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jouste @jouste.bsky.social · 7h

The Mysterious Guylophone!
Part xylophone, part guy! This menacing marimba mercenary donks out the most damaging tones anyone's ever heard! Able to execute melodies from any angle with his mallets, The Guylophone silently stalks his foes before unleashing the glockenspiel!
#0620

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Mike Z @mikez.bsky.social · 16h

Good Sunday morning to you.
#art

A drawing in graphite and white pencil on toned paper. A portrait of a dragon with large ears, a narrow snout, and overhanging teeth.

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Birmit @birmit.bsky.social · 11h

Scylla! 🐙
(quick doodle cause I love her)
(where can I join her fan club?)

#hades2

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Only Jerry @dahecksajerry.bsky.social · 15h

Gen 1 Lucario, take 2 - now more off-model than the last one!

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Brainlocki3 @brainlocki3.bsky.social · 21h

bsky.app/profile/brai...
Not really actionable as of yet, but still something to be aware of.

Brainlocki3 @brainlocki3.bsky.social · 1d

4 of the 5 images of the article, with alt text.

Kids package comes together

We’d like to kick off this edition with a little news: The House Energy and Commerce Committee is firming up a package of bills that aim to protect kids online, including a revised version of the controversial Kids Online Safety Act.

This effort, which we learned about from multiple people familiar with the planning, is one we’ve been telling you is a growing possibility since the summer.

The lineup of bills is solidifying, and it could include about a dozen pieces of legislation. A hearing is expected on the bills, followed by a markup.

The timing for the package is in flux given the elephant currently dancing in Washington’s living room: the government shutdown. The House has been out during the funding lapse, and the panel isn’t expected to take the package up until the government reopens.

A package approach could serve as a sweetener for a slimmed-down KOSA, as it would likely address a lot of kids-protection impulses. It could also mark progress in an area lots of lawmakers care about, but where compromise has been hard to come by.

Let’s break it down.

The non-KOSA bits. We’ll get into all the KOSA wrangling below. But first, here’s a look at what might also be included in the package.

One part involves having smartphones check if users are old enough to view certain content. It could pit apps and websites — including powerful players like Meta — against Apple. Free speech and privacy groups also dislike the idea.

Another bill the panel has long liked would extend existing kids’ privacy protections online to some teens.

Then there’s an intriguing possibility we’ve come across: Both Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) have talked about wanting to tackle chatbots. That’s an area with a lot of ideas — and a lot of concern — but not necessarily legislative consensus.

KOSA. The most controversial part of the package will likely be KOSA. Its provisions include a crackdown on design features like infinite scroll and limits on data collection and algorithms for young users.

KOSA has previously also imposed a legal “duty of care” on platforms to mitigate certain harms for kids and teens.

Last year, that provision spurred an intra-Republican split. House leadership killed KOSA over concerns that a duty would result in censorship and be a massive liability for tech firms.

The House GOP lead on KOSA, Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) told us in recent weeks he has designed a new version amid more productive conversations with those same leaders.

The details of the new bill are still being worked out, but when we asked about the duty of care provision opposed by his leadership, Bilirakis said the bill will be “different.” We can take the hint.

House GOP leadership has indicated that watering that language down will be crucial for KOSA to clear the chamber.

Democrats. Pulling back on KOSA creates two problems — and that’s where the idea of the package could come in handy.

The first is Energy and Commerce Democrats who are committed to the duty of care policy. Bilirakis and Guthrie say they want to keep these Democrats on board. That will be difficult.

We’ll let Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Bilirakis’s erstwhile partner on the legislation, explain where she stands:

“I encourage House Republican leadership to spend more time listening to families who fear a watered-down bill from the House, and less time meeting with Big Tech executives who value profits over the best interests of kids.”

We’re not saying bundling KOSA with other bills meant to protect kids and teens online will overcome the objections of Castor, other panel Democrats and many parents’ groups.

A package, though, allows Guthrie to say he’s trying to give Democrats — as well as any quietly wishy-washy Republicans — more than they’re losing.

Senators. The second problem is the Senate, where the version of KOSA with a broad duty of care passed with more than 90 votes last year.

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Emmy @tetrabunz.bsky.social · 1d

"Absolute Cinema" meme in which Martin Scorsese is replaced by a Thwomp and Eyerok posing as its hands. The caption has been changed to "OUGHHGRH UNNGHR"

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Eric Orchard @inkybat.bsky.social · 4d

Dragon.

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Sygnin @sygnin.com · 1d

Day 18 (for real this time) for #repostober

4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse - Pestilence

#darkart

4 horsemen of the apocalypse, Pestilence. Child wearing a mask holding a bow, riding a sickly white horse.rats run on the floor, and a orange sun hangs in the sky

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Brainlocki3 @brainlocki3.bsky.social · 1d

I've seen an article saying that it's with part of a "child safety" package that the House Energy & Commerce Committee is going to voted on when the shutdown stops.
Sadly i only know one article from punchbowl news and a email from FFTF mentioning it.

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megasoups.bsky.social @megasoups.bsky.social · 2d

So uh, I think EU OSA just dropped?

Please call your MEPs

#savespeech #europe #eu

@dieselbrain.bsky.social @fishqueen.bsky.social @acvalens.net @eff.org Also tagging a few of y'all to help spread awareness if you can.

www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/home

www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...

New EU measures needed to make online services safer for minors | News | European Parliament

Enforce Digital Services Act quickly and ban harmful practices such as addictive design and gambling-like game features to protect minors, say MEPs.

www.europarl.europa.eu

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Corinthian @corinthian0.bsky.social · 1d

I don't know that unfortunately. Best we can do is keep pestering our reps, especially ones who are co-sponsoring it.

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Dieselbrain @dieselbrain.bsky.social · 2d

Please contact your senators about KOSA. This bill has amassed a lot of cosponsors.

We can beat this, but we need people to call, email and send letters en mass. Please try to contact your reps as often as you are able to and encourage people you know to join you!

Dieselbrain @dieselbrain.bsky.social · 5d

‪
#SaveSpeech

If you're like me and you are struggling to contact your senators re: KOSA via their phone lines this week, I recommend attempting to send physical letters or emails in the meantime.

Here is a script you can use to contact your reps!

www.commoncause.org/find-your-re...

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [LOCATION]
I'm messaging to demand [SENATOR] oppose S. 1748, the Kids Online Safety Act, also known as KOSA. This broad legislation does not protect anyone and instead will be used to block any speech that the Trump administration’s partisan FTC disagrees with. It pushes the “duty of care” onto websites and social media platforms to remove content that is “harmful to children”. It would lead to overcompliance, mass censorship, and remove access to crucial information re: everything from mental health, LGBT topics, substance abuse, eating disorders and more.
Additionally, while large, corporate platforms like X can shoulder the weight of “duty of care”, smaller websites cannot, leading to greater and greater concentrations of power online into giant corporate platforms rather than small and medium sized businesses.
KOSA will not make kids safer. It will make the internet more dangerous for anyone who relies on it to learn, connect, or speak freely. Lawmakers should reject it, and fast.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
IF SENATOR COSPONSORED KOSA: Additionally, I want to remark on [SENATOR]’s cosponsorship of this bill. I think it is shameful that [SENATOR] has backed a bill as transparently bad as KOSA. This will not keep kids safe, it is an excuse to censor the free and open internet. I will not be voting for nor donating to [SENATOR] in any future campaigns if they do not drop their co-sponsorship of this bill, and I will encourage everyone in my life to do the same.
Do the right thing.

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BlueSeert @seert.bsky.social · 2d

I know what I usually post around here but this is important to me.

For fellow New Yorkers: Chuck Schumer is an original co-sponsor of this bill.

His inbox is also very open and contact info includes offices in 8 NY cities and DC

Make yourself heard.

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dBCoatl @ Screw Censorship! @decibelcoatl.bsky.social · 1d

Hallelujah! This here, is concrete proof that calling and putting pressure on your politicians actually DOES work, even if in the long run!

One call can make all the difference!

Dieselbrain @dieselbrain.bsky.social · 1d

Some good news! Canada's C-2 bill has been blocked!

Theres still other bills we need to pay attention to, but this is fantastic news regardless!

Remember, ongoing pressure WORKS!

Alsp sign the petition below anyway, cuz it never hurts to have more signatures

Tuta @tuta.com · 1d

🎉Biggest #privacy win of the week: Bill C2 was blocked! 💪

Can't believe we missed this, it's a HUGE victory for Canadians - and the whole world. 🔒 🇨🇦

➡️ Learn more on bill #C2: tuta.com/blog/canada-...

📢 You can still sign the petition, the more, the merrier 👏 www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...

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SpiffySmallSound @doublecollusion.bsky.social · 1d

Guys new scamming method on bluesky. Please share this around. Dont fall for this stuff

Block, move on.

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Milkyblood - looking for art job @milkyblood.bsky.social · 1d

currently just feel lazy

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Rob MacWolf, Werewolf Hitchhiker @robmacwolf.thevoice.dog · 1d

Just by chance I found myself standing next to @adamsmith.house.gov at the South King County #NoKings thingy.

And after he gave his speech about "we are refusing to end the shutdown"--which, full support there--he of course went into handshake mode.

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Fivel 🐊 @fivel.bsky.social · Sep 10

(2023)

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Oddertheotter @oddertheotter.bsky.social · 1d

I know we're all hyped on the No Kings rallies, but KOSA is back like a slasher villain that just won't stay dead and we need to keep on this shit. Take ten minutes to harass your representatives.

Dieselbrain @dieselbrain.bsky.social · 26d

#SaveSpeech

Ive updated this infographic with additional bill info, issues, etc

Find your federal and state reps below and make your voices heard!

www.congress.gov/members/find...

www.usa.gov/elected-offi...