“I’m quite ready to take risks, but only for something worth while, not for bits of old newspaper.” Julia, in 1984 This has been rattling around my head all weekend as the US proudly takes control of an algorithm, and opens up the Memory Hole.

“It might help to think differently about the past in order to think differently about the future.” — Jill Lepore speaking at Politics & Prose in DC this evening.

Naps especially. #restisresistance thenapministry.wordpress.com

Dear friends, listen to @jay.bsky.team . Thank you.

I am going to sign up for this.

I've not had a chance to read through this. yet but I appreciate the approach they've been taking.

Thank you to the 14,000+ people who shared feedback on our community guidelines! We’re updating our rules for clarity, strengthening enforcement, and introducing product changes for healthier conversations. New guidelines kick in Oct 15. bsky.social/about/blog/0...

If you would like for me to come to your conference or convening and give a 45-minute rant about what makes good digital privacy trainings and guides, particularly for high-risk populations, hit me up.

The defining lesson of this first year of Trump authoritarianism is that kowtowing & capitulating yields zero permanent benefit and only emboldens the admin to come after you more. This critical lesson was first documented in the landmark political science treatise “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.”

Trump: "When 97% of the stories are bad about a person, that's no longer free speech."

I cannot stress enough how much this is not going to work.

Criminal hackers using #AI to find victim organizations and break in is the old new thing. Hackers breaking in and then turning the victim’s AI against them is the new new thing, and it is going to get so much worse. Gift link to my story today. wapo.st/4nDfV5o

I hate to be one of the "told you so" types, but I told you so... ( just a couple of weeks ago: www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...) Excellent summary of the AI risks to cyber security by @joemenn.bsky.social 👇

We can do better than Twitter, Bluesky and Mastodon, by taking the same approach we took with audio in podcasting, with text. Predictably, it’s called textcasting.org.

Gavin Newsom, Kristi Noem Nod Silently To Each Other In Plastic Surgeon’s Office — theonion.com/gavin-newsom...

Fearful Americans Stockpiling Facts Before Federal Government Comes To Take Them Away https://theonion.com/fearful-americans-stockpiling-facts-before-federal-gove-1819579589/

This.

Good point.

It is always important to hear what Tajh says. I was sorry to have missed the inn person event and look forward to seeing the video when his talk gets posted.

To my China hand network out there: this post inspired me to become a paying subscriber of the substack. 政治反抗需要多元叙述：顾雁回忆录之《我与林昭》的意义 open.substack.com/pub/chinauno...

"I hope and trust all will come out right in the end, but the immediate future looks dark and troubled. I cannot shut my eyes to the ugly facts before me." --Frederick Douglass, Lessons of the Hour, 1894

Exciting to enter a period where being a comedian might actually become slightly dangerous! Let's see how edgy the edgelords are then.

Attacks on free press and human rights are mounting in the U.S. and globally. Support independent media like Global Voices. Read our appeal by exec director Malka Older in this week’s newsletter. mailchi.mp/globalvoices...

“But, Toad,” cried Frog, “you will miss all the fun!”

Antidote to the week’s news.

Apparently.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how fear affects leaders and leadership. I really appreciate what @chanda.bsky.social recently wrote about the impact of authoritarian politics on our psyches and how we must resist by not running around in counter-productive. news.chanda.science/archive/feed...

I shared this on FB in February from the "Poetry Lovers" feed. Those of us fortunate enough to be physically and materially safe in this moment have a duty not to succumb to fear. Yes, forecast threats. Be prepared. Stay calm. Stand up for what's right. Keep faith in each other - we CAN get through.

"And the cool thing about the Blogs of Mastodon is you can't do it on Bluesky, yet. But we hope they will support this too."

So true!

Agreed.

New: I looked at 90 porn sites to test the new age-verification law rewriting the web. The ones following the rules, and scanning visitors' faces, are crumbling, while the lawbreakers are doubling or tripling their traffic. One of many unintended consequences for an experimental tech wapo.st/47QuttW

Never ever assume those summaries contain info that you should rely on for anything!

If you need a morale boost, you must watch this @eff.org award ceremony today. The acceptance speeches of the three awardees @mishi.bsky.social @erie.bsky.social and @justfutureslaw.bsky.social are so incredibly moving and inspiring.

Grok says that videos of Charlie Kirk being shot are memes and that he's actually fine

“Gen Z” protests first in Kenya now Nepal. Protesting corruption. Where next?

WWND. What Would Navalny Do? Think about it.

What if the internet as you know it is already gone? Concise summary of our state of affairs, and an argument for a shift structure and public investment, by @mallory.techpolicy.social.ap.brid.gy and Burcu Kilic: internet.exchangepoint.tech/big-tech-red...

This. 👇👇

Interesting.

People first! 👥 Human-centered AI powers Wikimedia’s model: community-led and public interest. We shared with human rights experts how AI brings risks and opportunities for freedom of speech and reliable information online. Read more: medium.com/wikimedia-po... #AI #FreeSpeech #HumanRights

At #DRAPAC25, Wikimedians will join civil society, policymakers, and technologists to reimagine digital rights, AI governance, and open knowledge in Southeast Asia. 🌏📚 We'll lead sessions on #ASEAN human rights and digital policy agendas, and more! Come join us: medium.com/wikimedia-po... 📎

Always take @charlesmok.bsky.social seriously. Read this.

“This is not a fight for the best version of the AI Act. It’s a fight against a political agenda where surveillance, control, and extraction are sold as innovation,” write Caterina Rodelli and Sarah Chander.

Reading this important analysis and clear set of recommendations while in Kenya. Makes a lot of sense to me!

NEW - Media Platforming and the Normalisation of Extreme Right Views - cup.org/4mmVIAL "exposure to uncritical interviews increases agreement with extreme statements and perceptions of broader support in the population" - @dianebolet.bsky.social & @florianfoos.bsky.social #OpenAccess

What does the work of @globalvoices.org mean as we navigate the rapidly evolving media landscape? Support the work of this community. Consider giving a donation gift. globalvoices.org/2025/08/11/s...

The judge has ruled on our UK case today. See my colleague’s comment at the end of this piece. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The High Court of Justice has today dismissed @wikimediafoundation.org’s challenge to the UK’s Online Safety Act Categorisation Regulations, emphasising the responsibility of Ofcom and the UK govt to ensure Wikipedia is protected as the OSA is implemented. wikimediafoundation.org/news/2025/08...