Cindy Harper
Cindy Harper blogs mostly about social media censorship and culture stories. [email protected]
Australia Wants To Force Big Tech to Pay Legacy Media
The planned law privileges the biggest publishers.
Apple Adds Age Verification to Digital ID in Wallet, Moves Beyond TSA Airport Checkpoints
Apple’s age verification rollout arrives without fanfare for a reason.
Putin Defends Russia Mobile Internet Blackouts as Security Move
Putin’s defense of internet blackouts confirms what Russians already suspected: the off switch belongs to the security services now.
DOJ Backs Musk’s xAI in First Amendment Fight Over Colorado AI Law
Colorado’s AI law tells developers which kinds of discrimination the state likes and which it doesn’t, and the First Amendment may have something to say about that.
Court Forces German Chancellor Merz to Open Files on 300 “Insult the Chancellor” Cases
The Chancellor who calls himself a defender of democratic norms now has roughly 300 prosecutors working to protect his feelings.
Japan Jails a Man for Publishing Movie Spoilers
Describing a Godzilla movie in too much detail is now worth eighteen months in a Japanese prison.
Turkey to Ban Anonymous VPNs
Ankara wants a VPN market where “approved” means logged and “unlicensed” means illegal, leaving Turkish users a choice between surveillance and a criminal record.
California Lawmakers Advance Bills to Impose AI Chatbot Censorship and Age Verification
California’s new bills would let state lawmakers define, by statute, exactly how agreeable a chatbot is allowed to be.
Ofcom Investigates Telegram Under UK “Online Safety Act”
The regulator’s list of duties runs far beyond child safety into foreign interference, false communications, and public-order speech.
MembersThe Retreat of the Open Internet
Self-preservation looks a lot like surrender from the outside.
DOJ Blocks France’s X Probe, Citing First Amendment
The refusal puts American mutual-assistance treaties off the table for European speech prosecutions, and Paris is the first to find out.
FTC Settlement: Ad Agencies Agree to Stop “Brand Safety” Collusion to Defund Media Outlets
The agencies literally quoted Fight Club rules to keep their $81 billion blacklist quiet.