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The KIDS Act would require age checks to get online
a month ago
- Congress is set to vote on the KIDS Act, which combines KOSA and other internet bills, pushing age verification and content moderation.
- The act uses a 'knows or should have known' standard for minors, pressuring platforms to implement age checks, risking privacy and free expression.
- Age verification may involve invasive methods like driver's licenses or facial scans, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups.
- The bill regulates lawful speech around topics like addiction and gambling, pressuring platforms to censor discussions to avoid legal risk.
- Private and encrypted messages are targeted, potentially weakening encryption and ephemeral messaging features for all users.
- The act's complexity and legal risks could lead to restrictive age-checking across platforms, reducing privacy for everyone online.
Say No to Online Age Verification
22 days ago
- Age verification systems require submitting sensitive personal data to third-party companies to access certain online content, starting with adult sites and expanding to social media and beyond.
- Anonymous speech is essential for protecting vulnerable groups like whistleblowers and political dissidents; age verification leads to self-censorship and chills free expression.
- Privacy is compromised as data breaches expose IDs, selfies, and other personal information, with systems enabling surveillance under the guise of child safety.
- Laws mandating age verification have spread globally from Louisiana in 2023 to multiple countries, targeting increasingly broad areas like AI chatbots and VPNs.
- Children's rights to access information and free speech are undermined by age verification, which restricts their ability to explore ideas and seek knowledge online.
- Counterarguments highlight that age verification expands in scope, creates surveillance infrastructure, and fails to protect data, with alternatives like privacy laws and parental controls being more effective.
- Action steps include contacting lawmakers to oppose age verification mandates, using provided email templates to advocate for free expression and privacy.
Procedural Trick Before Recess Pushes EU Towards Capitulation on "Chat Control"
19 days ago
- The European Parliament will vote on an urgent procedure to revive the previously rejected "Chat Control 1.0" regulation, which allows untargeted scanning of private chats, pushed by the EPP group and EU Member States ahead of summer recess.
- This procedural move bypasses the Parliament's earlier rejection and requires an absolute majority (361 votes) to amend or reject the Council's position; if not met, the law is automatically adopted, potentially reinstating mass surveillance without parliamentary consent.
- Critics argue the urgency undermines negotiations for a permanent child protection framework (CSA Regulation), favoring voluntary mass scanning over targeted measures, and risks stalling efforts for better online child safety.
- Rapporteur Birgit Sippel and cybersecurity experts warn against the procedure, citing high error rates in scanning technologies, privacy concerns, and reduced pressure for a viable long-term solution, with civil rights groups urging MEPs to reject the urgency.
EU now one step away from reviving private message scanning rules
17 days ago
- The European Parliament voted 331-304 to fast-track legislation that would revive the expired "Chat Control 1.0" rules, allowing a decisive vote on July 9.
- This legislation would permit online platforms to voluntarily scan private user communications for child sexual abuse material (CSAM), separate from the ongoing "Chat Control 2.0" negotiations for a permanent framework.
- The temporary regulation (EU) 2021/1232 expired in April 2026, and the Council seeks to reintroduce it, criticized as an unprecedented revival of rejected legislation.
- The July 9 vote requires an absolute majority of 361 MEPs to reject or amend the proposal; otherwise, the Council's text proceeds without additional safeguards.
- Key disagreements in the permanent regulation involve suspicionless scanning of encrypted communications, with Parliament advocating for judicial authorization and the Council supporting broader voluntary measures.
- The EU is pursuing two parallel legislative tracks: one to restore temporary voluntary scanning and another for a permanent CSAM detection law.
Death of the Status Update: Why 55% of Americans Stopped Posting on Social Media
14 days ago
- The author, identifying as a boomer, uses social media primarily to stay connected with real-life acquaintances, but has adapted by filtering out algorithm-driven content and non-personal posts to focus on genuine relationships.
- A study by Incogni reveals a trend of Americans posting and sharing less on social media, driven by feelings that maintaining an online presence feels like work, especially among younger generations like Gen Z, and concerns over data privacy and political content.
- Key survey findings show that over half of respondents have reduced posting and become more selective about audience visibility compared to five years ago, with security concerns, harassment, and time-wasting cited as top reasons for potentially quitting social media.
The great digital fatigue: How digital burnout is changing social media use
12 days ago
- People are posting less and becoming more guarded on social media, with 55% posting less than five years ago.
- Nearly half (47%) have deleted apps due to stress, and 44% want to withdraw because of political polarization.
- Maintaining an online presence feels like work for 51%, especially among Gen Z (60%).
- Disconnecting brings mixed emotions: peace (27%), anxiety (22%), and relaxation (21%).
- Privacy or security threats are the top reason (51%) that would push people to leave social media.
- Younger generations cite mental health more often as a reason for withdrawal (44% Gen Z, 42% Millennials).

Hasty Briefsbeta

online privacy

The KIDS Act would require age checks to get online

Say No to Online Age Verification

Procedural Trick Before Recess Pushes EU Towards Capitulation on "Chat Control"

EU now one step away from reviving private message scanning rules

Death of the Status Update: Why 55% of Americans Stopped Posting on Social Media

The great digital fatigue: How digital burnout is changing social media use