US
FTC Warns Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Stripe Over Political Debanking
The FTC just told the four companies that move America’s money to stop picking sides, without actually doing anything about it yet.
MembersWhen Government Hacks Go Wandering
Government-built surveillance tools keep ending up in criminal hands, and the people who build them keep acting surprised.
US Plans freedom.gov Website to Host Content Banned by EU and UK Censorship Laws
The portal is Washington’s opening move in a direct confrontation with European governments over who gets to decide what their citizens can read.
40 State Attorneys General Want To Tie Online Access to ID
The bill’s supporters call it child protection; its architecture looks more like a national ID system for the internet.
UK Regulator Ofcom Proposes Second Fine Against US Platform 4chan
Ofcom is pressing ahead with enforcement against a US platform over speech rules controversial even in Britain, as the platform argues in US federal court that Ofcom has no jurisdiction.
Google Handed ICE Detailed Personal and Financial Data Without Court Order or User Notice
Google handed over credit card numbers, IP addresses, and phone records tied to a student’s account without a warrant, and without telling him it had happened.
The Lost Dog That Made Constant Surveillance Feel Like a Favor
Ring’s lost-dog story worked because it framed a live, neighborhood-scale surveillance network as an act of kindness rather than a system already watching.
Lawsuit Challenges National Park Service Ban on Cash Payments
A federal appeal challenges whether Americans can still spend real dollars on their own public land, or must surrender privacy to do so.
MembersThe Slow Murder of Private Communication
Encryption stands firm while everything surrounding it conspires to see through it.
Washington Plans “Censorship Shield Law” to Block UK and EU Online Speech Restrictions
Washington plans to draw a bright legal line, barring foreign governments from fining American platforms over online speech.
TikTok’s New US Joint Venture Expands Data Collection to Include Precise Location Tracking
TikTok’s new era comes with a sharper eye on users’ exact whereabouts.
Congress Revives Kids Off Social Media Act, a “Child Safety” Bill Poised to Expand Online Digital ID Checks
A bill sold as child protection could quietly usher in a verified internet where anonymity no longer exists.