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.
262 posts
Age Verification Laws Drag Us Back to the Dark Ages of the Internet
age verification

Age Verification Laws Drag Us Back to the Dark Ages of the Internet

Invasive and ineffective age verification laws that require users show government-issued ID, like a driver's license or passport, are passing like wildfire across the U.S.
Behind the Blog: Coffee in Keyboards and Venture Capitalists
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Coffee in Keyboards and Venture Capitalists

This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss coffee in keyboards, OSINT and cybersecurity tools, and what venture capitalists will be left with once they've bought up all the good websites.
Texas Sues xHamster and Chaturbate

Texas Sues xHamster and Chaturbate

Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the porn sites after having also sued Pornhub, complaining that the sites are not complying with Texas' age verification law.
Green Bubble Vindication: DOJ Antitrust Lawsuit Says Apple Is Causing Android Users 'Social Stigma'
Apple

Green Bubble Vindication: DOJ Antitrust Lawsuit Says Apple Is Causing Android Users 'Social Stigma'

"This social pressure reinforces switching costs and drives users to continue buying iPhones—solidifying Apple’s smartphone dominance not because Apple has made its smartphone better, but because it has made communicating with other smartphones worse."
The FBI Charged a Man With Cyberstalking Nude Erotic Wrestlers
stalking

The FBI Charged a Man With Cyberstalking Nude Erotic Wrestlers

A man allegedly called one victim over 500 times from dozens of phone numbers, and sent messages saying "I’m going to keep harassing you until the day I die.”
Girls Do Porn Ringleader Pleads Not Guilty
girls do porn

Girls Do Porn Ringleader Pleads Not Guilty

Michael Pratt pleaded not guilty to 19 felony counts as his partner was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Gumroad Celebrates Sales Spike While Adult Creators Panic
stripe

Gumroad Celebrates Sales Spike While Adult Creators Panic

Gumroad has banned anything that can be "understood as being primarily for sexual purposes," and while it bragged about a revenue spike, adult creators hustled to add flash sales to their shops.
Behind the Blog: TikTok Ban and Pornhub Blocks
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: TikTok Ban and Pornhub Blocks

This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss iterative journalism, security through obscurity, Pornhub abandoning Texas and the TikTok ban.
Pornhub Pulls Out of Texas
pornhub

Pornhub Pulls Out of Texas

All of the sites in Aylo's network, including Pornhub, YouPorn, and Brazzers, are blocked in Texas, their homepages replaced with a message about the company's rejection of age verification laws.
I Tried a Bot That Swipes Tinder For Me
tinder

I Tried a Bot That Swipes Tinder For Me

BaddieFinder is based on one man's idea of hot women. So I gave it a test run through my own Tinder account.
The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Pornhub
pornhub

The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Pornhub

In a new series by CBC Podcasts, hosted by 404 Media's Sam Cole, former employees, performers, and the new owners themselves speak out about Pornhub's influence on the industry and beyond.
Amazon Tells Warehouse Workers to Close Their Eyes and Think Happy Thoughts
Amazon

Amazon Tells Warehouse Workers to Close Their Eyes and Think Happy Thoughts

"Close your eyes and think about something that makes you happy," the screen, titled "Savoring," instructs Amazon fulfillment center workers.