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.
264 posts
Texas Sues Pornhub, Claiming It’s Ignoring Age Verification Law
pornhub

Texas Sues Pornhub, Claiming It’s Ignoring Age Verification Law

Attorney General Ken Paxton said he "looks forward" to preventing minors from seeing "harmful, obscene material" on the internet.
Romance Authors Riled by 'From Meet-Bot to AI-Do' Writing Workshop
AI

Romance Authors Riled by 'From Meet-Bot to AI-Do' Writing Workshop

A chapter of the Romance Writers of America organization planned a program called “From Meet-Bot to AI-Do: Crafting Romances in the Realm of AI," but it's since been scrubbed from the site after backlash from authors.
Behind the Blog: VICE’s Legacy and the Idea That ‘The Internet Is Forever’
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: VICE’s Legacy and the Idea That ‘The Internet Is Forever’

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 reflect on VICE's legacy, archiving, and whether the internet is really forever.
Do Spencer’s Vibrators Have Malware on Them? An Investigation
Security

Do Spencer’s Vibrators Have Malware on Them? An Investigation

We tested the vibrator that a Spencer's customer claims almost gave their computer malware.
Behind the Blog: Personality Tests, First Jobs, and ‘Profitability’
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Personality Tests, First Jobs, and ‘Profitability’

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 talk about our first jobs, personality tests, and what it means to be "profitable."
Leaked Emails Show Hugo Awards Self-Censoring to Appease China
China

Leaked Emails Show Hugo Awards Self-Censoring to Appease China

“...if the work focuses on China, taiwan, tibet, or other topics that may be an issue *in* China...that needs to be highlighted so that we can determine if it is safe to put it on the ballot," one email said.
Woman Sues Sex Toy Retailer Adam and Eve, Claims It Shared Data About Her Dildos
lawsuits

Woman Sues Sex Toy Retailer Adam and Eve, Claims It Shared Data About Her Dildos

Sex toy retailer Adam and Eve is being accused of violating an invasion of privacy law, with its accuser claiming that it told Google she was looking at listings for “Kingcock Strap-on Harness With 8-Inch Dildo” and showed that she added a “Pink Jelly Slim Dildo” to her cart.
Behind the Blog: Not Safe for Whose Work?
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Not Safe for Whose Work?

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 talk about looking at NSFW stuff in offices and Indonesian cafes and adding KYC to your KYC.
Stripe Cuts Off Platform Used by Dominatrixes
payment processors

Stripe Cuts Off Platform Used by Dominatrixes

Stripe gets even more anti-sex by kicking off wishlist platform Wishtender, while AI porn sites, which are also against the payment processor's rules, are still using it.
‘DignifAI:’ 4chan Is Editing Pictures to Clothe Women
AI

‘DignifAI:’ 4chan Is Editing Pictures to Clothe Women

The inverse of "nudifying" apps, people are putting clothing on women they deem "undignified."
Behind the Blog: Social Media's ‘IDGAF Era’ and Weather Clout Chasers
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Social Media's ‘IDGAF Era’ and Weather Clout Chasers

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 social media companies being in their “IDGAF Era" and a viral thread about California's ARkStorm.
The Taylor Swift Deepfakes Disaster Threatens to Change the Internet As We Know It
AI

The Taylor Swift Deepfakes Disaster Threatens to Change the Internet As We Know It

Deepfakes and AI-generated nonconsensual sexual imagery have been a problem for a long time. But with the resurgence of attention on them, we're facing a reckoning.