Michael Black
@mblack.us
Reposted by Michael Black
there are a lot of hustlebros out there working hard to market apps and they do not give a shit about their users. I begged these people to fix the issue and they lied to me and then ignored me. It's bad. be careful about what apps you give data to www.404media.co/app-for-quit...
App for Quitting Porn Leaked Users' Masturbation Habits
Hundreds of thousands of users told the app intimate details about their sexual urges, which are now exposed.
www.404media.co
January 28, 2026 at 2:36 PM
there are a lot of hustlebros out there working hard to market apps and they do not give a shit about their users. I begged these people to fix the issue and they lied to me and then ignored me. It's bad. be careful about what apps you give data to www.404media.co/app-for-quit...
Reposted by Michael Black
OpenAI just released Prism, a LaTeX editor with embedded ChatGPT for free.
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:01 PM
OpenAI just released Prism, a LaTeX editor with embedded ChatGPT for free.
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
Reposted by Michael Black
“Yes, it’s expanding the surveillance state, and yes, it’s destroying the education system, and yes, it’s being trained on copyrighted work without permission, and yes, it’s being used to create lethal autonomous weapons systems…but…I forget my point, but ultimately, I think you should embrace it.”
Please Don’t Say Mean Things about the AI That I Just Invested a Billion Dollars In
“[Nvidia CEO] Jensen Huang Is Begging You to Stop Being So Negative About AI” — Headline from Gizmodo
- - —
Guys, enough is enough. Bullying is a s...
www.mcsweeneys.net
January 27, 2026 at 8:36 PM
“Yes, it’s expanding the surveillance state, and yes, it’s destroying the education system, and yes, it’s being trained on copyrighted work without permission, and yes, it’s being used to create lethal autonomous weapons systems…but…I forget my point, but ultimately, I think you should embrace it.”
A look into how AI in the workplace is going, courtesy of Ask a Manager.
A.I. Was Supposed to “Revolutionize” Work. In Many Offices, It’s Only Creating Chaos.
A.I. and ChatGPT were supposed to revolutionize work. They’re only creating chaos.
slate.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:44 PM
A look into how AI in the workplace is going, courtesy of Ask a Manager.
Reposted by Michael Black
So which politician is calling for the dismantling of the probably illegal database that ice & this government is collecting biometric data of protesters?
January 25, 2026 at 5:42 PM
So which politician is calling for the dismantling of the probably illegal database that ice & this government is collecting biometric data of protesters?
Reposted by Michael Black
Blistering piece on ed tech in @economist.com.
‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it.’
economist.com/united-state...
‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it.’
economist.com/united-state...
Ed tech is profitable. It is also mostly useless
Independent research identifies few learning gains
economist.com
January 24, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Blistering piece on ed tech in @economist.com.
‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it.’
economist.com/united-state...
‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it.’
economist.com/united-state...
Reposted by Michael Black
You could actually structure your moral code around the idea that law enforcement doesn't exist to execute people. You don't have to create perfect victim narratives, you can just refuse to accept that the state gets to kill people.
January 24, 2026 at 9:22 PM
You could actually structure your moral code around the idea that law enforcement doesn't exist to execute people. You don't have to create perfect victim narratives, you can just refuse to accept that the state gets to kill people.
Reposted by Michael Black
they don’t and they never have. “family” is a key pillar of the ideology, but only in the sense of control. children and significant others are something to be owned and, crucially, abused by patriarchal men — an extension of their property and little more
Seeing how children everywhere are being affected by ICE is heartbreaking. You have kids being kidnapped and living in fear of that but also their friends living in fear of who won’t be at school the next day and why. People who support ICE don’t care about traumatizing kids en masse at all
January 23, 2026 at 11:38 PM
they don’t and they never have. “family” is a key pillar of the ideology, but only in the sense of control. children and significant others are something to be owned and, crucially, abused by patriarchal men — an extension of their property and little more
Reposted by Michael Black
When Big Tech tells you that they aren't keeping your data to sell you things, never, ever believe them.
“Personal Intelligence feels like Google has been quietly taking notes on my entire life and finally decided to hand me the notebook.”
With 'Personal Intelligence,' Google finally admits how much it knows about you. It's scary-good.
Personal Intelligence from Google connects Gemini AI to Gmail, Photos, and Search history, setting new standards for personal AI assistants.
www.businessinsider.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:15 PM
When Big Tech tells you that they aren't keeping your data to sell you things, never, ever believe them.
Reposted by Michael Black
Gotcha—let’s dig into that step by step.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
January 23, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Gotcha—let’s dig into that step by step.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
Everything US politicians accused the app's Chinese owners of doing are things that Meta and X are doing (and, in the case of the former, have been doing for a long time).
“My worry all along is that we may have traded fears of foreign propaganda for the reality of domestic propaganda”
“My worry all along is that we may have traded fears of foreign propaganda for the reality of domestic propaganda”
TikTok Strikes Deal for New U.S. Entity, Ending Long Legal Saga
www.nytimes.com
January 23, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Everything US politicians accused the app's Chinese owners of doing are things that Meta and X are doing (and, in the case of the former, have been doing for a long time).
“My worry all along is that we may have traded fears of foreign propaganda for the reality of domestic propaganda”
“My worry all along is that we may have traded fears of foreign propaganda for the reality of domestic propaganda”
Reposted by Michael Black
YES THAT'S WHAT MANY OF US HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS
AND THATS WHY WE DON'T USE IT
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AND THATS WHY WE DON'T USE IT
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
January 22, 2026 at 8:04 PM
YES THAT'S WHAT MANY OF US HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS
AND THATS WHY WE DON'T USE IT
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AND THATS WHY WE DON'T USE IT
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Reposted by Michael Black
wake up babe new one laptop per child dropped
OpenAI's new "Education for Countries" program, which "will work with governments and university consortia to bring AI into education systems", is based on, well, a farcically self-serving understanding of "the history of technology" and an even worse view of education 🤢 openai.com/index/edu-fo...
January 21, 2026 at 10:21 PM
wake up babe new one laptop per child dropped
Reposted by Michael Black
"B-But if we don't use AI, how will we storyboard cutscenes--" MOTHERFUCKER MY WIFE LET ME USE HER CROCHET PLUSHIES, WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE
January 21, 2026 at 2:11 AM
"B-But if we don't use AI, how will we storyboard cutscenes--" MOTHERFUCKER MY WIFE LET ME USE HER CROCHET PLUSHIES, WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE
Reposted by Michael Black
Part of the struggle with the LLM discourse is that genuine (i.e. non-grifter) proponents talk exclusively about the possibilities of the transformer architecture in an ideal future with a rational business model.
Whereas opponents largely talk about the world we live in today, and its constraints.
Whereas opponents largely talk about the world we live in today, and its constraints.
What many of us have been saying for a while: AI*-related technologies are tools like any other technology, useful in some places, not in others. If it had been presented (and funded) as such, we'd be in a better place.
Instead, tech ideologues pushed AI* as the Second Coming, went all-in on it. /1
Instead, tech ideologues pushed AI* as the Second Coming, went all-in on it. /1
Insights from Ben Affleck on AI:
• AI can help write scenes but can't create full movies.
• Job loss fears are overblown because adoption of new tech is slow; it's hype for startup valuations.
• ChatGPT v5 is ~25% better but costs 4x.
• Users actually preferred v4's sycophancy for companionship.
• AI can help write scenes but can't create full movies.
• Job loss fears are overblown because adoption of new tech is slow; it's hype for startup valuations.
• ChatGPT v5 is ~25% better but costs 4x.
• Users actually preferred v4's sycophancy for companionship.
January 18, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Part of the struggle with the LLM discourse is that genuine (i.e. non-grifter) proponents talk exclusively about the possibilities of the transformer architecture in an ideal future with a rational business model.
Whereas opponents largely talk about the world we live in today, and its constraints.
Whereas opponents largely talk about the world we live in today, and its constraints.
Reposted by Michael Black
It's so hard--I think they are trying to adapt, as we all are. I just don't think that automating the classroom solves the problem of students automating their thinking.
January 18, 2026 at 3:17 PM
It's so hard--I think they are trying to adapt, as we all are. I just don't think that automating the classroom solves the problem of students automating their thinking.
Reposted by Michael Black
For @msnownews.bsky.social, I wrote an article about how ICE Watch is grounded in sociological theories of violence prevention.
The reality is that most men will only commit public violence in extremely specific scenarios and ICE Watch disrupts the conditions necessary for escalation.
The reality is that most men will only commit public violence in extremely specific scenarios and ICE Watch disrupts the conditions necessary for escalation.
Opinion | I'm a Minneapolis sociologist who studies violence. Here's how ICE observers are helping.
Research into how violence occurs shows that disapproval from the people around you can help reduce it.
www.ms.now
January 16, 2026 at 6:55 PM
For @msnownews.bsky.social, I wrote an article about how ICE Watch is grounded in sociological theories of violence prevention.
The reality is that most men will only commit public violence in extremely specific scenarios and ICE Watch disrupts the conditions necessary for escalation.
The reality is that most men will only commit public violence in extremely specific scenarios and ICE Watch disrupts the conditions necessary for escalation.
Reposted by Michael Black
mrbeast should be a position like president rather than a specific guy, and we should be able to impeach — or otherwise overthrow — the current one and replace him with someone else. it’s time for us to install leftist mutual aid mrbeast. he will heal our broken nation
January 16, 2026 at 8:37 PM
mrbeast should be a position like president rather than a specific guy, and we should be able to impeach — or otherwise overthrow — the current one and replace him with someone else. it’s time for us to install leftist mutual aid mrbeast. he will heal our broken nation
Reposted by Michael Black
Reposted by Michael Black
Absolutely definitive video analysis of Renee Good killing here. Look at the image framed in red.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/v...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/v...
Video Analysis of ICE Shooting Sheds Light on Contested Moments
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Absolutely definitive video analysis of Renee Good killing here. Look at the image framed in red.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/v...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/v...
When doing permissions for Transparent Designs, I had a really great exchange with someone from IBM who not only gave me permission but went to THEIR archives and sent me a higher quality, cleaner scan than I would have been able to make myself.
If you are under the impression that personal contact with other people for the purposes of reasonable negotiation can somehow be ceded to third-party companies or, worse yet, automated systems…allow me to introduce you to the process of getting permission to reproduce images for academic books.
<<crying in art historian who is seeking permissions for 80 images now>>
January 14, 2026 at 2:08 PM
When doing permissions for Transparent Designs, I had a really great exchange with someone from IBM who not only gave me permission but went to THEIR archives and sent me a higher quality, cleaner scan than I would have been able to make myself.
Reposted by Michael Black
I wrote about why we should understand the metaverse hype cycle as a dress rehearsal for the generative AI hype cycle www.fastcompany.com/91467599/met...
What was the metaverse?
Mark Zuckerberg effectively declared its death last December. But the delusional fervor it inspired lives on.
www.fastcompany.com
January 12, 2026 at 6:35 PM
I wrote about why we should understand the metaverse hype cycle as a dress rehearsal for the generative AI hype cycle www.fastcompany.com/91467599/met...
Reposted by Michael Black
*posting on twitter* oh ho, I’ve made a wry observation. Better make sure a bunch of pedophiles see it
January 10, 2026 at 10:46 PM
*posting on twitter* oh ho, I’ve made a wry observation. Better make sure a bunch of pedophiles see it
Reposted by Michael Black
The people who mock gender studies are perversely the most compelling case for studying it
Wifi was down at the WH today so I didn’t get to post this, which, once again people: everything is gender.
January 9, 2026 at 1:17 PM
The people who mock gender studies are perversely the most compelling case for studying it
Reposted by Michael Black
As someone who has reported on deepfakes for years now, I’ve had a few moments while reporting on Grok where I feel sick to my stomach thinking about the continued escalation of sexual abuse with this technology and where it’s going. We’re not ready for this. And it didn’t have to be this way.
January 10, 2026 at 2:16 AM
As someone who has reported on deepfakes for years now, I’ve had a few moments while reporting on Grok where I feel sick to my stomach thinking about the continued escalation of sexual abuse with this technology and where it’s going. We’re not ready for this. And it didn’t have to be this way.