Lauren Feiner
laurenfeiner.bsky.social
Lauren Feiner
@laurenfeiner.bsky.social
Covering tech policy @theverge.com | Formerly @CNBC.com | she/her | Tips? Find me on Signal @ laurenfeiner.64 (no PR pitches via Signal please)
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The promised revival of kids online safety legislation seemed to disappoint advocates across the map. Supporters of the leading Senate bill, KOSA, say it's been poison pilled in the House, and opponents fear age verification bills will be just as bad www.theverge.com/policy/83712...
A leading kids safety bill has been poison pilled, supporters say
App store age verification is beginning to take center stage.
www.theverge.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
While KOSA has taken up much of the attention in kids online safety discussions, a bill mandating app stores conduct age verification has been sweeping states and Congress. It will be discussed at tomorrow's House hearing, and just picked up Pinterest as a supporter www.theverge.com/policy/83087...
A nationwide internet age verification plan is sweeping Congress
The bill takes aim at Apple and Google’s app stores.
www.theverge.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:45 PM
A must read!
I did a deep dive into the White House's draft executive order that would have counteracted states' abilities to write and enforce their own AI laws.

Boy, does it give David Sacks a lot of influence over setting federal AI regulatory policy!

www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
David Sacks tried to kill state AI laws — and it blew up in his face
A leaked executive order reveals that the tech billionaire would have become America’s AI policy gatekeeper.
www.theverge.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:58 AM
The House is taking its most significant step to address kids online safety since killing KOSA last year. But the proposals here are likely to result in pushback from both long-time opponents and historic supporters of the most popular measure so far. theverge.com/news/829492/...
House overhauls KOSA in a new kids online safety package
It removes the duty of care from KOSA.
theverge.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM
There's a new bipartisan Section 230 reform bill, and it uses a tactic that's very similar to KOSA in hopes of holding social media platforms responsible for their recommendation algorithms. www.theverge.com/policy/82405...
Lawmakers want to let users sue over harmful social media algorithms
Section 230 is facing a new kind of attack.
www.theverge.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Here's FTC spokesperson Joe Simonson on the ruling: "We are deeply disappointed in this decision. The deck was always stacked against us with Judge Boasberg, who is currently facing articles of impeachment. We are reviewing all our options." Context: www.courthousenews.com/republican-l...
November 18, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Breaking: Meta won the antitrust case brought against it by the FTC. Judge rules it's not a monopoly. www.theverge.com/news/823191/...
Meta is not a monopolist, judge rules
The FTC failed to prove it broke US antitrust laws.
www.theverge.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Lauren Feiner
A promised TikTok acquisition by US investors, brokered through Trump, has been stalled for months. And the lawmakers who passed the ban are largely staying quiet.

Read more from @laurenfeiner.bsky.social:
Even the lawmakers behind the TikTok ban have no idea what’s going on
TikTok was supposed to be banned from the US 10 months ago.
www.theverge.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Reposted by Lauren Feiner
It's been almost a year since the TikTok ban was supposed to go into effect and literally no one — even the people who wrote the law — know what the hell is going on with the app. Another Trump deal we'll just keep tracking! @laurenfeiner.bsky.social reports www.theverge.com/policy/82216...
Even the lawmakers behind the TikTok ban have no idea what’s going on
TikTok was supposed to be banned from the US 10 months ago.
www.theverge.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by Lauren Feiner
Good @laurenfeiner.bsky.social story about the state of CISA that highlights potentially corrosive fears among the agency's critical infrastructure partners about the Trump administration's cuts and politicization: www.theverge.com/policy/81688...
November 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
The US's key cybersecurity coordinator is facing a crisis of trust amid staffing cuts, censorship allegations, and shutdown furloughs. What could go wrong? www.theverge.com/policy/81688...
America’s cybersecurity defenses are cracking
The shutdown is just the latest threat to CISA’s workforce.
www.theverge.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Lauren Feiner
KOSA advocates are steeling themselves for a key provision of the bill to be potentially gutted in the House. And long-time opponents may get their wish for the bill — but at the expense of other issues www.theverge.com/policy/81087...
A contentious kids safety bill might be getting gutted — and nobody’s happy
It’s expected to be introduced with a package of kids online safety bills.
www.theverge.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:18 PM
KOSA advocates are steeling themselves for a key provision of the bill to be potentially gutted in the House. And long-time opponents may get their wish for the bill — but at the expense of other issues www.theverge.com/policy/81087...
A contentious kids safety bill might be getting gutted — and nobody’s happy
It’s expected to be introduced with a package of kids online safety bills.
www.theverge.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Google and Meta took notably different approaches to a hearing over content moderation and government jawboning yesterday www.theverge.com/policy/80961...
Meta repents again to Republicans in hearing over moderation, while Google stands its ground
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) previewed his bill to give censored citizens a path to redress.
www.theverge.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Federal workers who survived DOGE-backed cuts are now facing an indefinite paycheck pause. Among them are technologists who help ensure government tools work for consumers, but are facing an increasingly difficult work environment that threatens a brain drain www.theverge.com/policy/80425...
DC’s shutdown is hurting government tech workers — and everyone else
Federal workers who weathered the DOGE cuts are now being furloughed.
www.theverge.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:10 PM
The remedies trial over Google's ad tech monopoly wrapped today, and the judge's closing comments highlighted what could become a key obstacle for enforcers seeking tech break ups: judges don't seem to want to be the ones to do it. www.theverge.com/policy/79345...
The judge tasked with deciding Google’s fate would rather not
“My favorite phrase is ‘Let’s settle this case.’”
www.theverge.com
October 6, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Reposted by Lauren Feiner
Thus ends Hot Girl Vergecast Summer ☀️

Here’s a final Friday ep for the road w2 me @jake--k.bsky.social (who is an honorary hot girl), @jp2e.bsky.social and @laurenfeiner.bsky.social

Jen, @miasato.bsky.social and @allisonjo1.bsky.social also KILLED it in their solo eps.

youtu.be/TK0FBjo6bkk?...
Your robot is about to get its own robot | The Vergecast
YouTube video by The Verge
youtu.be
September 5, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Judge Mehta declines to grant the most ambitious of the DOJ's proposed remedies to break up Google and dismantle its search empire. But we're still in the middle of this very long fight www.theverge.com/policy/71708...
Google gets to keep Chrome, judge rules in search antitrust case
Google has pledged to appeal.
www.theverge.com
September 2, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Lauren Feiner
We got you something. Today we’re debuting three newsletter offerings just for our distinguished, venerated subscribers.

📜Regulator by @tinanguyen.bsky.social
📺Lowpass by @jank0.bsky.social
◀️The Stepback by… everyone

Here’s how it breaks down 🧵
Introducing Regulator and The Stepback, our new subscriber-exclusive newsletters
We’re launching two exclusive newsletters and a partnership with Lowpass by Janko Roettgers.
www.theverge.com
August 6, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Definitely recommend following Tina's newsletter for a deep dive and behind-the-scenes of all the tech drama in Washington
Some personal news: I’m back in the newsletter game.

The Verge and I are proud to announce the launch of Regulator, a weekly newsletter for Verge subscribers that covers the fights between Big Tech and Big Government.
August 6, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by Lauren Feiner
Trump wanted to break up Nvidia — but then its CEO won him over
Trump wanted to break up Nvidia — but then its CEO won him over
“What the hell is Nvidia?” Trump recalls asking.
buff.ly
July 23, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Here's my attempt to articulate the deeply weird experience of simultaneously covering two landmark tech antitrust trials in the same courthouse tasked with adjudicating some of the most controversial decisions of the second Trump presidency www.theverge.com/policy/69044...
Inside the courthouse reshaping the future of the internet
For three weeks, a DC courthouse hosted a split screen of tech antitrust showdowns.
www.theverge.com
June 23, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by Lauren Feiner
Here’s @laurenfeiner.bsky.social with a searching look inside the literal courtrooms where the tech industry faces make or break rulings www.theverge.com/policy/69044...
Inside the courthouse reshaping the future of the internet
For three weeks, a DC courthouse hosted a split screen of tech antitrust showdowns.
www.theverge.com
June 21, 2025 at 9:17 PM