Eric Null
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nullset.bsky.social
Eric Null
@nullset.bsky.social
1.2K followers 350 following 370 posts
Public policy (tech/privacy) by day, everything else by night

Co-Director Privacy & Data Program, Center for Democracy & Technology, @cendemtech.bsky.social.

Views expressed here are mine: hastily adopted, uninformed, and deeply held.

He/him!
Posts Replies Media Videos
nullset.bsky.social
In which a law firm lawyer cites _only himself_ in witness testimony in front of the House Education/Workforce committee. #ArtificialIntelligence #AI

republicans-edlabor.house.gov/UploadedFile...
February 4, 2026 at 7:24 PM
nullset.bsky.social
Joseph Gordon-Levitt could be fighting #BigTech by pushing for comprehensive #privacy legislation that actually limits their influence/power over us. Instead, he wants to repeal #Section230, which will only embolden the very companies he supposedly hates.

thehill.com/blogs/in-the...
Joseph Gordon-Levitt to advocate for Section 230 reform at Capitol on Wednesday
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is taking on Big Tech with a trip to the Capitol to call for reforms to a law that shields companies from lawsuits over user-generated content.  The “500 Days of Summer&#…
thehill.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:48 PM
nullset.bsky.social
had to laugh a little at this. my goodness.
scalzi.com John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 6d
I DON'T LOOK LIKE THIS WHY THE FUCK WOULD ANY ACTUAL COMMERCIAL SITE MAKE AN "AI" PICTURE OF ME WHEN THERE ARE DOZENS OF PICTURES OF ME AVAILABLE ON STOCK ART SITES AND EVEN SOME GODDAMN CREATIVE COMMON PICTURES FOR FUCK'S SAKE THIS PERSON LOOKS LIKE A HUMAN BOOGER

DON'T FUCKIN' USE "AI" Y'ALL
A generated picture that looks nothing like me at all, it kinda of looks like a pug in human form WHICH I DO NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
February 3, 2026 at 3:56 PM
nullset.bsky.social
The FTC is planning to host a data harms/benefits workshop on Feb 26. Panels are all academics. We will be watching closely.

www.ftc.gov/news-events/...

#Privacy
#ArtificialIntelligence
#Advertising
Consumer Injuries and Benefits in the Data-Driven Economy
The Workshop on Consumer Injuries and Benefits in the Data-Driven Economy will bring together economists, academics, and other experts to examine how the agency can better understand and measure co
www.ftc.gov
February 2, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Reposted by Eric Null
lookitup.baby
Signal will never message you like this.

If you get a message like this, SOMEONE IS TRYING TO HACK YOUR SIGNAL.

DO NOT GIVE THEM THAT CODE.
Message from "Signal Support" Dear User, this is Signal Security Support ChatBot. Our system has detected a recent login attempt to your account from an unrecognized device or location. As a security measure, we have blocked this attempt and sent a verification code via SMS to your registered phone number. If this was NOT you: To secure your account and block this unauthorized access, please reply to this message with the verification code you just received. If this WAS you: You can safely ignore this message. The login attempt will be automatically approved shortly. Thank you for helping us keep your account secure.
January 26, 2026 at 2:16 AM
nullset.bsky.social
FTC waiting music sounds a bit like "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk.

#AgeVerifyFTC
January 28, 2026 at 7:53 PM
nullset.bsky.social
how many more people are going to argue that "we don't let kids buy alcohol" without recognizing that access to *information* on the internet is very different (constitutionally etc) than purchasing a product in the real world?

#AgeVerifyFTC
#Privacy
#AgeVerification
January 28, 2026 at 6:43 PM
nullset.bsky.social
the FTC could have these kinds of statements too! if only there were minority commissioners.
agomezfcc.bsky.social FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez @agomezfcc.bsky.social · 13d
At a time when millions of families are already struggling with the rising cost of living, the FCC should be focused on making connectivity more affordable.

Instead, it is erecting new barriers that risk raising phone and internet bills for the people who can least afford it. 🧵
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez issued the following statement after the FCC proposed changes to the Lifeline program that could cause eligible households to lose critical federal support, increasing phone and internet bills for families who stand to lose up to $9.25 per month, and as much as $34.25 per month on Tribal lands.
January 28, 2026 at 4:13 PM
nullset.bsky.social
really wish there were a Democratic FTC commissioner who could call out the ways Meador is wrong or misleading. I fear we may never have minority commissioners again, unfortunately.

#AgeVerifyFTC
#Privacy
#AgeVerification
January 28, 2026 at 3:54 PM
nullset.bsky.social
as usual, speakers go way over so they cut more than half the break.

breaks are important, we all need a mental stop. why do we always cut breaks?

#AgeVerifyFTC
January 28, 2026 at 3:40 PM
nullset.bsky.social
This certainly doesn't seem good, especially as the FTC holds a workshop on age verification...

www.404media.co/app-for-quit...

#AgeVerifyFTC
#Privacy
#COPPA
App for Quitting Porn Leaked Users' Masturbation Habits
Hundreds of thousands of users told the app intimate details about their sexual urges, which are now exposed.
www.404media.co
January 28, 2026 at 2:12 PM
nullset.bsky.social
did he just dox himself?
anthonymkreis.bsky.social Anthony Michael Kreis @anthonymkreis.bsky.social · 13d
NYU Law Prof. Richard Epstein has submitted his amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court on birthright citizenship. He has no expertise in this area and has never done, as far as I know, any substantial work on the history of the common law dating back to early modern and pre-modern England.
January 27, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Reposted by Eric Null
aliyabhatia.bsky.social
In addition to *everything else*, the FTC will host a workshop on age verification on Wednesday, which is also international privacy day. @npdoty.techpolicy.social.ap.brid.gy, @nullset.bsky.social and I had a few suggestions on what the FTC should focus on to protect users: cdt.org/insights/on-...
On International Privacy Day, the FTC Should Confront the Privacy Risks of Age Verification
Wednesday is International Privacy Day, and ironically, it’s also the day the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is holding a workshop to explore “how to deploy age verification more widely.” Accordi...
cdt.org
January 26, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by Eric Null
nullset.bsky.social
I'm hiring a senior policy analyst/counsel for the privacy & data team at CDT!

"Inquire within"
Careers
Current Openingsfind yourself engaged in passionate discussions about privacy policies? Are you yearning to put your expertise to work on internet neutrality legislation? If so, you might be a great f...
cdt.org
January 20, 2026 at 7:47 PM
nullset.bsky.social
More details on the #AgeVerification FTC workshop next week. Not a *lot* of opposition to age verification generally, but at least some panelists will bring some well-needed nuance!

#Privacy #ArtificialIntelligence
Age Verification Workshop
The Age Verification Workshop will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including researchers, academics, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and government regulators, to disc
www.ftc.gov
January 21, 2026 at 5:43 PM
nullset.bsky.social
I'm hiring a senior policy analyst/counsel for the privacy & data team at CDT!

"Inquire within"
Careers
Current Openingsfind yourself engaged in passionate discussions about privacy policies? Are you yearning to put your expertise to work on internet neutrality legislation? If so, you might be a great f...
cdt.org
January 20, 2026 at 7:47 PM
nullset.bsky.social
wonder if that bus driver went through an AI-heavy hiring process...
January 20, 2026 at 6:38 PM
nullset.bsky.social
I worked in trademark law for a little while and I was told explicitly many times that "trademark" is NOT a verb.
markjkings.bsky.social Mark Jaffe, 5 Bridges Law @markjkings.bsky.social · 24d
Heads up trademark people.

TTAB opinion: we don't think much of expert witness because, among other things, he used "trademarking" as a verb.
TTAB LEXIS 84, at *3. While Professor Bond may be an expert in marketing and branding, it is apparent from a review of his testimonial declaration that he is not an expert in trademark matters much less on the registrability of trademarks under the Trademark Act and the problems and considerations related thereto. This is readily apparent from his inability to appreciate the difference between the Examining Attorney’s refusal based on mere descriptiveness and his genericness advisory, and his reference to “trademarking” as a verb. January 27, 2025 Request for Reconsideration, TSDR at 29-30 (Bond Decl. at ¶ 18) (“If
January 16, 2026 at 10:20 PM
Reposted by Eric Null
nathaliemarechal.net
And sure enough, OpenAI just announced it would be introducing ads to ChatGPT.

Good thing @mbogen.bsky.social & I wrote about the incentives this would create for AI companies, and how those incentives were likely to shape the user experience. TL;DR: it's not great!

#itsthebusinessmodel
nathaliemarechal.net Nathalie Maréchal, PhD @nathaliemarechal.net · Jan 7
New report from @mbogen.bsky.social & yours truly, on how the big AI companies are trying to make money and what it means for all of us.

I am more proud of the title than I have any right to be.
cdt.org Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · Jan 7
🚨NEW REPORT from CDT’s @mbogen.bsky.social & @nathaliemarechal.net: Risky Business: Advanced AI Companies’ Race for Revenue. It explores how frontier AI companies’ business models and structures can shape user rights, safety, and the future of AI. cdt.org/insights/ris...
January 16, 2026 at 7:32 PM
nullset.bsky.social
Friday news dump: Sen. Blackburn has released a section-by-section for an upcoming AI framework bill that is apparently designed to break the logjam on AI legislation and preemption.

www.blackburn.senate.gov/services/fil...
December 19, 2025 at 11:32 PM
nullset.bsky.social
I am once again imploring Congress to stop messing with #Section230, which will mess w/the internet and cement Big Tech's power (1A still exists!), and to pass meaningful #privacy legislation that'll actually protect people.
durbin.senate.gov Senator Dick Durbin @durbin.senate.gov · Dec 18
Children are being exploited and abused because Big Tech consistently prioritizes profits over people.

Enough is enough. Time to sunset Section 230.
December 19, 2025 at 4:01 PM
nullset.bsky.social
I am once again imploring Congress to stop messing with #Section230, which will mess w/the internet and cement Big Tech's power (1A still exists!), and to pass meaningful #privacy legislation that'll actually protect people.

abcnews4.com/news/local/b...
Bipartisan group of senators, led by Graham, push to sunset Section 230
A bipartisan group of senators – championed by Sen. Lindsey Graham – on Thursday introduced legislation that would sunset Section 230.
abcnews4.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:47 PM
nullset.bsky.social
Trump's #ArtificialIntelligence executive order is severely flawed, more on that below
December 16, 2025 at 10:31 PM
nullset.bsky.social
Good "meta"-coverage of media on the #ArtificialIntelligence executive order, by @mmasnick.bsky.social

www.techdirt.com/2025/12/12/t...
Trump Pretends To Block State AI Laws; Media Pretends That’s Legal
The mainstream media just failed a basic civics test so badly that you’d think their brains have been pickled by the kinds of folks who spend all their time on X (oh, wait…). Headlines across…
www.techdirt.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:06 PM
nullset.bsky.social
Great to see #Texas taking action against the data-hungry "smart TV" industry

www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/release...

#privacy
#data
#DataProtection
#SmartTV
Attorney General Paxton Sues Five Major TV Companies, Including Some with Ties to the CCP, for Spying on Texans
Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed suit against five major television companies for spying on Texans by secretly recording what consumers watch in their own homes.
www.texasattorneygeneral.gov
December 16, 2025 at 4:24 PM