companies make it difficult or impossible to disable ai in their products because it is an authoritarian project made from a stack of consent violations in a trenchcoat they don't give you a checkbox for "i don't want this and will never use it" because they know many people would check that box

Hmmm...

WAPO: “.. The crisis is as obvious as it is grave .. Billionaires are accelerating their efforts to consolidate control over media platforms and the president is eager to help them do so, provided they shut down his critics.” @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...

The last political column I was allowed to write in the @washingtonpost.com was a criticism of Obama. His people took issue with my piece, but we were respectful. Now he is tweeting in support of me. This is how free political speech and respect for debate *actually works*. Or used to work.

I would love to be part of the conversation on MSNBC related to the Kimmel story and it's chilling effects on first amendment, but unfortunately I was terminated by MSNBC for stating that "hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which lead to hateful actions".

CDC's ACIP is about to discuss a potential delay in administering the hep B shot to newborns — here's what's at stake (we're tuning in and will be updating) w/ @elaineywchen.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/09/18/c...

Not really an overstatement to say that the test of a free society is whether or not comedians can make fun of the country's leader on TV without repurcussions.

it is really important for news outlets to be clear (unlike the nyt here) that Kimmel was suspended not because of some grassroots backlash but because ABC caved to threats from the head of the FCC

While Kennedy once claimed that he was increasing the number of scientists and front-line workers, ProPublica found that more than 1,050 scientists, physicians and public health specialists left or were pushed out of the CDC from January to mid-August.

I can’t believe it’s even necessary to say that NO city in ANY country deserves or should be INVADED by its federal government. I thought we cared about people. Isn’t that the real point? Everyone needs liberation, most of all the people who don’t know.

this is a fair criticism for all of us tech reporters.

One more thing: SciAm is 180 years old this month, the oldest continually published magazine in America. It lasted so long because people were willing to pay for its journalism. Here's a note from new EIC @dme.bsky.social on its past and hoped-for future: www.scientificamerican.com/article/180-...

A reminder that this is what the path to a full ban on vaccines looks like. No one is banning vaccines for everyone overnight. Just like with abortion, they will carve off one group at a time and hope the those still eligible respond with gratitude and self-interest instead of anger and solidarity.

They're openly calling to lock up every trans person by force. We need every ally to speak out forcefully against this because trans folks cannot do this on our own.

Trump signs an executive order tasking Hegseth to establish "specialised units" within the National Guard to "deal with public order issues" across the US. Using the US Military against the American public.

When you have a moment -- take a look at this math story involving butterflies, fractals, Douglas Hofstadter, and patterns in irrational energy potentials! My latest for Quanta. www.quantamagazine.org/ten-martini-... #science #MathSky #math #physics ⚛️👩🏾‍🔬

Of all the things that didn't happen, this didn't happen the most

BREAKING: Workers of @sn-media-guild.bsky.social voted with 92% support to authorize a strike, with 89% of members participating. We're ready to do whatever it takes to get the fair contract we deserve. See our comments below to learn more about how to help our efforts! @society4science.bsky.social

“Microsoft also warns against using the AI function for numerical calculations or in ‘high-stakes scenarios’ with legal, regulatory, and compliance implications, as COPILOT ‘can give incorrect responses.’” 🤷🏿‍♂️

[nodding]

The White House is mobilizing red state military forces to occupy a Democratic stronghold and let me tell you: No one has ever pretended something isn't happening harder than Democratic leaders are pretending this isn't happening right now.

The suit claims the popular service may be recording and processing millions of users' private conversations without consent. By @bobbyallyn.bsky.social

NEW: The FDA may yank Pfizer's under-5 Covid vaccine this fall. Pfizer has the only pediatric vaccines for all kids over six months, not just those with health conditions. My latest: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Nonprofits & academic groups have stepped up to ensure US scientists contribute to the next UN IPCC study, produce some version of the national climate assessment & move ahead with the first US nature assessment. But it's very hard to match the resources of the federal government.

Why any sane person would use generative AI at this point is beyond me.

𝘈𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢 is a favorite study organism for neuroscientists. These muscular purple sea slugs have enormous neurons — the largest is about the size of a letter on a U.S. penny — and their physical responses are easy to measure: Poke it and it flinches. www.quantamagazine.org/what-can-a-c...

The official NIH X account is accusing KFF of "misinformation" and "lying to the public" for this article on declines in patients at the NIH Clinical Center this year. But they don't dispute any of its claims and the graph they attached ends in 2023?

Are you a current freelancer? Considering freelancing? Have an interest in hiring and working w/freelancers? Join us for today's member social at 1 pm ET hosted by the Freelance Committee. Link for today's event: www.nasw.org/events/... Not a member yet? Visit nasw.org/join

Wild case of ChatGPT almost killing a guy by telling him to substitute sodium bromine for table salt (sodium chloride) #medsky www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...

Brutal exit assessment of the Washington Post and its imported management from the journalist who was one of my cubicle neighbors in the Financial section 15 years ago: "there is no vision, no game plan, and no commitment to build on existing traffic."

I believe one of the new mRNA vaccines was expected to treat colon cancer, and another had the potential to keep pancreatic cancer from recurring. That’s what they’re taking away.

Link:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces he will cancel $500 million in vaccine development projects.

Scoop: The U.S. billion-dollar disaster database is set to return this fall over at @climatecentral.org. They've hired the former NOAA scientist who ran the project for 10+ years www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Cranking up the volume. Hoping all parties can orchestrate a fair agreement soon. actionnetwork.org/petitions/fo...

After a slow start, the U.S.’s summer COVID-19 wave is now clearly taking off, with cases increasing nationwide according to all metrics. Read this week's full COVID-19 trends report from @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social: bit.ly/4lj3sCC

U.S. health officials have excluded major medical groups, including the AMA and AAP, from the workgroups that form vaccine recommendations. Citing "bias", the move has been called dangerous by the groups, who warn it will undermine public trust. #MedSky 🛟

if you want more on how we got here: www.statnews.com/2024/10/28/e...

🫠

Bethany is great! Her book is so funny and good! If you are in the DMV, go to this event; you won't be disappointed.

Why is it so hard to find a therapist who takes insurance? We heard from more than 500 mental health care providers who left their networks because of red tape, low reimbursement rates, delayed payments and more. (Published Aug. 2024)

Day 460 of negotiations with the @society4science.bsky.social. Since then, the ISS has orbited Earth ~7,360 times. At least the ISS knows how to complete a mission. Help support ours: sign the petition below! #faircontractnow #UnionStrong

Proposed NIH cuts predicted to cause a drop in the US scientific workforce, to reduce support for public health, and to create gaps in scientific knowledge. Story by @aniloza.bsky.social industryhttps://www.statnews.com/2025/07/28/nih-cuts-new-study-says-long-term-they-will-cost-more-than-saved/

Now on @sciam.bsky.social, by @nadiadrake.bsky.social: The U.S. has axed CMB-S4, its boldest cosmology experiment in generations. Tight budgets and crumbling infrastructure helped doom the project, which was meant to test cosmic inflation. RIP. www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-...

I’m no giraffe but I’m sticking my neck out to say it’s not fair that the C-suite gets raises greater than many employees salaries while Guild members haven’t gotten a raise since bargaining began.

Working class solidarity isn't just for unionized workers. When it extends beyond these categories, real change can emerge. Right now, @sn-media-guild.bsky.social is asking for support from the community. They have been negotiating their first contract for over 400 days. We must stand with them.

My Science News colleagues and I care deeply about making science accessible and understandable to the public. Our union hopes to push for fairness for the people who make our journalism possible. Please support us and sign our petition! actionnetwork.org/petitions/fo...

From editor Chris Crockett: Not only am I an editor, I’m also a military spouse. Working from Europe has let me work for @society4science.bsky.social while keeping our family together. I wish all my colleagues could work in a way that’s best for them. How about that #faircontract?