From Clippy to Control: The Politics of a Changing Internet

There is a certain irony in the fact that one of the most recognizable symbols of online protest in 2025 is a cartoon paperclip from the late 1990s. Clippy, Microsoft’s awkward but well-meaning virtual assistant, has been resurrected by Louis Rossmann, an electronics repair advocate who has spent years fighting corporate overreach in the technologyContinue reading “From Clippy to Control: The Politics of a Changing Internet”

Algorithmic Gatekeepers: YouTube’s AI Age Detection Sparks New Privacy and Policy Questions

In a move that has both parents and privacy advocates watching closely, YouTube announced on July 30, 2025, that it will begin using artificial intelligence to estimate whether a user is 18 or older in the United States. This shift arrives as legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Online Safety ActContinue reading “Algorithmic Gatekeepers: YouTube’s AI Age Detection Sparks New Privacy and Policy Questions”

When Creators Meet Congress: Why We Should Be Cautious About the MatPat Caucus and KOSA

In June 2025, digital creator and former Game Theorist MatPat (Matthew Patrick) and his wife Stephanie made headlines by helping to launch the Congressional Creators Caucus — a bipartisan group aimed at bridging the gap between lawmakers and the growing creator economy. On the surface, this seems like a good thing. After all, creators faceContinue reading “When Creators Meet Congress: Why We Should Be Cautious About the MatPat Caucus and KOSA”