Mike Stabile
@mikestabile.bsky.social
First Amendment rodeo clown. Policy Director at Free Speech Coalition, co-founder SWR Data, among other things. Personal account, all outrage / nonsense here is my own.
“And finally, the assault on Section 230. This is the endgame for independent speech.
If you repeal 230, you don’t hurt Google or Meta—they have the lawyers to survive. You destroy the small forums, the independent blogs, the dissenters. You make the cost of speaking the truth too high to bear.”
If you repeal 230, you don’t hurt Google or Meta—they have the lawyers to survive. You destroy the small forums, the independent blogs, the dissenters. You make the cost of speaking the truth too high to bear.”
There’s a specific mechanism in authoritarian movements that we’re seeing play out in real-time across American media and tech. It’s a simple rule: "If we cannot co-opt it, we must destroy it."
It is the logic of "scorched earth." It's the logic of the Nero Decree and it's happening right now. 🧵
It is the logic of "scorched earth." It's the logic of the Nero Decree and it's happening right now. 🧵
December 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
“And finally, the assault on Section 230. This is the endgame for independent speech.
If you repeal 230, you don’t hurt Google or Meta—they have the lawyers to survive. You destroy the small forums, the independent blogs, the dissenters. You make the cost of speaking the truth too high to bear.”
If you repeal 230, you don’t hurt Google or Meta—they have the lawyers to survive. You destroy the small forums, the independent blogs, the dissenters. You make the cost of speaking the truth too high to bear.”
Reposted by Mike Stabile
TIL the original lyrics to Deck the Halls are awesome and “don we now our gay apparel” is temperance movement bullshit
December 13, 2025 at 10:44 PM
TIL the original lyrics to Deck the Halls are awesome and “don we now our gay apparel” is temperance movement bullshit
Guys you can't ban VPN for kids without ALSO severely restricting the ability of adults to use VPNs without surveillance.
If this were proposed in Saudi Arabia or Myanmar or Hungary or Belarus, the British government would rightly call this what it is: a mandate for censorship.
If this were proposed in Saudi Arabia or Myanmar or Hungary or Belarus, the British government would rightly call this what it is: a mandate for censorship.
UK Lords propose ban on VPNs for children
Amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill would force VPN providers to age-gate their services
www.techradar.com
December 13, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Guys you can't ban VPN for kids without ALSO severely restricting the ability of adults to use VPNs without surveillance.
If this were proposed in Saudi Arabia or Myanmar or Hungary or Belarus, the British government would rightly call this what it is: a mandate for censorship.
If this were proposed in Saudi Arabia or Myanmar or Hungary or Belarus, the British government would rightly call this what it is: a mandate for censorship.
The link between sexual repression and militarism is becoming clearer by the day.
Galloway blames OnlyFans for loneliness, depression, small business closures, extremism, tyranny and *checks notes* impending societal extinction.
His solution? Mandatory national service.
Galloway blames OnlyFans for loneliness, depression, small business closures, extremism, tyranny and *checks notes* impending societal extinction.
His solution? Mandatory national service.
Scott Galloway: OnlyFans is the billion-dollar symptom of a loneliness pandemic
The most unstable, violent societies have one thing in common: lonely young men. We are producing millions of them, writes Scott Galloway
www.standard.co.uk
December 13, 2025 at 8:45 PM
The link between sexual repression and militarism is becoming clearer by the day.
Galloway blames OnlyFans for loneliness, depression, small business closures, extremism, tyranny and *checks notes* impending societal extinction.
His solution? Mandatory national service.
Galloway blames OnlyFans for loneliness, depression, small business closures, extremism, tyranny and *checks notes* impending societal extinction.
His solution? Mandatory national service.
Australia's new social media ban severely restricts teens ability to access political discussion says Reddit in a new lawsuit.
The law could severely limit teens access to political thought outside official channels and have significant impacts on political engagement.
The law could severely limit teens access to political thought outside official channels and have significant impacts on political engagement.
Reddit Sues Australia Over Teen Social Media Ban as Other Nations Consider Similar Laws
The company says the law violates teens’ political speech rights as other countries consider similar restrictions.
gizmodo.com
December 13, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Australia's new social media ban severely restricts teens ability to access political discussion says Reddit in a new lawsuit.
The law could severely limit teens access to political thought outside official channels and have significant impacts on political engagement.
The law could severely limit teens access to political thought outside official channels and have significant impacts on political engagement.
Reposted by Mike Stabile
So, an agency that wants to run ads for gambling funded Australia’s (terrible, misguided, authoritarian) campaign to ban teens from social media because now the government is abandoning a plan to ban gambling ads citing the age verification law as a rationale www.crikey.com.au/2025/12/12/p...
Teen social media ban lobby group 36 Months funded and co-staffed by firm making gambling ads
The revelation comes as the government is expected to abandon plans for an online gambling ad ban, using the teen social media ban as cover.
www.crikey.com.au
December 12, 2025 at 9:16 PM
So, an agency that wants to run ads for gambling funded Australia’s (terrible, misguided, authoritarian) campaign to ban teens from social media because now the government is abandoning a plan to ban gambling ads citing the age verification law as a rationale www.crikey.com.au/2025/12/12/p...
The Case for #YesFap
Nick Fuentes, 27, and Piers Morgan, 60, are still sparring about virginity.
Virgin Podcaster Loses It After Being Told to ‘Get Laid’
Nick Fuentes, 27, and Piers Morgan, 60, are still sparring about virginity.
trib.al
December 11, 2025 at 10:36 PM
The Case for #YesFap
“A flogger with multiple soft leather tails that create a gentle and rhythmic sensation,” according to the toy bunny. “Kink allows people to discover and engage in diverse experiences that bring them joy and fulfillment”
New! We worked with the Public Interest Research Group to test a bunch of LLM-driven toys ahead of the Christmas. That sexual talking teddy bear wasn't a one-off; it turns out disturbing behavior is deeply built into these toys across the board.
AI toys for kids talk about sex and issue Chinese Communist Party talking points, tests show
New research from Public Interest Research Group and tests conducted by NBC News found that a wide range of AI toys have loose guardrails.
www.nbcnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:00 PM
“A flogger with multiple soft leather tails that create a gentle and rhythmic sensation,” according to the toy bunny. “Kink allows people to discover and engage in diverse experiences that bring them joy and fulfillment”
Reposted by Mike Stabile
Today, members of the House will vote on a dangerous bill that will expand government censorship under the guise of protecting youth online.
Tell your representative to protect the First Amendment and vote NO.
Tell your representative to protect the First Amendment and vote NO.
Censorship Does Not Keep Kids Safe
KOSA is an alarming bill that would enable censorship and violate young people’s First Amendment right to freely access information. We must call on Congress to act now and protect free speech online.
action.aclu.org
December 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Today, members of the House will vote on a dangerous bill that will expand government censorship under the guise of protecting youth online.
Tell your representative to protect the First Amendment and vote NO.
Tell your representative to protect the First Amendment and vote NO.
Periodic reminder that "porn" doesn't equal the porn industry. Scammers and hackers all use sexually explicit material, usually stolen, as a means of getting clicks and stealing information.
Porn is being injected into dozens of government websites across the country using malicious PDFs. A separate attack is hijacking govt websites to redirect to penis enlargement scams and animal vagina masturbators. Cool stuff:
www.404media.co/porn-is-bein...
www.404media.co/porn-is-bein...
Porn Is Being Injected Into Government Websites Via Malicious PDFs
Dozens of government websites have fallen victim to a PDF-based SEO scam, while others have been hijacked to sell sex toys.
www.404media.co
December 11, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Periodic reminder that "porn" doesn't equal the porn industry. Scammers and hackers all use sexually explicit material, usually stolen, as a means of getting clicks and stealing information.
Bluesky now requires age-verification in Mississippi, even though X does not.
So Mississippians can still access X anonymously, but htey have to submit paperwork to read Bluesky. Guess which site doesn't think they'll get prosecuted in Mississippi.
Asymmetrical enforcement threats are censorship.
So Mississippians can still access X anonymously, but htey have to submit paperwork to read Bluesky. Guess which site doesn't think they'll get prosecuted in Mississippi.
Asymmetrical enforcement threats are censorship.
Bluesky Is Back for Mississippi Adults, But Social Giants Still Lack Required Age Checks
Months after Bluesky blocked access to Mississippi, Bluesky is available in the state once again with age verification for adults.
www.mississippifreepress.org
December 11, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Bluesky now requires age-verification in Mississippi, even though X does not.
So Mississippians can still access X anonymously, but htey have to submit paperwork to read Bluesky. Guess which site doesn't think they'll get prosecuted in Mississippi.
Asymmetrical enforcement threats are censorship.
So Mississippians can still access X anonymously, but htey have to submit paperwork to read Bluesky. Guess which site doesn't think they'll get prosecuted in Mississippi.
Asymmetrical enforcement threats are censorship.
Politicians always imagine it's easy to censor "bad" or "extreme" sexual expression — only to find any definition illusive.
So laws get written incredibly broadly to compensate, and what's "bad" becomes what's "bad" in the subjective eyes of a bureaucrat ... or bank.
Guess who gets screwed.
So laws get written incredibly broadly to compensate, and what's "bad" becomes what's "bad" in the subjective eyes of a bureaucrat ... or bank.
Guess who gets screwed.
Porn review boss urges further crackdown on extreme content
The government has moved to ban online pornography showing women being choked
uk.news.yahoo.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Politicians always imagine it's easy to censor "bad" or "extreme" sexual expression — only to find any definition illusive.
So laws get written incredibly broadly to compensate, and what's "bad" becomes what's "bad" in the subjective eyes of a bureaucrat ... or bank.
Guess who gets screwed.
So laws get written incredibly broadly to compensate, and what's "bad" becomes what's "bad" in the subjective eyes of a bureaucrat ... or bank.
Guess who gets screwed.
Remember the Congressional hearing last week on 19 Bills to Censor the Internet?
Welp, they're back. Legislators say tomorrow they'll begin the mark-up proposal and try to push them out of committee.
Call your legislator now: badinternetbills.com
Welp, they're back. Legislators say tomorrow they'll begin the mark-up proposal and try to push them out of committee.
Call your legislator now: badinternetbills.com
December 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Remember the Congressional hearing last week on 19 Bills to Censor the Internet?
Welp, they're back. Legislators say tomorrow they'll begin the mark-up proposal and try to push them out of committee.
Call your legislator now: badinternetbills.com
Welp, they're back. Legislators say tomorrow they'll begin the mark-up proposal and try to push them out of committee.
Call your legislator now: badinternetbills.com
Reposted by Mike Stabile
Over the past few years, FSC raised alarms in Washington about debanking of our industry. Thousands of you joined us to file complaints.
Finally, a new government report has affirmed it: major banks wrongly discriminated against adult businesses.
Our work is paying off. Now, we fight for a fix.
Finally, a new government report has affirmed it: major banks wrongly discriminated against adult businesses.
Our work is paying off. Now, we fight for a fix.
OCC Releases Preliminary Findings from Its Review of Large Banks’ Debanking Activities
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today released preliminary findings from its supervisory review of debanking activities at the nine largest national banks it supervises: JPMorgan C...
www.occ.gov
December 10, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Over the past few years, FSC raised alarms in Washington about debanking of our industry. Thousands of you joined us to file complaints.
Finally, a new government report has affirmed it: major banks wrongly discriminated against adult businesses.
Our work is paying off. Now, we fight for a fix.
Finally, a new government report has affirmed it: major banks wrongly discriminated against adult businesses.
Our work is paying off. Now, we fight for a fix.
Reposted by Mike Stabile
Making it illegal to pay for sex is “the height of bourgeois hypocrisy” says… an MP from France’s far-right party?! Jean-Philippe Tanguy, of National Rally, said he’s prepping a bill, with Marine Le Pen’s support, to bring back legal brothels as sex-worker run cooperatives reason.com/2025/12/10/f...
French far-right politicians want to reopen brothels as sex-worker cooperatives
The current system, in which paying for sex is illegal, doesn't work, said Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a National Assembly member.
reason.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Making it illegal to pay for sex is “the height of bourgeois hypocrisy” says… an MP from France’s far-right party?! Jean-Philippe Tanguy, of National Rally, said he’s prepping a bill, with Marine Le Pen’s support, to bring back legal brothels as sex-worker run cooperatives reason.com/2025/12/10/f...
Reposted by Mike Stabile
“Gooning is the perfect fetish for our sex-and-tech obsessed culture,” says Clips4Sale spokesperson Avery Martin. “It’s an embrace of radical pleasure at a time of reactionary sexual politics."
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/sex/a69684371/gooning-fetish-of-the-year-2026/
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/sex/a69684371/gooning-fetish-of-the-year-2026/
‘There’s something quite brotherly about straight men sharing porn’: The inevitable rise of gooning in 2025
Masturbating for hours on end until you reach a meditative, trance-like state? It’s the official Fetish of the Year, baby
www.cosmopolitan.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:59 PM
“Gooning is the perfect fetish for our sex-and-tech obsessed culture,” says Clips4Sale spokesperson Avery Martin. “It’s an embrace of radical pleasure at a time of reactionary sexual politics."
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/sex/a69684371/gooning-fetish-of-the-year-2026/
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/sex/a69684371/gooning-fetish-of-the-year-2026/
The phrase I fear most when talking with legislators is "I'm about as close to a free speech absolutist as there is" because it's inevitably followed by a "but ..."
That "but" contains multitudes, as they list off all the things they don't like and don't think warrant protection.
That "but" contains multitudes, as they list off all the things they don't like and don't think warrant protection.
"Elon’s entire incoherent free speech framework collapses into a single coherent principle: speech I like is protected, speech I don’t like should be punished.
This is what happens when someone who never understood the actual principles of free speech tries to cosplay as a free speech absolutist."
This is what happens when someone who never understood the actual principles of free speech tries to cosplay as a free speech absolutist."
Three Tweets That Capture The Entire Elon Musk Free Speech Con
We’ve spent years calling out what a hypocrite Elon Musk is on free speech. But sometimes the universe Elon hands you a gift: three tweets in the span of a little over a week that demonstrate…
www.techdirt.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The phrase I fear most when talking with legislators is "I'm about as close to a free speech absolutist as there is" because it's inevitably followed by a "but ..."
That "but" contains multitudes, as they list off all the things they don't like and don't think warrant protection.
That "but" contains multitudes, as they list off all the things they don't like and don't think warrant protection.
Reposted by Mike Stabile
the degree to which trans people are expendable for a huge bulk of the Democratic party and aligned civil society is truly so demoralizing.
like, i've got no snark or jokes i'm just profoundly sad that so many powerful people who are supposedly progressive are so eager to throw us to the wolves
like, i've got no snark or jokes i'm just profoundly sad that so many powerful people who are supposedly progressive are so eager to throw us to the wolves
December 9, 2025 at 11:20 PM
the degree to which trans people are expendable for a huge bulk of the Democratic party and aligned civil society is truly so demoralizing.
like, i've got no snark or jokes i'm just profoundly sad that so many powerful people who are supposedly progressive are so eager to throw us to the wolves
like, i've got no snark or jokes i'm just profoundly sad that so many powerful people who are supposedly progressive are so eager to throw us to the wolves
Reposted by Mike Stabile
Tatas for Toys benefit has made it rain $183,000 over the past 14 years.
Strippers Are Now No. 1 Donor of Toys to Children’s Hospital
Rachel Saslow
www.wweek.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Tatas for Toys benefit has made it rain $183,000 over the past 14 years.
Musk: Calling someone a Nazi should be illegal.
Also Musk: The European Union are Nazis
Also Also Musk: You can tell who the Nazis are because they try to censor you.
Set to the tune of "I'm My Own Grandpa"
Also Musk: The European Union are Nazis
Also Also Musk: You can tell who the Nazis are because they try to censor you.
Set to the tune of "I'm My Own Grandpa"
Broke down three separate tweets from Elon Musk showing that his conception of "free speech" is incoherent beyond "I can say what I want, you must shut up."
Three Tweets That Capture The Entire Elon Musk Free Speech Con
We've spent years calling out what a hypocrite Elon Musk is on free speech. But sometimes the universe Elon hands you a gift: three tweets in the span of a little over a week that demonstrate the entire con more clearly than any deep…
We've spent years calling out what a hypocrite Elon Musk is on free speech. But sometimes the universe Elon hands you a gift: three tweets in the span of a little over a week that demonstrate the entire con more clearly than any deep…
December 9, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Musk: Calling someone a Nazi should be illegal.
Also Musk: The European Union are Nazis
Also Also Musk: You can tell who the Nazis are because they try to censor you.
Set to the tune of "I'm My Own Grandpa"
Also Musk: The European Union are Nazis
Also Also Musk: You can tell who the Nazis are because they try to censor you.
Set to the tune of "I'm My Own Grandpa"
"Elon’s entire incoherent free speech framework collapses into a single coherent principle: speech I like is protected, speech I don’t like should be punished.
This is what happens when someone who never understood the actual principles of free speech tries to cosplay as a free speech absolutist."
This is what happens when someone who never understood the actual principles of free speech tries to cosplay as a free speech absolutist."
Three Tweets That Capture The Entire Elon Musk Free Speech Con
We’ve spent years calling out what a hypocrite Elon Musk is on free speech. But sometimes the universe Elon hands you a gift: three tweets in the span of a little over a week that demonstrate…
www.techdirt.com
December 9, 2025 at 9:41 PM
"Elon’s entire incoherent free speech framework collapses into a single coherent principle: speech I like is protected, speech I don’t like should be punished.
This is what happens when someone who never understood the actual principles of free speech tries to cosplay as a free speech absolutist."
This is what happens when someone who never understood the actual principles of free speech tries to cosplay as a free speech absolutist."
Oklahoma: LGBTQ+ books are pornography and need to be banned from libraries
Also Oklahoma: Sixth-graders need a detailed 15 point lesson plan about sex trafficking, including lessons in grooming, sexual exploitation, prostitution, pornography.
Also Oklahoma: Sixth-graders need a detailed 15 point lesson plan about sex trafficking, including lessons in grooming, sexual exploitation, prostitution, pornography.
December 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Oklahoma: LGBTQ+ books are pornography and need to be banned from libraries
Also Oklahoma: Sixth-graders need a detailed 15 point lesson plan about sex trafficking, including lessons in grooming, sexual exploitation, prostitution, pornography.
Also Oklahoma: Sixth-graders need a detailed 15 point lesson plan about sex trafficking, including lessons in grooming, sexual exploitation, prostitution, pornography.
The moral panic around "gooning" is just the latest manifestation of our anxiety around sex and technology. And older, more potent anxiety about masturbation.
Somehow, people investing in pleasure has become one of the great symbols of societal decline.
Somehow, people investing in pleasure has become one of the great symbols of societal decline.
Clips4Sale names 'gooning' as fetish of the year
Chastity has been dethroned.
mashable.com
December 9, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The moral panic around "gooning" is just the latest manifestation of our anxiety around sex and technology. And older, more potent anxiety about masturbation.
Somehow, people investing in pleasure has become one of the great symbols of societal decline.
Somehow, people investing in pleasure has become one of the great symbols of societal decline.
Sen. Josh Hawley praises Missouri's new antiporn regulations.
In addition to not being true, none of his screed has much to do with protecting kids. The only way to read it is as a pretext for widespread censorship, including criminalizing adult websites and production.
www.kq2.com/news/united-...
In addition to not being true, none of his screed has much to do with protecting kids. The only way to read it is as a pretext for widespread censorship, including criminalizing adult websites and production.
www.kq2.com/news/united-...
December 9, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Sen. Josh Hawley praises Missouri's new antiporn regulations.
In addition to not being true, none of his screed has much to do with protecting kids. The only way to read it is as a pretext for widespread censorship, including criminalizing adult websites and production.
www.kq2.com/news/united-...
In addition to not being true, none of his screed has much to do with protecting kids. The only way to read it is as a pretext for widespread censorship, including criminalizing adult websites and production.
www.kq2.com/news/united-...