transparency
The Government Just Made it Harder to See What Spy Tech it Buys
On Wednesday, the government stopped supporting FPDS.gov, an indispensable resource for finding what ICE, the FBI, and every other agency is buying. Its replacement site completely sucks.
ICE
How ICE and CBP Use Free Walkie-Talkie App ‘Zello’ to Power Their Operations
404 Media found multiple users of Zello, an app previously used by January 6 insurrectionists, linked to ICE officials. An officer at the scene of an CBP official shooting a U.S. citizen also used the app.
The Abstract
At the World’s Largest General Science Meeting, Surviving Trump Is the Topic
“This is really a turning point and we’re in a historical transition at present.”
The Abstract
The U.S. Military Is Reviving Microbes from 40,000-Year-Old Ice
Researchers discovered 26 new microbial species in ancient Alaskan permafrost, hoping their frost-fighting chemistry could help soldiers and civilians alike survive extreme cold.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Nothing to Hide Here
This week, we discuss parenting blogs, Pinterest sawing its own legs off, and legal guardrails.
News
Man Opposing Data Center Arrested for Speaking Slightly Too Long
An Oklahoma man tried to talk about a data center coming to his community. Police arrested him when he went a few seconds over his time limit.
opinion
We Have Learned Nothing About Amplifying Morons
“Looksmaxxers” are losers and freaks, but we let them steer the culture when we adopt their terminology.
grok
Grok Exposed a Porn Performer’s Legal Name and Birthdate—Without Even Being Asked
In the latest in a string of privacy abuses from the chatbot, Grok provided porn performer Siri Dahl's full legal name and birthdate to the public, information she'd protected until now.
News
Pinterest Is Drowning in a Sea of AI Slop and Auto-Moderation
Users are exhausted fighting AI moderation, AI-generated art, and AI-first features.
palantir
Palantir, Which Is Powering ICE, Says Immigration Crackdown May Hurt Hiring
Regulation of immigration or work visas means "it could be more difficult to staff our personnel on customer engagements and could increase our costs," Palantir wrote.
Ring
Leaked Email Suggests Ring Plans to Expand ‘Search Party’ Surveillance Beyond Dogs
Ring's CEO told staff the feature is “first for finding dogs,” indicating a plan to expand.
Podcast
Podcast: Inside an AI-Powered School
We got leaked documents about Alpha School. We also talk about what happens when someone decides to make an AI OnlyFans in your name, and the AI tool cops are buying to geolocate photos.
News
'Students Are Being Treated Like Guinea Pigs:' Inside an AI-Powered Private School
Leaked documents reveal the inner workings of Alpha School, which both the press and the Trump administration have applauded. The documents show Alpha School's AI is generating faulty lessons that sometimes do "more harm than good."