Elizabeth Nolan Brown
@enbrown.bsky.social
sex, speech, tech, justice, parenting, politics, & panic ✨ senior editor @reason.com, journalism instructor at University of Cincinnati, Midwestern mom
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A 'Goldilocks' effect for online teens? Moderate social media users fare better than abstainers or heavy users
“Both abstinence and excessive use can be problematic,” researchers suggest.
reason.com
A huge Australian study of tweens and teens finds best mental health among moderate social media users — not total abstainers reason.com/2026/02/09/a...
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
DHS is demanding tech platforms identify people behind accounts that document ICE or criticize the government.
EFF and ACLU are calling on the platforms to resist complying while court challenges play out.
EFF and ACLU are calling on the platforms to resist complying while court challenges play out.
We (@eff.org & @aclu-norcal.bsky.social) have asked several techcos to closely scrutinize and resist compliance with administrative subpoenas from ICE, CBP, and other DHS components. DHS is using these subpoenas to punish those exercising their First Amendment rights. www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Open Letter to Tech Companies: Protect Your Users From Lawless DHS Subpoenas
EFF is calling on technology companies like Meta and Google to stand up for their users by resisting DHS lawless administrative subpoenas for user data.
www.eff.org
February 14, 2026 at 2:11 AM
DHS is demanding tech platforms identify people behind accounts that document ICE or criticize the government.
EFF and ACLU are calling on the platforms to resist complying while court challenges play out.
EFF and ACLU are calling on the platforms to resist complying while court challenges play out.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
This is shit. New from @samleecole.bsky.social @404media.co '"Someone has an only fans page set up in your name with this same profile" ...a stranger on TikTok said. "...is someone pretending to be you..." www.404media.co/grok-nudify-... cc @enbrown.bsky.social @kattenbarge.bsky.social
'The Most Dejected I’ve Ever Felt:' Harassers Made Nude AI Images of Her, Then Started an OnlyFans
Kylie Brewer isn't unaccustomed to harassment online. But when people started using Grok-generated nudes of her on an OnlyFans account, it reached another level.
www.404media.co
February 12, 2026 at 11:59 AM
This is shit. New from @samleecole.bsky.social @404media.co '"Someone has an only fans page set up in your name with this same profile" ...a stranger on TikTok said. "...is someone pretending to be you..." www.404media.co/grok-nudify-... cc @enbrown.bsky.social @kattenbarge.bsky.social
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
Dinking around in the St. Clair v. xAI docket, I found that xAI is indeed raising Section 230 as a defense to liability for Grok's bikini pics, as previewed in its opposition to a PI. ("Does 230 apply to gen AI outputs?" is a Q courts haven't answered yet.) storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Memorandum of Law in Opposition – #17 in St. Clair v. X.AI Holdings Corp. (S.D.N.Y., 1:26-cv-00386) – CourtListener.com
MEMORANDUM OF LAW in Opposition re: 7 Proposed Order to Show Cause With Emergency Relief, . Document filed by X.AI Holdings Corp...(Shuster, Michael) (Entered: 01/21/2026)
storage.courtlistener.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:25 AM
Dinking around in the St. Clair v. xAI docket, I found that xAI is indeed raising Section 230 as a defense to liability for Grok's bikini pics, as previewed in its opposition to a PI. ("Does 230 apply to gen AI outputs?" is a Q courts haven't answered yet.) storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
My goal for the week is to work the phrase "dancing by default" into a sentence, or better yet an invitation.
February 11, 2026 at 4:41 PM
My goal for the week is to work the phrase "dancing by default" into a sentence, or better yet an invitation.
Look, I abhor ICE as much as the next sane person, but this isn’t at all what happened reason.com/2026/02/11/a...
February 11, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Look, I abhor ICE as much as the next sane person, but this isn’t at all what happened reason.com/2026/02/11/a...
This passed out of another committee (House Rules) in a 5-2 vote this week apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/B...
February 11, 2026 at 11:57 AM
This passed out of another committee (House Rules) in a 5-2 vote this week apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/B...
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
Having muscled age-verification through last session, AZ Republicans are pushing forward even greater restrictions on sex, including banning porn entirely (HB 2900), threatening adult producers with warrantless AG inspections (HB 2133) and HB 2720, which would make purchasing sex a felony.
Arizona Lawmakers Push To Make Buying Sex A Felony
Lawmakers push to make buying sex a felony and hold online platforms liable for facilitating prostitution.
hoodline.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:19 AM
Having muscled age-verification through last session, AZ Republicans are pushing forward even greater restrictions on sex, including banning porn entirely (HB 2900), threatening adult producers with warrantless AG inspections (HB 2133) and HB 2720, which would make purchasing sex a felony.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
so wait you're telling me a moral panic around the internet is not based on any actual scientific data but just cynical governments looking to control access to speech
A huge Australian study of tweens and teens finds best mental health among moderate social media users — not total abstainers reason.com/2026/02/09/a...
A 'Goldilocks' effect for online teens? Moderate social media users fare better than abstainers or heavy users
“Both abstinence and excessive use can be problematic,” researchers suggest.
reason.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:42 PM
so wait you're telling me a moral panic around the internet is not based on any actual scientific data but just cynical governments looking to control access to speech
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
I hate hate hate so much that the world has shrunk so much for kids since I was a kid. We took outside away from them and now we're taking inside too. Exploring and curiosity in different spaces is so important to learning about yourself, and we're shutting them off to every opportunity.
February 10, 2026 at 3:49 PM
I hate hate hate so much that the world has shrunk so much for kids since I was a kid. We took outside away from them and now we're taking inside too. Exploring and curiosity in different spaces is so important to learning about yourself, and we're shutting them off to every opportunity.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
We often think about censorship in terms of Orwellian censorship -- the government telling us explicitly what we can and cannot say or read.
But throughout history, Orwellian censorship is rare because it's impractical for the government. Self-censorship has always been the preferred method.
But throughout history, Orwellian censorship is rare because it's impractical for the government. Self-censorship has always been the preferred method.
February 10, 2026 at 3:38 PM
We often think about censorship in terms of Orwellian censorship -- the government telling us explicitly what we can and cannot say or read.
But throughout history, Orwellian censorship is rare because it's impractical for the government. Self-censorship has always been the preferred method.
But throughout history, Orwellian censorship is rare because it's impractical for the government. Self-censorship has always been the preferred method.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
If we zoom out from Discord, what we are seeing are companies and regimes coalescing around an inevitable solution that simply bans kids from the Internet.
Australia is already piloting this. South Africa is considering it. Europe and the U.S. are flirting with it.
Australia is already piloting this. South Africa is considering it. Europe and the U.S. are flirting with it.
February 10, 2026 at 3:38 PM
If we zoom out from Discord, what we are seeing are companies and regimes coalescing around an inevitable solution that simply bans kids from the Internet.
Australia is already piloting this. South Africa is considering it. Europe and the U.S. are flirting with it.
Australia is already piloting this. South Africa is considering it. Europe and the U.S. are flirting with it.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
The Discord age verification discourse focuses on adults losing access to communities they have a right to access. That's important.
I'm also worried, though, about the kids. They seem to be an afterthought in these conversations. They have much to lose too. 🧵 www.theverge.com/tech/875309/...
I'm also worried, though, about the kids. They seem to be an afterthought in these conversations. They have much to lose too. 🧵 www.theverge.com/tech/875309/...
Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month
Age verification for all.
www.theverge.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:38 PM
The Discord age verification discourse focuses on adults losing access to communities they have a right to access. That's important.
I'm also worried, though, about the kids. They seem to be an afterthought in these conversations. They have much to lose too. 🧵 www.theverge.com/tech/875309/...
I'm also worried, though, about the kids. They seem to be an afterthought in these conversations. They have much to lose too. 🧵 www.theverge.com/tech/875309/...
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
A line from Kant that’s been ricocheting around my head a lot for the past year: “Whoever wills the end wills also the necessary means.” We’re going to get a lot of doe-eyed protestations from folks who “just wanted immigration laws enforced” & couldn’t be bothered to contempate what that entailed.
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
ICE to begin detaining immigrants inside Social Circle warehouse in April
Homeland Security plans to build warehouse detention facilities in other cities being met with opposition.
www.ajc.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:52 PM
A line from Kant that’s been ricocheting around my head a lot for the past year: “Whoever wills the end wills also the necessary means.” We’re going to get a lot of doe-eyed protestations from folks who “just wanted immigration laws enforced” & couldn’t be bothered to contempate what that entailed.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
When a sitting representative refers to the Super Bowl halftime show as “pornography,” people should use that to reflect on how they and other representatives are simultaneously working to ban, censor, and restrict “pornography” and what that actually means
February 10, 2026 at 6:52 PM
When a sitting representative refers to the Super Bowl halftime show as “pornography,” people should use that to reflect on how they and other representatives are simultaneously working to ban, censor, and restrict “pornography” and what that actually means
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
It might be tempting to sneer at this, “oh we need science to say moderation is good” but it’s actually an important response to the unhinged alarmism pushed by public “intellectuals” like Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, where they misrepresent and over-extrapolate studies for their patrons.
A huge Australian study of tweens and teens finds best mental health among moderate social media users — not total abstainers reason.com/2026/02/09/a...
A 'Goldilocks' effect for online teens? Moderate social media users fare better than abstainers or heavy users
“Both abstinence and excessive use can be problematic,” researchers suggest.
reason.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:01 PM
It might be tempting to sneer at this, “oh we need science to say moderation is good” but it’s actually an important response to the unhinged alarmism pushed by public “intellectuals” like Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, where they misrepresent and over-extrapolate studies for their patrons.
A huge Australian study of tweens and teens finds best mental health among moderate social media users — not total abstainers reason.com/2026/02/09/a...
A 'Goldilocks' effect for online teens? Moderate social media users fare better than abstainers or heavy users
“Both abstinence and excessive use can be problematic,” researchers suggest.
reason.com
February 9, 2026 at 6:58 PM
A huge Australian study of tweens and teens finds best mental health among moderate social media users — not total abstainers reason.com/2026/02/09/a...
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
TN is considering a new bill that allows parents to sue large platforms that allow "material harmful to minors"— including sculpture, drawings, photos, music or video games— that describe or depict nudity, sex or "excessive violence"
The censorship that started with "porn" is coming for everything.
The censorship that started with "porn" is coming for everything.
February 4, 2026 at 7:12 PM
TN is considering a new bill that allows parents to sue large platforms that allow "material harmful to minors"— including sculpture, drawings, photos, music or video games— that describe or depict nudity, sex or "excessive violence"
The censorship that started with "porn" is coming for everything.
The censorship that started with "porn" is coming for everything.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
For the most part, these laws don't exist to actually prosecute. They exist to threaten, to scare people, to encourage self-censorship. They exist to frighten people and venues from working with drag performers, or LGBTQ+ orgs, or political protests that might be profane or controversial.
February 4, 2026 at 8:17 PM
For the most part, these laws don't exist to actually prosecute. They exist to threaten, to scare people, to encourage self-censorship. They exist to frighten people and venues from working with drag performers, or LGBTQ+ orgs, or political protests that might be profane or controversial.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
the Spectator accidentally recycled a subhed from a previous day’s article about Tehran
February 6, 2026 at 6:07 PM
the Spectator accidentally recycled a subhed from a previous day’s article about Tehran
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
OMG. How have I missed this all this time?
February 9, 2026 at 12:56 AM
OMG. How have I missed this all this time?
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
Love the community note that got added on to the Democrats' tweet about their deranged and harmful efforts to dismantle Section 230.
February 8, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Love the community note that got added on to the Democrats' tweet about their deranged and harmful efforts to dismantle Section 230.
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
He wrote FUCK ICE with his own urine.
Winter Olympics Team GB skier targets ICE with graphic message written in snow
Team GB skier Gus Kenworthy has launched a blistering attack on US Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers including a message written in the snow
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:23 PM
He wrote FUCK ICE with his own urine.
Good morning Bluesky
February 6, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Good morning Bluesky
Reposted by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
In more civilized times and places than 2020s Arizona, midnight performances of Rocky Horror have been a standing institution for the goth-but-not-old-enough-to-drink set
Should letting your child enter a building where drag performers exist be a felony crime, on par with burglary and assault? At least one Arizona lawmaker thinks so! We'll find out later today if any of his colleagues agree.. reason.com/2026/02/04/a...
Arizona bill would make it a felony for parents to bring their kids to drag shows
Making felons out of parents who bring their kids to age appropriate drag performances is yet another reminder how far panic over gender norms has gone.
reason.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:29 PM
In more civilized times and places than 2020s Arizona, midnight performances of Rocky Horror have been a standing institution for the goth-but-not-old-enough-to-drink set
The AZ "unlawful exposure to drag" bill cleared its first hurdle. Judiciary committee votes 6-3 to pass.
The bill would criminalize parents bring kids to any show where drag is an element or even bringing them in a building where such a performance takes place reason.com/2026/02/04/a...
The bill would criminalize parents bring kids to any show where drag is an element or even bringing them in a building where such a performance takes place reason.com/2026/02/04/a...
February 5, 2026 at 2:17 PM
The AZ "unlawful exposure to drag" bill cleared its first hurdle. Judiciary committee votes 6-3 to pass.
The bill would criminalize parents bring kids to any show where drag is an element or even bringing them in a building where such a performance takes place reason.com/2026/02/04/a...
The bill would criminalize parents bring kids to any show where drag is an element or even bringing them in a building where such a performance takes place reason.com/2026/02/04/a...