New paper in Nature. The more a government controls its domestic media, the more it dominates AI training data, the more pro-regime outputs we get from AI. By scraping the open web, LLMs are unwittingly laundering state-coordinated narratives into seemingly objective answers.

If you're thinking about using gen-AI to "write" books, this 🧵 is for you. I’m a highly experienced editor who’s been in the biz a long time. Recently I’ve had manuscripts come to me where the author has used gen-AI – not for writing, I’ve been assured, but for “structuring” or "organising"

Friends, sometimes silly men say silly things. And sometimes, those silly things are also hurtful things, or damaging things, or things that disrupt the important and caring work that we all set out to do every single day. So it goes. But in the meantime, I have a message for children's authors:

We may or may not see an apology in the days to come. If we do, it might be one of those “I’m sorry you didn’t understand what I meant” apologies. (PSA for anyone who needs a primer on how to apologize the right way: @kylelukoff.bsky.social I’M SORRY YOU GOT MAD.) bookshop.org/p/books/i-m-...

If you're part of the kidlit community, you probably already know our current "ambassador" declared in a new book that 94.7 percent of kids' books are "crud." It was a careless and harmful thing for someone in that role to say in this moment, and I've been thinking about where we go from here.

Checking out this doc produced by Dwayne Wade abt Dads of trans kids that looks pretty cool! www.usatoday.com/story/entert...

As the father of a middle schooler I have seen the rebellion against AI forming there — even using “that’s AI, bro,” not indicating something is literally AI, but that something is metaphorically so — it’s sus, it’s bullshit, it’s bad weird

Very cool sight about no-fly pledges! flightfree.co.uk

… If the BBC was remotely serious about promoting environmental sustainability, it it would be platforming the work of organisations like @flightfreeuk.bsky.social, rather than repeatedly promoting frequent flying for leisure. flightfree.co.uk

The Artemis II crew is a breath of fresh air into the news cycle.

“I’ll have you know that I’ve had sex.” “I went outside today, saw a bird, then immediately went back inside. Nature is beautiful.” “Will this get you to love me?”

@davidebybc.bsky.social it's past time for action to protect what remains of BC's old growth forests. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

"AI could never." Thank you, @shifasafadi.bsky.social for this beautiful call to action! www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

How evocative!

What adorable birdies :)

Look how cute!

Happy #KidlitArtPostcard day! Today I am sharing art from my upcoming book, #TheDayKindnessCame, publishing October 2026. This one is near and dear to my heart and may end up being my #legacy book. I have had a passion for creating #kidlit for a long time and hope to continue for years to come.

Happy #KidLitArtPostcard day! I’m a children’s book author & illustrator open to the right picture book for my whimsical, wonky illustrations Thank you to @ginaperry.bsky.social for bringing us all together for another month of sharing Portfolio and contact info found at www.andreawickert.com

and it's #kidlitartpostcard day! hoping the April showers lately will soon turn into flowers! I need sun! I'm based in Vancouver & rep'd by the wonderful @janinele.bsky.social 🪻would love to do more books but also book covers!! 💛 🌷 aprilmilne.com #kidlit #illustration #kidlitart

Hello Art Directors and Editors! Here's a Highland Cow and his friend Duck out for a ride for #kidlitartpostcard. I'm looking for picture book, chapter book, and young graphic novel projects, as well as cover illustration work. Portfolio www.LauraZarrin.com Rep'd by Elizabeth Bennett, Transatlantic.

Personally, I enjoy having a brain. My own brain, that I take great pleasure in using.

Folks, I'm writing! And I'm writing about my writing in my latest writing newsletter! Read more here: kamillascorner.beehiiv.com/p/it-s-writi...

I've seen people trying to defend it today by saying "No, no, I just use it to brainstorm, bounce ideas, I do the actual writing" and with all the kindness in the world I need to tell you: if there is a stage of writing you are not good at, you need to get good, not use the plagiarism machine.

The AI economy looks...really precarious. So @matteowong.bsky.social & I did a bunch of reporting to try to figure out what happens when a potential bubble collides with a war in Iran and a potential resource shortage. The answer is...arguably the most dire stuff i've heard from smart ppl in a while

Please share widely!

I’ve never seen a picture of a chicken go harder than this

Hello lovelies! I’m currently on a deadline, so this post is a double dip.

“Happy Trans Rights Readathon! For those unfamiliar, the goal is to uplift/read/support trans, non-binary, 2Spirit, & gender expansive characters & author/illustrators as well as raise funds for trans causes. 1/

Among the many reasons to say no to AI: www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...

#quitGPT: Read on for many reasons to cancel your ChatGPT subscription and delete the app. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We’re taking the Canadian gov to court 📣 For 11 years, it has delayed mapping critical habitat for Southern Mountain #Caribou while logging + industrial development continues. #cdnpoli With @ecojusticecanada.bsky.social , @stand.earth & @wildsight.bsky.social, we’re demanding action.

going to start saying 'i'm doing things that quite literally have never been done before" whenever i get any amount of pushback

BC's forests need our voices. Once endless, they are now under major threat, particularly the nearly-destroyed old growth. There are better ways to supply our needs: sierraclub.bc.ca/stories-even...

This dog is being called a "real-life Lassie" after helping find a missing 3-year-old boy in Kentucky. “I don’t know where the dog came from,” one officer said. “But it was a blessing from God that day.” We think the dog deserves some credit too, so we're awarding him our highest honor, a 15/10

I have thoughts...this time, about planning and how it can help or hurt: kamillascorner.beehiiv.com/p/plan-xiety...

Charley Harper, "Darwin's Finches", from "The Giant Golden Book of Biology", 1961

Hello, it’s #kidlitartpostcard day! My name is Yara, I’m a mixed-media illustrator, who’s also writing stories. Dear art directors and editors, I’m open for kidlit, nonfic, MG and YA projects. ✏️ odnatamyara.com Represented by @jemiscoe.bsky.social at @starlingliterary.bsky.social

"Haunted" #IceOut #IceOutComics

Please spread this far and wide, as stories don't get much bigger than this. When the government blocks even the intelligence services from telling us we're heading for environmental catastrophe, you know we have a problem. A very big problem. Thank you. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

#creating #gelprinting #artprocess #illustrationtechniques

Seriously, @people.com has been meeting the moment better than 90% of publications with direct reporting and crystal clear headlines. This is a good way for the low-information voters who are usually detached from the news cycle to get turned around.

More about logging in BC: destroying centuries-old trees is NOT sustainable. thenarwhal.ca/bc-forests-l...

I'm grateful for local reporting on forestry issues, and glad that our local council--after much pressure--reversed their ridiculous recommendation to log a rare forest ecosystem: www.sixmountains.ca/article/48a1...

I still recall the attempts to harm the quality of census data during earlier administrations. Don't like this.

Very interesting timing, with Amber Bracken in court this month telling the RCMP the same thing.

what a legend lmao

It strikes me that while the ICE/CBP attacks radicalized this man, his brother provided an example to him if he to respond to that radicalization. Keep talking about this with your normie friends and family.

Hooray!! Can't wait to see this book @authorjamierodarte.bsky.social

B.C.’s latest report on greenhouse gas emissions shows modest progress — but recent policy cuts threaten to move the province further from its climate action targets. Via @rochellebaker1.bsky.social and @nationalobserver.com thenarwhal.ca/bc-climate-c...

Extremely important and concerning analysis.

Yes! I am loving papercrafts like junk journaling, decorative planning, etc. these days. (I was DROWNING in academia.) So many people I know have returned to paper/analog planners, that is, if they ever left. And it’s actually a super relaxing hobby & potential lowkey side hustle if you’re crafty!