Ari Cohn

1 month ago | sotospeak.substack.com | Ari Cohn |Adam Thierer |Jennifer Huddleston

The answer to that question may tell you all you need to know about the government involving itself in social media content moderation. On today’s show, we cover the latest tech policy developments involving the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, AI regulation, and more. , FIRE’s lead counsel, tech policy.

Jun 25, 2024 | sotospeak.substack.com | Nico Perrino |Clare Morell |Ari Cohn

There is a movement afoot to restrict young people’s access to social media and pornography. Critics of social media and online porn argue that they can be harmful to minors, and states across the country are taking up the cause, considering laws that would impose age-verification, curfews, parental opt-ins, and other restrictions.

Sep 7, 2023 | thedailybeast.com | Ari Cohn

A few weeks ago, I went on the Advisory Opinions podcast to convince New York Times columnist (and constitutional lawyer) David French that his ideas about protecting kids from online porn by mandating age verification couldn't survive constitutional scrutiny. In the interim, a federal district court in Texas enjoined just such a law in Free Speech Coalition v. Colmenero, finding it likely unconstitutional. Nevertheless, French has persisted.

Jul 12, 2023 | techdirt.com | Ari Cohn

from the the-hypocrisy,-it-burns deptAri CohnIt will surprise nobody to learn that when politicians trumpet the First Amendment, they are generally referring only to expression that they agree with. But occasionally, they demonstrate their hypocrisy in a fashion so outrageously transparent that it shocks even the most cynical and jaded First Amendment practitioners. Last week, we were treated to just such an instance, courtesy of seven Republican Attorneys General.

Jul 12, 2023 | thedailybeast.com | Ari Cohn

When OceanGate's Titan submersible imploded on a trip to the Titanic wreckage- killing CEO Stockton Rush and four others-a lot was revealed about Rush and his company. But the biggest takeaway from the disclosures is that Rush did not take criticism well. Perhaps this is not surprising. Rush was born into money, which itself provides a fair amount of insulation from criticism.