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.
399 posts
ChatGPT Encouraged Suicidal Teen Not To Seek Help, Lawsuit Claims
ChatGPT

ChatGPT Encouraged Suicidal Teen Not To Seek Help, Lawsuit Claims

As reported by the New York Times, a new complaint from the parents of a teen who died by suicide outlines the conversations he had with the chatbot in the months leading up to his death.
Attorneys General To AI Chatbot Companies: You Will ‘Answer For It’ If You Harm Children
chatbots

Attorneys General To AI Chatbot Companies: You Will ‘Answer For It’ If You Harm Children

Forty-four attorneys general signed an open letter on Monday that says to companies developing AI chatbots: "If you knowingly harm kids, you will answer for it.”
404 Media at Two Years: How We've Grown, and What's Next
404 Media

404 Media at Two Years: How We've Grown, and What's Next

We're reflecting on the impact our journalism had in year two, how we've grown with your support, and what we aspire to accomplish in year three.
Behind the Blog: Our Second Anniversary Party!
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Our Second Anniversary Party!

This week, we have some party pics and musical selections from last night.
Behind the Blog: Exercises in OSINT and Storage Pains
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Exercises in OSINT and Storage Pains

This week, we discuss OSINT for chat groups, Russell Crowe films, and storage problems.
Wyoming and South Dakota Age Verification Laws Could Include Huge Parts of the Internet
age verification

Wyoming and South Dakota Age Verification Laws Could Include Huge Parts of the Internet

By omitting the "one-third" provision that most other states with age verification laws have adopted, Wyoming and South Dakota are placing the burden of verifying users' ages on all sorts of websites, far beyond porn.
You're Invited: 404 Media's Second Anniversary Party and LIVE PODCAST!
party

You're Invited: 404 Media's Second Anniversary Party and LIVE PODCAST!

Come celebrate with us and catch a LIVE recording of the 404 Media podcast.
Behind the Blog: Speculation, Distraction, and Smart Glasses
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Speculation, Distraction, and Smart Glasses

This week, we discuss Wikipedia's ethos and zooming in on a lot of pictures of cops' glasses.
Constitution Sections on Due Process and Foreign Gifts Just Vanished from Congress' Website
archiving

Constitution Sections on Due Process and Foreign Gifts Just Vanished from Congress' Website

Part of Article I Section 8, and all of Sections 9 and 10, which address things like habeas corpus, nobility, and militias, are gone from Congress's website for the Constitution.
Watch This Guy’s Interactive Wooden Pixel Machine Make Art in Real Time
art

Watch This Guy’s Interactive Wooden Pixel Machine Make Art in Real Time

Kilopixel by Ben Holmen turns a CNC machine and a thousand wooden blocks into pixel art.
Florida Sues Huge Porn Sites Including XVideos and Bang Bros Over Age Verification Law
age verification

Florida Sues Huge Porn Sites Including XVideos and Bang Bros Over Age Verification Law

The lawsuit alleges XVideos, Bang Bros, XNXX, Girls Gone Wild and TrafficFactory are in violation of Florida's law that requires adult platforms to verify visitors are over 18.
The Anti-Porn Crusade That Censored Steam and Itch.io Started 30 Years Ago
Steam

The Anti-Porn Crusade That Censored Steam and Itch.io Started 30 Years Ago

Keywords and tags have never been a useful metric for distilling nuance. Pushing for regulations based on them is repeating a 30-year history of porn panic online.