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It's been a long time since an episode of TV has made me as flat-out angry as The Traitors Season 3, episode 4, "I Will Bury You Under the Sand."

SEE ALSO: 2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

The episode starts out like a standard enough installment of The Traitors. We witness a murder (RIP to Survivor's Jeremy Collins), the Faithfuls do their best to strategize for that night's round table banishment, and everyone completes a physically strenuous challenge. But things take an extra traitorous turn when Survivor legend Rob Mariano, aka Boston Rob, sells out fellow Traitor and RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 winner Bob the Drag Queen. (Big Brother's Dan Gheesling attempted a similar, unsuccessful move against The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Phaedra Parks in Season 2.) The result? Bob the Drag Queen becomes the first Traitor to be banished, while Boston Rob becomes a hero among the Faithful.

On the surface, Rob's move is an impressive piece of gameplay and reality TV storytelling. Following the episode's challenge, Bob had insinuated that any of the the three late arrivals to the competition — including Boston Rob, The Challenge's Wes Bergmann, and Big Brother's Derrick Levasseur — could be Traitors, putting a target on Rob's back. Bob had also made some questionable moves throughout the series so far, becoming the target of suspicion himself, with Dylan Efron, of Down to Earth with Zac Efron, leading the charge against him. In championing Bob the Drag Queen's exit, Boston Rob cements Dylan's trust, along with the trust of everyone who believes Dylan. Sure, it's a "legendary" move, as fellow contestants describe it. Personally, though, I found the whole thing sickening (and not in a good way).

Why does Bob the Drag Queen's Traitors exit suck so much? I don't care that he was a murderer — justice for Bob! Credit: Euan Cherry / Peacock

In a campy fun reality TV show that's all about betrayal and murder, it feels silly to get up in arms about a fake banishment — especially when Bob himself says, "That was just gameplay, baby," in his exit interview. (Host Alan Cumming even reminds everyone that this is all just a game following the banishment.)

Yet following Season 2, which saw RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 runner-up Peppermint get banished first (she was a Faithful), it's hard not to notice the beginnings of a pattern in terms of how drag queens get treated on the show. Coming at the series as a Drag Race fan first, and a Traitors fan second — as well as a novice when it comes to other reality shows, like The Challenge and Big Brother — I'll admit that I'm biased towards Bob in the first place. When Cumming tapped him on the shoulder, that was my Super Bowl moment. It felt like The Traitors acknowledging Bob as a threat, and investing in him as someone who would go far in the story. That was a relief after the ousting of Peppermint, a Black trans woman and a drag performer whose elimination certainly felt like the product of implicit biases.

Unlike Peppermint, though, Bob was actually a Traitor — and in doing so created some damn fine TV in the process. His gleeful exclamation of "We are eating!" before taking out Jeremy was pure Traitors goodness. (Although now it feels more like a bit of pride coming before the fall.) Also unlike Peppermint, Bob got more time to establish himself within the castle, earning fierce allies to the point that some contestants refused to vote for him. During the roundtable, everyone kept reiterating just how much everyone in the castle liked him — so why did his elimination feel so ugly?

SEE ALSO: Help, I can't stop thinking about Suzie Toot's 'Woman's World' lip sync

It comes down to the Traitor-on-Traitor betrayal. The Traitors has set up a rivalry between Bob and Rob since one of their first interactions, when Bob told Rob his backwards cap and blazer combo was a fashion crime. (He's right; I don't care if it's Rob's signature.) As Bob advocated for chaos in the turret, the rift between them only grew. But that doesn't make the expression on Bob's face when Rob singles him out any less brutal. That's only compounded further by Bob's futile attempts to dig himself out of the hole.

To be fair, Rob has never shied away from playing a villain (he was notably a villain on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains). Yet there's one moment from his whisper campaign that I can't get out of my mind, and that's when he tells Dylan, "We're going to take out the drag queen tonight." The lack of a name brought me back to Peppermint's elimination in Season 2. Gameplay errors put both her and Bob on the banishing block, but it's hard to shake the feeling that bias didn't play a role in their Traitors exits.

Season 3 of The Traitors certainly has more queer representation than Season 2, including The Bachelorette's Gabby Windey, Selling Sunset's Chrishell Stause, and The Biggest Loser's Bob Harper. But for now, it still feels like Drag Race contestants are sitting ducks on The Traitors. If they are to make it farther in future competitions, it might help to cast multiple Drag Race alumni in order to build more room for the kinds of built-in alliances and storylines that come with having multiples members of the Housewives or Survivor franchises.

So, what's next for The Traitors following Boston Rob's big move?

Now that I no longer have Bob to root for, at least I have someone to root against in Rob.

Thankfully, it seems like people are already on his trail. Traitors Danielle Reyes (of Big Brother) and Carolyn Wiger (of Survivor) have realized that Rob is only out for himself, which means they'll either have to take him out or risk their own necks. (Or they could have gone against him at the roundtable. I might always be bitter.)

Meanwhile, Wes has deduced that Rob's certainty about Bob being a Traitor could implicate him. After all, how can you be 100% sure that someone is a Traitor? Only if you're a Traitor yourself. But can Wes, Carolyn, and Danielle turn Rob's new fan club against him? I pray to Alan Cumming they do, because it will make for seriously fabulous TV. I just wish it didn't have to come at Bob's expense.

The Traitors Season 3 is now streaming on Peacock, with a new episode every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Duke it out

• Green: Alternative names for Massachusetts teams

• Blue: Soccer team nicknames

• Purple: Famous group of players on Houston's baseball team

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Fight

• Green: Shortened nicknames for Boston teams

• Blue: Premier League team nicknames

• Purple: Astros "Killer B's"

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #116 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Fight - BATTLE, BOX, BRAWL, SPAR

• Shortened nicknames for Boston teams - B'S, C'S. PATS, SOX

• Premier League team nicknames - BEES, CHERRIES, FOXES, HAMMERS

• Astros "Killer B's" - BAGWELL, BELL, BERKMAN, BIGGIO

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 17 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 17 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: The time of our lives

These words describe groups of people with similar birth years.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are defining "time" or era for each generation.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is GenerationGap.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 17

• Millennial

• Alpha

• Boomer

• Zoomer

• Greatest

• GenerationGap

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for January 17 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: A type of grilled meat

• Green: Light or forceful impact

• Blue: Used to navigate the internet

• Purple: Words with a beer brand inside

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Frankfurter

• Green: Strike

• Blue: Web Browsers

• Purple: Ending with Beer Brands

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #586 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Frankfurter: BANGER, BRAT, LINK, SAUSAGE

• Strike: BOP, HIT, KNOCK, TAP

• Web Browsers: CHROME, EDGE, OPERA, SAFARI

• Ending with Beer Brands: AUTOHARP, CONTRABASS, PEPPERONI, ROSEBUD

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 17

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for January 17 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for January 17, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Ordinary writing, not poetry..

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

PROSE.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 17

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

SpaceX launched a new Starship rocket on Thursday, this time with an upgraded spacecraft and 10 mock satellites to practice a cargo delivery in space.

But things didn't go as planned. Though the company successfully caught the booster with giant mechanical arms at the launchpad, flight controllers lost contact with the uncrewed spaceship, which prematurely ended the test after it broke apart.

SEE ALSO: Watch SpaceX exquisitely set free a pair of moon landers in space

Starship, a 400-foot-tall, super-heavy-lift rocket and spaceship, blasted off shortly after 4:30 p.m. CST / 5:30 p.m. EST / 2:30 p.m. PST from the aerospace company's private space port in Boca Chica, Texas. The test flight was the rocket system's seventh, and was broadcast on both SpaceX's website and X, the social platform acquired by the business' billionaire founder Elon Musk.

Starship's expected one-hour test went awry when controllers lost communication with the ship about 8.5 minutes into flight — long before the spacecraft's intended splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Videos on X reportedly showed it breaking up and re-entering Earth's atmosphere, including a clip shared by Musk. It was not immediately known whether any damages resulted from raining debris.

"We are obviously bummed out about Ship," said Dan Huot, a SpaceX spokesman and launch commentator. "Reminder: It's a test, it's a flight test, it's an experimental vehicle, so we'll figure out what ended our day today and make sure that doesn't end our day tomorrow."

Mechanical arms at the Starship launch tower successfully catch the returned booster during the seventh flight test on Jan. 16. Credit: SpaceX screenshot

SpaceX has faced criticism for its previous Starship test failures. Its executives insist that building fast, destroying expensive hardware, and learning quickly from mistakes are all part of the company's philosophy — in stark contrast with NASA's much slower approach.

Musk has complained that federal regulations have a chokehold on his company, impeding its progress and ability to conduct rapid testing on Starship. Industry watchers have speculated that Musk's newfound close ties with President-elect Donald Trump could remove some of that bureaucratic red tape. 

The test came the same day as competitor Blue Origin's first launch of the New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The 320-foot rocket successfully reached orbit Thursday morning, though the booster did not land on an ocean barge as planned, company executives admitting it had been an ambitious goal for a brand-new launch vehicle. The two giant rocket demonstrations are a testament to the intensifying commercial space industry.

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The primary objectives for SpaceX were stress-testing the new ship and avionics, catching the booster at the launchpad for potential reuse, deploying the dummy satellites in space, and a targeted water landing. It wasn't immediately known what caused the redesigned spaceship to fail.

Trump apparently didn't observe the flight demonstration as he had for the one in November 2024. During the previous test, SpaceX waved off catching the rocket booster because of a communication glitch with the launch tower, though the feat was successfully achieved during the October test.

This time, the booster again returned to the robotic "chopsticks" as planned, greeting South Texas with its thunderous sonic boom. 

"It was incredible to see it come back down, just that silver flare in the sky, and we can still see the launch plume behind us," said Katie Tice, a SpaceX launch host. "That was very moving for me." 

Starship flies in space during its seventh test Jan. 16, shortly before flight controllers lost contact with the spacecraft. Credit: SpaceX screenshot

NASA will depend on the rocket company to ferry astronauts to the lunar surface on a modified Starship for the Artemis III and IV moon missions under a $4.2 billion contract. To do that, SpaceX first has to master refueling its spaceship in space. For Musk, Starship is also a passion project to eventually send people to Mars and build a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet.

The Starship on Thursday flew with a reused engine from the booster returned from the fifth test.

The company’s Apple Intelligence system has erroneously characterized news stories, provoking a backlash from media companies.

Dylan seemed to be in on the joke, posting an old black and white clip of himself saying “Good God, I must leave right away.”

An investigation by the Federal Trade Commission determined that consumers had not been aware that the automaker was providing their driving information to data brokers.

UPDATE: Jan. 16, 2025, 11:25 a.m. EST This article was originally published in March 2023. It has been updated in January 2025 in light of Trump's second presidential term and the recent Supreme Court hearing, and includes original interviews from 2023 as well as updated law information.

Free speech online has been attacked in recent years, from the proposed TikTok ban to the death of net neutrality. Given President-elect Donald Trump's second term on the horizon and the proposals of Project 2025 (a conservative wishlist for said term) a real possibility, U.S. lawmakers will likely continue to target access to the free and open internet. One such example is the growing trend of age-verification bills, which mandate individuals to provide proof of age in order to access adult content, or in some cases, even to browse social media platforms. Experts warn that these bills pose serious threats to digital privacy and free speech.

What are age-verification bills?

In 2022, Louisiana passed Act 440, which requires visitors to sites with over 33.33 percent of adult content to use a commercial age-verification system (AVS) to prove they're over 18, such as with a government-issued ID. The law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

Following this, a wave of similar bills emerged across the country. As of publication in early 2025, age-verification laws have been enacted in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. (Tennessee's law is blocked as of this publication.) Georgia's version, SB 351, will take effect July 1, 2025. The Free Speech Coalition, a porn industry lobby group, has been tracking these bills through a comprehensive database.

On Jan. 15, the Supreme Court heard Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, a case about Texas's age-verification law. The decision, which will likely come this summer, will set the precedent for these laws moving forward.

In the UK, similar legislation that called for age verification on porn sites, known as the "porn block," failed in 2019. In January, UK communications watchdog Ofcom called for age verification for explicit content, such as with facial scans or photo ID.

Project 2025 and age-verification bills

Project 2025 calls for an outright porn ban and for porn creators to be imprisoned. One of the authors of Project 2025, Russell Vought (who Trump asked to return as the head of the Office of Management and Budget), was caught on a secret recording stating that age-verification bills are a "back door" way to do just that.

"We came up with an idea on pornography to make it so that the porn companies bear the liability for the underage use," Vought told two men undercover as potential donors for his conservative think-tank Center for Renewing America, as reported by The Intercept, "as opposed to the person who visits the website getting to just certify" their age.

"We've got a number of states that are passing this," Vought also said, "and you know what happens is the porn company then says, 'We’re not going to do business in your state.' Which of course is entirely what we were after, right?"

What Vought is referring to is companies like Pornhub blocking states with age-verification laws. As of this publication, Pornhub is blocked in 17 U.S. states.

The downsides to "porn passport" laws

While these bills may initially seem sound — no one wants children to access adult content — they are steeped in political implications, as stated above. Even beyond that, the experts say that they won't work for their (so-called) intended purpose and will cause a host of problems.

In terms of the former, these statutes are difficult to enforce and easy to get around. For one, there are going to be websites based in other countries that won't comply with these regulations, said Mike Stabile, director of public affairs at the Free Speech Coalition. "My greatest fear when I looked at [these bills] was that this is…going to push kids to more and more dangerous sites," he said.

For another, software like VPNs (virtual privacy networks) are built to make it seem like the user is somewhere they're not. Days after the Louisiana law went into effect, a Redditor asked if they can use a VPN to get around it. "Yep," the top comment read. "So easy a five year old can do it."

Beyond enforceability, experts say they cause a tremendous privacy risk.

"The immediate concerns are that there is no foolproof age-verification system that is not intrusive, comprehensive, effective, and can be introduced quickly," said Jason Kelley, associate director of digital strategy at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit focused on defending digital rights. Since there aren't systems in place to implement these regulations, tech companies will scramble to respond to these laws. They may do the right thing or the wrong thing unintentionally, like setting up an AVS that's insecure because they don't know how AVS works, or they may do the wrong thing intentionally to gather people's data. 

"You create this whole ecosystem, where people's individual behaviors — the websites that they visit — can be tracked and connected to their identity," Kelley continued. "We're essentially creating this immediate requirement for people to share their private information alongside their pornography preference with companies that don't necessarily have a system in place to protect that data."

SEE ALSO: Stripperweb empowered strippers. Where will they go now?

A longer-term concern is that there will be a domino effect, which is already happening with the copycat bills. If they were all to pass, Kelley said we'd have an extremely complicated system where different states accept different forms of verification. This could lead to these websites requiring verification from everyone regardless of state to ensure they comply. 

"The end result is that we won't have access that's anonymous to much of the web," Kelley said of these flurry of age-verification bills, "which is important for free speech" and other things, like privacy protection. If all these bills went into effect, many people wouldn't be able to access the internet at all without an ID. As it is, there's a "digital divide" where millions of Americans don't have an adequate internet connection at home; verification would only exacerbate this issue of access. While those who do have IDs could get through these barriers, they would need to give up anonymity to do so.

If all these bills went into effect, many people wouldn't be able to access the internet at all without an ID, and those who could access would need to provide documentation.

That's not the only potential issue. As former senior security analyst Max Eddy at PCMag (which is owned by Ziff Davis, Mashable's parent company) warned, identity theft could increase in the wake of these laws. It's already happening: "We've already heard reports of phishing going on in Louisiana, where people are impersonating adult sites, and getting people to upload their ID and then selling those IDs…for Bitcoin," Stabile said. "We expect that…identity theft is going to skyrocket." 

Users aren't the only people impacted by these laws; adult creators are, too. 

Online sex workers are already pushed offline due to bills FOSTA-SESTA, an amendment to Section 230 meant to stop sex trafficking, but has resulted in the removal (or shadowbanning) of sex workers and remotely sexy content from major social platforms like Facebook and Instagram. (Only a single trafficker has been prosecuted under FOSTA-SESTA in its first five years.) Should age-verification bills progress, the problem will inevitably worsen.

"It's just going to censor us," said adult performer and advocate Alana Evans. "How is it going to affect a platform like Twitter?" Currently, Twitter does allow adult content, and Evans sees it as the only platform that has a safe space for performers — but that status hangs in the balance. "If Twitter decides that we can't advertise my cam links anymore" or similar links, she said, "it would kill my business. It would kill my income."

How to protect children from adult content

"I worked my butt off to keep my kids away from that material," said Evans, who's a parent. "The most important thing is actually being aware of what your kids are doing in the first place." This includes checking their devices and having open conversations about sex and porn. She's had talks with her son, who's now an adult, where she explained that porn isn't real but rather a "theatrical version" of sex. 

"I don't think parents should be afraid of having that conversation," Evans said. One reason teens look at porn is simply because they're curious. "If you're having a conversation with them," she continued, "the curiosity is taken away."

Like Evans, Stabile also calls on parents to be involved with their kids' internet browsing and to have those conversations. There's lots of content beyond porn that's not appropriate for kids — portrayals of violence, for example — and it may be impossible to protect kids from seeing any of it, but you can talk to them about it. 

Beyond conversations, Stabile recommends device-level filters that block all websites that are registered RTA, or "Restricted to Adults." "It signals to filters, whether it's your Apple filter or Net Nanny or something like that, that this site should be blocked," he explained. It doesn't matter if a child tries a VPN or some other workaround — the site will be blocked on that device. 

The idea behind these bills "is not wrong," said Evans — no one, especially those in the adult industry, wants children watching their content. These bills, however, create risks and can cascade into an online privacy and censorship nightmare that hurts sex workers and other internet users. 

"If even a few of them [age-verification bills] pass in different contexts, it will be dangerous for everyone in the United States who goes online," Kelley warned, "because we will not be able to access things privately."

On Jan. 15, 2025, the Supreme Court heard a case about age-verification laws, Free Speech v. Paxton. Its decision will significantly impact online free speech. 

Age-verification laws vary by state but typically require users to submit identification in order to visit sites the states deem to have over one-third of explicit content hosted. ID can include submitting one's driver's license, a digital ID, or a facial scan. Since 2022, 19 states have passed age-verification laws, and all but one is currently in effect. The other, Georgia's, goes into effect July 1, 2025. Pornhub currently blocks 17 states from viewing content due to these laws. 

SEE ALSO: 6 platforms gaining popularity as TikTok ban deadline nears Free Speech v. Paxton explained

The Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton case initially began as a challenge to Texas's age-verification law by the adult industry trade organization, the Free Speech Coalition or FSC. 

The perceived purpose of these laws is to stop children from looking at porn. But FSC argues that age-verification laws don't stop children from accessing porn sites (due to technology like VPNs), and instead have a chilling effect — stopping adults from accessing content they have the right to access, out of fear of privacy breach, data collection, or documentation of what explicit material they look at. 

A Texas judge initially blocked the state's age-verification law due to FSC's challenge, but the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld it. That appeals court, however, struck down a part of the Texas law that would require adult sites to post health warnings about porn.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case last July but said the law could remain in effect before the hearing (which will likely continue during litigation, according to NBC News).

Ahead of the hearing, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that the Supreme Court should reject the appeal for the law, asserting that material on such sites is obscene (and the First Amendment does not protect obscenity), and pointed to the 1968 Supreme Court case Ginsberg v. New York, which concluded that material that isn't obscene may still be "harmful to minors."

During Wednesday's hearing, multiple Supreme Court Justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, argued that the internet is different than the media argued about in Ginsberg ("girlie" magazines). That signaled that the Ginsberg precedent over these issues might not suffice — but there have been multiple Supreme Court cases about porn since 1968, including 2004's Ashcroft v. ACLU, when the court ruled that a requirement for online publishers to prevent minors from seeing "harmful content" was unconstitutional. 

"We thought the law was very clear 20 years ago when the federal government tried to do this and the Ashcroft decision was handed down, and Reno," legal counsel for sexual freedom nonprofit Woodhull Freedom Foundation, Lawrence G. Walters, told Mashable. The latter case he referred to is Reno v. ACLU, a 1997 decision that determined prohibiting "indecent" online speech violated the First Amendment.

How can these laws pass despite the Supreme Court's precedent? The argument, Walters said, is that access to porn is different now, driven by technological advances and the pervasiveness of smartphones. "But really, not much has fundamentally changed," Walters explained. "Hardcore porn was available on the internet when Ashcroft was decided."

The Free Speech Coalition maintained its argument about the chilling effect of age verification. FSC's lawyer instead spoke in favor of device-level filters to prevent children from accessing explicit content, which the conservative justices Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh were skeptical about.

Ultimately, the justices must decide which standard to use to review Texas's age-verification law: strict scrutiny (a rigorous review, as in Ashcroft) or rational basis review (which is less strict, as in Ginsberg). FSC is arguing for the former. Justice Elena Kagan said that relaxing strict scrutiny could have "spillover dangers" to other free speech cases.

Arguments for and against age-verification laws

A repeated argument during the hearing was whether online age verification is the same as flashing one's ID at a liquor store. The problem with this comparison, as Woodhull Freedom Foundation asserts, is that flashing one's ID isn't storing one's data (such as one's license information or biometric data like facial scans); there's no third-party access to information; it's not vulnerable to hackers; and it's not complicated as an online age-verification system may be.

"Texas completely failed to appreciate the substantial privacy and security risks at issue and continued to incorrectly suggest that online age verification — which requires millions of internet users to upload and submit identifying information — is no different than quick, one-on-one, in-person ID checks," said Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney Lisa Femia in a statement.

"The Texas law robs adult internet users of anonymity, exposes them to serious privacy and security risks, and blocks some adults entirely from accessing sexual content that’s protected under the First Amendment," Femia said.

Another argument, both at the hearing and at a rally outside the Supreme Court by the conservative political advocacy group, American Principles Project, is that one needs to provide an ID to do other activities online. Hence, age verification is "common sense."

"You have to verify your age to buy alcohol online, you verify your age to buy nicotine, even nicotine patches, and you need to verify your age to gamble online," said American Principles Project president Terry Schilling. "You need to verify your age in order to access hardcore and violent pornography."

But this isn't an apples-to-apples comparison. Buying alcohol and gambling isn't a protected right in our Constitution.

"There's no First Amendment right to gamble. There's no First Amendment right to buy alcohol,"  Walters told Mashable. "What makes this different is it's speech. It's protected speech. You have the right to access protected speech as an adult. And so all of the other analogs [comparisons] that they're talking about do not apply."

In terms of whether this content — "hardcore and violent" pornography (research points to porn not inciting violent crime) — is obscene, thus not protected by the First Amendment, Walters said there hasn't been any obscenity determination to any content involved in this lawsuit. "All media is presumed to be protected unless there is a determination of obscenity," said Walters.

The American Principles Project, which held the rally, has a deeper interest in furthering age verification. The group is on the advisory board of Project 2025, the conservative policy blueprint for Donald Trump's second presidential term.

Age-verification and Project 2025

Project 2025 is a 900+ page document that calls for many changes in the U.S., including banning pornography and imprisoning its creators. While age verification isn't an outright porn ban, it's a "back door" to one. 

So said Project 2025 co-author Russell Vought, who Trump asked to return as director of the Office of Management and Budget. In a secret recording (by a paid actor and British journalist), Vought admitted that age-verification laws are a "back door" to a broader porn ban.

"We came up with an idea on pornography to make it so that the porn companies bear the liability for the underage use," Vought said, "as opposed to the person who visits the website getting to just certify" they're of-age, which was the status quo before these laws.

Vought added, "We’d have a national ban on pornography if we could, right?"

The Supreme Court decision on age-verification laws 

Wednesday's hearing was just that: a hearing. A decision will likely come this summer, according to CNN. However, there's already commentary about the decision, like CNN saying the judges lean towards supporting Texas's age-verification law. But you can't tell how a case will be decided based on comments at oral argument, Walters said. 

There are several ways the decision can come down. The Supreme Court could find Texas's age-verification law unconstitutional and unsuitable to strict scrutiny. Walters explained that the highest court would then send it down to the Fifth Circuit and say they made the wrong decision.

Another outcome is that the Supreme Court sends the decision back down to the Fifth U.S. Circuit, saying they used the wrong standard of rational basis when they should use strict scrutiny.

Yet another possibility is that the Supreme Court decides that rational basis is the current standard, and the law doesn't need to hold up to strict scrutiny. In that case, Texas's age-verification law would stand. 

SEE ALSO: Top 5 digital security tips from sex workers The stakes of Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton

Over the last several years, we have seen how information online gets blocked and shadowbanned, partly due to laws. FOSTA/SESTA (a set of bills that was supposedly anti-trafficking but in practice has done more harm to sex workers than to curb sex trafficking) has led to major social media platforms removing or shadowbanning educational and artistic sexual content, especially if it's from accounts of LGBTQ people, women, and people of color. 

Banks, credit card companies, and financial apps have also barred sex workers and sites with sexual content, making this content more difficult to access. Banks have started closing accounts of non-sex workers, as well.

It's not just online content that is in danger, either. Conservatives are driving book bans and threatening access to birth control and the abortion pill. 

The attacks on sexual freedom and online expression are like a pointillism painting: up close, you see the individual dots. If you pull back, you see the picture, explained Ricci Levy, president and CEO of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation.

"Pull back and see the whole picture of all the attacks on everything to do with our sexual selves," she said. 

Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton isn't an isolated case. Depending on how the Supreme Court rules, online content could become more censored.

"There could be a number of other subjects that the state tries to restrict access to," Walters said. "Reproductive rights information, abortion, guns, politics, you name it. And so this case is going to set the standard of what the government is allowed to get away with in restricting access by adults" to this content.

"There's so much riding on this case," said Levy. "It's really the future of the internet…I don't believe it's going to stop here."

"There isn't a carve-out in this law to address educational materials, LGBTQ resources," Levy continued. She mentioned Vought's "back door" comment leading to the goal of the ban on pornography. "It's part of a larger attack on sexuality in this country." 

The issue isn't about whether children can look at porn; neither porn creators nor sex worker advocates want that. "It's not about children, not really," Levy said. "It's about eliminating access to pornography or pornography as a whole."

It looks like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk won't be the only tech CEOs attending President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday. According to The New York Times, Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok, will also attend.

This comes as the Supreme Court continues to debate the fate of Chew's app in the U.S., which could result in 170 million people losing access to it. If the court upholds the ban, as other courts have done, it will go into effect on Sunday, Jan. 19.

SEE ALSO: Why are Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg at Trump's inauguration?

It's unclear how that ban will look, but we know that while your phone might not self-combust the second you open TikTok, it won't work as you're used to it. App stores like Apple and Google and internet hosting companies will be penalized by the government if they distribute or update the app, and anonymous sources at TikTok told Reuters that U.S. users would be faced with a pop-up message that will take them to a website with information about the ban starting on Sunday, unless the Supreme Court steps in.

The Times reported that the invitation to the executive to attend the inauguration came from the Trump Vance Inaugural Committee. This represents a stark reversal in Trump's approach to TikTok. In 2020, Trump attempted to ban the app through an executive order, which didn't stick. Now, he appears to be supportive of the app. He met with TikTok executives in December at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, and during his campaign, he announced, "I'm gonna save TikTok."

SAVE $570: As of Jan. 16, get a like new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra from Woot for $849.99, which is $570 off its new price of $1,419.99. That's a discount of 43%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra $849.99 at Woot
$1,419.99 Save $570.00 Like New Condition Get Deal

If it's time to toss your old smartphone and upgrade to a new one, you might want to think about skipping a trip to your carrier and buying online. Often you can save hundreds just by opting for a different color, amount of storage space, or even by buying used. That's the case with this particular phone deal, which can net you a fantastic device for a low price.

As of Jan. 16, get a like new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone for $849.99 at Woot. That's $570 off its normal price of $1,419.99 when you buy new and a discount of 43%. Currently, only the Gray, Violet, and Yellow colorways are still available, and you can opt for devices that will be compatible with AT&T or T-Mobile. The unlocked phones are out of stock at the time of writing.

Like new condition means that the phones have been sourced from Samsung's 15-day buyer's remorse return program. They've been inspected and reconditioned accordingly by Samsung. They don't come in their original retail packaging, but they do come with a USB-C cable, S Pen, and SIM removal tool.

This smartphone is one of the best models you can currently purchase as part of the Galaxy lineup. It rocks a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 200MP main camera with ultrawide, telephoto, and periscope lenses. Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor can handle all your day-to-day needs, and the 5,000 mAh battery means you've got juice all day long even if you're a heavy user.

Whether you just need something more reliable and up to date than your old phone or you can't resist a good deal, you'll want to snag this one as soon as possible – the other colorways likely will sell out fast.

With CES 2025 behind us, you might think that you'd have a break from big tech company announcements.

Well, think again! 

Samsung's very own event, Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025, is just around the corner: January 22 at 1pm ET to be exact.

While Samsung focused on "AI for All" at CES, showcasing mostly their latest home appliances and the AI-integrations in these products, the company held off on any announcements for their flagship line of smartphones, tablets, and other connected mobile devices.

That's what Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is for. Here's what to expect.

Galaxy S25 series

This shouldn't be a surprise as this is the main event of Samsung's annual event, A new line of Galaxy S smartphones will make their debut at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025.

Based on the naming conventions of the previous series', Samsung will very likely announce its latest smartphone trio at the event: the Galaxy S25, the Galaxy S25+, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Some news about the new Galaxy S25 series of phones has already leaked, so we can likely expect a similar design as its predecessors, but with rounded edges. The Galaxy S25 and S25+ will also remain the same size as previous models, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra will apparently get a slight makeover with a 6.9 inch display. The S25 Ultra is also reported to receive an upgraded camera as its ultra-wide sensor gets a bump from 12MP to 50MP.

The biggest upgrade in the Galaxy S25 series of smartphones will be what it's powered by: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. This processor was made to handle generative AI, so we'll very likely see some big AI announcements from Samsung at the event as well.

One UI 7

Already in beta, Samsung's One UI 7 built on Android 15, will likely be made official by the company at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked.

Samsung's custom interface will receive some much-needed upgrades with the release of One UI 7. Beta users seem to be reactive positively to the tweaked notification system in One UI 7.

Samsung has previously boasted about One UI 7's AI capabilities, calling it the "first integrated AI platform."

AI features

Speaking of AI, we will likely see a slew of announcements regarding AI-integration in the Galaxy S25 series and the One UI 7.

Rumors about a Samsung "AI agent" have been picking up, which would basically act as an AI assistant providing personal suggestions on a range of categories from fashion to transportation.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chip will certainly usher in a range of AI possibilities that Samsung can surprise us with. So, what exactly Samsung will offer when it comes to AI and how it accomplishes this could end up being an unexpected highlight for Samsung Galaxy fans.

Galaxy Ring 2

On the non-smartphone front, Samsung is expected to debut the Galaxy Ring 2 at the event. 

The Galaxy Ring 2 might just show up as a teaser at this point with no hard release date, but the next generation wearable health device is expected to flaunt an extended battery life from its predecessor. 

An updated sensor for more accurate measurements as well as new AI capabilities is also being rumored for the new Galaxy Ring 2.

AR Glasses

Rounding out the tech product 2025 Bingo card for the event is Samsung's AR glasses. The existence of these Samsung AR glasses are already confirmed but there's just rumors at this point that they may make their debut at Galaxy Unpacked. 

The AR glasses are currently being referred to as Project Moohan and are being developed in partnership with Google and Qualcomm on the Android XR operating system.

Much like the Galaxy Ring 2, it would likely just be a teaser if Samsung's AR glasses did indeed make an appearance.

The move is under discussion as the Chinese-owned app faces a Sunday deadline to find a new buyer or shut down in the United States.

In their mass migration to the Chinese app RedNote, social media users make a gleeful mockery of the American government.

SAVE $100: The Garmin Venu 3S smartwatch (41mm, Ivory) is on sale at Amazon for $349.99, down from the normal price of $449.99. That's a 22% discount that matches the lowest price we've ever spotted at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Gamin Venu 3S (41mm, Ivory) $349.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

If you're just getting back into the swing of the work/life schedule after the holidays, you might still be considering resolutions for 2025. It's never too late to set some goals for this week or month to get a few more steps in each day. If you're looking for some accountability when it comes to healthy habits, check out this deal at Amazon on a reliable fitness tracker.

As of Jan. 16, the Garmin Venu 3S smartwatch (41mm, Ivory) is on sale for $349.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $449.99. That's a 22% discount that takes $100 off. The sale price also matches the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

A long-time leader in the world of smartwatches, Garmin brings all of the brand's highlights to the Venu 3S. You'll be able to choose from over 30 preloaded GPS and indoor sports activities. You'll get continuous on-wrist heart rate monitoring and respiratory rates, too.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

Unlike many smartwatches designed for tracking fitness, the Garmin Venu 3S can get up to 10 days of battery life when in smartwatch mode. For comparison, Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon found both the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 9 got a bit over one day of battery life per charge.

With a bright OLED touchscreen display, the Garmin Venu 3S uses a 1.2-inch display, helping you navigate and view stats on your wrist. Garmin also gives users a daily Body Battery score, helping you get better insights into days when you can go all out on a workout compared to days you should try to get a nap in. The Garmin also helps with tracking sleep, giving you a readout of total sleep time, sleep stages, and personalized coaching into how to improve sleep.

When it comes to preloaded workout options, the Garmin includes both indoor and outdoor options, pool swimming, and activities for those who use a wheelchair. You can also follow along with animated workouts for yoga, HIIT, and strength training directly on your watch face. For those who have aspirations of a 5K, 10K, or half-marathon, get free training plans developed by expert coaches.

When paired with an Android or iOS smartphone, your Garmin can give on-wrist notifications of text messages, incoming phone calls, and calendar reminders. You can also respond to texts on the Garmin Venu 3S thanks to the on-watch keyboard.

If you're in the market for a smartwatch that excels in tracking fitness, today's low price on the Garmin Venu 3S is a perfect option. It comes with great fitness functions backed with the reliability of a Garmin device. Plus, the soft gold and ivory colorway gives this tracker a sleek and sophisticated look.

SAVE $100: As of Jan. 16, get the Beats Solo 4 Minecraft Edition headphones at Target for $99.99, down from their usual price of $199.99. That's a 50% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Beats Solo 4 Minecraft Edition $99.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

Looking for a new pair of headphones? Love gaming? It's time to high-tail it on over to Target to take advantage of this deal.

As of Jan. 16, you can get the Beats Solo 4 Minecraft Edition headphones at Target for $99.99. That's $100 off their normal price of $199.99 and a 50% discount.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2: Every new feature and game spotted in the announcement

These are the latest model of the Beats Solo range, newly refreshed this year with a battery life of up to 50 hours that can be quick-charged in just 10 minutes. But more importantly, if you're a Minecraft fan, this version of the popular Beats headphone features special Minecraft graphics, with a black frame and lime green Creeper imagery all over. It's a very cool look for Minecraft fans young or old.

Beyond aesthetics, the headphones also feature personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking for 3D surround sound and a more immersive listening experience. They also just sound fantastic, no matter what kind of music or content you're listening to.

For $99.99, you really can't go wrong here. Snatch them up before this deal disappears.

The successful flight to orbit of the Amazon founder’s powerful rocket suggests it could grow into a credible competitor with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

PREORDER NOW: PlayStation just dropped its Midnight Black collection. Preorder controllers, headphones, and console covers now, all available in Midnight Black.

PlayStation Midnight Black Collection Amazon PlayStation DualSense Edge Wireless Controller $199.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Target PlayStation Portal Remote Player $199.99 at Target Pre-Order Here Target PlayStation Pulse Elite $149.99 at Target Pre-Order Here Target PlayStation Pulse Explore $199.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here PlayStation PlayStation 5 Console Cover $54.99 at PlayStation Pre-Order Here

PlayStation just dropped their latest colorway, Midnight Black. This dark, sleek design is another way to give your gaming set-up a new look. From controller to console, if you want a uniform look, all items in the collection are now available for preorder as of January 16.

The full collection is available for preorder directly from PlayStation, but Amazon and Target are also offering advanced ordering on specific items. At Amazon, shop the DualSense Edge Wireless Controller, which allows you to map your own controls for a customized gaming experience. In addition to the controllers, PlayStation's Pulse Elite headphones and Pulse Explore earbuds are also available in Midnight Black. Plus, if you want your console to match, it won't involve getting a whole new device. Instead for just $54.99, you can buy console covers in Midnight Black.

Preorder the Midnight Black collection now and be one of the first to get your hands on the new color.