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  2. June 2026

June 2026

AI’s other free speech fight

There’s been a lot of concern over what AI chatbots communicate to users—from conversations that may encourage unhealthy emotional attachments, to advice on committing crimes. Much of the debate over regulatory proposals and lawsuits concerning chatbots has focused on speech rights. There are open questions over whether outputs can be considered a form of legally protected speech. Yet an overlooked aspect of these issues is the potential right of users to access chatbot outputs. The First Amendment protects not only the right to speak, but also the right to listen.

Redesign of US government websites stokes surveillance fears

An opaque White House office staffed largely by veterans of Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” has quietly rebuilt some of the federal government’s most sensitive websites—for passport applications, voter registration, prescription-drug pricing and children’s savings – in ways critics say appear to violate federal law.

We Mapped Rural Data Center Development—and Opposition. Here’s What We Found.

Data centers have arrived in rural America. The Daily Yonder analyzed crowd-sourced data on the locations of data centers, how they connect to existing grid infrastructure, and where communities are fighting back. Though the majority of in-progress data centers are in metropolitan areas, our reporting and data analysis show that large data centers, characteristic of the current boom, represent outsized investments in rural areas.

Supreme Court Justices Expand Presidential Power Over Regulators

The Supreme Court expanded presidential power by affirming President Trump’s ability to fire most independent regulators. The court’s 6-to-3 ruling to broadly allow the firing of federal regulators, with the three liberal justices dissenting, is a significant shift in power from Congress to the president that could usher in a drastic change to the government’s structure by giving the president more direct control over independent agencies. The justices ruled in two separate but related cases.

Commissioner Gomez on SCOTUS Decision on Independent Agencies

This decision puts at risk how Congress intended independent agencies to function in American democracy. When Congress established the Federal Communications Commission, it made a deliberate choice to create a multi-member, multi-party, independent body insulated from political pressure precisely because the decisions this agency makes about who can speak over the public airwaves, how spectrum is allocated, and how communications markets are regulated, are too consequential to be made on the basis of political loyalty.

Fiber Broadband Association Gives FCC Updated Deployment Stats

As the Federal Communications Commission considers adopting its Nineteenth Section 706 Report, the Fiber Broadband Association submitted  updated market statistics to facilitate a data-driven assessment:

T-Mobile says older-plan customers need 5G refresh

Some T-Mobile customers are being notified today that they’re getting moved to newer, sometimes pricier, rate plans. Basically, a lot of customers are on plans so old that they can’t experience the full greatness of T-Mobile’s current 5G and 5G Advanced network. At least, that’s how they’re justifying the switch. “We think ultimately it will improve their experience with us,” said T-Mobile Chief Marketing Officer Allan Samson. A segment of customers will see a price increase of about $4 per line; others will see less and some will see “a little bit” more, he said.

Can the Federal Communications Commission Preempt State AI Laws? A Review of the Communications Act and Interpreting Caselaw

The age of Artificial Intelligence is upon us. What should the policy response be? The Biden Administration advocated for an “all of government” regulatory approach to AI in the hopes of somehow controlling the technology. In contrast, the Trump Administration has embraced AI and wants to encourage its natural growth with a de-regulatory approach. Regardless of which policy approach one may prefer, given the vast economic impact that AI will have on the U.S.

AI access fight divides Trump's tech allies

The pro-AI movement is splintering over a defining question: whether national security concerns outweigh the need to keep America's AI companies ahead of Chinese rivals. David Sacks—President Trump's former AI and crypto czar—warned that restricting access to America's most advanced AI models risks undercutting the strategy President Trump laid out just a year ago.

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