Center for Online Safety and Liberty
@c4osl.org
Empowering individuals and communities to thrive online by building safer spaces, fostering creativity, combating harm, and championing digital rights and freedom.
c4osl.org
c4osl.org
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Hello Bluesky! We're a new nonprofit providing fiscal sponsorship for independent projects that promote online safety and liberty.
Our four priority areas are:
* Safer Hosting
* Supporting Fans
* Cyberbullying and Abuse
* Legal Advocacy
Read more on our website and spread the word!
Our four priority areas are:
* Safer Hosting
* Supporting Fans
* Cyberbullying and Abuse
* Legal Advocacy
Read more on our website and spread the word!
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
ICE is about to run out of funding.
Your reps could vote NO so that ICE and its surveillance panopticon shuts down. Call them using our easy call tool at +1 813-213-3989 or via fftf.link/ICEFunding
Your reps could vote NO so that ICE and its surveillance panopticon shuts down. Call them using our easy call tool at +1 813-213-3989 or via fftf.link/ICEFunding
No Funding for ICE Surveillance Tech!
fftf.link
January 19, 2026 at 10:40 PM
ICE is about to run out of funding.
Your reps could vote NO so that ICE and its surveillance panopticon shuts down. Call them using our easy call tool at +1 813-213-3989 or via fftf.link/ICEFunding
Your reps could vote NO so that ICE and its surveillance panopticon shuts down. Call them using our easy call tool at +1 813-213-3989 or via fftf.link/ICEFunding
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
We’ve been speaking out against KOSA since it was introduced in 2022 by Marsha Blackburn, a bigot and outspoken advocate for censoring trans people off the internet in effort to “protect children from the transgender in this culture.” KOSA has ALWAYS been about censorship and suppression.
This bill has 67 senators supporting by Democrats like Bluementhal amd Schumer.
www.them.us/story/kosa-s...
www.them.us/story/kosa-s...
Lawmaker Says the “Kids Online Safety Act” Aims to Protect Kids from “The Transgender”
KOSA has bipartisan support but LGBTQ+ advocates say it would be harmful.
www.them.us
January 21, 2026 at 12:35 AM
We’ve been speaking out against KOSA since it was introduced in 2022 by Marsha Blackburn, a bigot and outspoken advocate for censoring trans people off the internet in effort to “protect children from the transgender in this culture.” KOSA has ALWAYS been about censorship and suppression.
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
40+ tech and justice orgs including @18millionrising.bsky.social @accessnow.org @stopspyingny.bsky.social and @ultraviolet.bsky.social demand lawmakers take swift action to stem the tide on ICE violence and the tech and data spending that help it spread!
www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2026-01...
www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2026-01...
40+ tech & justice organizations call on Congress to vote NO on funding for ICE’s multi-billion dollar panopticon and to abolish the agency
Citing extraordinary abuse of power and of surveillance technologies, a coalition of over 40 tech and justice organizations has issued an urgent letter calling on Congress to vote NO on all funding fo...
www.fightforthefuture.org
January 20, 2026 at 10:08 PM
40+ tech and justice orgs including @18millionrising.bsky.social @accessnow.org @stopspyingny.bsky.social and @ultraviolet.bsky.social demand lawmakers take swift action to stem the tide on ICE violence and the tech and data spending that help it spread!
www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2026-01...
www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2026-01...
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
"Haidt’s claims of inherent harm are not well-founded, and the policy proposals to ban kids entirely from social media are a bad idea. For older teenage boys, having no social media was associated with *worse* outcomes than having too much of it"
Two Major Studies, 125,000 Kids: The Social Media Panic Doesn’t Hold Up
For years now, we’ve been repeatedly pointing out that the “social media is destroying kids” narrative, popularized by Jonathan Haidt and others, has been built on a foundation of…
www.techdirt.com
January 23, 2026 at 4:16 AM
"Haidt’s claims of inherent harm are not well-founded, and the policy proposals to ban kids entirely from social media are a bad idea. For older teenage boys, having no social media was associated with *worse* outcomes than having too much of it"
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
Stop Trump Immigration Social Media Dragnet - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
The Trump Administration is currently trying to put rules in place for foreigners to hand over several years of social media history, […]
c4osl.org
January 22, 2026 at 3:01 PM
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
Stop Trump Immigration Social Media Dragnet - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
The Trump Administration is currently trying to put rules in place for foreigners to hand over several years of social media history, […]
c4osl.org
January 20, 2026 at 8:02 PM
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
42 online safety organizations, experts and bereaved families, have come together to collectively oppose a social media ban in the UK. https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpwn1vjy0y5o.amp #Under16 #SocialMediaBan
Molly Russell's dad says under-16 social media ban would be wrong - BBC News
The online safety campaigner says it is better to enforce current laws than use "sledgehammer" techniques.
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org
January 19, 2026 at 6:02 PM
42 online safety organizations, experts and bereaved families, have come together to collectively oppose a social media ban in the UK. https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpwn1vjy0y5o.amp #Under16 #SocialMediaBan
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Irish authorities, at least, may be finally stepping away from wasting sex crime prosecution resources on anime fans.
Good news - the prosecution of Finley Bowd, who had been arrested due to cartoon images on his phone while traveling to Anime NYC - has been dropped. Seems like the gov't gave up on the case, leading the court to end it. www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...
Court strikes out prosecution against man found with alleged anime child abuse images
Judge told Finley Bowd (21) had not come to police attention before
www.irishtimes.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:17 AM
Irish authorities, at least, may be finally stepping away from wasting sex crime prosecution resources on anime fans.
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Always inspired by the fearless leadership of @wyden.senate.gov our playbook reflects his approach to child protection. Ignore predators is enabling predators.
We Have the Solution to Protect Children Online. Will Congress Act? – DC Journal - InsideSources
As America approaches its 250th birthday, we have an opportunity to reset the national conversation about child safety online for the better. This begins
dcjournal.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Always inspired by the fearless leadership of @wyden.senate.gov our playbook reflects his approach to child protection. Ignore predators is enabling predators.
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
Stop Trump Immigration Social Media Dragnet - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
The Trump Administration is currently trying to put rules in place for foreigners to hand over several years of social media history, […]
c4osl.org
January 16, 2026 at 4:03 PM
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Iowa has introduced a head-bangingly idiotic bill that would mandate facial scans and IDs in order to access ISPs, cloud services, wireless services, search engines, cable and seemingly any other telecommunication that might traffic in "obscene" content.
www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/...
www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/...
January 15, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Iowa has introduced a head-bangingly idiotic bill that would mandate facial scans and IDs in order to access ISPs, cloud services, wireless services, search engines, cable and seemingly any other telecommunication that might traffic in "obscene" content.
www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/...
www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/...
Now more than ever is the time to support those fighting to stand up for #FreeExpression and #HumanRights Donate today https://c4osl.org/support-us/ or donate your time by volunteering https://c4osl.org/jobs/
Support Us - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Other donation options If you would like to support our work with a more substantial gift, endowment, or bequest, please contact us […]
c4osl.org
January 15, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Now more than ever is the time to support those fighting to stand up for #FreeExpression and #HumanRights Donate today https://c4osl.org/support-us/ or donate your time by volunteering https://c4osl.org/jobs/
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Important: While the Utah bill is framed around porn taxes, the actual letter of the bill discusses “material harmful to minors.” So this could start as a porn tax, and if Utah defines LGBT content as “harmful to minors,” balloon into something so much bigger. As is the case with this genre of bills
January 14, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Important: While the Utah bill is framed around porn taxes, the actual letter of the bill discusses “material harmful to minors.” So this could start as a porn tax, and if Utah defines LGBT content as “harmful to minors,” balloon into something so much bigger. As is the case with this genre of bills
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
Stop Trump Immigration Social Media Dragnet - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
The Trump Administration is currently trying to put rules in place for foreigners to hand over several years of social media history, […]
c4osl.org
January 14, 2026 at 9:01 PM
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
"When Jonas (not his real name) posted a photo of himself in sports clothes to his own Instagram account, the last thing that he expected was for his account to be suspended for suspected child exploitation." #ChildSafety #FalsePositives
January 12, 2026 at 6:05 PM
"When Jonas (not his real name) posted a photo of himself in sports clothes to his own Instagram account, the last thing that he expected was for his account to be suspended for suspected child exploitation." #ChildSafety #FalsePositives
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
Stop Trump Immigration Social Media Dragnet - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
The Trump Administration is currently trying to put rules in place for foreigners to hand over several years of social media history, […]
c4osl.org
January 12, 2026 at 4:31 PM
#Petition: Tell the Trump Administration to stop infringing on the #FreeSpeech rights of foreign citizens looking to come visit the US https://c4osl.org/stop-trump-immigration-social-media-dragnet/
Online safety or soft authoritarianism?
We explore the line between protecting kids and limiting freedoms.
-> Tune in: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #OnlineSafety #Freedom
We explore the line between protecting kids and limiting freedoms.
-> Tune in: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #OnlineSafety #Freedom
Beyond the Filter: Australia's Under 16 Social Media Ban - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Australia's social media ban for under 16 year olds has been divisive and ineffective. So why is it a thing at all? We discuss.
c4osl.org
January 12, 2026 at 6:36 AM
Online safety or soft authoritarianism?
We explore the line between protecting kids and limiting freedoms.
-> Tune in: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #OnlineSafety #Freedom
We explore the line between protecting kids and limiting freedoms.
-> Tune in: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #OnlineSafety #Freedom
Mental health, cyberbullying, online grooming, harmful content — the ban targets them all. But does it really make kids safer or just push them elsewhere?
-> Full episode: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #MentalHealth
-> Full episode: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #MentalHealth
Beyond the Filter: Australia's Under 16 Social Media Ban - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Australia's social media ban for under 16 year olds has been divisive and ineffective. So why is it a thing at all? We discuss.
c4osl.org
January 9, 2026 at 3:05 AM
Mental health, cyberbullying, online grooming, harmful content — the ban targets them all. But does it really make kids safer or just push them elsewhere?
-> Full episode: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #MentalHealth
-> Full episode: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #MentalHealth
Most Australian kids from 10 to 15 are online. Now TikTok & Instagram must block them or face fines.
What does this mean for privacy & digital rights?
-> Listen: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #Censorship #Privacy
What does this mean for privacy & digital rights?
-> Listen: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #Censorship #Privacy
Beyond the Filter: Australia's Under 16 Social Media Ban - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Australia's social media ban for under 16 year olds has been divisive and ineffective. So why is it a thing at all? We discuss.
c4osl.org
January 9, 2026 at 3:04 AM
Most Australian kids from 10 to 15 are online. Now TikTok & Instagram must block them or face fines.
What does this mean for privacy & digital rights?
-> Listen: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #Censorship #Privacy
What does this mean for privacy & digital rights?
-> Listen: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #Censorship #Privacy
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
this bears repeating:
Grok is bad because it's creating NONCONSENSUAL sexual images of real people.
Not because sex is icky and should be scrubbed from the Internet.
The distinction is crucial at a moment when dangerous censorship legislation is bipartisan and widely misunderstood
Grok is bad because it's creating NONCONSENSUAL sexual images of real people.
Not because sex is icky and should be scrubbed from the Internet.
The distinction is crucial at a moment when dangerous censorship legislation is bipartisan and widely misunderstood
January 7, 2026 at 1:35 PM
this bears repeating:
Grok is bad because it's creating NONCONSENSUAL sexual images of real people.
Not because sex is icky and should be scrubbed from the Internet.
The distinction is crucial at a moment when dangerous censorship legislation is bipartisan and widely misunderstood
Grok is bad because it's creating NONCONSENSUAL sexual images of real people.
Not because sex is icky and should be scrubbed from the Internet.
The distinction is crucial at a moment when dangerous censorship legislation is bipartisan and widely misunderstood
"However, what can go under the radar is the massive amounts of misinformation. If handled poorly or outright incorrectly, it can ruin a person’s life." https://www.vice.com/en/article/canadian-artist-has-show-cancelled-after-ai-labeled-him-a-sex-offender-preparing-to-sue-google/
Canadian Artist Has Show Cancelled After AI Labeled Him a Sex Offender, Preparing to Sue Google
Canadian artist Ashley MacIsaac eyes lawsuit with Google after their AI summary labeled him as a sex offender and cost him his concert.
www.vice.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:02 PM
"However, what can go under the radar is the massive amounts of misinformation. If handled poorly or outright incorrectly, it can ruin a person’s life." https://www.vice.com/en/article/canadian-artist-has-show-cancelled-after-ai-labeled-him-a-sex-offender-preparing-to-sue-google/
Australia is banning social media for under-16s — protection or censorship?
Brandy & Jeremy unpack the law and its effects on kids and adults.
-> Listen: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #Censorship
Brandy & Jeremy unpack the law and its effects on kids and adults.
-> Listen: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #Censorship
Beyond the Filter: Australia's Under 16 Social Media Ban - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Australia's social media ban for under 16 year olds has been divisive and ineffective. So why is it a thing at all? We discuss.
c4osl.org
January 7, 2026 at 4:59 AM
Australia is banning social media for under-16s — protection or censorship?
Brandy & Jeremy unpack the law and its effects on kids and adults.
-> Listen: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #Censorship
Brandy & Jeremy unpack the law and its effects on kids and adults.
-> Listen: c4osl.org/beyond-the-f... #Podcast #Censorship
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Yeah, it has long been the case that adult-oriented businesses have to be careful or risk the wrath of everyone from prosecutors to payment-processing companies, but "prominent social media company owned by world's richest person swiftly became world's largest CSAM producer" produces no reaction.
Elon Musk chatbot repeatedly making CSAM on demand should be one of the single biggest stories right now and it's effectively a collective shrug instead
January 5, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Yeah, it has long been the case that adult-oriented businesses have to be careful or risk the wrath of everyone from prosecutors to payment-processing companies, but "prominent social media company owned by world's richest person swiftly became world's largest CSAM producer" produces no reaction.
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Cannot be stressed enough: The bipartisan S230 repeal bill in the senate is not the only internet bill to pay attention to, in fact I suspect it’s been deployed as a lightning rod for a lot of the other awful internet bills proposed… like this one
This is a Marsha Blackburn Joint, so imagine the worst, broadest interpretation of the law you can and double it.
There's tons of badness here, as @enbrown.bsky.social and @mmasnick.bsky.social detail, but banning sex and gender related content from "systemically important" platforms is a doozy.
There's tons of badness here, as @enbrown.bsky.social and @mmasnick.bsky.social detail, but banning sex and gender related content from "systemically important" platforms is a doozy.
Marsha Blackburn Bundles Every Bad Tech Bill Into One, Slaps Trump’s Name On It
Fourteen years ago, right after the FCC issued its order on net neutrality, Marsha Blackburn flipped out and released a video talking (misleadingly!) about how wonderful Facebook and Twitter were a…
www.techdirt.com
January 1, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Cannot be stressed enough: The bipartisan S230 repeal bill in the senate is not the only internet bill to pay attention to, in fact I suspect it’s been deployed as a lightning rod for a lot of the other awful internet bills proposed… like this one
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Australian Social Media ban is not working, so now the “war on teens” people are demanding outright phone bans…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/138755
#SocialMediaBan #australia #censorship #surveillance #vpns
https://alecmuffett.com/article/138755
#SocialMediaBan #australia #censorship #surveillance #vpns
Australian Social Media ban is not working, so now the “war on teens” people are demanding outright phone bans…
Not entirely surprising; and this won’t work either:
alecmuffett.com
January 2, 2026 at 10:05 AM
Australian Social Media ban is not working, so now the “war on teens” people are demanding outright phone bans…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/138755
#SocialMediaBan #australia #censorship #surveillance #vpns
https://alecmuffett.com/article/138755
#SocialMediaBan #australia #censorship #surveillance #vpns