plagiarizing the plagiarism machine for a nearly two trillion dollar valuation

Next week @ec.europa.eu will publish its tech sovereignty package. But the parallel drive to embed AI everywhere risks creating significant impacts for the environment, public budgets, and workers. New op-ed by @margaridasilva.bsky.social: www.techpolicy.press/why-made-in-...

When it comes to AI, the EU simply has to stop buying into self-interested corporate narratives around the AI Race – whether they come from the US or the EU – as synonymous with the public interest, writes Margarida Silva.

Dutch media reported that Microsoft shared the names of civil servants with the US Senate Committee prodding into the EU's platform rules. Another reminder that Microsoft and co. have no qualms about complying with the Trump administration. It is time to dump Big Tech. nos.nl/artikel/2615...

🚨 A new report from @greenpeaceap.bsky.social and @ketanjoshi.co explores how AI data centres are quietly locking Australia into higher emissions, while fossil fuel corporations join data centre lobby groups, sponsor tech conferences, and reinforce each other’s PR spin on “clean” AI.

As a non-believer it feels odd to discuss a religious doc. But the Pope's encyclical gets many things right about AI: - it surfaces the role of data workers - warns against AI monopolies, built on excessive political & economic power - makes a plea to disarm AI, a counter to the corporate AI race.

As the Pope says "Nothing in the world of AI is immaterial or magical". In fact, AI is built by millions of workers hidden from view. This isn't an accident - Big Tech actively hides these workers. To peek behind the AI curtains, check out @techequity.bsky.social's Data Work Landscape. 👇

The Pope has weighed in: AI isn't magic. It's currently produced by a deeply exploitative, extractive supply chain. It challenges human dignity; could fuel a new colonialism. And among the greatest challenges of our time will be to redirect its path of development. www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

Excited to share V2 of our project mapping the data work part of the AI supply chain. This update includes: 📍A new interactive network graph including data work companies, their clients and investors; 📍Profiles of some of the major companies: 📍47 new companies in the database. DataWorkLandscape.org

@techequity.bsky.social has made some very cool/useful upgrades to this project, specifically a network graph (and more!) mapping out data work companies in the global AI supply chain

A friend on LinkedIn pointed out something important: if someone asks you to get onto a rocket ship, you should ask HEAPS of questions????????? www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Forget the “Who delivered the best commencement speech?” debate. Instead, give me scenes of students loudly and proudly denouncing speakers spreading AI hype.

If you are, here's an easy way to stay on top of research and analysis👇 From climate justice and human rights due diligence to Big Tech issues, we bring our latest research that challenges corporate power, straight into your inbox, every two weeks. Sign up here: www.somo.nl/newsletter-s...

Auch Du kannst dich beteiligen: tagge @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu unter diesem Post und fordere sie auf, die Strafzahlung gegen Google zu verhängen! Profite und Interessen von Big Tech dürfen nicht über den Schutz von EU-Bürger:innen gestellt werden. Der DMA muss endlich wirksam durchgesetzt werden.

Google verstößt gegen den Digital Markets Act – Die EU bereitet eine Milliardenstrafe vor. Doch Berichten zu folge stoppt Ursula von der Leyen die Strafe in letzter Minute. Ein Skandal!

And again our dear @ec.europa.eu chairwoman Ursula @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu caves for #BigTech in stead of using the #EU ‘s economic might & fine #Google for violating the #DMA.

A German newspaper reports that @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu has personally intervened to postpone the fine against Google for violating the Digital Markets Act. We call on the EU Commission president to enforce the DMA and fine Google without further delay. 🚨 static1.squarespace.com/static/5e449...

If you knowingly use a piece of software that is fundamentally designed from the ground up to fabricate text, you are not doing "hallucinations", you are doing criminal fraud and it should be described as such in media coverage

On the relationship between Big Tech and media, @margaridasilva.bsky.social says she sometimes sees uncritical coverage of astroturf groups and think tanks primarily funded by Tech (without disclosure) and compounded by a media tendency to maintain access, politeness. #ijf26

A worker died at an Amazon warehouse in Oregon last week. For more than an hour, workers were instructed to continue working as the man lay dead. One worker wanted to help, but a manager told them to “Just turn around and not look. Let’s get back to work," according to @thewesternedge.bsky.social.

Thrilled to be going to @journalismfestival.com to talk Big Tech lobbying with the amazing @carolecadwalla.bsky.social @nataliaviana.bsky.social @bramvranken.bsky.social If you are around and want to know how to expose Big Tech power, join us! www.journalismfestival.com/programme/20...

I avoided optimism for a long time. I didn’t want to believe in false hope about the election. But last night something broke — and I almost cried. Sixteen years of weight lifted at once. It feels like a celebration. And knowing that young voters made the difference? That means there is hope. 3/1

Feels a bit like everybody was in the French resistance ... now

🍾🍾🍾

It's not just that Orbán losing inspires hope in other competitive-autocratic countries ruled by right-wing nationalist authoritarians. It's that his loss materially changes things in those other countries, because he's been operating as a headquarters and funding source...

Now begins the work of extricating Hungary’s public assets from the transnational far-right networks that the Orbán regime has built using them.

🟢 AI is no longer just a tech issue. it's at the heart of Europe's democratic future. Who controls the data? Who writes the rules? Join our conversation with best-seller journalist @karenhao.bsky.social & MEP @alexandrageese.eurosky.social on 22 April! calendar.boell.de/en/empire-of... @boell.de

Google, Amazon, Meta refuse to disclose the intermediaries they use to hire data workers. To break this secrecy @somoamsterdam.bsky.social analysed 100s of documents, incl. press reports, trade union statements, annual accounts & promo materials. Here's what we found www.somo.nl/big-tech-set...

Super useful reporting. When there's talk about AI for good, sovereign AI, or even alternative social networks, not enough is said about improving the conditions of the data workers that actually make it all possible

Big Tech relies heavily on thousands of data workers for their AI products. While these workers are hired through intermediaries, Big Tech firms are responsible for their unstable and unfair working conditions.🚨 Read our analysis: www.somo.nl/big-tech-set...

Algorithms decide who works, who earns — and who gets cut off 🚨 #PlatformWorkers are managed by systems they can’t see or challenge. That’s not innovation — it’s exploitation. 📅 June 2026#TimeToDeliver rights for Platform Workers! 🔗 Learn more: buff.ly/ZIw43Bh

💥 Some good news to start the day with. Google and Meta have been found liable in the US for their addictive algorithms. 🫵 Now it's up to @michaelmcgratheu.bsky.social to press ahead with the Digital Fairness Act, and resist the tech industry's lobby offensive to get the proposal scrapped.

Almost two-thirds of Europeans polled believe that replacing American tech services with European alternatives is a good idea, but those surveyed are divided if that shift is realistic, according to YouGov research shared with Tech Policy Press. Contributing editor Mark Scott details key findings.

Here's the first cut of our story with a gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/t...

given the size of the legal teams here and the length of this trial, i would not be surprised if meta and google ultimately spend more on their lawyers than what they actually will have to pay in compensatory and punitive damages to the plaintiff

Using economic power to expand political power Using political power to accumulate economic power

A new lawsuit is alleging that Google's Gemini chatbot convinced a 36-year old man to take his own life. This case serves as a reminder that Big Tech companies are recklessly prioritizing profits over human lives. How many more lives must be lost before this tech is properly regulated?

Following our revelation of the secretive alliance working to scrap or massively dilute CSDDD, the Dutch Parliament held two of its member companies to account today in a public hearing. Our researcher @david330.bsky.social was invited to speak about this highly problematic political campaign.

The war on Iran likely brings a new oil price shock and windfall profits. So, who stands to win? Our research shows: Last time around (2022), the US reaped the largest fossil fuel profits of any country ($377bn). 50% went to the top 1%, only 1% to the bottom 50%. A🧵

EU sources indicate Industrial Accelerator Act is expected this week. No mention of addressing - tax avoidance, overpaid CEOs - environmental harm or - exploitation of workers Disappointed public funds (tax payers money) to be doled out to companies avoiding obligations to all @epsu.bsky.social

“This is Uber for military”. We interview author and activist @naomiaklein.bsky.social on our latest episode of Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000. Check out Episode 72: How the War Department Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI. (with @emilymbender.bsky.social)

Have you noticed that digital products and services are getting worse? So have we! Today we are publishing our new report, Breaking Free: Pathways to a fair technological future. vimeo.com/1168468796?f...

Big Tech’s lobby playbook has allowed it to shape laws in its favour. Taking power back won't be easy; the antidote must be dynamic and creative. In our recent series, we suggest 8 counter-strategies to disrupt its playbook: www.somo.nl/recoding-the...

🇪🇺 It could soon become easier for companies to train their #AI on your data – at least if the #EU Commission's #DigitalOmnibus proposal passes. 🤖 👤 featuring data protection lawyer and AI specialist Kleanthi Sardeli​ #law #lawyer #GDPR #privacy #dataprotection #EC

📣 Together with other watchdog organisations we have today issued a call to withdraw Aura Salla’s appointment as Digital Omnibus rapporteur. Appointing a former Meta lobbyist to oversee the revision of digital regulations raises serious concerns regarding the undue influence of Big Tech. 🧵

A former Big Tech lobbyist as rapporteur for the Digital Omnibus, a legislative package on digital rules. Does that sound right to you?

Irish Data Protection Commission was asked today in Committee: have you ever taken a GDPR decision on Google? Answer... No. Ireland is responsible for supervising Google's data use across the whole EU. It has produced no decisions. Kudos @sineadgibney.bsky.social for asking the question.

In what will surprise no one, there is an AI Boom on K Street: One in Four Lobbyists Now Work on AI. Not surprising given that AI companies now rank among the first trillion dollar companies in the world and are pushing back against concerns about an AI bubble readsludge.com/2026/02/24/a...

Exposed: Many fashion brands claim to be socially responsible. But these promises are often based on unreliable audits. 🚩 🔎 Together with Consumentenbond and @cleanclothes.bsky.social, we analysed the ‘social washing’ of brands like Nike and Puma. Here's what we found: www.somo.nl/audited-ethi...

More than 600 people have died trying to cross Mediterranean in 2026, UN says. Deadliest start to a year in more than a decade Every one of these deaths is a political choice www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...