Brian Fung
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Brian Fung
@brianfung.me
43K followers 2K following 1K posts
Googler and former tech policy reporter for CNN, The Washington Post, The Atlantic & National Journal. A few things I enjoy: 🎮 🚴🏕️🍳🖖

Streaming at @BrainFungi on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/brainfungi
Posts Replies Media Videos
brianfung.me
When people warn about the privacy and security risks of mandating digital age verification, this is exactly what they mean. It’s not hypothetical www.bbc.com/news/article...
BBC article text: “Discord, a messaging platform popular with gamers, says official ID photos of around 70,000 users have potentially been leaked after a cyber-attack. The platform, which has more than 200 million users worldwide, says hackers had targeted a firm that helped to verify the ages of its users but the Discord platform itself was not breached. People can provide ID photos to verify their age on Discord - a networking hub for players to chat and share files with others in the gaming community. The leaked data may involve personal information, partial credit card details and messages that were exchanged with Discord's customer service agents, the San-Francisco-based company says.”
October 9, 2025 at 5:09 PM
brianfung.me
Friday is #battlefield6 launch day. Let’s check it out!

10/10/25 8pm ET here: twitch.tv/brainfungi

(If the game servers aren’t melting, that is)

Some footage from the beta earlier this year:
October 8, 2025 at 9:41 PM
brianfung.me
Condition: “Used — Good”

Uh, ok buddy
Screenshot of a Facebook Marketplace listing offering for sale a 12” wasp nest. The listing includes a photo of said nest beside a measuring tape, for proof. The seller’s asking price is $40. Out of frame, the item’s condition is listed as “Used — Good”
September 14, 2025 at 12:25 AM
brianfung.me
Live view of the infamous crime-ridden warzone of Washington, DC
August 11, 2025 at 6:02 PM
brianfung.me
On today’s BrainFungi Twitch stream: We check in on Crypto Week on the Hill while I try not to die in Escape From Tarkov!

Join me at 10 am ET: twitch.tv/BrainFungi
July 16, 2025 at 12:51 PM
brianfung.me
Had a fun chat with, uh, chat about the FTC's click-to-cancel rule getting knocked down in court earlier this week:

www.twitch.tv/videos/25095...

We'll be back to Tarkov again today, though a bit of a shorter stream than usual. Come hang at 10 am ET! twitch.tv/BrainFungi
Scereenshot of the BrainFungi Twitch stream
July 11, 2025 at 1:14 PM
brianfung.me
Just watched four F-22s and two flights of B-2s flanked by F-22s fly over our cookout in DC.
July 4, 2025 at 9:37 PM
brianfung.me
Going live at 10 am US ET today. Today’s tech topic: Breaking down a Supreme Court ruling on online porn. twitch.tv/BrainFungi
June 30, 2025 at 1:22 PM
brianfung.me
On tomorrow’s Twitch stream: @jaredbkeller.bsky.social joins me to talk military tech and the state of media.

We’ll kick off with some Dune: Awakening solo at 10 am ET, then Jared will hop on closer to 1 pm.

Tune in! twitch.tv/BrainFungi
“Tomorrow, June 27: Military technology writer @jaredbkeller joins the stream. We’ll talk about his newsletter Laser Wars, the state of media, and maybe play some VALHEIM. 1 PM US ET. twitch.tv/BrainFungi”
June 26, 2025 at 10:27 PM
brianfung.me
Whoops twitch.tv/BrainFungi #dune #duneawakening
June 11, 2025 at 9:02 PM
brianfung.me
Come chat about my time in Amsterdam and Rotterdam! Starting in about 45 minutes: twitch.tv/BrainFungi
June 4, 2025 at 1:16 PM
brianfung.me
Just in: A federal judge rules against Trump’s attempted purge of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, saying the firings of Travis LeBlanc and Ed Felten were illegal. The court voids the firings and orders the members be reinstated. 70 PAGES: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
“Upon careful consideration of the parties' submissions, ' their arguments during the hearing on the motions, and the plaintiffs' supplemental declarations, the Court concludes the following: (1) the plaintiffs' removals were unlawful because although the plain text of the PCLOB's organic statute does not include an express textual removal restriction, the Board's structure and function clearly indicate that Congress intended to create such a restriction on the President's removal power; (2) the restriction as it applies to the plaintifis is constitutional; and (3) the plaintiffs' requested declaratory and injunctive relief is both available and appropriate under the circumstances presented to the Court in this case. Accordingly, the Court must grant the plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment and deny the defendants' cross-motion for summary judgment.” “In response to the 9/11 Commission Report, Congress created an independent, multimember board of experts and tasked its members with the weighty job of overseeing the government's counterterrorism actions and policies, and recommending changes to ensure that those actions and policies adequately protect privacy and civil liberties interests. And, as the Court has now concluded, that responsibility is incompatible with at-will removal by the President, because such unfettered authority would make the Board and its members beholden to the very authority it is supposed to oversee on behalf of Congress and the American people. To hold otherwise would be to bless the President's obvious attempt to exercise power beyond that granted to him by the Constitution and shield the Executive Branch's counterterrorism actions from independent oversight, public scrutiny, and bipartisan congressional insight regarding those actions. And, when the President contravenes a statutory scheme designed by Congress to ensure that these interests are adequately protected, it is spocifically the "province and duty" of the independent Judiciary to "say what the law is." Marbury, S U.S. at 177. Fulfilling that obligation, the Court concludes for the foregoing reasons that it must grant the plaintifis' motion for summary judgment and deny the defendants' cross-motion for summary judgment.” “ORDER. In accordance with the Memorandum Opinion issued on this same date, it is hereby ORDERED that the 10 Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED. It is further ORDERED that the 12 Defendants' Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment and Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED. It is therefore DECLARED that the terminations of the plaintiffs, Travis LeBlanc and Edward Felten, were unlawful, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 2000ee, and therefore null and void. It is further ORDERED that the plaintiff Travis LeBlanc remains a member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board ("PCLOB" or "the Board"), having been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to a term expiring on January 29, 2028, and he may be removed by the President prior to expiration of his term only for cause. It is further ORDERED that the plaintiff Edward Felten remains a member of the PCLOB, having been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to a term expiring on January 29, 2025, and being eligible to serve at his discretion until either his successor is confirmed or one year after the date of the expiration of his current term, i.e., January 29, 2026, whichever occurs first, and he may be removed by the President prior to expiration of his holdover term only for cause or upon the confirmation of a successor to his position on the Board. It is further ORDERED that the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, defendant Beth A. Williams, defendant Jenny Fitzpatrick, and defendant Trent Morse, as well as their subordinates, agents, and employees, are ENJOINED from…”
May 21, 2025 at 4:31 PM
brianfung.me
Oh hey look, we made it onto WSB
Screenshot of a post on r/wallstreetbets linking to a CNN article I co-wrote
April 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
brianfung.me
Just in: Google illegally monopolized the publisher and exchange ad markets, but not the advertiser ad network market as defined by DOJ, federal judge says in a long-awaited ruling in the Google ad tech case:

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"With the benefit of a three-week bench trial and extensive post-trial filings, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have failed to prove that there is a relevant market for open-web display advertiser ad networks, but have proven that Google has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act by willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power in the open-web display publisher ad server market and the open-web display ad exchange market, and has unlawfully tied its publisher ad server (DFP) and ad exchange (AdX) in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act. Having found Google liable, the Court will set a briefing schedule and hearing date to determine the appropriate remedies for these antitrust violations." "For the reasons stated in the accompanying Memorandum Opinion, Count III (monopolization of the advertiser ad network market) of the Amended Complaint is DISMISSED; and it is hereby ORDERED that within seven (7) days of the date of this Order the parties submit a joint proposed schedule for briefing and arguing their positions as to the remedies that should be imposed in light of the defendant have been found liable for monopolization of the publisher ad server market (Count I), monopolization of the ad exchange market (Count II), and unlawful tying of AdX and DFP (Count IV). The Clerk is directed to forward copies of this Order to counsel of record. Entered this 17th day of April, 2025"
April 17, 2025 at 3:09 PM
brianfung.me
If and when Congress forces DC to slash its budget, will Zuck, Thiel, Lutnick et al. still get their streets swept and garbage collected?

www.politico.com/news/magazin...
“Knoll said that trying to apply a typical homeowner's financial logic to billionaire transactions misses the point: "These CEOs have such vast fortunes that purchasing a home in D.C., even if they're overpaying, even if it's not a great investment at the price they're paying, it doesn't really matter. The benefits they can reap from relationships with the government can make up for any loss from a bad real estate deal." Like a good real estate agent, of course, she hastened to note that she wasn't calling expensive Washington homes a bad investment. Quite the contrary. The recent sales underline a weird duality in the local economy, where massive job cuts at federal agencies and government contractors are petrifying Permanent Washington's middle classes - but where…”
April 3, 2025 at 5:36 AM
brianfung.me
Me, looking at the news
A cat hiding
March 22, 2025 at 9:49 PM
brianfung.me
Jonathan Kanter, the DOJ antitrust chief under Biden (and who now humorously lists himself on LinkedIn as a "professional intermediate skier enjoying a well-deserved break") defends the ousted FTC commissioners, saying the attempted firings are blatantly illegal.

www.linkedin.com/posts/jonath...
Post by Jonathan Kanter on LinkedIn: "I am a proud alumnus of the FTC, which has protected Americans from corporate power and abuse for over 100 years. Today's action defies direct Supreme Court precedent, contravenes the unambiguous will of Congress, and elevates party politics above consumers, workers, and small businesses. There is no valid justification, legal or otherwise, to remove these two excellent Commissioners. The American public deserves better."
March 19, 2025 at 1:57 AM
brianfung.me
The FTC’s other Dem commissioner, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, has also been purged tonight: www.axios.com/2025/03/18/t...
Emailed statement from Commissioner Slaughter to Axios: “"Today the President illegally fired me from my position as a Federal Trade Commissioner, violating the plain language of a statute and clear Supreme Court precedent," Slaughter said in an emailed statement. • She wrote: "Why? Because I have a voice. And he is afraid of what I'll tell the American people." • 'The administration clearly fears the accountability that opposition voices would provide if the President orders Chairman Ferguson to treat the most powerful corporations and their executives-like those that flanked the President at his inauguration —with kid gloves."
March 18, 2025 at 11:49 PM
brianfung.me
BIG: FTC commissioner says he was just illegally fired by President Trump. x.com/bedoyaftc/st...
Post on X by FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya: “I am a commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission. The president just illegally fired me. This is corruption plain and simple.”
March 18, 2025 at 9:22 PM
brianfung.me
US officials knew about, and did not oppose, that secret UK order that tried to force Apple to weaken iCloud encryption, and now DNI Tulsi Gabbard says the UK order would violate Americans’ rights, @joemenn.bsky.social reports

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
“Gabbard on Tuesday wrote to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona) saying she had directed a legal review of the order and had not known of it before it was reported by The Washington Post and confirmed by other publications. The legislators had urged her to act just after her confirmation as the top U.S. intelligence leader. “I share your grave concern about the serious implications of the United Kingdom, or any foreign country, requiring Apple or any company to create a ‘backdoor’ that would allow access to Americans’ personal encrypted data,” she wrote. “This would be a clear and egregious violation of Americans’ privacy and civil liberties, and open up a serious vulnerability for cyber exploitation by adversarial actors.””
February 27, 2025 at 12:38 PM
brianfung.me
Had a fun chat with @parkermolloy.com about reaching new (and news) audiences on Twitch. More to come. Thanks, Parker! depthperceptionbyll.substack.com/p/brian-fung...
"What inspired the idea to combine gaming and tech discussions on Twitch?" "I’ve been playing computer games pretty much since I was a kid. My earliest recollection is watching my uncle play Civilization II. We’re in the midst of this big structural shift in journalism and media, with lots of journalists venturing out on their own, creating newsletters and podcasts. I thought, I’m probably going to be playing video games in my off hours when I’m not looking for a job — how about we try and find a way to make it a productive and creative experience? It seemed like a good time to experiment with reaching fresh audiences and talking to them where they are, while doing it in a way that I could have fun and still bring my experience as a communicator, journalist, and technology policy expert to bear. In the channel's first six weeks, we’ve done live coverage and analysis of two Supreme Court oral arguments, including the one about the TikTok ban. We’ve covered Trump’s executive orders, his purging of a U.S. privacy agency, and DeepSeek’s brief disruption of the AI sector. I’ve had half a dozen guests join me on the stream, ranging from law professors to other journalists. Tim Mak and Byron Tau joined me on-stream a few weeks ago for some Civ 6 multiplayer, and we talked about TikTok, the war in Ukraine, and government surveillance. The channel has more than 100 followers already and enough viewership to have hit affiliate status."
February 26, 2025 at 8:48 PM
brianfung.me
I don’t regret the error
February 25, 2025 at 4:59 PM
brianfung.me
Just in: Travis LeBlanc and Ed Felten, two of three purged members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, have just sued the Trump administration, challenging what they say are illegal terminations and asking a court to reinstate them.
Screenshot of a complaint by Travis LeBlanc and Ed Felten filed in DC District Court Screenshot of the complaint showing one of several claims. “70. Plaintifis reallege and incorporate by reference all prior and subsequent paragraphs. 71. The text, structure, and history of the 9/11 Commission Act demonstrate that it does not permit removal of PCLOB members without good cause. 72. By purporting to remove Plaintifis from their positions as Senate-confirmed PCLOB members without citing any cause for removal, Defendants have acted "not in accordance with law"; "in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations"; and "without observance of procedure required by law." 5 U.S.C. $ 706. 73. By removing Board members solely on the basis of their political affiliation, Defendants have also violated the requirement that members be selected "without regard to political affiliation." For that reason too, Defendants have acted "not in accordance with law"; "in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations"; and "without observance of procedure required by law." S U.S.C. § 706. 74. The Court must accordingly hold Plaintifis' purported removals unlawful and set them aside.” Screenshot of the complaint. “PRAYER FOR RELIEF NOW, THEREFORE, Plaintiffs requests judgment in their favor against Defendants as follows. 1. Declare that Defendants have no authority to remove Plaintifis from their positions as Members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board without good cause; 2. Declare that Defendants have no authority to remove Plaintifis from their positions as Members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board based on their political affiliation; 3. Hold unlawful and set aside the purported removals of Plaintifis from their positions as Members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board; Enjoin Defendants (other than the President) from removing Plaintifis from their positions as Members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board without good cause and enjoin Defendants (other than the President) to restore them to those positions and to treat them as Members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board; 5. Award backpay not exceeding $10,000 from the date of the unlawful removals (Plaintifis waive any right to monetary recovery above $10,000); 6. Issue a writ of mandamus compelling Defendants (other than the President) to treat the purported removals of Plaintifis from their positions as Members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board as having no legal effect and to take no action to interfere with the exercise of Plaintifis' duties. 7. Award Plaintifis reasonable attorneys' fees and costs; and 8. Grant such other and further relief as the Court may deem appropriate. 26”
February 24, 2025 at 10:17 PM
brianfung.me
🤔
Elon Musk post on X: "Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."
February 22, 2025 at 7:49 PM
brianfung.me
With this EO, Trump is explicitly seizing control of agencies meant to operate free from presidential interference, such as the FCC, FTC, FEC and financial regulators.

Now any new regulations must go through the White House. Monumental change here.

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
“Therefore, in order to improve the administration of the executive branch and to increase regulatory officials’ accountability to the American people, it shall be the policy of the executive branch to ensure Presidential supervision and control of the entire executive branch. Moreover, all executive departments and agencies, including so-called independent agencies, shall submit for review all proposed and final significant regulatory actions to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Executive Office of the President before publication in the Federal Register. Sec. 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this order: (a) The term “employees” shall have the meaning given that term in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code.   (b) The term “independent regulatory agency” shall have the meaning given that term in section 3502(5) of title 44, United States Code. This order shall not apply to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or to the Federal Open Market Committee in its conduct of monetary policy. This order shall apply to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System only in connection with its conduct and authorities directly related to its supervision and regulation of financial institutions. “
February 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM