This story was reported with support from the MuckRock foundation.
Conservative parents’ advocacy groups have been experimenting with using commercially available artificial intelligence tools to help them flag more books they’ve deemed pornographic to be removed from public schools and libraries. Even though LLMs are notoriously error-prone, and the books in question aren’t pornographic, these gr...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights a genuine tension: AI tools are being weaponized to accelerate book bans, often with little regard for context or literary merit. Proponents argue these tools provide a "defensible process" for compliance with restrictive laws, while critics warn they strip books of nuance and disproportionately target marginalized voices. The pattern here aligns with **ARC-0043 Motte-and-Bailey**—where the "motte" (protecting children) justifies the "bailey" (c...