Jason Koebler

Jason Koebler

Jason is a cofounder of 404 Media. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Motherboard. He loves the Freedom of Information Act and surfing.
483 posts
Grokipedia Is the Antithesis of Everything That Makes Wikipedia Good, Useful, and Human
Grokipedia

Grokipedia Is the Antithesis of Everything That Makes Wikipedia Good, Useful, and Human

Grokipedia is not a 'Wikipedia competitor.' It is a fully robotic regurgitation machine designed to protect the ego of the world’s wealthiest man.
ICE Is Using a University Building as a Deportation Office and the University Says It Can't Do Anything About It
ICE

ICE Is Using a University Building as a Deportation Office and the University Says It Can't Do Anything About It

The Milwaukee School of Engineering is largely powerless to kick ICE out of a building it wanted to turn into a new academic center, according to audio of a meeting obtained by 404 Media.
Behind the Blog: Making Things for Humans
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Making Things for Humans

This week, we discuss Pavlovian Chartbeat response, when to say "cum," and the wave of making things for humans, by humans.
DHS Tries To Unmask Ice Spotting Instagram Account by Claiming It Imports Merchandise
ICE

DHS Tries To Unmask Ice Spotting Instagram Account by Claiming It Imports Merchandise

There is no evidence the Instagram and Facebook account, called Montcowatch, sells anything. Lawyers from the ACLU say the move is "wildly outside the scope" of DHS' authority.
A $60 Mod to Meta’s Ray-Bans Disables Its Privacy-Protecting Recording Light
Privacy

A $60 Mod to Meta’s Ray-Bans Disables Its Privacy-Protecting Recording Light

Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses usually include an LED that lights up when the user is recording other people. One hobbyist is charging a small fee to disable that light, and has a growing list of customers around the country.
How Artists Are Keeping 'The Lost Art' of Neon Signs Alive
neon

How Artists Are Keeping 'The Lost Art' of Neon Signs Alive

Watch 404 Media’s first short documentary, about an artist keeping real neon signs alive.
Behind the Blog: Engaging the Public
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Engaging the Public

This week, we discuss crowdsourced resistance and a big government data dump.
The End of Windows 10 Support Is an E-Waste Disaster in the Making
Right to Repair

The End of Windows 10 Support Is an E-Waste Disaster in the Making

In an example of egregious planned obsolescence, as many as 400 million computers will soon hit the waste stream.
Behind the Blog: Sinkholes and Site Seizures
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Sinkholes and Site Seizures

This week, we discuss a ransomware gang, book bans, and infrastructure.
Meta Tells Workers Building Metaverse to Use AI to ‘Go 5x Faster’
AI

Meta Tells Workers Building Metaverse to Use AI to ‘Go 5x Faster’

Meta says that its coders should be working five times faster and that it expects "a 5x leap in productivity."
Data Hoarder Uses AI to Create Searchable Database of Epstein Files
Jeffrey Epstein

Data Hoarder Uses AI to Create Searchable Database of Epstein Files

The open source project has been mirrored as a torrent file and represents one of the easiest ways to navigate a messy data dump.
Help Us Investigate Book Bans and Educational Censorship Around America
Updates

Help Us Investigate Book Bans and Educational Censorship Around America

404 Media has gotten a grant to unearth public records about systematic censorship of books, schools, and libraries in the U.S.