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.
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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!
Our new C4OSL newsletter is live: “Seeing Clearly: Why Precision Protects Children in the Age of AI.”
“Around the world … what’s real, what’s synthetic, and what’s simply artistic or fictional expression.”
Read → https://c4osl.org/november-2025-newsletter #Newsletter
“Around the world … what’s real, what’s synthetic, and what’s simply artistic or fictional expression.”
Read → https://c4osl.org/november-2025-newsletter #Newsletter
c4osl.org | 525: SSL handshake failed
c4osl.org
November 24, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Our new C4OSL newsletter is live: “Seeing Clearly: Why Precision Protects Children in the Age of AI.”
“Around the world … what’s real, what’s synthetic, and what’s simply artistic or fictional expression.”
Read → https://c4osl.org/november-2025-newsletter #Newsletter
“Around the world … what’s real, what’s synthetic, and what’s simply artistic or fictional expression.”
Read → https://c4osl.org/november-2025-newsletter #Newsletter
"For those of us not living under a rock, and with the unfortunate ability of pattern recognition, it’s not hard to realize that if you’re living in the United States right now we are living under a fascist regime." https://c4osl.org/so-youre-living-under-fascism-what-do-you-do-now/ #privacy #tips
So you're living under fascism - what do you do now? - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
For those of us not living under a rock, and with the unfortunate ability of pattern recognition, it’s not hard to realize […]
c4osl.org
November 24, 2025 at 6:01 PM
"For those of us not living under a rock, and with the unfortunate ability of pattern recognition, it’s not hard to realize that if you’re living in the United States right now we are living under a fascist regime." https://c4osl.org/so-youre-living-under-fascism-what-do-you-do-now/ #privacy #tips
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Conservatives in Alabama are literally starving the local public library of funding because it refuses to hide sex ed books, and novels that feature sex and masturbation, from teenagers.
They'd rather shut the library down than allow teens to access knowledge that contradicts dogma.
They'd rather shut the library down than allow teens to access knowledge that contradicts dogma.
Fairhope library funding remains at risk as book dispute returns to Alabama board
Two-year battle over placement of books with sexual content continues as APLS could consider Thursday whether library meets requirements to receive state funding.
www.al.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Conservatives in Alabama are literally starving the local public library of funding because it refuses to hide sex ed books, and novels that feature sex and masturbation, from teenagers.
They'd rather shut the library down than allow teens to access knowledge that contradicts dogma.
They'd rather shut the library down than allow teens to access knowledge that contradicts dogma.
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Social media isn’t driving the teenage “loneliness epidemic”. Teenagers’ loneliness was the same in the 1970s,1980s, and 1990s long before anyone heard of TikTok or smartphones.
Social media isn’t driving the teenage “loneliness epidemic”
Teenagers’ loneliness was the same in the 1970s,1980s, and 1990s long before anyone heard of TikTok or smartphones.
mikemales.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Social media isn’t driving the teenage “loneliness epidemic”. Teenagers’ loneliness was the same in the 1970s,1980s, and 1990s long before anyone heard of TikTok or smartphones.
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Twitch says it will comply with the British government's demand and require users to submit facial scans in order to access streams.
Twitch introduces facial age scans in the UK despite privacy concerns
Twitch is complying with the UK's Online Safety Act, but many users aren't happy
www.techradar.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Twitch says it will comply with the British government's demand and require users to submit facial scans in order to access streams.
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
NCOSE dresses itself up in respectable clothes by claiming to be all about stopping "sexual exploitation." Stopping actual sexual exploitation is good. But they use that to actually advocate for truly horrific policies. Because their definition of "sexual exploitation" is ridiculously broad...
October 22, 2025 at 9:42 PM
NCOSE dresses itself up in respectable clothes by claiming to be all about stopping "sexual exploitation." Stopping actual sexual exploitation is good. But they use that to actually advocate for truly horrific policies. Because their definition of "sexual exploitation" is ridiculously broad...
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
NEW: the IRS accessed a massive database of Americans flights without a warrant. Includes where and when someone flew, credit card used. Usually when the government gets this data from an airline it needs approval. IRS accessed a database it just paid for access to
www.404media.co/irs-accessed...
www.404media.co/irs-accessed...
IRS Accessed Massive Database of Americans Flights Without a Warrant
A bipartisan letter reveals the IRS searched a database of hundreds of millions of travel records without first conducting a legal review. Airlines like Delta, United, American, and Southwest are sell...
www.404media.co
November 18, 2025 at 4:11 PM
NEW: the IRS accessed a massive database of Americans flights without a warrant. Includes where and when someone flew, credit card used. Usually when the government gets this data from an airline it needs approval. IRS accessed a database it just paid for access to
www.404media.co/irs-accessed...
www.404media.co/irs-accessed...
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
ICE is using a new app called Mobile Fortify to scan people's faces and determine their immigration status.
The government's use of biased, unreliable facial recognition tech to supercharge its mass deportation campaign endangers all of our rights.
The government's use of biased, unreliable facial recognition tech to supercharge its mass deportation campaign endangers all of our rights.
Face Recognition and the ‘Trump Terror’: A Marriage Made in Hell | ACLU
ICE and CBP are smashing their way not only through car windows but also through any constraints on the use of face recognition
www.aclu.org
November 17, 2025 at 8:33 PM
ICE is using a new app called Mobile Fortify to scan people's faces and determine their immigration status.
The government's use of biased, unreliable facial recognition tech to supercharge its mass deportation campaign endangers all of our rights.
The government's use of biased, unreliable facial recognition tech to supercharge its mass deportation campaign endangers all of our rights.
COSL is among 60 signatories to an open letter on encryption released today: "Weakening encryption introduces systemic vulnerabilities that criminals and hostile actors can exploit, erodes consumer confidence, and drives users and businesses toward unsecure platforms."
November 17, 2025 at 3:28 PM
COSL is among 60 signatories to an open letter on encryption released today: "Weakening encryption introduces systemic vulnerabilities that criminals and hostile actors can exploit, erodes consumer confidence, and drives users and businesses toward unsecure platforms."
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
The answer to how do we keep kids safe online isn't destroy everyone's privacy. It's not force people to hand over their IDs to access legal content. And it's certainly not ban access to the tools that protect journalists, activists, and abuse survivors. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Lawmakers Want to Ban VPNs—And They Have No Idea What They're Doing
It's unfortunately no longer enough to force websites to check your government-issued ID before you can access certain content, because politicians have now discovered that people are using Virtual
www.eff.org
November 16, 2025 at 3:04 PM
The answer to how do we keep kids safe online isn't destroy everyone's privacy. It's not force people to hand over their IDs to access legal content. And it's certainly not ban access to the tools that protect journalists, activists, and abuse survivors. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
In Texas, a new law has redefined “parental rights” to mean that a single parent now has the right to remove a book from libraries district wide because the the story of a boy unicorn with eyelashes offends them.
We have the newest casualty of the “parents rights," movement in Texas! And we can thank Sen. Angela Paxton’s “parental rights” school library bill (SB 13) for keeping Texas kids safe from Pretty Perfect Kitty Corn in Southlake, TX (Carroll ISD). @shannonhale.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 2:37 AM
In Texas, a new law has redefined “parental rights” to mean that a single parent now has the right to remove a book from libraries district wide because the the story of a boy unicorn with eyelashes offends them.
Register for a free webinar about #art #censorship and strategies that can help #artists share artistic work while minimizing the risk of getting banned/shadow banned, downranked, or flagged as inappropriate content. https://law-arts.org/event/tactics-to-avoid-art-censorship-online
Tactics to Avoid Art Censorship Online - Lawyers for the Creative Arts
Artists are increasingly encountering censorship online and on social media. Join the National Coalition Against Censorship, Don’t Delete Art, and Lawyers for
law-arts.org
November 14, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Register for a free webinar about #art #censorship and strategies that can help #artists share artistic work while minimizing the risk of getting banned/shadow banned, downranked, or flagged as inappropriate content. https://law-arts.org/event/tactics-to-avoid-art-censorship-online
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable gr...
www.404media.co
November 13, 2025 at 2:11 PM
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Your Data Will Be Used Against You.
www.theverge.com/2024/9/24/24...
www.theverge.com/2024/9/24/24...
Don’t ever hand your phone to the cops
Even if you’ve got nothing to hide.
www.theverge.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Your Data Will Be Used Against You.
www.theverge.com/2024/9/24/24...
www.theverge.com/2024/9/24/24...
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Hidden in the controversial about UK "choking ban" proposal are a host of even more egregious proposals that could:
* make camming illegal
* redefine escort ads as pimping
* render model contracts unenforceable
* criminalize discussions of teen sexuality
And a whole lot more ...
* make camming illegal
* redefine escort ads as pimping
* render model contracts unenforceable
* criminalize discussions of teen sexuality
And a whole lot more ...
Moral panic about rough sex gives way to censorship in the UK
British regulators and lawmakers are hot on a measure that would make possessing or publishing strangulation porn a crime.
reason.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Hidden in the controversial about UK "choking ban" proposal are a host of even more egregious proposals that could:
* make camming illegal
* redefine escort ads as pimping
* render model contracts unenforceable
* criminalize discussions of teen sexuality
And a whole lot more ...
* make camming illegal
* redefine escort ads as pimping
* render model contracts unenforceable
* criminalize discussions of teen sexuality
And a whole lot more ...
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Meanwhile whorephobic orgs targeting sex workers have tried desperately to capture the discourse, they want to talk about rape culture in a way that implies the internet has to be age verified, all your favorite games and books have to be banned, and sex workers should be pushed to the margins
The idea that sexual abuse is part of “private” life instead of a public crisis has done incalculable damage. Anti-rape activists have to fight to even make it possible to expose sexual abuse as a wrongdoing in public without being silenced and undermined. That fight is far from won
November 13, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Meanwhile whorephobic orgs targeting sex workers have tried desperately to capture the discourse, they want to talk about rape culture in a way that implies the internet has to be age verified, all your favorite games and books have to be banned, and sex workers should be pushed to the margins
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
The Online Safety Act has made going online even more dangerous. Google is now warning that as Britons turn to VPNs to avoid the act, there's been an explosion in scam VPNs that sell data or provide it to state actors.
Naturally, that would includes data on (and access to) minors.
Naturally, that would includes data on (and access to) minors.
Google issues security alert: Your VPN app could be spyware in disguise
Google's November 2025 fraud advisory identified malicious VPNs as a rising threat
www.techradar.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:52 PM
The Online Safety Act has made going online even more dangerous. Google is now warning that as Britons turn to VPNs to avoid the act, there's been an explosion in scam VPNs that sell data or provide it to state actors.
Naturally, that would includes data on (and access to) minors.
Naturally, that would includes data on (and access to) minors.
Tech-savvy & values-driven? Help us grow Liberato Hosting, a project defending digital freedom. We're seeking a Technical Manager (Volunteer) - flexible hours, global team. Apply now -> https://c4osl.org/job/technical-manager-liberato-hosting/ #linux #infrastructure #privacy #remotework
Technical Manager – Liberato Hosting - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
About Liberato Liberato is a project of the Center for Online Safety and Liberty (COSL), providing Offshore Free Speech Hosting designed to […]
c4osl.org
November 12, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Tech-savvy & values-driven? Help us grow Liberato Hosting, a project defending digital freedom. We're seeking a Technical Manager (Volunteer) - flexible hours, global team. Apply now -> https://c4osl.org/job/technical-manager-liberato-hosting/ #linux #infrastructure #privacy #remotework
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
This problem is pervasive across the web. Just this past weekend IG began mass censoring news accounts for reposting content. We are witnessing widespread censorship on apps like X and TikTok and I really wish platforms would stand up and fight for free expression
November 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
This problem is pervasive across the web. Just this past weekend IG began mass censoring news accounts for reposting content. We are witnessing widespread censorship on apps like X and TikTok and I really wish platforms would stand up and fight for free expression
Volunteer Role: Technical Manager @liberato.io Hosting Work with Proxmox, Ceph, LiteSpeed, CyberPanel Support privacy & resillient hosting for creators
More info ->https://c4osl.org/job/technical-manager-liberato-hosting/ #volunteer #linuxadmin #hosting
More info ->https://c4osl.org/job/technical-manager-liberato-hosting/ #volunteer #linuxadmin #hosting
Technical Manager – Liberato Hosting - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
About Liberato Liberato is a project of the Center for Online Safety and Liberty (COSL), providing Offshore Free Speech Hosting designed to […]
c4osl.org
November 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Volunteer Role: Technical Manager @liberato.io Hosting Work with Proxmox, Ceph, LiteSpeed, CyberPanel Support privacy & resillient hosting for creators
More info ->https://c4osl.org/job/technical-manager-liberato-hosting/ #volunteer #linuxadmin #hosting
More info ->https://c4osl.org/job/technical-manager-liberato-hosting/ #volunteer #linuxadmin #hosting
Looking for a remote tech role with purpose? Liberato Hosting (via COSL) needs a Technical Manager - 5-10 hrs/week helping Linux servers & infrastructure. -> Details: https://c4osl.org/job/technical-manager-liberato-hosting/ #techjobs #remotework #digitalrights
Technical Manager – Liberato Hosting - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
About Liberato Liberato is a project of the Center for Online Safety and Liberty (COSL), providing Offshore Free Speech Hosting designed to […]
c4osl.org
November 8, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Looking for a remote tech role with purpose? Liberato Hosting (via COSL) needs a Technical Manager - 5-10 hrs/week helping Linux servers & infrastructure. -> Details: https://c4osl.org/job/technical-manager-liberato-hosting/ #techjobs #remotework #digitalrights
Reposted by Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Hmmm. At the same time that there’s a booming for-profit push to require users to submit biometrics everywhere from porn sites to Roblox. You don’t say?
A proposed rule change would allow DHS to collect a wide range of sensitive biometric data on all immigrants, without age restrictions, and store that data throughout each person’s “lifecycle” in the immigration system.
DHS offers “disturbing new excuses” to seize kids’ biometric data, expert says
Sweeping DHS power grab would collect face, iris, voice scans of all immigrants.
arstechnica.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Hmmm. At the same time that there’s a booming for-profit push to require users to submit biometrics everywhere from porn sites to Roblox. You don’t say?
“We’re not calling for... blanket availability of different sexual materials, but maybe there are conditions under which things could be used in restricted ways or regulated ways where they don’t cause harm.” https://c4osl.org/beyond-the-filter-fantasy-sexual-materials-and-offending/ #Podcast #Sex
Beyond the Filter: Fantasy Sexual Materials and Offending - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Are Fantasy Sexual Materials like cartoons, AI-generated images or sex dolls associated with sexual offending? Hear the surprising truth.
c4osl.org
November 7, 2025 at 6:01 PM
“We’re not calling for... blanket availability of different sexual materials, but maybe there are conditions under which things could be used in restricted ways or regulated ways where they don’t cause harm.” https://c4osl.org/beyond-the-filter-fantasy-sexual-materials-and-offending/ #Podcast #Sex
“Whenever you're thinking about sexual crime prevention, try as much as possible to take a breath and think about where your attitudes are coming from.” https://c4osl.org/beyond-the-filter-fantasy-sexual-materials-and-offending/ #Podcast #Sex #Crime #Prevention
Beyond the Filter: Fantasy Sexual Materials and Offending - Center for Online Safety and Liberty
Are Fantasy Sexual Materials like cartoons, AI-generated images or sex dolls associated with sexual offending? Hear the surprising truth.
c4osl.org
November 6, 2025 at 6:00 PM
“Whenever you're thinking about sexual crime prevention, try as much as possible to take a breath and think about where your attitudes are coming from.” https://c4osl.org/beyond-the-filter-fantasy-sexual-materials-and-offending/ #Podcast #Sex #Crime #Prevention