As we head into Rosh Hashanah, holding onto my mood in this pic Friday eve, spent around my table w/friends & Brixton. I struggle to feel hopeful right now. Instead of retreating into despair, I’ll seek moments of joy to keep centered & motivated. L’Shana Tova U’Metuka: sweet & peaceful new year!🍎🍯

Honest question: CNN (and other outlets) are showing the hearing for Kirk's suspected killer right now. Is it normal to publicly live stream a hearing like this? Feels like this isn't standard procedure, but I truly don't know.

This is a sad and dangerous day for the United States. I can push back against conspiracy theories, hate speech, election denialism, and other things that Charlie Kirk engaged in. But murdering him solves NOTHING and makes everyone less safe. Violence cannot be the answer.

We're ceding ground: “Trump has dismantled the American government’s efforts to combat foreign disinformation. The problem is that Russia has not stopped spreading it...reckless destruction of all elements of America’s soft power is clearly leaving the field vacant for others to rush in unopposed.”

I'm one of the 37 targeted below by DNI Tulsi Gabbard. I haven't had a clearance nor worked in government since 2013. This is political theater & a dangerous example of government abusing its powers to punish private citizens for openly exercising their 1st Amendment rights. My full statement:

With the attacks coming my way this week, I couldn’t have asked for a better self-care moment than screaming “I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ‘BOUT MY REPUTATION” along with the legend herself, Joan Jett at Madison Square Garden. Live music always picks me up. That’s one thing they can’t take away from me.

While we constantly hear of Gen Z & millennials’ woes, what about us Gen X’ers?! “They could be the first to suffer owing to broken pension systems. America’s social-security fund is projected to be depleted by 2033—just as Gen Xers start to retire—meaning benefits will be cut by 20-25%...” 😳😨😥

Music is one of the few things that helps lift my spirits in these trying times. Dancing my arse off to the LEGEND Barrington Levy last night was more re-energizing than I could have ever hoped for. My version of self care. Now back to work…

Ummm…. Trump actually said “I’m going to Russia on Friday.” Seems weird to change such a big slip up for the headline here, @nytimes.com. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/u...

“Asher was fatally injured in a sudden and unprovoked attack by an unwounded buffalo he was tracking with one of our professional hunters and one of our trackers, Hans Vermaak, whose family runs the safari company, said in a statement.” Unprovoked? 🤔🤔 www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/w...

While it seems incomprehensible that in this great city we would allow such an abusive practice to continue, it’s less surprising when you understand the politics. This OpEd explains the unions’ role: www.nydailynews.com/2023/06/27/n...

I know this isn’t a top priority for most, but why the f*ck is this abuse still legal in NYC? That’s what I want to hear every NYC mayor candidate answer: when will they finally outlaw horse drawn carriages? Every summer we see these tragedies.💔Mayor Adams? Cuomo? @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social

What do Brixton, @bobgower.com, @barackobama.bsky.social & Billy Bob Thornton all have in common, other than being smart, handsome, charming guys with “B” names? They were all brought into this world on 8/4. Happy birthday gentlemen!! You’re all in good company with my Brixie, who’s 5 today! 🎉🎉🎉

We partnered with these amazing legal, privacy & tech accountability experts on an amicus brief for a case about how Meta’s design choices allegedly harmed kids. At Cybersecurity for Democracy, we conduct scientific research to show how these systems work & what accountability can look like. More 👇🏼

EPIC collaborated w/ @commonsensemedia.bsky.social, Cybersecurity for Democracy (@yaeleisenstat.bsky.social @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social) & Tech Justice Law Project on a brief telling the Ninth Circuit to deny Meta Section 230 protections for its allegedly addictive design. 11 legal scholars joined!

Looking forward to this. The Contrarian has been an amazing media success story, co-founded by Washington Post refusenik & ex-columnist @jenrubin.bsky.social. Talking to her today with brilliant Facebook whistleblower & tech advocate @yaeleisenstat.bsky.social Join us!

We're live! Join us for this conversation about Big Tech and the democratic backslide, with the amazing @carolecadwalla.bsky.social and @jenrubin.bsky.social. Info on how to join in this link: citizensreunited.substack.com/p/going-live...

'Big Tech & The Democratic Backslide' Live ft. @jenrubin.bsky.social from @contrariannews.org, @carolecadwalla.bsky.social & @yaeleisenstat.bsky.social on Citizens Reunited this Wednesday, July 2nd! 12pm ET / 5pm BST Don’t forget to add it to your calendars! open.substack.com/live-stream/...

100%. This is the same binary many used to attack and discredit so-called “social media critics,” myself included. Hot tip: I can both advocate for safer, more responsible AI development AND acknowledge many benefits. Yep, I can hold multiple thoughts in my head at the same time.

The nerd in me objects to today’s wordle.

So he’s saying that government workers are not lazy, and that they actually come in and work full days? 🤔

Remember when Zuckerberg said he’d enlist Trump’s help to pressure global regulators to not enforce their own laws in their own countries? And Musk is facing fines for violating the EU’s laws. Well, look at that. The tech oligarchs’ investments are paying off. Sovereignty for me, but not for thee.

I'm old enough to remember when we considered the national security implications of becoming reliant on countries like Saudi Arabia.... But what the tech billionaires want, the tech billionaires get these days, I suppose. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

The FIRST refugees granted status by Trump are white South Africans?! I assume I don’t need to add any commentary, because… I mean, it’s just too “in your face” obvious. www.cnn.com/2025/05/12/p...

This explains so much. www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/don...

Listening to Ag Secretary on CNN saying we’ll protect farmers if needed. Follow up question should’ve been: so you hurt farmers with unnecessary tariffs & then buy them off with tax payer $$ so they don’t blame you? Doesn’t sound like “efficiency”, sounds like using MY $$ to keep farmers’ votes.😡😡

Met a man at a conference today, told me he builds robots. I asked “murder robots?” He was stunned, and said “no, friendly robots.” And I followed up “but how do you know they won’t turn into murder robots?” I think I need to take a break. A long, long break.

New talk from @carolecadwalla.bsky.social about the broligarchy & how they are “collaborators…complicit in a regime of fear and cruelty.” “We now are in techno-authoritarianism. We have to learn how to digitally disobey…You can’t win every battle. But you definitely won’t win if you don’t fight.”

“Hegseth cured my imposter syndrome.” NYC!

I will march today for many reasons. But one singular example should infuriate everyone, regardless of party, status, wealth or ideology. We, the United States, did this to Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Shameful, a stain on our nation. I march for him. Will you?

Fixed it. It’s totally, completely, 100% believable.

Why isn’t the media giving more coverage to Noem’s sick, depraved, inhumane stunt at the prison in El Salvador? TV news non-stop talking about Signalgate. But this Noem move sickens me as an American & a human. We should all be outraged, and we all must see what they are doing in our name. Shameful.

WOW. Watch a constitutional law expert completely DEBUNK Republicans’ censorship crusade, while articulating exactly how Donald Trump is threatening freedom of speech. 🔥

“Careless People” contains lessons for lawmakers looking to hold Meta accountable, writes @yaeleisenstat.bsky.social of Cybersecurity for Democracy. This is a company that has misled lawmakers at every turn and sacrificed user safety for profit. Transparency is only the first step.

One bonkers thing about “Signalgate: nobody asked “who’s this guy” when they saw a number they didn’t know? The first thing I do on any group Signal thread is verify that I know everybody on it before saying anything. The fact that I have better OPSEC than these guys isn’t surprising, but still…🤦🏻‍♀️

“Censorship industrial complex” hearing in Senate Judiciary on now. As they keep falsely accusing academics & civil society who study disinfo of engaging in censorship, our President is actively destroying the 1st Amendment. BRAVO @maryannefranks.bsky.social for womansplaining this all to them.

Sunday mornings with coffee, pup and @theonion.com.

Meta has spent over a decade shaping political outcomes while dodging responsibility for its role in extremism & democratic backsliding. Now, a former insider details the recklessness at the company’s core. “Careless People” pulls back the curtain on Meta & Yael Eisenstat shares the takeaways.

Another Meta whistleblower. When will it be enough?... a review from another former Meta employee open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

How much more proof do we need of dangerous, reckless behavior before we change our relationship with companies like Meta? I wrote in @contrariannews.org about key take-aways I hope our legislators, regulators & the public will consider & how we can truly consider what accountability must look like.

“How can you have integrity of elections if you don’t have integrity of facts?” @mariaressa.bsky.social opening the Social Media Tribunal in Berlin, convened by the Court of the Citizens of the World.

🧵Imagine how many employees know egregious things Zuckerberg et al. have done yet remain silent. I know firsthand how hard it is to speak up, but we need to know how they affect safety & democracy. While I wish she’d done this years ago, I do hope these details are taken seriously. (Gift link) 1/2

With his permission, I'm sharing Dean Treanor's response to Ed Martin's letter:

My coping mechanism: Party with pups. #dogsfordemocracy

I feel like there’s going to be a job vacancy at Hulu tomorrow.

18F was doing exactly the type of work that DOGE claims to want – yet we were eliminated shortly after midnight. Read our letter to the American people: 18f.org

Dear world, Ukraine, and especially President Zelenskyy: I am humiliated by my country’s leadership today. As someone who has served my country and has spent my career defending democracy, I am appalled. Regardless of politics, this level of disrespect is inexcusable.

Fun fact: I was making breakfast in my crappy DC apartment in 1998 when a helicopter hovered at my window & cameras pointed at me. Freaked me the f*ck out. When I finally watched “Enemy of the State” and saw Will Smith running across my roof in that chase scene, it all made sense. RIP Gene Hackman.

Who could have possibly foreseen that Meta scaling back content moderation would lead to a flood of violence and gore in your feed? Anyone? Bueller? 🤔 www.businessinsider.com/meta-apologi...

THIS is why allowing our major media (including social) to be owned by a few self-interested billionaires is anti-democratic. Nothing says “free speech only on my terms” more than this statement from Bezos, the owner of the Washington Post. Democracy does, indeed, die in darkness.