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Techdirt
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A good old fashioned blog that has been covering tech, law, policy, and democracy for almost three decades now.
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Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt

This week on the insightful side, both top comments come in response to our post about the New York Times bending over backwards to...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/20/funniest-most-insightful-comments-of-the-week-at-techdirt-226/
Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt
This week on the insightful side, both top comments come in response to our post about the New York Times bending over backwards to downplay Trump's criminality and absurdity. In first place it's Thad thinking about the week in which it happened: What better way for the New York Times to commemorate the anniversary of...
www.techdirt.com
September 20, 2026 at 7:01 PM
techdirt.com
This Week In Techdirt History: September 13th – 19th

This Week in 2016 Colin Powell's Email To Clinton About Personal Devices Shows Routing Around FOIA Is Business As Usual ACLU Launching Campaign To Have...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/19/this-week-in-techdirt-history-september-13th-19th/
This Week In Techdirt History: September 13th – 19th
This Week in 2016 Colin Powell's Email To Clinton About Personal Devices Shows Routing Around FOIA Is Business As Usual ACLU Launching Campaign To Have President Obama Pardon Snowden More Details On How Corporate Sovereignty Provisions, Like Those In TPP & TTIP, Are Dangerous Prenda's Paul Hansmeier Loses His Law License; Won't Be Filing Bogus...
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September 19, 2026 at 7:01 PM
techdirt.com
RFK Jr. Assclown Jambaroo: Anti-Vaxxer Bullshit, A New Panel Of Misfits, EMFs, & Chemtrails, Oh My!

Well, as we previously discussed was going to occur, RFK Jr. gave...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/18/rfk-jr-assclown-jambaroo-anti-vaxxer-bullshit-a-new-panel-of-misfits-emfs-chemtrails-oh-my/
RFK Jr. Assclown Jambaroo: Anti-Vaxxer Bullshit, A New Panel Of Misfits, EMFs, & Chemtrails, Oh My!
Well, as we previously discussed was going to occur, RFK Jr. gave his keynote speech and appearance at the Children's Health Defense conference of anti-vaxxer conspiracy-mongers, and he was certainly firmly on brand. In fact, he did so much to make news during and around this appearance that we're going to have to break this...
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September 19, 2026 at 2:40 AM
techdirt.com
Desperate DHS Demanded Info On Beanie Cap Buyers While Trying To Prosecute Journalists

Some day we'll look back at this and laugh. I mean, I would hope so. The DOJ and...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/18/desperate-dhs-demanded-info-on-beanie-cap-buyers-while-trying-to-prosecute-journalists/
Desperate DHS Demanded Info On Beanie Cap Buyers While Trying To Prosecute Journalists
Some day we'll look back at this and laugh. I mean, I would hope so. The DOJ and DHS are still trying to put people in jail for protesting a church whose pastor was also an ICE officer. Ultimately, the protesters entered the church and disrupted the service. Among those entering the church were a...
www.techdirt.com
September 18, 2026 at 10:26 PM
techdirt.com
Ctrl-Alt-Speech: No Child Left Online

Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation's Ben Whitelaw. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast,...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/18/ctrl-alt-speech-no-child-left-online/
Ctrl-Alt-Speech: No Child Left Online
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation's Ben Whitelaw. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed. To get extended episodes with additional coverage, support us on...
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September 18, 2026 at 8:18 PM
techdirt.com
Court Tells Imran Ahmed His First Amendment Claim May Be Real, Just Not Reviewable.

Well, this is unfortunate. Late last year, Marco Rubio's State Department declared that it...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/18/court-tells-imran-ahmed-his-first-amendment-claim-may-be-real-just-not-reviewable/
Court Tells Imran Ahmed His First Amendment Claim May Be Real, Just Not Reviewable.
Well, this is unfortunate. Late last year, Marco Rubio's State Department declared that it had banned five people from entering the US because of their speech. Most of them work, in one way or another, on fighting hate speech online, including Imran Ahmed, the head of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH). As I've...
www.techdirt.com
September 18, 2026 at 6:11 PM
techdirt.com
Daily Deal: MOGICS Power Bagel Travel Power Strip

The MOGICS Bagel has 5 international AC sockets, dual USB ports, 3ft integrated length-adjustable power cord, and an ergonomic AC plug. Unlike ordinary power...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/18/daily-deal-mogics-power-bagel-travel-power-strip/
Daily Deal: MOGICS Power Bagel Travel Power Strip
The MOGICS Bagel has 5 international AC sockets, dual USB ports, 3ft integrated length-adjustable power cord, and an ergonomic AC plug. Unlike ordinary power strips, the bagel design makes it easier to charge multiple devices giving ample space for each plug. It has a LED power indicator that emits brilliant blue light when power is...
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September 18, 2026 at 6:06 PM
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Research Shows ICE Raids Are Killing Local Economies

Contrary to the "worst of the worst" posturing presented by the Trump administration, it's long been known that immigrants (both legal or otherwise)...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/18/research-shows-ice-raids-are-killing-local-economies/
Research Shows ICE Raids Are Killing Local Economies
Contrary to the "worst of the worst" posturing presented by the Trump administration, it's long been known that immigrants (both legal or otherwise) commit fewer crimes than natural-born US citizens: Our consistent finding is that legal immigrants have the lowest incarceration rates, followed by illegal immigrants, and that native-born Americans have the highest. Illegal immigrants...
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September 18, 2026 at 4:34 PM
techdirt.com
Comcast NBC Universal Is Scared To Release The New Elon Musk Documentary

Have I mentioned lately that media consolidation is bad and people who care about an informed electorate and...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/18/comcast-nbc-universal-is-scared-to-release-the-new-elon-musk-documentary/
Comcast NBC Universal Is Scared To Release The New Elon Musk Documentary
Have I mentioned lately that media consolidation is bad and people who care about an informed electorate and democratic integrity should fight to restore federal media consolidation limits illegally destroyed by the Trump administration and FCC boss Brendan Carr?Anyway, there's a new Alex Gibney documentary coming out about Elon Musk that takes him to task...
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September 18, 2026 at 12:30 PM
techdirt.com
Buc-ee’s Extracts 850k Settlement From Born United For Parody Usage

If you thought we were done with the trademark bullying drama resulting from gas station and convenience store chain...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/17/buc-ees-extracts-850k-settlement-from-born-united-for-parody-usage/
Buc-ee’s Extracts 850k Settlement From Born United For Parody Usage
If you thought we were done with the trademark bullying drama resulting from gas station and convenience store chain Buc-ee's, you were wrong. While we're still waiting for this corporation to take up John Oliver's request to sue him for creating parody merchandize of the Buc-ee's brand, the company has decided to do what bullies...
www.techdirt.com
September 18, 2026 at 3:20 AM
techdirt.com
Ken Paxton’s Financial Disclosures Appear To Violate Federal Ethics Law, Experts Say

This story was originally published by ProPublica and the Texas Tribune. Republished...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/17/ken-paxtons-financial-disclosures-appear-to-violate-federal-ethics-law-experts-say/
Ken Paxton’s Financial Disclosures Appear To Violate Federal Ethics Law, Experts Say
This story was originally published by ProPublica and the Texas Tribune. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appears to have violated federal ethics law in significant ways when filing recent disclosures of his assets and liabilities, creating confusion about his net worth and holdings, a review by ProPublica and...
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September 17, 2026 at 10:19 PM
techdirt.com
Trump Says California Can’t Stand Up To Big Telecom If It Wants Taxpayer Grants

As the federal U.S. government has given up on consumer protection and corporate oversight, states...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/17/trump-says-california-cant-stand-up-to-big-telecom-if-it-wants-taxpayer-grants/
Trump Says California Can’t Stand Up To Big Telecom If It Wants Taxpayer Grants
As the federal U.S. government has given up on consumer protection and corporate oversight, states have filled the void with various degrees of success. That's been particularly apparent in areas like telecom, where the corruption-fueled death of federal privacy and net neutrality protections have been replicated in a handful of states like California, which passed...
www.techdirt.com
September 17, 2026 at 8:05 PM
techdirt.com
ICE Arrests Ramp Up, Which Only Continues To Prove Most Migrants Aren’t Criminals

Public furor is hard to maintain. It takes a concerted effort from people who have a lot to...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/17/ice-arrests-ramp-up-which-only-continues-to-prove-most-migrants-arent-criminals/
ICE Arrests Ramp Up, Which Only Continues To Prove Most Migrants Aren’t Criminals
Public furor is hard to maintain. It takes a concerted effort from people who have a lot to lose. Not only do they not have anything to gain (financially or otherwise) from engaging in protests, but they face the real possibility of arrests, job losses, beatings, or actual death. On the other hand, the Trump...
www.techdirt.com
September 17, 2026 at 6:07 PM
techdirt.com
Daily Deal: The Ultimate Guitar Lessons Bundle

The Ultimate Guitar Lessons Bundle has 9 courses teaching you everything from reading tablature and basic fingering to more advanced skills. You can start at the...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/17/daily-deal-the-ultimate-guitar-lessons-bundle/
Daily Deal: The Ultimate Guitar Lessons Bundle
The Ultimate Guitar Lessons Bundle has 9 courses teaching you everything from reading tablature and basic fingering to more advanced skills. You can start at the very beginning and work your way through lessons on strumming, ear training, and jamming, to learning about Jazz, Blues, and Bluegrass techniques. It's on sale for $30. Note: The...
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September 17, 2026 at 6:02 PM
techdirt.com
Tariffs Work Great, Says Alabama Senator Who Quietly Asked Trump To Exempt Alabama’s Fireworks, Aluminum, And Airplanes

Being a GOP...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/17/tariffs-work-great-says-alabama-senator-who-quietly-asked-trump-to-exempt-alabamas-fireworks-aluminum-and-airplanes/
Tariffs Work Great, Says Alabama Senator Who Quietly Asked Trump To Exempt Alabama’s Fireworks, Aluminum, And Airplanes
Being a GOP politician in the Trump era is defined by two things: publicly embarrassing yourself to show support for Trump's most dangerous policy ideas, and lying to your constituents about what those ideas will do to them. It is an inherently pathetic situation. And yet not one of them seems capable of showing even...
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September 17, 2026 at 4:24 PM
techdirt.com
Brendan Carr Cries, Calls Jimmy Kimmel Censorship A ‘Hoax’

Last week comedian Jimmy Kimmel said Jimmy Kimmel Live! and ABC wouldn't be airing an interview with Texas Democratic Senate hopeful James...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/17/brendan-carr-cries-calls-jimmy-kimmel-censorship-a-hoax/
Brendan Carr Cries, Calls Jimmy Kimmel Censorship A ‘Hoax’
Last week comedian Jimmy Kimmel said Jimmy Kimmel Live! and ABC wouldn't be airing an interview with Texas Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico on broadcast because they were worried it would anger Trump's top censorship czar, FCC boss Brendan Carr. Kimmel and ABC had cause to worry; we've outlined in detail how Carr has manufactured...
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September 17, 2026 at 12:27 PM
techdirt.com
4th Measles Death In PA & All The Federal Govt. Can Do Is Disrespect The Dead By Ignoring Them

As Pennsylvania continues to endure the worst of the current measles...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/16/4th-measles-death-in-pa-all-the-federal-govt-can-do-is-disrespect-the-dead-by-ignoring-them/
4th Measles Death In PA & All The Federal Govt. Can Do Is Disrespect The Dead By Ignoring Them
As Pennsylvania continues to endure the worst of the current measles outbreaks ravaging the country, a fourth measles-associated death has now been confirmed. As of the time of this writing, the CDC's public website tracking case counts and deaths has still not acknowledged a single one of these fatalities, reportedly at the direction of RFK...
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September 17, 2026 at 3:12 AM
techdirt.com
Paramount Funds, ‘Leaks’ Dodgy Study Saying California Will Suffer If Its Merger Is Blocked

Larry and David Ellison are desperate to get their unpopular $111 billion...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/16/paramount-funds-leaks-dodgy-study-saying-california-will-suffer-if-its-merger-is-blocked/
Paramount Funds, ‘Leaks’ Dodgy Study Saying California Will Suffer If Its Merger Is Blocked
Larry and David Ellison are desperate to get their unpopular $111 billion merger between Paramount/CBS and Warner Brothers across the finish line. So they've been engaging in no shortage of dodgy behavior to try and derail the only thing left standing in their way: the 12-state antitrust lawsuit claiming that more media consolidation is anti-competitive...
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September 16, 2026 at 10:24 PM
techdirt.com
The Real AI Threats: Automated Hacking And Surveillance, Conventional Weapons Development, Biological Misuse

Techdirt has just written about concerns...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/16/the-real-ai-threats-automated-hacking-and-surveillance-conventional-weapons-development-biological-misuse/
The Real AI Threats: Automated Hacking And Surveillance, Conventional Weapons Development, Biological Misuse
Techdirt has just written about concerns that AI development is proceeding more quickly than human oversight can monitor and control it. Since then, there has been lively debate about whether those fears are real or overblown. They mainly focus on the possible future threats from AI systems using RSI — recursive self-improvement — to drive...
www.techdirt.com
September 16, 2026 at 8:45 PM
techdirt.com
Court: The First Amendment Allows You To Tell The ICE Director He’s A ‘Sad, Despised Man’

You may recall that back in July we had the ridiculous story of how ICE decided to...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/16/court-the-first-amendment-allows-you-to-tell-the-ice-director-hes-a-sad-despised-man/
Court: The First Amendment Allows You To Tell The ICE Director He’s A ‘Sad, Despised Man’
You may recall that back in July we had the ridiculous story of how ICE decided to go all gestapo on its critics, including tracking down and threatening David Streever, who had emailed then-acting ICE director Todd Lyons back in January, after federal agents killed some peaceful protestors in Minnesota. Streever's email was pretty straightforward:...
www.techdirt.com
September 16, 2026 at 6:18 PM
techdirt.com
Daily Deal: The Premium Microsoft Office Training Certification Bundle

The Premium Microsoft Office Training Certification Bundle has 11 courses geared to help you master essential skills...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/16/daily-deal-the-premium-microsoft-office-training-certification-bundle/
Daily Deal: The Premium Microsoft Office Training Certification Bundle
The Premium Microsoft Office Training Certification Bundle has 11 courses geared to help you master essential skills and raise your expertise. Popular programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams are covered, while more advance programs get introduced as well, including SharePoint, Access, PowerBI, and Microsoft SQL Server. You'll gain a better understanding of how each...
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September 16, 2026 at 6:13 PM
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Turns Out It’s Pretty Easy To Turn A Profit Selling Cheap ‘Freedom Fuel’ If You Just Don’t Pay For It

Yet another data point on the whole grift/graft aspect of...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/16/turns-out-its-pretty-easy-to-turn-a-profit-selling-cheap-freedom-fuel-if-you-just-dont-pay-for-it/
Turns Out It’s Pretty Easy To Turn A Profit Selling Cheap ‘Freedom Fuel’ If You Just Don’t Pay For It
Yet another data point on the whole grift/graft aspect of (particularly) the second Trump administration. While Trump was endlessly bragging about how much war he was going to wage, while simultaneously bragging about how much war he was going to end, his Israel-enabled Iran War refused to submit to his vacillating bluster. After claiming to...
www.techdirt.com
September 16, 2026 at 4:25 PM
techdirt.com
Bernie Sanders Tries To ‘Help’ Fix AI By Complaining With Steve Bannon, ‘Banning Superintelligence’

In an ideal world it's certainly possible that the U.S....

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/16/bernie-sanders-tries-to-help-fix-ai-by-complaining-with-steve-bannon-banning-superintelligence/
Bernie Sanders Tries To ‘Help’ Fix AI By Complaining With Steve Bannon, ‘Banning Superintelligence’
In an ideal world it's certainly possible that the U.S. federal government could implement meaningful guardrails for AI development that protect innovation, national security, consumer privacy, public safety, and labor/creatives, while preventing market monopolization by the sector's biggest players. But we don't live in that ideal world. We live in a country where an historically...
www.techdirt.com
September 16, 2026 at 12:34 PM
techdirt.com
RFK Jr. To Give Keynote At Conference For Anti-Vaxxer Organization He Co-Founded

Whatever mask RFK Jr. was attempting to wear to convince the world he isn't a pure anti-vaxxer...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/15/rfk-jr-to-give-keynote-at-conference-for-anti-vaxxer-organization-he-co-founded/
RFK Jr. To Give Keynote At Conference For Anti-Vaxxer Organization He Co-Founded
Whatever mask RFK Jr. was attempting to wear to convince the world he isn't a pure anti-vaxxer clown is now officially off. The man who has spent his time as Secretary of HHS overseeing the worst outbreak of measles in America in decades, who just can't stop citing fake health studies and misinterpreting others, who...
www.techdirt.com
September 16, 2026 at 3:18 AM
techdirt.com
The High Crime Of “LMAO”: How Cops Are Treating Flock Mass Surveillance As A Joke

Here's a riddle: Why did a Goshen Police Department officer search 6,474 automated license plate...

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/15/the-high-crime-of-lmao-how-cops-are-treating-flock-mass-surveillance-as-a-joke/
The High Crime Of “LMAO”: How Cops Are Treating Flock Mass Surveillance As A Joke
Here's a riddle: Why did a Goshen Police Department officer search 6,474 automated license plate reader (ALPR) networks, representing data from 82,413 cameras, on May 7, 2025? If your answer is "I don't know," it turns out you're 100% correct. The officer left the letters "idk" in the search field where cops are supposed to...
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September 15, 2026 at 10:20 PM