“This is a level of censorship we haven’t seen in my lifetime.” @publicknowledge.bsky.social President and CEO @chrisjlewis.bsky.social weighs in with @nytimes.com on FCC Chair Carr's campaign against so-called "liberal bias" in media: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/t...

In Part 2 of this two-part blog series, Policy Director @lisahmacpherson.bsky.social breaks down the solutions news publishers are gravitating towards, as well as promising policy solutions to protect the public and business interest alike in this fast-moving space:

President Trump's latest lawsuit against the @nytimes.com is just yet another in a series of filings to threaten freedom of the press. Read more in the latest from Policy Analyst @mwils.bsky.social at the link below: publicknowledge.org/trump-defama...

"Perhaps no technology underpins more the everyday functioning of our increasingly digital world than cloud computing." Read the latest from @nickgarcia.bsky.social and @elisephillips.bsky.social for @techpolicypress.bsky.social on why the cloud should be our next public utility:

This month, the House Judiciary Committee hosted the hearing “Europe’s Threat to American Speech and Innovation”, focusing on an alleged threat that laws such as U.K.'s Online Safety Act & EU's Digital Services Act pose to U.S. free speech. But the evidence presented tells a different story.

Is it illegal to not buy ads on X? @publicknowledge.bsky.social Policy Director @lisahmacpherson.bsky.social and Policy Counsel @elisephillips.bsky.social weigh in with @arstechnica.com: arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...

"As fans across the world celebrate the [pending] drop of her latest album, now is a good time to pause and reflect on how Taylor’s career has interacted with copyright...there are some lessons here for those interested in the intersection between copyright, creativity, and commerce."

Follow along as @publicknowledge.bsky.social colleague @mrose.ink tracks the insights from the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime & Terrorism hearing on AI and copyright

Today (and new time of 12pm): Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing, "Too Big to Prosecute?: Examining the AI Industry’s Mass Ingestion of Copyrighted Works for AI Training." 1/3 www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-ac...

The Copyright Office finally released its long-awaited third installment on AI and fair use. But while the top-line conclusions were generally on point, the reasoning in their analysis misses the mark. The latest from @mrose.ink: publicknowledge.org/the-fatal-fa...

The FTC's proposed "click-to-cancel" rule would have been a great move for consumer protection. But when it came time to defend the measure in court, the Commission dropped the ball completely. Read the latest from @bergmayer.net: publicknowledge.org/why-click-to...

Last week, federal judges released two landmark decisions on artificial intelligence — both finding that AI training on copyrighted works is a protected fair use. Read the breakdown from @nickgarcia.bsky.social on what these rulings mean as well as their limitations at the link below:

The Senate just passed its budget bill, including efforts to auction off public spectrum. Under this text, the FCC could be forced to sell off as much as half of the currently unlicensed spectrum in the 6 GHz band -- which could lead to slower Wi-Fi. publicknowledge.org/public-knowl...

To be clear, this AI moratorium language that was struck from the Senate budget bill had NOTHING to do with AI development or innovation. Rather, it was an attempt to prevent states from regulating *anything* that could be perceived as touching an AI system at the state level.

As predicted, the FTC issued a consent order requiring ad agencies not “boycott” online publishers. But it ignores far more likely impacts of the merger on competition. My @publicknowledge.bsky.social colleague @elisephillips.bsky.social and I break it down. publicknowledge.org/update-the-f...

Typically, wonderfully spicy (and accurate) take on the “Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes” (PRO CODES) Act from @publicknowledge.bsky.social colleague @mrose.ink Can't think of a less accurately named act. #DontPaywallTheLaw

Thanks to @amyklobuchar.com, Marsha Blackburn, & @blumenthal.senate.gov for reintroducing the Open App Markets Act to reduce gatekeeper power and realize the promise of true competition in the app economy. 🎉 Great step toward market fairness! publicknowledge.org/public-knowl...

A very interesting thesis, but it fails to differentiate - as some judges have begun to do - between "algorithmic curation" and product design features that have nothing to do with serving content. We wrote about this, too. 1/6 Is Internet Content Too Engaging? www.lawfaremedia.org/article/is-i...

I know a little something about advertising - and the FTC's premise that ad agencies "boycott" tech platforms "by refusing to place their clients’ advertisements on them" is BS. The FTC uses “boycott” like they use “censorship” - as a cudgel to further the Trump administration’s goals. More here 🧵

Opposition to the 10-year moratorium on state laws regulating AI keeps growing. To keep you up-to-date with the lawmakers, leaders, and advocacy groups speaking out, we’re launching NoAILawBan.org. Visit for a quick guide to who’s opposing the AI law ban.

“This isn’t your traditional Washington doyenne’s helmet-like bob…It’s touchable and time-consuming. It flows like disinformation.” Brilliant essay from Mattie Kahn. www.townandcountrymag.com/style/beauty...

The FTC had a comment call to investigate whether content moderation might constitute an unfair / deceptive business practice, & whether platforms might be engaging in anticompetitive acts. It inspired me to look at moderation of the lab leak hypothesis… open.substack.com/pub/agentsof...

"...the CEOs of the big platforms have given up....whether it’s Zuck throwing fact-checkers under the bus or Altman deciding he wants a cut of the impersonation industry, CEOs have decided they're no longer interested in reducing the prevalence of disinformation." www.niemanlab.org/2025/05/how-...

Public Knowledge Policy Director @lisahmacpherson.bsky.social writes for @techpolicypress.bsky.social that nearly a decade's worth of research indicates that not only do tech platforms advantage right-wing content, but social media moderation disproportionately silences marginalized voices instead:

Public Knowledge Policy Director @lisahmacpherson.bsky.social joins @techpolicypress.bsky.social to review the history behind the FTC’s request on tech "censorship," & suggests ways the agency could use its authority to actually improve content moderation and ensure free speech on platforms:

What if Google Chrome were no longer owned by Google? In the wake of the ruling in US v. Google, this could become a reality — and should, in order to effectively curb their monopoly power in the search and digital advertising markets. Read the latest from Policy Counsel @elisephillips.bsky.social:

Unfortunately, AI slop isn't just online. Original reporting by @404media.co: "many of the books on the reading list [produced by King Features, a subsidiary of Hearst] either do not exist or were written by other authors than the ones they are attributed to." www.niemanlab.org/2025/05/you-...

🚨 Today, Public Knowledge joined 16 other public interest, consumer rights, & library groups in urging FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson to protect consumers in the digital marketplace by establishing clear ground rules for digital ownership and sales of goods.

🧵1/ Near the end of the 118th Congress, we introduced a framework to evaluate legislation addressing AI-generated digital replicas. Since then, momentum has grown — fast. And last week, Congress passed the first-ever law on the issue: the #TAKEITDOWNAct.

Without regulatory intervention, streamers & broadcasters will continue to lock viewers in with exclusive deals & paywalls rather than provide a good watching experience. Watch colleague @bergmayer.net testify today at 10 a.m. ET: www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/5/field...

Colleague at @publicknowledge.bsky.social @bergmayer.net is offering testimony at the Senate Commerce hearing "Field of Streams: The New Channel Guide for Sports Fans.” Expect a call for lower barriers for fans to watch their faves. Watch the livestream ▶️▶️▶️ www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/5/field...

President Trump's attempt to end federal funding for NPR and PBS is blatant retaliation against America's primary public broadcasters over coverage the administration simply doesn’t like. [via @cnn.com]

I used to go to the TV "upfronts" where networks showed off their new programs, let us take selfies with the stars, and tried to secure ad placements each year. I hope my friends still in marketing add the "newsfronts" to their schedules and support news and democracy. www.axios.com/2025/04/29/n...

Today, the House of Representatives passed the “Tools To Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act" #TAKEITDOWNAct, a bill designed to address serious concerns of the digital era, but could also harm free speech and privacy in its current form.

Thank you to all who joined us for our event "Designing the Digital Platform Commission!" A very special thank you to our wonderful panelists; keynote speaker Kathleen Bradish, VP at American Antitrust Institute; and Meredith Whipple, @publicknowledge.bsky.social Interim CEO for opening remarks. 🎉

‼️ This week, @publicknowledge.bsky.social, alongside @bentoninstitute.bsky.social, @digitaldemoc.bsky.social, & @freepress.bsky.social, filed an amicus brief urging the First Circuit Court of Appeals to reject attacks on the constitutionality of the FCC in recent litigation.

"High-quality local news is a public good... But policymakers are embracing proposals that would channel money to the same corporate forces that destabilized our media system and democracy in the first place." From @freepress.bsky.social's Alex Frandsen: www.freepress.net/blog/local-n...

Despite their favored-nation status, MAGA media don't break many scoops. That's because they focus on shaping the narrative. These "narrative shapers” (influencers, personalities, podcasters) are more influential than news reporting among the faithful. www.vanityfair.com/news/story/d...

At @cendemtech.bsky.social event FCC Commissioner @agomezfcc.bsky.social says, "Today, the greatest threat to freedom is coming from our own government: targeting news networks' editorial decisions, independent reporting by public media, and internal labor practices by companies." 🧵

Join us at this @publicknowledge.bsky.social event to launch the paper I got to co-author with @haroldfeld.bsky.social. In addition to the keynote speaker here, we'll be hosting CEO and Editor of Tech Policy Press @justinhendrix.bsky.social as Moderator, plus a great lineup of panelists... 1/2

Yesterday's ruling in DOJ, et al v. Google could provide a framework for those seeking to rein in the power of #BigTech. @publicknowledge.bsky.social Policy Director @lisahmacpherson.bsky.social joins @politico.com for a breakdown:

I had a personal interest in this ruling - that Google is a monopoly in ad tech markets - because I used to be an advertiser. Read more here about my story and why this case matters to you: www.techpolicy.press/why-the-dojs...

Our new report at @publicknowledge.bsky.social makes the case for an independent regulatory body with broad powers for Big Tech. It’s based on concepts @haroldfeld.bsky.social first articulated in 2019. Think we’re crazy? It would mean Government Efficiency - get it? - and empower Little Tech.

My employer @publicknowledge.bsky.social has released the latest paper by me and @lisahmacpherson.bsky.social "Designing the Digital Platform Commission" publicknowledge.org/new-public-k... Some basic recommendations on how to build an effective regulator for Big Tech.

🎉 @publicknowledge.bsky.social is happy to announce our newest White Paper, “Building the Digital Platform Commission: How To Design a Regulator To Rein in Big Tech,” from Senior Vice President @haroldfeld.bsky.social and Policy Director @lisahmacpherson.bsky.social.

Here we go again - yet another hearing on the “Censorship Industrial Complex” - this time in the Senate Judiciary! I'll be following along this afternoon. 🧵

In @bloomberglaw.com, Tony Weibell of Mayer Brown says "statements that [online platforms] 'will' do or 'does' do something will be construed as binding promises" - piercing the shield of #Section230 immunity. 🧵 1/2 news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

🚨 Today, President Donald Trump claimed to have terminated Democratic Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and @bedoyaftc.bsky.social at the Federal Trade Commission. This act violates both the statute that created the FTC and clear Supreme Court precedent.

We @publicknowledge.bsky.social agree that some product design features are rooted in the platforms’ ad-based business model, not expressive on the part of the platform or its users, and should be the basis of product liability on the part of platforms. See more: publicknowledge.org/public-knowl...

Today, a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing that will include discussion of the STOP CSAM Act. We @publicknowledge.bsky.social offer @judiciarydems.senate.gov and others this critique publicknowledge.org/public-knowl... 1/🧵