Kat Tenbarge
@kattenbarge.bsky.social
Independent journalist covering internet culture, politics, and media @spitfirenews.com. Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/kattenbarge
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Kat Tenbarge
@kattenbarge.bsky.social
· Feb 5
Spitfire News
A newsletter from Kat Tenbarge about internet culture, politics, and media.
spitfirenews.com
Almost two weeks ago, I found out I was one of 40 people getting laid off from NBC News.
Those who know me know I’ve wanted to go independent for a long time. Later this month, I’m launching @spitfirenews.com. We need journalism that is louder than ever.
spitfirenews.com/p/an-introdu...
Those who know me know I’ve wanted to go independent for a long time. Later this month, I’m launching @spitfirenews.com. We need journalism that is louder than ever.
spitfirenews.com/p/an-introdu...
The White House’s insistence on using Sabrina Carpenter’s work and image to promote their crimes against humanity is also them appealing to their base, which already uses technology to try and humiliate and puppeteer the likenesses of women who have autonomy, success, and visibility in public
December 6, 2025 at 4:37 AM
The White House’s insistence on using Sabrina Carpenter’s work and image to promote their crimes against humanity is also them appealing to their base, which already uses technology to try and humiliate and puppeteer the likenesses of women who have autonomy, success, and visibility in public
A lot of people ask why deepfake sexual abuse is legal—in theory, it’s not. But why perpetrators aren’t often held to account follows the exact same patterns of inaction regarding all forms of sexual abuse
December 6, 2025 at 3:28 AM
A lot of people ask why deepfake sexual abuse is legal—in theory, it’s not. But why perpetrators aren’t often held to account follows the exact same patterns of inaction regarding all forms of sexual abuse
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
I'm not exaggerating when I say following @boltsmag.org rn will unlock money for our journalism.
A generous reader, @russ41.bsky.social, has offered to donate $1 for every 1-person increase to our follower count.
If you're not following @boltsmag.org yet, it'll directly help fund our reporting!
A generous reader, @russ41.bsky.social, has offered to donate $1 for every 1-person increase to our follower count.
If you're not following @boltsmag.org yet, it'll directly help fund our reporting!
December 6, 2025 at 12:07 AM
I'm not exaggerating when I say following @boltsmag.org rn will unlock money for our journalism.
A generous reader, @russ41.bsky.social, has offered to donate $1 for every 1-person increase to our follower count.
If you're not following @boltsmag.org yet, it'll directly help fund our reporting!
A generous reader, @russ41.bsky.social, has offered to donate $1 for every 1-person increase to our follower count.
If you're not following @boltsmag.org yet, it'll directly help fund our reporting!
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
In honor of the unjustly banned Link, I invite folks to post their mutual aid below this thread. I will repost need as long as I am able.
As the holiday season approaches, and temperatures drop, mutual aid is going to become more important.
Consider giving what you can. If you can't, repost.
As the holiday season approaches, and temperatures drop, mutual aid is going to become more important.
Consider giving what you can. If you can't, repost.
December 5, 2025 at 7:19 PM
In honor of the unjustly banned Link, I invite folks to post their mutual aid below this thread. I will repost need as long as I am able.
As the holiday season approaches, and temperatures drop, mutual aid is going to become more important.
Consider giving what you can. If you can't, repost.
As the holiday season approaches, and temperatures drop, mutual aid is going to become more important.
Consider giving what you can. If you can't, repost.
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
Two independent studies found that AI chatbots were better at persuading voters than political ads. The most persuasive bots also lied the most. This is something that humans working in psyops have known for decades. AI is psyops at scale. www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/04/1...
December 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Two independent studies found that AI chatbots were better at persuading voters than political ads. The most persuasive bots also lied the most. This is something that humans working in psyops have known for decades. AI is psyops at scale. www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/04/1...
If only Ryan Lizza could also get axed for sexual misconduct a second time
December 5, 2025 at 9:24 PM
If only Ryan Lizza could also get axed for sexual misconduct a second time
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
It might be easy to find things like this merely petty or superficial, but that would be a mistake. Demeaning, erasing or eliminating celebrations or acknowledgments of Black America is straight from Redemption playbook, and is intended to reinforce the racial hierarchy and signal its reinstatement.
National parks change prioritizes Trump birthday over days honoring Black people
Free entrance days at national parks no longer include MLK Day and Juneteenth.
www.sfgate.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:30 PM
It might be easy to find things like this merely petty or superficial, but that would be a mistake. Demeaning, erasing or eliminating celebrations or acknowledgments of Black America is straight from Redemption playbook, and is intended to reinforce the racial hierarchy and signal its reinstatement.
The way anti-vaxxers and conservatives have carelessly thrown away children’s lives has unironically made me feel we should reclaim the “pro-life” label and start yelling at these people for killing kids
December 5, 2025 at 6:29 PM
The way anti-vaxxers and conservatives have carelessly thrown away children’s lives has unironically made me feel we should reclaim the “pro-life” label and start yelling at these people for killing kids
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
Take a moment to read this @kerryhowley.bsky.social piece in @nymag.com.
It'll absolutely infuriate you, but you really need to read this.
It'll absolutely infuriate you, but you really need to read this.
This really was one of the most heartbreaking articles I’ve read in a while. I don’t think people comprehend the scale of destruction wrought by this administration already, not even close
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
Doughnuts and Bullets: The Absurdity of Working for RFK Jr.
What happens when your new boss thinks you’re a child killer?
nymag.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Take a moment to read this @kerryhowley.bsky.social piece in @nymag.com.
It'll absolutely infuriate you, but you really need to read this.
It'll absolutely infuriate you, but you really need to read this.
This really was one of the most heartbreaking articles I’ve read in a while. I don’t think people comprehend the scale of destruction wrought by this administration already, not even close
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
Doughnuts and Bullets: The Absurdity of Working for RFK Jr.
What happens when your new boss thinks you’re a child killer?
nymag.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
This really was one of the most heartbreaking articles I’ve read in a while. I don’t think people comprehend the scale of destruction wrought by this administration already, not even close
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
I'm an absolute goner once age inference technology gets used to kick teenagers off social media. I listen to the Tarzan soundtrack way too much, my devices will definitely think I'm a child
December 4, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I'm an absolute goner once age inference technology gets used to kick teenagers off social media. I listen to the Tarzan soundtrack way too much, my devices will definitely think I'm a child
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents.
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.
The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...
www.propublica.org
December 4, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents.
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
NEW: Elon Musk's Grok chatbot will, with minimal prompting, provide residential addresses of everyday Americans.
Prompts as simple as "[name] address" immediately returned accurate home addresses of private citizens — alongside other personal info we didn't ask for.
futurism.com/future-socie...
Prompts as simple as "[name] address" immediately returned accurate home addresses of private citizens — alongside other personal info we didn't ask for.
futurism.com/future-socie...
December 4, 2025 at 2:31 PM
NEW: Elon Musk's Grok chatbot will, with minimal prompting, provide residential addresses of everyday Americans.
Prompts as simple as "[name] address" immediately returned accurate home addresses of private citizens — alongside other personal info we didn't ask for.
futurism.com/future-socie...
Prompts as simple as "[name] address" immediately returned accurate home addresses of private citizens — alongside other personal info we didn't ask for.
futurism.com/future-socie...
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
Like many of the worst bigot-panics that pretend they're on behalf of the safety of women and/or children, it also intentionally dodges that the perpetrators of most abuse and assault are people who are known by the victim.
The US gymnastics team was not at risk of strangers, but their own doctor.
The US gymnastics team was not at risk of strangers, but their own doctor.
Men don’t have to “pretend to be women” to enter women’s locker rooms, changing rooms, and bathrooms. Famously, Donald Trump just strolled right in
December 4, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Like many of the worst bigot-panics that pretend they're on behalf of the safety of women and/or children, it also intentionally dodges that the perpetrators of most abuse and assault are people who are known by the victim.
The US gymnastics team was not at risk of strangers, but their own doctor.
The US gymnastics team was not at risk of strangers, but their own doctor.
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
I am a suicide attempt survivor so I’m kind of selfishly interested in prevention and, again, while it may difficult to completely prevent IDEATION, what ChatGPT does (despite guardrails!) is *cheerlead and facilitate* completion. You can come back from ideation but not a chat-optimized completion.
This is not true. This is argument that pro-gun people use to discount red flag and waiting period laws. Ease of access and lethality (let alone cheerful instruction in the best method!) is the #1 predictor of attempts leading actual completion. The more barriers, the more people live.
I think it's fine Chat GPT is telling people how to kill themselves. They'll figure it out one way or another if they're serious.
December 4, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I am a suicide attempt survivor so I’m kind of selfishly interested in prevention and, again, while it may difficult to completely prevent IDEATION, what ChatGPT does (despite guardrails!) is *cheerlead and facilitate* completion. You can come back from ideation but not a chat-optimized completion.
Men don’t have to “pretend to be women” to enter women’s locker rooms, changing rooms, and bathrooms. Famously, Donald Trump just strolled right in
December 4, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Men don’t have to “pretend to be women” to enter women’s locker rooms, changing rooms, and bathrooms. Famously, Donald Trump just strolled right in
This is the first time I’ve ever seen my cat interact with a Christmas tree and so far he just loves posing with it
December 4, 2025 at 3:42 AM
This is the first time I’ve ever seen my cat interact with a Christmas tree and so far he just loves posing with it
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
This is a profoundly anti-Black country. Not just racist but ANTI-BLACK. It is foundational and everpresent.
December 3, 2025 at 10:02 PM
This is a profoundly anti-Black country. Not just racist but ANTI-BLACK. It is foundational and everpresent.
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
Man, the Bluesky Wrapped 2025 is pretty brutal
December 3, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Man, the Bluesky Wrapped 2025 is pretty brutal
It’s amazing how much a woman behaving badly makes people think they have a hall pass to use the most sexist language and rhetoric they can think of
December 3, 2025 at 5:35 PM
It’s amazing how much a woman behaving badly makes people think they have a hall pass to use the most sexist language and rhetoric they can think of
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
I've got a piece up today at @lukeoneil47.bsky.social's Welcome to Hell World. Check it out: www.welcometohellworld.com/a-coordinate...
A coordinated campaign to drive trans people out of public life
Parker Molloy on the latest Oklahoma anti-trans work
www.welcometohellworld.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:03 PM
I've got a piece up today at @lukeoneil47.bsky.social's Welcome to Hell World. Check it out: www.welcometohellworld.com/a-coordinate...
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
It's become normal now for high-level political figures to argue that an entire generation was brainwashed through fake videos into mass anti-Israel political mobilization by TikTok. Complete conspiracy thinking, rooted in zero evidence, based on nothing
Hillary Clinton blames TikTok and “totally made up” videos for young people’s views on Israel and Palestine.
She says social media influenced “not just the usual suspects” but also “young Jewish Americans who don’t know the history and don’t understand.”
She says social media influenced “not just the usual suspects” but also “young Jewish Americans who don’t know the history and don’t understand.”
December 3, 2025 at 4:29 AM
It's become normal now for high-level political figures to argue that an entire generation was brainwashed through fake videos into mass anti-Israel political mobilization by TikTok. Complete conspiracy thinking, rooted in zero evidence, based on nothing
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
Feels like "missing" is inaccurate. This child was kidnapped by the secret police and is now either a political prisoner or a trafficking victim.
A 6-year-old boy is missing after ICE arrested him and his dad in NYC last week and shipped them off to separate facilities. www.thecity.nyc/2025/12/02/i... @thecity.nyc @gwynnefitz.bsky.social
ICE Arrested and Separated Chinese Father From 6-Year-Old Son, Advocates Say
The father and son were detained at an ICE check-in on Nov. 26, advocates say. The son’s location is currently unknown, while the father is being held at an upstate ICE facility.
www.thecity.nyc
December 3, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Feels like "missing" is inaccurate. This child was kidnapped by the secret police and is now either a political prisoner or a trafficking victim.
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries: “Strong floor, no ceiling”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro: “A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro: “A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy.”
December 3, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries: “Strong floor, no ceiling”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro: “A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro: “A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy.”
Reposted by Kat Tenbarge
No-strings-attached, zero-means-testing, no-questions-asked cash payouts have been proven, over and over again, to be the most effective form of charity/aid going.
It gets people in housing, and it saves the state money. We know this. It's fact, not theory.
It gets people in housing, and it saves the state money. We know this. It's fact, not theory.
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees staggering reduction in homelessness
The state program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years. At the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
www.streetroots.org
December 3, 2025 at 7:12 AM
No-strings-attached, zero-means-testing, no-questions-asked cash payouts have been proven, over and over again, to be the most effective form of charity/aid going.
It gets people in housing, and it saves the state money. We know this. It's fact, not theory.
It gets people in housing, and it saves the state money. We know this. It's fact, not theory.