SCOTUS nixes injunction that limited Biden admin contacts with social networks
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court tossed out claims that the Biden administration coerced social media platforms into censoring users by removing COVID-19 and election-related content. Complaints alleging that high-ranking government officials were censoring conservatives had previously convinced a lower court to order an injunction limiting the Biden administration's contacts with platforms. But now that injunction…
Elon Musk’s X defeats Australia’s global takedown order of stabbing video
Australia's safety regulator has ended a legal battle with X (formerly Twitter) after threatening approximately $500,000 daily fines for failing to remove 65 instances of a religiously motivated stabbing video from X globally. Enforcing Australia's Online Safety Act, eSafety commissioner Julie Inman-Grant had argued it would be dangerous for the videos to keep spreading on…
TikTok vaguely disputes report that it’s making a US-only app
TikTok is now disputing a Reuters report that claims the short-video app is cloning its algorithm to potentially offer a different version of the app, which might degrade over time, just for US users. Sources "with direct knowledge" of the project—granted anonymity because they're not authorized to discuss it publicly—told Reuters that the TikTok effort…
TikTok ready to “move to the courts” to prevent ban in...
TikTok is gearing up for a long legal battle to fight legislation in the US that threatens to ban the app in its largest market if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, refuses to sell the viral video platform. The US House of Representatives on Saturday passed a package of national security bills that included legislation that…
Judge halts Texas probe into Media Matters’ reporting on X
Enlarge / Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting on February 23, 2024. A judge has preliminarily blocked what Media Matters for America (MMFA) described as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's attempt to "rifle through" confidential documents to prove that MMFA fraudulently manipulated X (formerly Twitter) data to…
X filing “thermonuclear lawsuit” in Texas should be “fatal,” Media Matters...
Ever since Elon Musk's X Corp sued Media Matters for America (MMFA) over a pair of reports that X (formerly Twitter) claims caused an advertiser exodus in 2023, one big question has remained for onlookers: Why is this fight happening in Texas? In a motion to dismiss filed in Texas' northern district last month, MMFA…
Bill that could ban TikTok passes in House despite constitutional concerns
On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill with a vote of 352–65 that could block TikTok in the US. Fifteen Republicans and 50 Democrats voted in opposition, and one Democrat voted present, CNN reported. TikTok is not happy. A spokesperson told Ars, "This process was secret and the bill was jammed through…
SCOTUS is hearing 2 cases about political censorship on social media...
SCOTUS is hearing arguments that, depending on the outcome, could change how the internet works.The laws in question prevent social sites from removing political posts or figures from their platforms.Legal experts told BI the states' victory, while unlikely, would erode the First Amendment. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed…
Some Calif. cops still sharing license plate info with anti-abortion states
Dozens of California police agencies are still sharing automated license plate reader (ALPR) data with out-of-state authorities without a warrant, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has revealed. This is occurring despite guidance issued by State Attorney General Rob Bonta last year. Clarifying a state law that limits state public agencies to sharing ALPR data only with…
Elon Musk’s X loses fight to disclose federal surveillance of users
On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to review an appeal from X (formerly Twitter), alleging that the US government's censorship of X transparency reports served as a prior restraint on the platform's speech and was unconstitutional. This free speech battle predates Elon Musk's ownership of the platform. Since 2014, the social media company has "sought…