Samantha Cole

Samantha Cole

Sam Cole is writing from the far reaches of the internet, about sexuality, the adult industry, online culture, and AI. She's the author of How Sex Changed the Internet and the Internet Changed Sex.
508 posts
In the UK, Face Sitting Porn Might Land You in Jail
porn

In the UK, Face Sitting Porn Might Land You in Jail

The Crime and Policing Act, which goes into force on November 6, criminalizes possessing or publishing strangulation or suffocation porn, as well as some types of "close familial relatives" roleplay.
Vibe Coded AO3 Clone Site Down After Fanfic Authors Buried It With 2,000 Takedown Notices in a Single Day
ao3

Vibe Coded AO3 Clone Site Down After Fanfic Authors Buried It With 2,000 Takedown Notices in a Single Day

ao3.life was scraping and repackaging fanfiction’ works and turning them into audiobooks for sale without the original authors’ permission.
Reaping and sowing, CEO edition
Newsletters

Reaping and sowing, CEO edition

Also: Consider the Apple slop, Texas data center troubles, and more from 404 Media around the web.
‘Wake Up Call:’ Fanfiction Writers and Readers React to AO3 Outage
ao3

‘Wake Up Call:’ Fanfiction Writers and Readers React to AO3 Outage

Writer and readers share what they're feeling and doing in the aftermath of the AO3 outage. It's anything but Wattpad.
Behind the Blog: Tech Support
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Tech Support

This week, we discuss customer service and Proton fallout.
Massive Fanfic Site Archive of Our Own Says It’s Going Down for 'Up to 4 Weeks'
ao3

Massive Fanfic Site Archive of Our Own Says It’s Going Down for 'Up to 4 Weeks'

Oh my god? 
Senators Demand Meta Answer for 'Pervert Glasses' Following 404 Media Investigation
Impact

Senators Demand Meta Answer for 'Pervert Glasses' Following 404 Media Investigation

"Meta’s smart glasses have increasingly been implicated in disturbing invasions of users’ and bystanders’ privacy," a letter sent to Meta from Ron Wyden and Edward Markey says.
If You're In the UK or EU, Here's How to Object to Meta's AI Training
Meta

If You're In the UK or EU, Here's How to Object to Meta's AI Training

In light of Meta's new terms that will allow it to scrape users' data for AI, people in the EU and UK have the option to "object" to certain uses of their information, for now.
It's not the bots, Flock

It's not the bots, Flock

'Crackgate,' catty patties, and more in today's newsletter.
Marissa Mayer Can’t Keep Pretending 'Gender Doesn't Matter'
technology

Marissa Mayer Can’t Keep Pretending 'Gender Doesn't Matter'

The former CEO of Yahoo! and current founder of a chatbot app is going viral for using AI to list things she loves about her daughter. But what she has to say about women in tech in 2026 is worth talking about.
iPhone Duo Users Are Already Seeing a Big Old Crease in the Middle of Their $2,000 Foldable iPhone
Apple

iPhone Duo Users Are Already Seeing a Big Old Crease in the Middle of Their $2,000 Foldable iPhone

"Crackgate" has come for Apple's new folding phone.
Behind the Blog: Brute Forces
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Brute Forces

This week, we discuss reverse engineering and some wild court docs.