Taylor Lorenz

I have a piece out in The Guardian today on how the internet is becoming a fully surveilled digital panopticon and why we need to fight back
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/02/ban-children-social-media-biometic-data-surveilled

I wrote about the House hearing today, how Congress is trying to strip anonymity from the Internet, and the devastating effects that has for journalists, whistleblowers, LGBTQ ppl, immigrants, civil rights activists, abortion providers and anyone challenging power for @theintercept@journa.host https://theintercept.com/2026/03/05/kosa-online-age-verification-free-speech-privacy/

Meta has patented an AI device that tracks your emotions and watches you take your meds. https://www.404media.co/meta-patents-ai-device-that-tracks-your-emotions-watches-you-take-your-meds/

YouTube has more Emmy nominations than Fox, Bravo and AMC

FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, director confirms https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/fbi-is-buying-location-data-to-track-us-citizens-kash-patel-wyden

Having one of those days where I'm so tired and burned out I can't get anything done. Anyone have any suggestions?? I can't do coffee or any stimulants sadly

It was such a massive honor to get to chat with Cindy Cohn, former executive director of the @eff.org about her career taking on big tech and fighting mass surveillance. Please listen, comment, and share!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31OevNiNdcc

Marsha Blackburn is trying to make a deal with Trump rn to effectively censor all LGBTQ content off social media in echange for a state AI law moratorium. Please watch and share!!https://youtu.be/Z5t52s3CjI4?is=Wl4bnzQ0BCXyj16uw

New video out on the crazy things big AI companies are doing to convince women to embrace AI w/ @kattenbarge@newsie.social
https://youtu.be/yf3hkq4WZKM

RE: @tiffanycli@mastodon.social

If there's one piece you read on this make it @mmasnick@mastodon.social's excellent breakdown. I wish I could highlight every word, but setting up a system to circumvent Section 230 is not a good thing https://www.techdirt.com/2026/03/26/everyone-cheering-the-social-media-addiction-verdicts-against-meta-should-understand-what-theyre-actually-cheering-for/

"Technology, such as video games or social media, simply doesn’t influence dopamine receptors the way illicit substances do." https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2025/07/28/addiction_fiction_dopamine_is_not_why_kids_love_tiktok_1124276.html

Love to see people using vibe coding tech to build tools to fight back against the government.

For months, lone vibe coder Rafael Concepcion has obsessively built tools to counter the federal immigration crackdown—pivoting as he’s been outmatched. https://www.wired.com/story/opposing-ice-might-save-the-country-could-also-ruin-your-life/

I wrote about the viral “body count checker” app and surveillance purity culture for Playboy https://www.playboy.com/read/politics/the-body-count-checker-website-is-liveand-its-bullshit

This @drewharwell@mastodon.social story about a man who set up a fake ICE tip line, and the sheer range of people who called in, is gutting https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/02/20/fake-ice-tip-line-viral/

They’re trying to ram through KOSA, a full Section 230 repeal, and a slew of other anti-LGBTQ censorship and surveillance laws under the guise of “cracking down on AI” https://news.bloomberglaw.com/tech-and-telecom-law/national-ai-framework-to-override-state-laws-released-by-senate

Very eager to hear people’s thoughts on this video. I think he explains the issues with the left’s current rhetoric surrounding AI very well https://youtu.be/Z75hlhgchQ4?si=7IeYT_-864BrrpaU

Does anyone know any academics/experts who specialize in U.S. political advertising? Looking to chat with someone ASAP today. DM me or reply if that's you or u know someone!

I wrote about Anthropic, OpenAI, the Pentagon, and the mass surveillance of Americans https://zeteo.com/p/anthropic-pentagon-ai-military-openai

How Democrats Are Embracing Dark Money

Democrats are creating obscure new nonprofits to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars into politics, raising concerns about ethics and transparency. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/us/politics/dark-money-nonprofits-explainer.html

Waymo invasions, WordleTV, Halupedia, ballmaxxing, rogue AI radio, NYC roulette, Clav's List, YouTube whisperers, Elon's top reply guy, another study finds zero benefits from smartphone bans, and MORE in today's newsletter!! https://www.usermag.co/p/ben-shapiros-empire-is-crumbling

The third episode of my Section 230 mini series is out!! @siridahl@mastodon.online joined to chat about FOSTA/SESTA, the devastating effects of “reforming” Section 230, and how chipping away at 230 is absolutely NOT “cracking down on big tech.”
https://youtu.be/dhTHvmoSRAI

Starting my weekly Free Speech Friday livestream talking about the social media addiction trial, the White House app's data privacy nightmare, and more! Please come join in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2II7Lp4hn3Y

Ai;dr, r/lanadelrey drama, total boomer luxury communism, American Girl novels, Benny Blanco livestreamer, Nicki Minaj bot farms, Slxughter, POLITICO's pink slime, a YouTuber's fake ICE tip line, and MORE in today's newsletter. Subscribe now!! https://www.usermag.co/p/why-the-internet-is-broken-fosta-sesta-explained

Going live right now on my YouTube channel for my weekly Free Speech Friday livestream! We're discussing:
- KOSA
- Surveillance laws
- Social media "addiction" lawsuits
- VPN bans
- Section 230 choas
- Diary of a CEO guy going redpilled pro-censorship
- AND MORE! join in!
@TaylorLorenzLivestreams@www.youtube.com

Mr. Beast Islam, Roblox threesoms, the Staples Baddie, Parisian slop bowls, phone away from phone, AI pervert glasses, TX primary influencer wars, prediction markets' billionaire founders feud, and MORE in today's newsletter.

If you want to support my work, please buy a paid subscription! https://www.usermag.co/p/how-epstein-warped-the-entire-internet

The clout apocalypse, YouTube face, Meghan and Harry’s Netflix fallout, MOG World Order, CEO moats, sync music, the debate over influencers on the red carpet, secret billionaire typing patterns, and more!! Subscribe to my newsletter to support my work 👇🏻 https://www.usermag.co/p/burned-out-doesnt-begin-to-describe

Boy kibble, cyberdecks, Bierberchella, AI Michael Jackson babies, peptides overtake pickleball, dating app whimsey, deep runs, an AI storefront, YouTubers vs Apple, Claude Code whips and fairy wands, and MORE in this weekend's newsletter. Subscribe to support my work!!! https://www.usermag.co/p/skibidi-toilet-fans-are-melting-down

Walgreens is rolling out body cameras for their employees https://nypost.com/2026/03/05/us-news/walgreens-workers-will-wear-bodycams-in-some-nyc-stores-but-shoppers-dont-want-to-be-pharma-seen/

I'm live on YouTube for my weekly Free Speech Friday livestream discussing Trump's AI plan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's insane UN post, AI spy towers, and more. Please come join! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujwQ9ljtSsE

Yapper ads, the Most Evil Gay Guy, pop culture OpenClaw, Gucci runway texts, Jim Carry conspiracies, #sendBaron, Zuck's $170M mansion, Opensource Palantir, how the AIs kill, and MORE in today's newsletter. https://www.usermag.co/p/situation-monitoring-products-are