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Belle Torek, Esq.

@belletorek.bsky.social
362 followers 262 following 19 posts

Law, tech policy, survivor safety & privacy @nnedv.bsky.social. Advisory Committee, Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. Former AI & Tech @hrc.org. Vintage style, not vintage values. Views my own.

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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
On Sept. 24, Ashkhen Kazaryan, Belle Torek, Kate Klonick and moderator Kate Ruane will tackle this question in “The Sword and the Shield of Anonymity.” Join us for #FOSO2026. Register: foso26.cdt.org
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
THIS WEEK: Anonymity can protect people from surveillance, harassment, and abuse. It can also be misused to cause harm. So how do we preserve the protections anonymity provides while addressing the harms it can enable? foso26.cdt.org
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Knight First Amendment Institute @knightcolumbia.org · 18/09/2026
President Trump today announced in a Truth Social post that he would ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. The president’s action is “doubly unconstitutional,” says Knight Institute Executive Director @jameeljaffer.bsky.social. knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
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Becca Branum @beccabranum.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Start with Belle Torek's filing. Her point cuts to the core of the proposal: ratings systems are normative, so making LGBTQ+ identity a warning category signals government disfavor and chills protected speech. www.linkedin.com/posts/bellet...
linkedin.com
ECFS | Belle Torek
This month is Pride Month. At the same time, the FCC is considering whether LGBTQ+ identity in television programming should be treated as a standalone ratings category alongside existing advisories f...
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Becca Branum @beccabranum.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
The FCC is asking whether LGBTQ+ identity should be its own "warning" category in TV ratings, flipping a system built to flag what people do into one that signals disfavor toward who they are. Advocates are rightly pushing back. 🧵 www.washingtonblade.com/2026/06/02/a...
washingtonblade.com
Advocates push back on proposed FCC warning labels
New rating system public notice seeking comments issued on April 22
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 09/04/2026
New from CDT: "Digital Fingerprints, Human Stakes" by Becca Branum, Aliya Bhatia, & NNDEV’s Belle Torek. We examine how hash-matching can be effective at reducing harm, but also has important limitations. directly.
cdt.org
Digital Fingerprints, Human Stakes: Governing NCII Hash-Matching
Also authored by Belle Torek, Technology Safety Specialist, Safety Net Project, NNEDV. [ PDF version ] Executive Summary Non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) causes lasting harm to victims, and its rapid cross-platform spread makes removal difficult and retraumatizing. Platforms have long used hash-matching technologies — tools that create digital fingerprints of images — to detect and […]
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Thor Benson @thorbenson.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork
Time person of the year cover for 2025
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Dr. Damien P. Williams, dread portent down from a mountain cave @wolven.blacksky.app · 10/10/2025
*Lil Jon Voice* States' Rights to What
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David Becker @beckerdavidj.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
These words will stay with me (and us, as a nation) for a very long time:
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Every consular officer has been made a censor. www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
politico.com
State Department unveils social media screening rules for all student visa applicants
Applicants will be vetted for “any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States.”
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
After a recent court order, OpenAI is now required to retain the very data many of its users believed to be most private. This introduces serious privacy risks, especially for vulnerable users like victims and survivors of domestic violence, Belle Torek writes. www.techpolicy.press/for-survivor...
techpolicy.press
For Survivors Using Chatbots, ‘Delete’ Doesn’t Always Mean Deleted | TechPolicy.Press
Many survivors may assume that AI platforms and chatbots offer common privacy protections, but these are not guaranteed, Belle Torek writes.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
After a recent court order, OpenAI is now required to retain the very data many of its users believed to be most private. This introduces serious privacy risks, especially for vulnerable users like victims and survivors of domestic violence, Belle Torek writes.
techpolicy.press
For Survivors Using Chatbots, ‘Delete’ Doesn’t Always Mean Deleted | TechPolicy.Press
Many survivors may assume that AI platforms and chatbots offer common privacy protections, but these are not guaranteed, Belle Torek writes.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Cyber Civil Rights Initiative @cybercivilrights.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
If you are interested in learning more about NDII, sexually explicit digital forgeries, and the TAKE IT DOWN Act, please view this thorough and thoughtful overview presented by CCRI President and Legislative and Tech Policy Director, @maryannefranks.bsky.social www.nbcwashington.com/news/nationa...
nbcwashington.com
Take It Down Act: What to do if someone posts revenge porn or a deepfake of you
From documenting evidence to understanding your rights, here’s what to know if someone shares your intimate images without consent — and what changes under the newly signed Take It Down Act.
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Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Reading over the text, one thing sticks out immediately: it is incredibly racist toward Haitians in particular. Quoting directy: "Additionally, hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration. This influx harms American communities..."
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Jamal Greene @jamalgreene.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
I had not seen this WSJ article from earlier this week. The 1st Amendment violation admitted in the last paragraph of this passage would be too obvious to use on a law school exam. www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Danielle Citron @daniellecitron.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
If attempted, this would constitute flagrant violations of the Privacy Act of 1974 www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/t...
nytimes.com
Trump Taps Palantir to Compile Data on Americans
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Opinion Editor @ Bluesky @dly.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
I'm not a songwriter or anything but the new lyrics to We Didn't Start the Fire are kinda weird, right?
bluesky's trending topics: Tottenham hotspur, qatar jet, fda, scotus, tush push, gerry connolly
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Chaucer Doth Tweet @levostregc.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Gen AI ys creatinge a real nostalgia-based market for good olde fashioned homespun human error
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Cyber Civil Rights Initiative @cybercivilrights.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
At 3:00 PM Eastern, the TAKE IT DOWN Act will be signed into law. The live signing can be viewed here: 1/x www.pbs.org/newshour/pol...
pbs.org
WATCH LIVE: Trump signs Take It Down Act, bill combating nonconsensual deepfakes and revenge porn
The bill makes it illegal to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish intimate images without a person's consent, including AI-created "deepfakes."
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Craig Silverman @craigsilverman.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
"A new meta-analysis of 279 studies finds that belief in conspiracy theories is linked to three core psychological motives: wanting to make sense of the world, coping with uncertainty, and connecting with others." matthewfacciani.substack.com/p/why-people...
matthewfacciani.substack.com
Why People Believe in Conspiracy Theories: A Summary of the Science
What hundreds of studies reveal about the motives behind conspiracy thinking
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Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press @rcfp.org · 17/05/2025
A @themarkup.org @pulitzercenter.bsky.social investigation revealed the world's largest dating app company failed to crack down on users it knew were accused of sexual violence. To tell the story, the reporters fought to access court records with free legal help they found through ProJourn.
rcfp.org
Pulitzer Center/The Markup investigation reveals safety lapses, sexual violence on dating apps
The reporters fought to access court records for the story with free legal support from an attorney they connected with through ProJourn.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Pessimists Archive @pessimistsarc.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
Hot topic 1921
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
Just days after Pope Francis’ death, official White House accounts published an AI-generated image of President Donald Trump dressed in papal vestments. The President’s vague dismissal and the confusion it prompted among some in the public raise questions about accountability, writes Belle Torek.
techpolicy.press
Anointed by AI: The Trump Pope Meme and the Expanding Liar’s Dividend | TechPolicy.Press
An AI-generated meme posted by the White House raises questions about accountability, writes Belle Torek.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Blake E. Reid @chup.blakereid.org · 13/05/2025
Well, this is a hell of a metaphor for generative AI
A final note. Directly put, Plaintiff’s use of AI affirmatively misled me.
I read their brief, was persuaded (or at least intrigued) by the authorities that
they cited, and looked up the decisions to learn more about them – only to find
that they didn’t exist. That’s scary. It almost led to the scarier outcome (from
my perspective) of including those bogus materials in a judicial order. Strong
deterrence is needed to make sure that attorneys don’t succumb to this easy
shortcut.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
It appears clear that Trump and Musk’s ableist rhetoric both informs and forecasts DOGE’s work, writes Tech Policy Press fellow Ariana Aboulafia. Its violations of data privacy and expansive use of AI without proper oversight have already harmed disabled people, and will continue to do so, she says.
techpolicy.press
DOGE & Disability Rights: Three Key Tech Policy Concerns | TechPolicy.Press
It appears clear that DOGE’s underlying ableist rhetoric both informs and forecasts its work, writes Tech Policy Press fellow Ariana Aboulafia.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
David Becker @beckerdavidj.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
The Presidential Oath, which he has sworn to twice: "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
Trump says ‘I don’t know’ when asked if he’s required to uphold Constitution
The president also downplayed fears of a recession and spoke of potential successors when his four-year term ends in an NBC interview.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
WIRED @wired.com · 03/05/2025
Today is World Press Freedom Day. With an increasing number of journalists receiving threats or even facing detainment for simply doing their jobs and seeking the truth, WIRED is proud to support #OneFreePress Coalition in its efforts to protect press freedom. Read more here:
wrd.cm
List — One Free Press Coalition
The One Free Press Coalition publishes a monthly list of 10 most urgent cases of journalists' press freedoms under attack.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Axios @axios.com · 02/05/2025
Press freedom in the United States has hit a record low, according to the latest World Press Freedom Index published annually by Reporters Without Borders.
axios.com
U.S. press freedom falls to historical low
Reporters Without Borders cites economic strains on the media as the biggest driver of press freedom declines globally.
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Cyber Civil Rights Initiative @cybercivilrights.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
"But while critics say that’s an important issue to deal with, they worry that the Take It Down Act’s approach could be exploited to inflict harm in other ways." www.theverge.com/news/657632/...
theverge.com
Take It Down Act heads to Trump’s desk
Trump has pledged to sign it.
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Mary Anne Franks @maryannefranks.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
But the TAKE IT DOWN Act also includes a poison pill: an extremely broad, easily abused takedown provision that will likely end up hurting victims more than it helps. It lacks adequate safeguards against false reports, is over- and under-inclusive, and gives false hope to victims.
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Mary Anne Franks @maryannefranks.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
Bittersweet news. My organization, @cybercivilrights.bsky.social, has been calling on Congress to criminalize the nonconsensual distribution of intimate imagery (NDII) for over a decade. Just a few moments ago, Congress finally answered this call.
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Cyber Civil Rights Initiative @cybercivilrights.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
This evening, the House passed the Take It Down Act, a criminal bill that will now be sent to the President for signature. Read CCRI's full statement to learn more about the bill's strengths and challenges. cybercivilrights.org/ccri-stateme...
cybercivilrights.org
CCRI Statement on the Passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act (S. 146) - Cyber Civil Rights Initiative
For Immediate Release Contact: Mary Anne Franks, JD, DPhil President, Cyber Civil Rights Initiative info@cybercivilrights.org Please also see the CCRI Media Guide CCRI Statement on the Passage of the ...
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Maris Kreizman @maris.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
I needed to write about something that’s giving me hope, so I wrote about Independent Bookstore Day which is this Saturday. lithub.com/something-go...
lithub.com
Something Good in the World: Let’s Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day This Weekend
I was going to write something else for today’s column, something complain-y but righteous that would allow me to get some stuff off my chest and maybe even get some rage clicks. Shit is bad. But I…
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Reposted by Belle Torek, Esq.
Michael Harriot @michaelharriot.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
On April 10, 1925, a young writer published his 3rd novel – a commercial & critical disappointment about a man passing for white 100 years later, Pulitzer Prize-winner Wesley Lowery reveals the secret hidden inside a piece of America's literary canon... And how "The Great Gatsby" became white
dlvr.it
Gatsby’s Secret
Read as the story of a passing Black man, "The Great Gatsby" is the great American novel.
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Belle Torek, Esq. @belletorek.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Excited and honored to be joining the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s Advisory Committee! I look forward to supporting CCRI’s continued leadership in protecting safety, privacy, and cyber civil rights in the fight against image-based sexual abuse. For more on CCRI, visit www.cybercivilrights.org.
cybercivilrights.org
Cyber Civil Right Initiative
CCRI’s Vision is of a world in which law, policy and technology align to ensure the protection of civil rights and civil liberties for all.
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Cyber Civil Rights Initiative @cybercivilrights.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
It can be hard to know what to do if you come across imaged-based sexual abuse online or in your messaging apps. If you have witnessed #IBSA, CCRI’s #Bystander Guidance offers empowering steps you can take. Remember, do take care of yourself as well. bit.ly/3DUqiR4
bit.ly
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Belle Torek, Esq. @belletorek.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
So proud of my cherished former professor, Dr. @maryannefranks.bsky.social, who met the indignities of yesterday’s hearing with unwavering expertise and composure. This was Fearless Speech, to the letter. May we all show such courage in the face of attacks on our speech, rights, and democracy.
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Ariana Aboulafia @arianaaboulafia.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
the “key acronym” in question is IDEA, which stands for the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act. IDEA is an incredibly important statute that protects students with disabilities.
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Amy Spitalnick @amyspitalnick.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Again, the goal for this administration isn’t to counter antisemitism or protect Israel. It’s to weaponize antisemitism to go after their political enemies, advance an extreme agenda, and undercut democracy — and it only makes Jews *less* safe.
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Tahir Duckett @tahir.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
There is a real, genuine 1st Amendment crisis in the United States right now. The government is openly retaliating against anyone with a viewpoint it doesn't like: Pro-Palestinian protesters, law schools teaching Black History, pro-immigration public service loan forgiveness seekers.
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Mary Anne Franks @maryannefranks.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
The United States government just disappeared a lawful US resident because it didn't like his speech. You should care about this because it shouldn't happen to anyone, but you should also care because it could happen to you. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/09/n...
nytimes.com
ICE Arrests Pro-Palestinian Activist at Columbia
Mahmoud Khalil, who recently completed a graduate program at Columbia, has legal permanent residency, his lawyer said.
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Danielle Citron @daniellecitron.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Weaponizing online abuse concepts for authoritarian ends, see example. Thanks for including me in this piece Ken Bensinger of the @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/b...
nytimes.com
Elon Musk and the Right Are Recasting Reporting as ‘Doxxing’
Right-wing influencers are criticizing journalists who have published public information about government employees.
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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
New — The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) was told this week by DOJ that they'd lose their funding if the org didn't remove any mentions of LGBTQIA+ issues from their public materials, I've learned. Staff were told they need to deadname trans kids in their reports to comply.
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Human Rights Campaign @hrc.org · 15/01/2025
Meta’s changes are dangerous for our community. Online hate can escalate to threats to our safety. Here’s what you need to know: hrc.im/meta
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Belle Torek, Esq. @belletorek.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
Amid the challenges of the past few days, a bit of uplifting news: I’ll be presenting my current research, “Queer Fashion as Speech: Defending LGBTQ+ Expression in the Face of State, Platform, and Algorithmic Challenges,” at the West Coast Sexuality, Gender, and the Law Conference next month. 1/2
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Belle Torek, Esq. @belletorek.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
For those interested, @hrc.org President Kelley Robinson’s statement in response to Meta’s content moderation overhaul and expressly anti-LGBTQ+ policy provisions:
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