’s cancellation of the conference, making clear that these attacks on civic participation will not pass unnoticed. Access Now described the decision as evidence of “the far reach of transnational repression targeting civil society.” Index on Censorship ’s response warned that the move represents a dangerous escalation in attempts to suppress open dialogue, while IFEX rightly described the cancellation as a blow not just to one conference, but to freedom of expression and assembly everywhere. We are also heartened to see statements from members of the international community—including Tabani Moyo , who spoke about the impact on the southern African community, and Taiwanese participant Shin Yang , who emphasized the importance of preserving spaces where marginalized communities can safely organize and speak—underscoring that attempts to silence civil society only reinforce the importance of defending open, global spaces for organizing and debate. Even as this cancellation represents a serious setback, it is important to remember that the digital rights community has always adapted under pressure. Around the world, advocates continue to organize in increasingly difficult environments, finding new ways to connect , collaborate, and resist censorship and repression. Upcoming events like the Global Gathering and FIFAfrica —both of which EFF plans to attend—will bring together members of the community to tackle tough issues. And in the meantime, groups from all over the world are working together to incorporate global perspectives into platform regulations , oppose age verification laws , protect against surveillance , and fight internet shutdowns , among many other efforts. RightsCon itself emerged from a recognition that defending human rights in the digital age requires international solidarity—and that need has not disappeared. The conversations that were supposed to happen in Lusaka will continue elsewhere: in community spaces, online gatherings, encrypted chats, and future convenings yet to come. Governments may close venues, restrict participation, or attempt to narrow the boundaries of acceptable...
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EFF Stands in Solidarity With RightsCon and the Global Digital Rights Community. Even as this cancellation represents a serious setback, it is important to remember that the digital rights community has always adapted under pressure.
TL;DR:
RightsCon itself emerged from a recognition that defending human rights in the digital age requires international solidarity—and that need has not disappeared.
Eff
May 8, 23:24
Congress Narrowed the GUARD Act, But Serious Problems Remain
Following criticism, lawmakers have narrowed the GUARD Act , a bill aimed at restricting minors’ access to certain AI systems. The earlier version could have applied broadly to nearly every AI-powered chatbot or search tool. The amended bill focuses more narrowly on so-called “AI companions”—conversational systems designed to simulate emotional or interpersonal interactions with users. That change does address some of the broadest concerns raised about the original proposal, though some questions about the bill’s reach remain. Bottom line: the revised bill still creates serious problems for privacy, online speech, and parental choice. TAKE ACTION Tell Congress: oppose the guard act The new GUARD Act still requires companies offering AI companions to implement burdensome age-verification systems tied to users’ real-world identities. Even parents who specifically want their teenagers to use these systems would still face significant hurdles. A family might decide that a conversational AI tool helps an isolated teenager practice social interaction, or engage in harmless creative roleplay. A parent deployed in the military might set up a persistent AI storyteller for a younger child. Under the revised bill, those users could still face mandatory age checks tied to sensitive personal or financial information before they or their children can use these services. The revised bill also leaves important definitions unclear while sharply increasing penalties for developers and companies that get those judgments wrong. Congress narrowed the GUARD Act. But it is still trying to solve a complicated social problem with vague legal standards, heavy liability, and privacy-invasive verification systems. Intrusive Age-Verification Remains In The Bill The revised GUARD Act still requires companies offering AI companions to verify that users are adults through a “reasonable age verification” system. The bill allows a broader set of verification methods than the earlier version, but they are still tied to a user’s real-world identity—such as financial records, or age-verified accounts for a mobile operating system or app store. That approach still raises serious privacy and access concerns. Millions of Americans do not have current government ID, accounts at major banks, or stable access to the kinds of digital identity systems the bill contemplates. Even for those who do, requiring identity-linked verification to access online speech tools creates real risks for privacy, anonymity, and data security. Many people are rightly creeped out by age-verification systems, and may simply forgo using these services rather than compromise their privacy and security. The revised definition of “AI companion” is also narrower than before, but it’s unclear at the margins. The bill now focuses on systems that “engage in interactions involving emotional disclosures” from the user, or present a “persistent identity, persona or character.” EFF appreciates that the authors recognized that the prior definition could reach a variety of AI systems that are not chatbots, including internet search engines. But the narrowed definition could be read to also apply to a variety of chat tools that are not AI companions. For example, many modern online conversational systems increasingly recognize and respond to users’ emotions. Customer service systems, including completely human-powered ones that existed long before AI chatbots, have long been designed to recognize frustration and respond empathetically. As conversational AI becomes more emotionally responsive, a customer service chatbot’s efforts to empathize may sweep it within the bill’s definition. Bigger Penalties, Bigger Incentives To Restrict Access The revised bill also sharply increases penalties. Instead of $100,000 per violation, companies—including small developers—can face fines of up to $250,000 per violation, enforced by both federal and state officials. That kind of liability creates incentives to over-restrict access, especially for minors. Smaller developers, in particular, may decide it is safer to block younger users entirely, disable conversational features, or avoid developing certain tools at all, rather than risk severe penalties under vague standards. The concerns driving this bill are real. Some AI systems have engaged in troubling interactions with vulnerable users, including minors. But the right answer to that is targeted enforcement against bad actors, and privacy laws that protect us all. The revised GUARD Act instead responds with a privacy-invasive system that burdens the right to speak, read, and interact online. Congress did improve this bill, but EFF’s core speech, privacy, and security issues remain. TAKE ACTION Tell Congress: oppose the guard act
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Bottom line: the revised bill still creates serious problems for privacy, online speech, and parental choice. Even for those who do, requiring identity-linked verification to access online speech tools creates real risks for privacy, anonymity, and data security. Congress did improve this bill, but EFF’s core speech, privacy, and security issues remain.
TL;DR:
Congress did improve this bill, but EFF’s core speech, privacy, and security issues remain.
Eff
May 8, 17:23
Free Signal Guide
EFF friend Guy Kawasaki* has written a book: Everybody Has Something to Hide: Why and How to Use Signal to Preserve Your Privacy, Security, and Well-Being. This guide is now available in Spanish and English as an ebook in the EPUB format that you can download here. Take a look and consider sharing it with anyone who you know who uses (or should use) Signal. And don't forget: EFF has two short guides on using Signal on our Surveillance Self-Defense site. An intro How to Use Signal guide, and a guide on Managing Signal Groups . Everybody Has Something to Hide: Why and How to Use Signal to Preserve Your Privacy, Security, and Well-Being courtesy of Guy Kawasaki. *Guy Kawasaki is an EFF donor.
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EFF friend Guy Kawasaki* has written a book: Everybody Has Something to Hide: Why and How to Use Signal to Preserve Your Privacy, Security, and Well-Being. This guide is now available in Spanish and English as an ebook in the EPUB format that you can download here. Take a look and consider sharing it with anyone who you know who uses (or should use) Signal.
TL;DR:
EFF friend Guy Kawasaki* has written a book: Everybody Has Something to Hide: Why and How to Use Signal to Preserve Your Privacy, Security, and Well-Being.
Eff
May 6, 22:44
Milestone 1.0.0 Release of APK Downloader `apkeep` Powers Research on Android Apps
Last week, we released apkeep version 1.0.0 , the latest edition of our command-line Android package downloading software. Rather than indicating major changes for the project, this milestone instead signifies arriving at a relatively stable and mature place after gradual iteration on the project over the course of over four years. What’s New in 1.0.0 We do have a few fresh features we’ve packed into this latest release, though—all focused on the Google Play Store: You can now download a dex metadata file associated with an app containing a Cloud Profile , which provides information on app performance based on real usage. You can now provide a token generated by the Aurora Store’s dispenser to log in anonymously for app downloads. Users can specify their own device profiles when downloading apps from Google Play, which the store uses to deliver the app variant which works for your particular device specifications. We’ve also fixed an authentication bug introduced by the Play Store API. In addition to the various Linux, Windows, and Android environments we support, we’re also happy to announce that since the last release in October we’ve been included in Homebrew for macOS users! How Researchers Use apkeep to Understand the Android App Landscape Researchers and users contributed most of the features of this release, including downloading dex metadata containing Google’s Cloud Profiles. This feature helps them use the tool in their own research of highlighting how these Android compilation profiles can be a vital source of information for evaluating dynamic testing. Numerous other projects have cited apkeep usage in their own workflows. For example, Exodus Privacy uses it to power the εxodus tool’s downloads when they monitor the privacy properties of apps. Various research teams have noted their own use of the tool in whitepapers, including one team who used the tool to download 21,154 apps in a widespread study of Android evasive malware. We are proud to provide a reliable tool in the toolbox they use to power their work. What’s in Store fo r apkeep? Our goals with apkeep have remained constant: provide a reliable, fast, and safe way to download apps from multiple app providers, not just the Google Play Store. While we’ve focused on it as the major Android app provider of choice across much of the world, we’ve expanded support to other stores as well, such as F-Droid for downloading open source apps. We’d like to continue broadening apkeep ’s list of supported providers, to make it easy to do comparative analysis of apps provided in different contexts. For this, we’d love your contributions . How You Can Help If you’re using apkeep as part of your own toolbox (whether using it to do malware analysis, auditing apps, or simply using it as an app archiving tool), let us know ! And if you like what we do, please consider donating to EFF to support our work.
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Milestone 1.0.0 Release of APK Downloader `apkeep` Powers Research on Android Apps. For example, Exodus Privacy uses it to power the εxodus tool’s downloads when they monitor the privacy properties of apps. And if you like what we do, please consider donating to EFF to support our work.
TL;DR:
And if you like what we do, please consider donating to EFF to support our work.
Eff
May 6, 16:11
👎 California's Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Social Media Ban | EFFector 38.9
We'd all like the internet to be a better place—for kids and adults alike. But in the name of online safety, governments around the world are racing to impose a dangerous new system of control. Are age gates the silver bullet to the internet's problems they're being promoted as? Or are we being sold a bill of goods? We're answering this question and more in our latest EFFector newsletter . JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER For over 35 years, EFFector has been your guide to understanding the intersection of technology, civil liberties, and the law. This latest issue covers a n attack on VPNs in Utah , a livestream on how to disenshittify the internet , and California's proposed social media ban that could set a dangerous new precedent for online censorship. Prefer to listen in? EFFector is now available on all major podcast platforms. This time, we're having a conversation with EFF Legislative Analyst Molly Buckley on why social media bans can't sidestep the U.S. constitution . You can find the episode and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice : %3Ciframe%20height%3D%22200px%22%20width%3D%22100%25%22%20frameborder%3D%22no%22%20scrolling%3D%22no%22%20seamless%3D%22%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.simplecast.com%2F07b61711-d8ff-4483-aee3-21daa5a3ea22%3Fdark%3Dfalse%22%20allow%3D%22autoplay%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E Privacy info. This embed will serve content from simplecast.com Want to help push back on these misguided regulations? Sign up for EFF's EFFector newsletter for updates, ways to take action, and new merch drops. You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
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👎 California's Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Social Media Ban | EFFector 38.9. This time, we're having a conversation with EFF Legislative Analyst Molly Buckley on why social media bans can't sidestep the U.S. You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
TL;DR:
You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you support EFF today !
Eff
May 6, 14:38
The SECURE Data Act is Not a Serious Piece of Privacy Legislation
The federal SECURE Data Act is not a serious consumer privacy bill, and its provisions—if enacted—would be a retreat from already insufficient state protections. Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a draft of the bill late last month without bipartisan support. The bill is weaker than congressional proposals in prior years, as well as most of the 21 state consumer privacy laws already on the books. The bill could wipe out hundreds of state privacy protections. Most troubling for EFF: the bill would preempt dozens, if not hundreds, of state laws that regulate related topics, and it would not allow consumers to sue to protect their own rights (commonly called a private right of action ). And it comes nowhere close to banning online behavioral advertising —a practice that fuels technology companies’ always increasing hunt for personal data. The bill also suffers from many other flaws including weak opt-out defaults, inadequate data minimization requirements, and large definitional loopholes for companies. Key Provisions The bill would give consumers some rights to take action to control their personal data— like access, correction, deletion, and limited portability. These rights have become standard in all data privacy proposals in recent years. The bill would also require companies to obtain your consent before processing your sensitive data, or using any of your personal data for a previously undisclosed purpose. Absent your consent, a company couldn’t do these things. Further, the bill would allow you to opt out of (1) targeted third-party advertising, (2) the sale of your personal data, and (3) profiling of you that has a legal, healthcare, housing, or employment effect. Unfortunately, a company could keep doing these invasive things to you, unless you opted out. The bill would also require data brokers that make at least 50 percent of their profits from the sale of personal data to register in a public database maintained by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Preemption of Too Many State Laws Federal privacy laws should allow states to build ever stronger rights on top of the federal floor. Many federal privacy laws allow this, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Video Privacy Protection Act, and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. The SECURE Data Act would not do that. Instead, it would wipe out dozens, if not hundreds, of existing state privacy protections. Section 15 of the bill would preempt any “law, rule, regulation, requirement, standard, or other provision [that] relates to the provisions of this Act.” This would kill the 21 state consumer privacy laws passed in the past few years. These state bills aren’t strong enough, but they are still better than this federal proposal. For example, California maintains a data broker deletion tool and requires companies to comply with automatic opt-out signals —including one that is built into EFF’s Privacy Badger . Because the S ECURE Data Act has provisions that relate to data privacy and security, it could preempt all 50 state data breach laws and many others . It could also preempt state laws related to specific pieces of sensitive data, like bans on the sale of biometric or location information. Some states like California have constitutional provisions that protect an individual’s right to privacy, which can be enforced against companies . That constitutional provision, as well as state privacy torts , could also be in danger if this bill passed. No Private Enforcement, A New Cure Period, and Vague Security Powers Strong consumer privacy laws should allow consumers to take companies to court to defend their own rights. This is essential because regulators do not have the resources to catch every violation, and federal consumer enforcement agencies have been gutted during the current administration. The SECURE Data Act does not have a private right of action. The FTC, along with state attorneys general, have primary enforcement authority. The law also gives companies 45 days to “cure” any violation with no penalty after they are caught. Moreover, Section 8 of the bill creates a vaguely defined self-regulatory scheme in which companies can apply to be audited by an “independent organization” that will apply a “code of conduct.” Following this code of conduct would give companies a presumption that they are complying with the law. This provision is an implicit acknowledgement that the bill does not provide regulators with any new resources to enforce new protections. Section 9 of the bill would give the Secretary of Commerce broad power to “take any action necessary and appropriate to support the international flow of personal data,” including assessing “security interests of the United States.” The scope of this amorphous provision is unclear, but it likely does not belong in a consumer protection bill. Weak Privacy Defaults Your online privacy should not depend on whether you have...
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The SECURE Data Act is Not a Serious Piece of Privacy Legislation. These rights have become standard in all data privacy proposals in recent years. Weak Privacy Defaults Your online privacy should not depend on whether you have...
TL;DR:
Weak Privacy Defaults Your online privacy should not depend on whether you have...
Eff
May 5, 10:41
EFF and 18 Organizations Urge UK Policymakers to Prioritize Addressing the Roots of Online Harm
EFF joins 18 organizations in writing a letter to UK policymakers urging them to address the root causes of online harm—rather than undermining the open web through blunt restrictions. The coalition, which includes Mozilla, Tor Project, and Open Rights Group, warns that proposed measures following the passage of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill risk fundamentally reshaping the internet in harmful ways. Chief among these proposals are sweeping age-gating requirements and access restrictions that would apply not only to young people, but effectively to all users. While framed as efforts to protect children online, these policies rely heavily on age assurance technologies that are either inaccurate, privacy-invasive, or both. As the letter notes, mandating such systems across a wide range of services—from social media and video games to VPNs and even basic websites—would force users to verify their identity simply to access the web. This creates serious risks, including expanded surveillance, data breaches, and the erosion of anonymity. Beyond privacy concerns, the signatories argue that these measures threaten the core architecture of the open internet. Age-gating at scale could fragment the web into a patchwork of restricted jurisdictions, limit access to information, and entrench the dominance of powerful gatekeepers like app stores and platform ecosystems. In doing so, policymakers risk weakening the very qualities—interoperability, accessibility, and openness—that have made the internet a global public resource. The letter also emphasizes what’s missing from the current policy approach: meaningful efforts to address the underlying drivers of online harm. Many digital platforms are designed to maximize engagement and profit through pervasive data collection and targeted advertising, often at the expense of user safety and autonomy. Rather than imposing access bans, the coalition calls on UK policymakers to hold companies accountable for these systemic practices and to prioritize user rights by design. Importantly, the signatories highlight that the internet remains a vital space for young people: offering access to information, support networks, and opportunities for expression that may not exist offline. Policies that restrict access risk cutting off these lifelines without meaningfully reducing harm. The message is clear: protecting users online requires more than heavy-handed restrictions. It demands thoughtful, rights-respecting policies that tackle the business models and design choices driving harm, while preserving the open, global nature of the web.
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EFF and 18 Organizations Urge UK Policymakers to Prioritize Addressing the Roots of Online Harm. EFF joins 18 organizations in writing a letter to UK policymakers urging them to address the root causes of online harm—rather than undermining the open web through blunt restrictions.
TL;DR:
Beyond privacy concerns, the signatories argue that these measures threaten the core architecture of the open internet.
Eff
May 5, 07:11
Shut Down Turnkey Totalitarianism
William Binney, the NSA surveillance architect-turned-whistleblower, called it the " turnkey totalitarian state ." Whoever sits in power gains access to a boundless surveillance empire that scorns privacy and crushes dissent. Politicians will come and go, but you can help us claw the tools of oppression out of government hands. JOIN EFF Become a Monthly Sustaining Donor We must stand strong to uphold your privacy and free expression as democratic principles. With members around the world, EFF is empowered to use its trusted voice and formidable advocacy to protect your rights online. Whether giving monthly or one-time donations , members have helped EFF: Sue to stop warrantless searches of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) records , which reveal millions of drivers’ private habits, movements, and associations. Launch Rayhunter , an open source tool that empowers you to help search out cell-site simulators capable of tracking the movements of protestors, journalists, and more. Help journalists see through the spin of "copaganda" by breaking down how policing technology companies often market their tools with misleading claims with our Selling Safety report . Right now, U.S. Congress is on the edge of renewing the international mass spying program known as Section 702 , affecting millions. EFF is rallying to cut through the politics and give ordinary people a chance to stop this oppressive surveillance. It’s only possible with help from supporters like you, so join EFF today . The New EFF Member Gear Get this year’s new member t-shirt when you join EFF. Aptly titled "Claw Back," the design features an orange boy swatting at the street-level surveillance equipment multiplying in our communities. You might empathize with him, but there’s a better way. Let’s end the law enforcement contracts, harmful practices, and twisted logic that enable mass spying in the first place. You can also get brand new set of eleven soft and supple polyglot puffy stickers as a token of thanks. Whether you're a kid or a kid at heart, these nostalgic stickers are perfect for digital devices, lunchboxes, and notebooks alike. Our little Ghostie protects privacy in six languages : Arabic, English, Japanese, Persian, Russian, and Spanish. And for a limited time, get a Privacy Badger Crewneck sweater to help you browse the web with confidence. The embroidered Privacy Badger mascot appears above Traditional Chinese for "privacy” because human rights are universal. Millions of people around the world use Privacy Badger , EFF's free browser extention that blocks hidden trackers that twist your web browsing into a commodity for Big Tech, advertisers, scammers, and data brokers. Privacy is a human right because it gives you a fundamental measure of security and freedom. We owe it to ourselves to fight the mass surveillance used to control and intimidate people. Let’s do this. Join EFF today with a monthly donation or one-time donation and help claw back your privacy. ____________________ EFF is a member-supported U.S. 501(c)(3) organization. We've received top rati ngs from the nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator since 2013! Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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The New EFF Member Gear Get this year’s new member t-shirt when you join EFF. Privacy is a human right because it gives you a fundamental measure of security and freedom. Join EFF today with a monthly donation or one-time donation and help claw back your privacy.
TL;DR:
The New EFF Member Gear Get this year’s new member t-shirt when you join EFF.
Eff
May 4, 18:35
EFF Submission to UK Consultation on Digital ID
Last September, the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to introduce a new digital ID scheme in the country. The scheme aims to make it easier for people to prove their identities by creating a virtual ID on personal devices with information like names, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo to verify their right to live and work in the country. Since then, EFF has joined UK-based civil society organizations in urging the government to reconsider this proposal. In one joint letter from December, ahead of Parliament’s debate around a petition signed by 2.9 million people calling for an end to the government’s plans to roll out a national digital ID, EFF and 12 other civil society organizations wrote to politicians in the country urging MPs to reject the Labour government’s proposal. Nevertheless, politicians have continued to explore ways to build out a digital ID system in the country, often fluctuating between different ideas and conceptualisations for such a scheme. In their search for clarity, the government launched a consultation, ‘ Making public services work for you with your digital identity,’ seeking views on a proposed national digital ID system in the UK. EFF submitted comments to this consultation, focusing on six interconnected issues: Mission creep Infringements on privacy rights Serious security risks Reliance on inaccurate and unproven technologies Discrimination and exclusion The deepening of entrenched power imbalances between the state and the public. Even the strongest recommended safeguards cannot resolve these issues, and the fundamental core problem that a mandatory digital ID scheme that shifts power dramatically away from individuals and toward the state. They are pursued as a technological solution to offline problems but instead allow the state to determine what you can access, not just verify who you are, by functioning as a key to opening—or closing—doors to essential services and experiences. No one should be coerced—technically or socially—into a digital system in order to participate fully in public life. It is essential that the UK government listen to people in the country and say no to digital ID. Read our submission in full here .
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EFF Submission to UK Consultation on Digital ID. In their search for clarity, the government launched a consultation, ‘ Making public services work for you with your digital identity,’ seeking views on a proposed national digital ID system in the UK.
TL;DR:
It is essential that the UK government listen to people in the country and say no to digital ID. Read our submission in full here .
Eff
May 4, 15:33
Getting Digital Fairness Right: EFF's Recommendations for the EU's Digital Fairness Act
Digital Fairness in the EU The next few years will be decisive for EU digital policymaking. With major laws like the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the AI Act now in place, the EU is entering an enforcement era that will show whether these rules are rights-respecting or drift toward overreach and corporate control. With the proposed EU’s Digital Fairness Act (DFA), the Commission is now turning to increasingly visible risks for users, such as dark patterns and exploitative personalization. Its “ Digital Fairness Fitness Check ” makes clear that existing consumer rules need updating to reflect how digital markets operate today. But not all proposed solutions point in the right direction. Regulators are already flirting with measures that rely on expanded surveillance, such as age verification mandates—surface-level fixes that risk undermining fundamental rights while offering little more than a false sense of protection. For EFF, digital fairness means addressing the root causes of harm, not requiring platforms to exert more control over their users. It means safeguarding privacy, freedom of expression, and the rights of users and developers. If the DFA is to make a real difference, it must tackle structural imbalances. Lawmakers should focus on two interlocking principles. First , prioritize privacy. Reforms should address harms driven by surveillance-based business models, alongside deceptive design practices that impair informed choices. Second , strengthen user sovereignty, which is also a necessary precondition for European digital sovereignty more broadly. Strengthening user sovereignty means taking measures that address user lock-in, coercive contract terms, and manipulative defaults that limit users’ ability to freely choose how they use digital products and services. Together, these principles would support the EU’s objectives of consistent consumer protection, fair markets, and a more coherent legal framework. If implemented properly, the EU could address power imbalances and build trust in Europe’s digital economy. Ban Dark Patterns Dark patterns are practices that impair users’ ability to make informed and autonomous decisions. Many companies deploy these tactics through interface design to steer choices and influence behavior. Their impact goes beyond poor consumer decisions. Dark patterns push users to share personal data they would not otherwise disclose and undermine autonomy by making alternatives harder to access. The DFA should address this by clearly prohibiting misleading interfaces that distort user choice in commercial contexts. While the Digital Services Act introduced a definition, it only partially bans such practices and leaves gaps across existing consumer law rules. The DFA should close these gaps by, at the very least, introducing explicit prohibitions and clearer enforcement rules, without resorting to design mandates. Tackle Commercial Surveillance At the core of digital unfairness lies the pervasive collection and use of personal data. Surveillance and profiling drive many of the harms regulators are trying to address, from dark patterns to exploitative personalization. The DFA should tackle these incentives directly by reducing reliance on surveillance-based business models. These practices are fundamentally incompatible with privacy and fairness, and they distort digital markets by rewarding data exploitation rather than quality of service. At a minimum, the DFA should address unfair profiling and surveillance advertising by strengthening privacy rights and banning pay-for-privacy schemes. Users should not have to trade their data or pay extra to avoid being tracked. Accordingly, the DFA should support the recognition of automated privacy signals by web browsers and mobile operating systems, which give users a better way to reject tracking and exercise their rights. Practices that override such signals through banners or interface design should be considered unfair. Addressing surveillance and profiling also protects children, since many online harms are tied to the collection and exploitation of their data. Systems that serve ads or curate content often rely on intrusive profiling practices, raising concerns about privacy and fairness, particularly when applied to minors. Rather than turning to invasive age verification , the focus should be on limiting data use by default. Strengthen User Sovereignty There is a major gap in how EU law addresses user autonomy in digital markets: many digital products and services still restrict what people can do with what they pay for through opaque or one-sided licensing terms, technical protection measures, and remote controls. These mechanisms increasingly limit lawful use, modification, or access after purchase, allowing providers to revoke access, disable functionalities, or degrade performance over time. In practice, this turns ownership into a conditional rental. Consumers must be able to use and resell digit...
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Getting Digital Fairness Right: EFF's Recommendations for the EU's Digital Fairness Act. With the proposed EU’s Digital Fairness Act (DFA), the Commission is now turning to increasingly visible risks for users, such as dark patterns and exploitative personalization.
TL;DR:
Digital Fairness in the EU The next few years will be decisive for EU digital policymaking.
Eff
May 1, 14:52
A Bridge to Somewhere: How to Link Your Mastodon, Bluesky, or Other Federated Accounts
One of the central promises of open social media services is interoperability—the idea that wherever you personally decide to post doesn’t require others to be there just to follow what you have to say. Think of it like a radio broadcast: you want to reach people and don't care where they are or what device they're using. For example, in theory, a Bluesky user can follow someone on Mastodon or Threads without having to create a Mastodon or Threads account. But these systems are still a work in progress, and you might need to tweak a few things to get it working correctly. Right now, broadcasting your message across social platforms can be a funky experience at best, deliberately broken up by oligopolists. The idea of the open web was baked into the internet via protocols like HTML and RSS that made it easy for anyone to visit a website or follow most blogs. The fact social media isn’t similarly open reflects an intentional choice to privatize the internet. Bridging and managing your posts so they’re viewable outside a singular source is part of the broader philosophy of POSSE , short for Post Own Site Syndicate Elsewhere (sometimes its Post Own Site, Share Everywhere). Instead of managing several accounts across different services, you post once to one primary site (which might be your personal website, or just one social media account), then set it up so it automatically publishes everywhere else. This way, it doesn’t matter where you or your audience is, and they're not walled off by account registration requirements. We’ll come back around to POSSE at the end of this post, but for now, let’s assume you just want your current main open social media account to actually have a chance to reach the most people it can. Why Post to the Open Social Web Because the Fediverse and ATmosphere use different protocols , we need to use a third-party tool so accounts can communicate with each other. For that, we’ll need a bridge. As the name suggests, a bridge can connect one social media account to another, so you can post once and spread your message across several places. This isn’t just some niche concept: major blogging platforms like Wordpress and Ghost integrate posting to the Fediverse. Bridging is an important facet of POSSE, but also something more people should consider, even if they don’t run their own websites. For example, if you don’t want to create a Threads account just to interact with your one friend who uses that platform, you shouldn’t have to. The good news is, you don’t. There are several bridging services, like Fedisky , RSS Parrot , and pinhole , but Bridgy Fed is currently the simplest to use, so we’ll focus on that. How to Post to Bluesky from Mastodon From your Mastodon account (or other Fediverse account, for simplicity’s sake we’ll stick to Mastodon throughout), search for the username @[email protected] and follow that account. Once you do, the account will follow you back and you’ll be bridged and people can find you from their Bluesky account. You should also get a DM with your bridged username. If you don’t see the @[email protected] user when you search, your Mastodon instance may be blocking the bridging tool. Threads users who have enabled Fediverse sharing will be able to find you with your standard Mastodon username (ie, @[email protected] ), but if they haven’t enabled sharing, they will not be able to see your account. While this search is still a beta feature, you might find it easier to share the full URL, which would look like this: https://www.threads.net/fediverse_profile/@[email protected] People on Bluesky can find you by : Either searching for your Mastodon username, or if that doesn’t work, @your_user_name.instance.ap.brid.gy . For example, if your username is @[email protected] , it would appear as @eff.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy . An example of a Mastodon username from the Bluesky web client. How to Post to Mastodon and Bluesky from Threads Yes, Threads is technically on the Fediverse, and you can bridge your Threads account to Mastodon or Bluesky ( unless you’re in Europe , where the feature is disabled), but it’s a different process than on Bluesky and Mastodon. Open Settings > Account > Fediverse Sharing and set the option to “On.” This will make your posts visible to Mastodon (or other Fediverse) users, and vice versa. Once the Fediverse sharing is enabled, you’ll likely need to wait a week , then you can bridge to Bluesky. Search for and follow the @[email protected] account (it may take some digging to find it, but if that doesn’t work you can try visiting the profile page directly . People on Mastodon (or other Fediverse accounts) and Bluesky can find you by : Mastodon users can find you at, @[email protected] while Bluesky users will find you at, @your_threads_username.threads.net.ap.brid.gy (seriously, that will be the username). Note that some Mastodon instances may block Threads us...
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One of the central promises of open social media services is interoperability—the idea that wherever you personally decide to post doesn’t require others to be there just to follow what you have to say. Once you do, the account will follow you back and you’ll be bridged and people can find you from their Bluesky account. For example, if your username is @eff@mastodon.
TL;DR:
For example, if your username is @[email protected] , it would appear as @eff.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy .
Eff
Apr 30, 23:33
Utah’s New Law Targeting VPNs Goes Into Effect May 6th
Update, May 11, 2026: Utah has agreed to not enforce the VPN law until Sept. 3, 2026 after Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub.com, challenged the law in court. For the last couple of years, we’ve watched the same predictable cycle play out across the globe: a state (or country) passes a clunky age-verification mandate, and, without fail, Virtual Private Network (VPN) usage surges as residents scramble to maintain their privacy and anonymity. We've seen this everywhere—from states like Florida , Missouri , Texas , and Utah , to countries like the United Kingdom , Australia , and Indonesia . Instead of realizing that mass surveillance and age gates aren't exactly crowd favorites, Utah lawmakers have decided that VPNs themselves are the real issue . On May 6, 2026, Utah will become, to EFF’s knowledge, the first state in the nation to target the use of VPNs to avoid legally mandated age-verification gates. While advocates in states like Wisconsin successfully forced the removal of similar provisions due to constitutional and technical concerns, Utah is proceeding with a mandate that threatens to significantly undermine digital privacy rights. What the Bill Does Formally known as the “Online Age Verification Amendments,” Senate Bill 73 (SB 73) was signed by Governor Spencer Cox on March 19, 2026. While the majority of the bill consists of provisions related to a 2% tax on revenues from online adult content that is set to take effect in October, one of the more immediate concerns for EFF is the section regulating VPN access, which goes into effect this coming Wednesday. The VPN Provisions The new law explicitly addresses VPN use in Section 14, which amends Section 78B-3-1002 of existing Utah statutes in two primary ways: Regulation based on physical location: Under the law, an individual is considered to be accessing a website from Utah if they are physically located there, regardless of whether they use a VPN, proxy server, or other means to disguise their geographic location. Ban on sharing VPN instructions: Commercial entities that host "a substantial portion of material harmful to minors" are now prohibited from facilitating or encouraging the use of a VPN to bypass age checks. This includes providing instructions on how to use a VPN or providing the means to circumvent geofencing. By holding companies liable for verifying the age of anyone physically in Utah, even those using a VPN, the law creates a massive " liability trap ." Just like we argued in the case of the Wisconsin bill , if a website cannot reliably detect a VPN user's true location and the law requires it to do so for all users in a particular state, then the legal risk could push the site to either ban all known VPN IPs, or to mandate age verification for every visitor globally. This would subject millions of users to invasive identity checks or blocks to their VPN use, regardless of where they actually live. JOIN EFF HELP US STOP THESE VPN BILLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" In practice, SB 73 is different from the Wisconsin proposal in that it stops short of a total VPN ban. Instead, it discourages using VPNs by imposing the liability described above and by muzzling the websites themselves from sharing information about VPNs. This raises significant First Amendment concerns, as it prevents platforms from providing basic, truthful information about a lawful privacy tool to their users. Unlike previous drafts seen in other states, SB 73 doesn't explicitly ban the use of a VPN. Under a "don't ask, don't tell" style of enforcement, websites likely only have an obligation to ask for proof of age if they actually learn that a user is physically in Utah and using a VPN. If a site doesn’t know a user is in Utah, their broader obligation to police VPNs remains murky. So, while SB 73 isn’t as extreme as the discarded Wisconsin proposal, it remains a dangerous precedent. Technical Feasibility Then there is also the question of technical feasibility: Blocking all known VPN and proxy IP addresses is a technical whack-a-mole that likely no company can win. Providers add new IP addresses constantly, and no comprehensive blocklist exists. Complying with Utah’s requirements would require impossible technical feats. The internet is built to, and will always, route around censorship. If Utah successfully hampers commercial VPN providers, motivated users will transition to non-commercial proxies, private tunnels through cloud services like AWS, or residential proxies that are virtually indistinguishable from standard home traffic. These workarounds will emerge within hours of the law taking effect. Meanwhile, the collateral damage will fall on businesses, journalists, and survivors of abuse who rely on commercial VPNs for essential data security. These provisions won't stop a tech-savvy teenager, but they certainly will impact the privacy of every regular Utah resident who just wants to keep their data out of the hands of brokers or malic...
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On May 6, 2026, Utah will become, to EFF’s knowledge, the first state in the nation to target the use of VPNs to avoid legally mandated age-verification gates. While advocates in states like Wisconsin successfully forced the removal of similar provisions due to constitutional and technical concerns, Utah is proceeding with a mandate that threatens to significantly undermine di…
TL;DR:
These provisions won't stop a tech-savvy teenager, but they certainly will impact the privacy of every regular Utah resident who just wants to keep their data out of the hands of brokers or malic...
Eff
Apr 30, 16:54
Open Records Laws Reveal ALPRs’ Sprawling Surveillance. Now States Want to Block What the Public Sees.
Reporters, community advocates, EFF, and others have used public records laws to reveal and counteract abuse, misuse, and fraudulent narratives around how law enforcement agencies across the country use and share data collected by automated license plate readers (ALPRs). EFF is alarmed by recent laws in several states that have blocked public access to data collected by ALPRs, including, in some cases, information derived from ALPR data. We do not support pending bills in Arizona and Connecticut that would block the public oversight capabilities that ALPR information offers. Every state has laws granting members of the public the right to obtain records from state and local governments. These are often called “freedom of information acts” (FOIAs) or “public records acts” (PRAs). They are a powerful check by the people on their government, and EFF frequently advocates for robust public access and uses the laws to scrutinize government surveillance . But lawmakers across the country, often in response to public scrutiny of police ALPRs, are introducing or enacting measures aimed at excluding broad swaths of ALPR information from disclosure under these public records laws. This could include whole categories of important information: general information about the extent of law enforcement use; details on ALPR sharing across policing agencies; data on the number of license plate scans conducted, where they happened, and how many “hits” for license plates of interest actually occur; analyses on how many false matches or other errors occur; and images taken of individuals’ own vehicles. No thanks. Public records and public scrutiny of ALPR programs have shown that people are harmed by these systems and that retained ALPR data violates people’s privacy . In this moment, lawmakers should not be completely cutting off access to public records that document the abuses perpetuated by ALPRs. Transparency with privacy To be sure, there are legitimate concerns about wholesale public disclosure of raw ALPR data. After all, many of the harms people experience from these systems are based on the government’s collection, retention, and use of this information. Public transparency rights should not exacerbate the privacy harms suffered by people subjected to ALPR surveillance. But many current proposals do not address legitimate privacy concerns in a measured way, much less seek to harmonize people’s privacy with the public’s right to know. There is a better path to balancing privacy and transparency rights than outright bans or total disclosure. Any legislative proposal concerning public access to ALPR data must start with this reality: ALPR data is deeply revealing about where a person goes, and thus about what they are doing and who they are doing it with. That’s a reason why EFF opposes ALPRs . It is dangerous that the police have so much of our ALPR information. Even worse for our privacy would be for police to disclose our ALPR information to our bosses, political opponents, and ex-friends. Or to surveillance-oriented corporations that would use our ALPR information to send us targeted ads, or monetize it by selling it to the highest bidder. On the other hand, EFF’s firsthand experience using public records from ALPR systems demonstrates the strong accountability value of public access to many kinds of ALPR data, including information like data-sharing reports and network audits. For example, in our “Data Driven” series , we used ALPR data-sharing and hit ratio reports to investigate the extent of ALPR data sharing between police departments and to analyze the number of ALPR scans that are ultimately associated with a crime-related vehicle. We have also identified racist uses of ALPR systems , ALPR surveillance of protestors , and ALPR tracking of a person who sought an abortion . Across the country, municipalities have been shutting down their contracts for ALPR use, often citing concerns with data sharing with federal and immigration agents. These records are not just informational—they are leverage. Communities, journalists, and local officials have used ALPR disclosures to block new deployments, refuse contract renewals, and terminate existing agreements with surveillance vendors whose practices proved too dangerous to continue. Without this evidentiary record , it is far harder for cities to exercise their procurement power to say no. It is not always easy to harmonize transparency and privacy when one person wishes to use a public records law to obtain government records that reveal people’s personal information. The best approach is for public records laws to contain a privacy exemption that requires balancing , on a case-by-case basis, of the transparency benefits versus the privacy costs of disclosure. Many do. These provisions of public records laws already accommodate similar concerns about disclosing personal information of private individuals whose information the government may have collected, gove...
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Public transparency rights should not exacerbate the privacy harms suffered by people subjected to ALPR surveillance. But many current proposals do not address legitimate privacy concerns in a measured way, much less seek to harmonize people’s privacy with the public’s right to know. That’s a reason why EFF opposes ALPRs .
TL;DR:
Public transparency rights should not exacerbate the privacy harms suffered by people subjected to ALPR surveillance.
Eff
Apr 30, 07:56
Digital Hopes, Real Power: From Connection to Collective Action
This is the fifth and final installment of a blog series reflecting on the global digital legacy of the 2011 Arab uprisings. You can read the rest of the series here . If the Arab Spring was defined by optimism about what the internet could do, the years since have been marked by a more sober understanding of what it takes to defend it. Back in 2011, the term “digital rights” was still fairly new. While in the decades prior, open source and hacker communities—as well as a handful of organizations including EFF—had advocated for digital freedoms, it was through the merging of disparate communities from around the world in the 2000s that digital rights came to be more clearly understood as an extension of fundamental human rights. In 2011, we observed that there were only a few organizations focused on digital rights in the region. Groups like Nawaat , which emerged from the Tunisian diaspora under the Ben Ali regime; the Arab Digital Expression Foundation , formed to promote the creative use of technology; and SMEX , which was initially created to teach journalists and others about social media but has grown to become a powerful force in the region, led the way. Since that time, dozens of organizations have emerged throughout the region to promote freedom of expression, innovation, privacy, and digital security. Understanding how the digital rights movement evolved in the Middle East and North Africa requires a closer look at the communities that shaped it, and the organizations that are carrying on the fight today. Perspectives from people and organizations that were key to these efforts offer critical insight into how the movement has grown and what challenges lie ahead. Reem Almasri , a senior researcher and digital sovereignty consultant, says that: ‘Digital rights’ emerged as a term around the Arab Spring, when the internet was still a fairly unregulated space, we were still trying to figure out the tech companies’ policies, and force governments to look at the internet as a fundamental right like water and electricity. But then the need to converge digital rights to everyday rights—economic, political, social rights—and to connect it to geopolitics has started to be thought about, and to be in discussion as well. And to not look at digital rights as a separate field from everything else that’s affecting it, from the geopolitical context. Mohamad Najem, who co-founded SMEX in 2008 and has led it to become the largest organization in the region, told me that, at the time, “Nobody gave [social media] a lot of attention in our region.” Their work was “a positive approach to social media, how we can democratize sharing information, how we can share more from civil society, change people’s minds, et cetera.” “After that phase,” he continues, “we can think about 2012-2013—after the Arab Spring, as an organization we started looking at the infrastructure of the internet, and how freedom of expression and privacy are affected. That’s when we started looking more at what we call digital rights.” Towards Tech Accountability In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, social media companies moved from a largely hands-off approach to governance toward more formalized—and often opaque—content moderation systems. Platforms expanded their trust and safety teams and began working more closely with civil society through trusted partnerships in the region and globally. But, Mohamad Najem says: After the expansion of tech accountability itself and the adaptation of tech companies, we’ve noticed that it’s not taking us anywhere. Gradually we’ve come to a new phase where it feels like tech accountability is an economy by itself that is not leading to real results. So the next phase for us at least and maybe for others in global majority communities is how we can focus on digital public good, how we can push more governments, private and public institutions to adopt more open source software, to look at the ecosystem and understand the US threats happening now, et cetera. Another group that has played a key role in the fight for digital rights and tech accountability in the region is 7amleh , a Palestinian organization that was founded in 2013. At the time, says Jalal Abukhater : [I]t was unique and interesting in Palestinian society to have a human rights organization dedicated fully to the topic of digital rights, you know, human rights in a digital format. However, with the years, we saw various milestones, we saw progress of policy decisions and movements through the Israeli government to influence content moderation in Big Tech companies. We saw problems there as an organization. 7amleh took a leading stance in fighting to preserve the digital rights of Palestinians during a period where there was a very strong influence through the Israeli government. There was actually quite important reporting coming through 7amleh on the situation of online content moderation at a time when it wasn’t really a topic being discussed but...
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Since that time, dozens of organizations have emerged throughout the region to promote freedom of expression, innovation, privacy, and digital security. But then the need to converge digital rights to everyday rights—economic, political, social rights—and to connect it to geopolitics has started to be thought about, and to be in discussion as well.
TL;DR:
At the time, says Jalal Abukhater : [I]t was unique and interesting in Palestinian society to have a human rights organization dedicated fully to the topic of digital rights, you know, human rights in a digital format.
Eff
Apr 29, 21:22
EFF Submission to UN Report on the Role of Media in the Context of Israel’s Policies Toward Palestinians
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 recently announced a study addressing the killings and attacks against Palestinian journalists and media workers, the destruction of media infrastructure in Gaza, and the production and dissemination of narratives that may enable, justify, or incite international crimes. As part of this consultation, EFF contributed a submission that identifies a significant deterioration of press freedom and free expression in the period since October 2023, including an increase in censorship and wave of killings of journalists; adding to an already pervasive censorship and surveillance regime for Palestinians. In particular, concerns raised in our submission relate to: Government takedown requests Disinformation and content moderation Attacks on internet infrastructure The concerns about censorship in Palestine are ever increasing, and include multiple international forums. Ending the deliberate digital isolation of the Palestinian people is critical to protecting fundamental human rights. Read the briefing in full here .
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EFF Submission to UN Report on the Role of Media in the Context of Israel’s Policies Toward Palestinians. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 recently announced a study addressing the killings and attacks against Palestinian journalists and media workers, the destruction of media infrastructure in Gaza…
TL;DR:
Ending the deliberate digital isolation of the Palestinian people is critical to protecting fundamental human rights.
Eff
Apr 29, 19:26
Former EFF Activism Director's New Book, Transaction Denied, Explores What Happens When Financial Companies Act like Censors
A U.S. citizen who teaches Persian poetry classes online is suddenly unable to receive payments or access funds when his account is flagged and frozen by Paypal and its subsidiary Venmo. A Muslim city councilwoman in New York City has a Venmo payment blocked because she uses the name of a Bangladeshi restaurant in the transaction. Online hubs for erotic storytelling repeatedly lose their payment accounts. Others active in drug legalization fights struggle to keep their bank accounts. These may sound like one-off issues, but they are not. They occur with frightening regularity, as former EFF Activism Director and Chief Program Officer, Rainey Reitman , who left EFF in 2022, describes in her new book, Transaction Denied . The book sheds new light on a serious problem that often hides in the shadows, and pushes us to ask an increasingly important question: “ Is it ever OK for financial intermediaries to act as the arbiters of online expression? " Both a storyteller and an advocate, Rainey exposes hidden systems of power that shape our choices, our speech, and, ultimately, our society. - Cindy Cohn Reitman makes her case about the impact of financial institutions and payment intermediaries shutting down accounts and inhibiting transactions through compelling individual stories, some of which have not been shared before. The people impacted are diverse: authors, teachers, journalists, elected politicians, and more are suddenly unable to retrieve or receive funds, with little explanation, transparency, or recourse. Reitman shows the reasons are frequently speech-related, resulting often from arbitrary corporate policy, a broad (mis)interpretation of the law, or in response to pressure from anti-speech advocates. In the example of the Persian poetry teacher, the blocking is due to the highly risk averse interpretation of U.S. sanctions on Iran—sanctions aimed at deterring weapons development or terrorism instead snared a poetry professor and a New York city councilwoman. Reitman demonstrates how these sanctions, and others, have an outsized impact on Muslims. But Transaction Denied is also a guide for those interested in fighting for free speech. The book covers over a decade of successful campaigns and shows that advocacy can win the day—and is sometimes necessary to counter pro-censorship campaigns. Reitman offers a behind-the-scenes view of the campaign to help restore the Stripe account of the Nifty Archive Alliance , a nonprofit which supports the Nifty Archive, a hub of erotic storytelling for the queer community since 1992. She covers EFF's successful coalition and campaign to restore the PayPal account of Smashwords, a hub for self-published fiction. And in what has become a critical moment for free speech and free press, she describes how several EFF staff members and two EFF board members became the seed for a new nonprofit, the Freedom of the Press Foundation , which continues to partner with EFF today in advancing the rights of journalists. It’s a banner time for books by EFF staff members and friends. If you're concerned about how online privacy has changed over the last three decades, read EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn's book, Privacy Defender , released in May. (All proceeds from the sale of hard copies of Privacy’s Defender are being donated to EFF, so your book order will help EFF continue fighting for the principles Cindy holds dear.) If you are worried about the individuals trapped in a system where massive financial companies can shut down their individual accounts, effectively locking up their access to money, based entirely on their speech, grab Transaction Denied, released earlier this month, at Beacon Press , Amazon , and Bookshop.org . (Half of the author proceeds go to Freedom of the Press Foundation.) More likely—you'll want both books on your shelf. Happy reading!
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Former EFF Activism Director's New Book, Transaction Denied, Explores What Happens When Financial Companies Act like Censors. And in what has become a critical moment for free speech and free press, she describes how several EFF staff members and two EFF board members became the seed for a new nonprofit, the Freedom of the Press Foundation , which continues to partner with EFF…
TL;DR:
If you're concerned about how online privacy has changed over the last three decades, read EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn's book, Privacy Defender , released in May.