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John Palfrey

@palfrey.org

1.3K followers 200 following 110 posts

President, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

John Gorham Palfrey VII is an American educator, scholar, and law professor. His areas of focus include emerging media, Internet freedom, online transparency and accountability, and child safety. In March 2019, he was named the president of the MacArthur Foundation effective September 1, 2019. Palfrey was the 15th Head of School at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, from 2012 to 2019. He was executive director of Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society from 2002 to 2008. .. more

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Reposted by John Palfrey

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 10h

Fox News, the former employer of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has joined a near-unanimous outpouring of news organizations rejecting new rules for journalists based in the Pentagon.

News organizations, including Hegseth's former employer Fox, reject new Pentagon reporting rules

Fox News, the former employer of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has joined a near-unanimous outpouring of news organizations rejecting new rules for journalists based in the Pentagon.

bit.ly

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John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 13h

even the choir needs practice

John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 13h

Delighted and grateful to have your input and support on this effort, @alondra.bsky.social !

John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 13h

I don't think so.

John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 17h

Humans created AI, and we can still shape its future. That is why @macfound joined a broad coalition of our peers to launch Humanity AI, a new initiative to keep people at the center of our AI future.

Learn more: humanityai.ai

Home - Humanity AI

Our future with AI can and will be what we make it. Humanity AI is uniting philanthropy in a broad […]

humanityai.ai

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Reposted by Iain Davidson, Sanford F. Schram, John Palfrey

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 1d

Living a moral life in an age of bullies requires collective action; it cannot be done alone. Each of us must organize and participate in a vast network of moral resistance. From this solidarity we will grow stronger. This is what our current moment requires.

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Reposted by John Palfrey

talia jane ❤️‍🔥 @taliajane.bsky.social · 1d

support local media:
they know the contours of a situation best.
they have the most expansive sourcing and deepest knowledge.
in the fray, they are gathering info to inform their communities, not collecting footage to sell/go viral.

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Reposted by John Palfrey

Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 1d

Instead of manipulating his way to popular support, Trump could be pivoting to consolidating power by force alone. In this week’s IfYouCanKeep.It briefing, we dive into our 3 theories for the administration’s endgame. https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/whats-the-endgame-here

What’s the endgame here?

The White House does not care how bad this looks

www.ifyoucankeepit.org

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Reposted by Laurent Dubois, Michael Zimmer

John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 2d

"He quoted Hannah Arendt's 'The Origins of Totalitarianism' in asserting that the world needs free and objective information."

www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news...

Pope Leo calls for news agencies to stand as bulwark against "post-truths," lies and manipulation

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged international news agencies to stand firm as a bulwark against the "ancient art of lying" and manipulation.

www.cbsnews.com

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John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 2d

Anne Applebaum takes up a compelling example of what courage looks like. A story for our times.

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Why María Corina Machado Deserved the Nobel Peace Prize

The Venezuelan opposition leader shows why participation matters.

www.theatlantic.com

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Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, Steve Peers, John Palfrey

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 2d

The Trump administration has promoted the anti-vax, anti-science movement which has now produced an epidemic www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Hundreds of U.S. students quarantined amid measles outbreaks

At least 270 unvaccinated kids are staying home from school as measles continues to spread nationwide. "Expect more," one expert said.

www.nbcnews.com

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Reposted by John Palfrey

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 3d

Important piece by Prof. Kate Andrias. This is why treating SCOTUS as the only word on the Constitution gives away our power as citizens.

As I frequently say “we are founders and framers” of the next iteration of democracy in this country.
GIFT LINK
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/o...

Opinion | The Constitution Doesn’t Belong to Trump or the Supreme Court

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by John Palfrey

The Birds The Turtles and The Beast @turtlebee.bsky.social · 4d

The Frog Costume has gone from $25 to almost $40 on amazon over the last week. There's an army brewing.

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John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 5d

Judge Rules Feds Can't Pepper-Spray, Tear-Gas Journalists After Block Club Chicago And Others Sue

blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/09/j...

Judge Rules Feds Can't Pepper-Spray, Tear-Gas Journalists After Block Club Chicago And Others Sue

Block Club and news organizations sued the federal government for its actions against journalists outside the Broadview ICE detention facility. Four of our journalists have been shot with pepper-spray...

blockclubchicago.org

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Reposted by Timnit Gebru

John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 5d

It will be my privilege to join @timnitgebru.bsky.social and @ karenhao.bsky.social for this discussion on centering our humanity in the age of AI at @sxsw.com. I hope you can join us! #SXSW2026

SXSW @sxsw.com · 13d

From an iconic 2000s band sharing their secrets on selling out tours to a futurist covering the biggest tech trends, there's something for everyone in this first round of #SXSW2026 Conference speaker announcement. ⬇️

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John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 6d

Chicago artist Tonika Lewis Johnson among 22 winners of coveted MacArthur ‘genius grant’

Congratulations to all the 2025 MacArthur Foundation Fellows

chicago.suntimes.com/art/2025/10/...

Chicago artist Tonika Lewis Johnson among 22 winners of coveted MacArthur ‘genius grant’

The Englewood native, whose work focuses on inequity in Chicago, is among this year’s class of MacArthur Fellows. The list of international fellows receiving the $800,000 prize includes several artist...

chicago.suntimes.com

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Robert C. Richards

John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 9d

Crucial historical and legal context for those of us living in Chicago right now... and those of us living anywhere in the USA for that matter.

Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 9d

The very first statute authorizing domestic use of the military during domestic emergencies, enacted in 1792 by a Congress full of the same folks who wrote and ratified the Constitution, expressly provided for judicial review in certain circumstances *before* the President could even send troops.

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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 9d

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Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Brendan Nyhan, John McLaren , and 12 more Ben H. Ansell, Brendan Nyhan, John McLaren, Iain Davidson, Rosemary A. Joyce, Ilya Somin, Daniel W. Drezner, David R. Miller, John Palfrey, Jacob T. Levy, Anne Norton, Josh Pasek, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Nathan P. Kalmoe, David Darmofal

David Bier @davidjbier.bsky.social · 12d

Holy hell. DHS just openly stated that its agents use “reasonable suspicion” to make ARRESTS. This is blatantly unconstitutional. The Supreme Court is clear that you need probable cause to arrest someone, as opposed to stop them to ask them a question or two. This is huge b/c…

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Reposted by John Palfrey

SXSW @sxsw.com · 13d

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John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 14d

"The most ominous part of his speech came when he told the military officers that they would be part of the solution to domestic threats, fighting the 'enemy from within.' ... 'We should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military ... because we’re going into Chicago...'”

The Commander in Chief Is Not Okay

Trump put on a disturbing show for America’s generals and admirals.

www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by John Palfrey, Pam Jarvis

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 14d

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

James Comey case jeopardizes Americans' free speech rights, retired judges warn

A group of retired judges said Trump "continues to corruptly abuse the power of his office" by directing the Justice Department to target "his critics and his perceived political enemies."

www.nbcnews.com

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John Palfrey @palfrey.org · 16d

What could possibly justify any lawyer or law professor out there not speaking up about th attacks on the Rule of Law?

David French - no radical left-wing anything - has the story. This week marked an "ominous turn" in the attacks on the Rule of Law in America.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/o...

Opinion | Make No Mistake About Where We Are

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Robert C. Richards, John Palfrey

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 22d

Shana Tova to everyone celebrating in Illinois and across the world.

As we celebrate Rosh Hashanah, I want to wish you all a new year full of joy, good health, and prosperity.

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Reposted by John Palfrey

Rebuild Local News @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social · 22d

Nobel laureates Prof. Joseph E. Stiglitz and Prof. Daron Acemoğlu issued an urgent plea to recognize and uphold the economic value of public interest media in the age of artificial intelligence.

Learn more: informationdemocracy.org/2025/09/22/p...

Press Release: A global call from leading economists urge action to protect public interest media for economic prosperity and human progress - Forum Information & Democracy

As world leaders convene for the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly in New York, eleven of the world’s leading economists, including two Nobel laureates, Prof. Joseph E. Stiglitz and Prof. Dar...

informationdemocracy.org

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Reposted by John Palfrey, Colin Woodard

Joanne Freeman @jbf1755.bsky.social · 23d

This.

I talked about this yesterday morning with Heather.

People with power grabbing a LOT more power to make their “reign” permanent, and overplaying their hand.

The Federalists in the late 1790s.
Silencing the opposition press.
They never regained national power.

Cheryl Rofer @cherylrofer.bsky.social · 23d

Think in terms of unifying the opposition rather than breaking Trump's support.

Bouie and French mostly agreeing.

A lot of good stuff here.

Opinion | Jimmy Kimmel and How the Right Is Overplaying Its Hand

www.nytimes.com

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John Palfrey @palfrey.org · Sep 6

The Late Show holding up the importance of local news and public media, starring Katherine Maher of @npr.org

www.facebook.com/reel/1729433...

689K views · 21K reactions | NPR CEO Katherine Maher emphasizes that local public radio stations are more vital -- and more at risk -- than ever before. #Colbert #PublicRadio #NPR #KatherineMaher | T...

NPR CEO Katherine Maher emphasizes that local public radio stations are more vital -- and more at risk -- than ever before. #Colbert #PublicRadio #NPR #KatherineMaher.

www.facebook.com

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John Palfrey @palfrey.org · Sep 6

Peaceful morning at Montrose Bird Sanctuary in Chicago

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Reposted by John Palfrey

Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · Sep 6

Over the next 15 months, we can expect a coordinated campaign — backed by the full power of the executive branch — to undermine confidence in our election system. Here’s what to expect, and how key actors can be ready to respond: bit.ly/4fRIqtA

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Reposted by Jan W. Mueller, David Lazer, Joshua S. Weitz , and 2 more Jan W. Mueller, David Lazer, Joshua S. Weitz, John Palfrey, Jack Stilgoe

Alondra Nelson @alondra.bsky.social · Sep 5

This is big news. www.ft.com/content/96b5...

AI start-up Anthropic settles landmark copyright suit for $1.5bn

Case will compensate authors but could raise costs of training large language models

www.ft.com

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