I went to the opening for PubKey, a Bitcoin bar originally from NY with a new location in downtown DC. It was wacky and wild and had several Santas, Chinese lion dancers, a mariachi band, and more. But the weirdest thing of all were the federal employees in suits. www.theverge.com/policy/84913...

In what could be a bellwether for a popular new approach to kids online safety laws, a judge ruled to block Texas' app store age verification law from taking effect. I'm interested to see how states with similar laws and federal lawmakers introducing them respond. www.theverge.com/news/849752/...

It's been quite the year in Washington! www.theverge.com/policy/84583...

Brendan Carr was defiant at an FCC oversight hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee today. He doesn't regret his Kimmel comments, and he says the agency is not actually independent. www.theverge.com/policy/84684...

If you're not yet a subscriber and hit the paywall yesterday, this article is now free to read for one day:

BREAKING >>> Huge story from @laurenfeiner.bsky.social on the fight between Frequency Forward & the #FCC over a FOIA request tied to DOGE and potential conflicts of interest involving #Musk www.theverge.com/policy/84506...

We reviewed over a thousand pages of documents released by the FCC about what DOGE was doing there, and left with more questions than answers. FCC Chair Brendan Carr could get the chance to share more info tomorrow during his Senate testimony. www.theverge.com/policy/84506...

The most interesting discussion at today's kids online safety markup was about a bill that wasn't even on the agenda, and Apple CEO Tim Cook's influence over it. www.theverge.com/policy/84299...

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...

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 must read!

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/...

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...

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...

Breaking: Meta won the antitrust case brought against it by the FTC. Judge rules it's not a monopoly. www.theverge.com/news/823191/...

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:

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Google and Meta took notably different approaches to a hearing over content moderation and government jawboning yesterday www.theverge.com/policy/80961...

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...

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...

Dispatch from the Google ad tech trial www.theverge.com/tech/790711/...

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?...

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...

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 🧵

Definitely recommend following Tina's newsletter for a deep dive and behind-the-scenes of all the tech drama in Washington

Trump wanted to break up Nvidia — but then its CEO won him over

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...

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...

Thank you to this subscriber for their sympathy — ICYMI the TikTok ban is delayed again, and no, the law still doesn't allow for this kind of extension 🤷‍♀️ www.theverge.com/news/688252/...

Breaking: The Trevor Project received a stop-work order last night on its contract with the national 988 suicide prevention hotline. The Trump administration is eliminating the option for LGBTQ callers to the hotline to press 3 and connect with someone who specializes in LGBTQ mental health.

Thank you all SO MUCH for your support. Our incredible Bargaining Committee worked into the night for us and reached a Tentative Agreement at around 5am! 🙏💪🥳🎉 As of now there will be NO STRIKE! Please continue enjoying all our work, knowing you all helped us get here! #unionstrong #voxunion #1u

three years ago, Vox Media reached an agreement with its union securing one of the *strongest* contracts in digital media. and now they won't budge on basic protections? shame on management. solidarity with my vox media union pals!!!! i hear they're ready to strike!!!

📣📣📣📣📣 STRIKE AUTHORIZED, LET'S GOOOO 📣📣📣📣📣📣

I caught up with the FCC's last Dem commissioner @agomezfcc.bsky.social as she tours the country warning of the admin's "ongoing campaign of censorship and control." It's a risky campaign given Trump has already broken SCOTUS precedent to fire the FTC's Democrats www.theverge.com/policy/68559...

It’s been a long day of bargaining with Vox Media, fighting hard to get a fair contract with better salaries, AI protections, the inclusion of the Dodo in our union, and much more. Come tomorrow, there’s only two days left in our contract — Vox Media, stop dragging your feet.

ONLY THREE DAYS are left before @voxmediaunion’s contract expires and we’re STILL WAITING for a fair contract with salaries that reflect inflation, proposals to not replace us with AI, and include the Dodo in our union. @voxmedia, stop dragging your feet and bargain with us in good faith.

A 10 year ban on state AI laws will have devastating consequences for workers, consumers, and kids. The consequence of AI on jobs is not getting enough attention in our politics. I make the case against the ban in this interview with the Verge. www.theverge.com/politics/681...

Some recommended further reading on the shape internet policy is taking at Trump's FTC: www.theverge.com/policy/68160... by @laurenfeiner.bsky.social www.techpolicy.press/ftc-outlines... by @viacristiano.bsky.social

We know there's a struggle in today's GOP between populism and big business interests. At Trump's FTC, the populism is winning and it isn't close. Today's Tech Brief on how Republicans are taking up the mantle of regulating the internet — for the children: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

“I had a higher education because of all the sacrifices my family took to be here,”and more voices from protests in LA today www.theverge.com/policy/68382...

The Vox Media Union just delivered our strike pledge to Vox management, showing our unwavering commitment to securing a collective bargaining agreement that is fair. Should we not get a fair contract, we are prepared to strike.

The Vox Media Union’s current union contract expires at 11:59 pm ET on June 12. Time is running out, but Vox Media management has refused to even discuss our proposals in good faith. Send a letter urging Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff to negotiate a fair contract NOW! wgaea.st/vox-letter

Update in the Battle of the Beige Amazon influencer lawsuit I wrote about back in November: Alyssa Sheil, alleged copier, has prevailed.

I finally escaped the courtroom long enough to talk about the Meta trial with @davidpierce.xyz on today's Vergecast. Listen for our breakdown of the stakes of the case and my prediction of how it will end here: www.theverge.com/the-vergecas...

After 6 weeks of trial, Meta just rested its defense against the FTC’s monopoly charge. We heard from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, founders of Instagram & WhatsApp, and execs from many other apps. I live-blogged most of it, which you can check out here: www.theverge.com/news/646809/...