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This series of posts explores how we can rethink the intersection of AI, creativity, and policy. From examining outdated regulatory metaphors to questioning copyright norms and highlighting the risks of stifling innovation, each post addresses a different piece of the AI puzzle. Together, they advocate for a more balanced, forward-thinking approach that acknowledges the potential of technological...
Age verification laws and regulations that target online pornography and digital sex work are far from being the “modest” child safety measures intended to protect public decency favored by the far–right.
Proponents of these laws benefit from the fearmongering and framing of age verification as a necessity to protect children from inappropriate material found on the internet. But often in the...
There was a colloquy at oral argument earlier this year in the Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton case between Justice Kavanaugh and FSC that raised the unsettling prospect that at least several of the Supreme Court justices did not understand what preliminary injunctions are for. In that case, the bad Texas law had already been enjoined by the district court (correctly) applying strict scrutiny,...
The US Court system’s electronic filing front-end has always been a mess. Not only is it prohibitively expensive for most casual users, it’s prohibitively dysfunctional even for power users. Whoever isn’t discouraged by the outdated front end will be just as unimpressed by its back end. PACER charges per page like it’s a librarian running paper copies on a mimeograph. It also charges per page of...
The 2025 Java Bundle has 6 courses designed to help you build real projects and fast-track your way to a becoming a Java expert. Courses cover the fundamentals of Java with exercises to help you improve your skills. You’ll learn how to build a website with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. There’s also a course to help you master Git and GitHub. It’s on sale for $30.
Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is...
Donald Trump has declared war on American cities, and he’s sending in the troops to prove it. As Rolling Stone rightly notes regarding Trump seizing direct control of DC law enforcement by deploying the National Guard:
President Donald Trump has expanded his military campaign against the United States by deploying armed troops to yet another major metropolitan area, announcing on Monday that he...
While there was a lot to criticize the Biden administration about, it did at least try to shift the balance back toward antitrust reform (see: Lina Khan), boosting competition, and occasionally trying to help labor (see: the noncompete ban). This desperately upset America’s richest assholes, which is why so many of them have rushed to throw their support behind dim authoritarian zealots.
As...
Almost exactly a year ago, we discussed a really, really dumb trademark fight between NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson and former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman. This got to our attention when Jackson filed an opposition to a trademark application from Aikman. Typically, we go in pretty hard on oppositions to trademark applications, because they are almost always overly protectionist and, frankly, dumb...
Remember back in February when the DOJ told a court that, despite multiple public statements from both Elon Musk and Donald Trump to the contrary, Elon Musk was not associated one bit with DOGE and therefore should not be subject to litigation regarding DOGE’s wildly illegal actions? And remember how lots of people just kinda pretended this was fine and normal?
Well, in the ruling that Cathy...
It has been more than six months since Trump took office and kicked off his Musk-led rampage through the federal government. And more than six months that everyone has been turning to the courts to stop the DOGE destruction. These litigation efforts have led to some wins, although too many of them have been short-lived as either SCOTUS or even the motions panels at the appellate courts have all...