Ann O’Dea
@annodea.bsky.social
Lifelong journo, media founder and CEO Silicon Republic; personal interests: four+ legged critters, birds, history and old stuff, biodiversity, geopolitics, art and culture and great gigs
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/
Was there ever a time when we needed tech reporters more? Tough day for many superb journos 😔
My story on Elon Musk cutting safeguards at xAI is on the front page of today's @washingtonpost.com. I’m also among 100’s of reporters laid off. I absolutely loved my job my brilliant coworkers & the thrill of reporting @ the center of forces upending the world: AI & Silicon Valley’s political power
February 4, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Was there ever a time when we needed tech reporters more? Tough day for many superb journos 😔
Jeff Bezos took over the Washington Post Editorial Board and turned it into a mouthpiece for pro-corporate, pro-billionaire propaganda.
Now, WaPo is laying off hundreds of *real* journalists — including the reporter covering Amazon.
Democracy dies in billionaire hands.
Now, WaPo is laying off hundreds of *real* journalists — including the reporter covering Amazon.
Democracy dies in billionaire hands.
February 4, 2026 at 10:19 PM
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
Listen, this headline is a better endorsement of the Digital Services Act than any 1000 words I could come up with.
There has been criticism of the European Union's Digital Services Act at a committee hearing in the United States.
Linehan among critics in US of EU Digital Services Act
There has been criticism of the European Union's Digital Services Act at a committee hearing in the United States.
www.rte.ie
February 4, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Listen, this headline is a better endorsement of the Digital Services Act than any 1000 words I could come up with.
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
February 4, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
A correction for the ages (from The Guardian's review of 'Melania'):
February 3, 2026 at 8:23 PM
A correction for the ages (from The Guardian's review of 'Melania'):
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
New: Texas A&M University announced Friday that it is eliminating its women’s and gender studies degree program.
Texas A&M eliminates women’s and gender studies program
University leaders also said six courses were canceled and 48 exceptions were granted under new rules on race and gender.
www.texastribune.org
January 30, 2026 at 7:45 PM
New: Texas A&M University announced Friday that it is eliminating its women’s and gender studies degree program.
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
BIG news from @bloomberg.com, which confirms that ICE has gone ahead and *purchased* multiple commercial warehouses with the aim of converting them into mass detention camps.
This is likely to be the big detention story of 2026 — literal warehousing of people.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
This is likely to be the big detention story of 2026 — literal warehousing of people.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
ICE Begins Buying ‘Mega’ Warehouse Detention Centers Across US
Plans for such centers and jails in nearly two dozen communities have sparked protests over suitability, proximity to homes and schools.
www.bloomberg.com
January 30, 2026 at 4:47 PM
BIG news from @bloomberg.com, which confirms that ICE has gone ahead and *purchased* multiple commercial warehouses with the aim of converting them into mass detention camps.
This is likely to be the big detention story of 2026 — literal warehousing of people.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
This is likely to be the big detention story of 2026 — literal warehousing of people.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
Turns out that you can simply chose not to sell your warehouse and prevent it from becoming a detention center
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Jim Pattison won't sell U.S. warehouse proposed as new ICE facility | CBC News
Jim Pattison Developments has announced it will not sell an industrial building in Ashland, Va., that was set to be turned into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility.
www.cbc.ca
January 30, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Turns out that you can simply chose not to sell your warehouse and prevent it from becoming a detention center
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
Journalist Georgia Fort has been released from custody (video @fox9mn.bsky.social)
January 30, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Journalist Georgia Fort has been released from custody (video @fox9mn.bsky.social)
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
Georgia Fort, an independent journalist and vice president of the Minnesota NABJ chapter, was also arrested by federal agents this morning
I was sent this video of agents at her door:
I was sent this video of agents at her door:
January 30, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Georgia Fort, an independent journalist and vice president of the Minnesota NABJ chapter, was also arrested by federal agents this morning
I was sent this video of agents at her door:
I was sent this video of agents at her door:
A regime so petty it can make Don Lemon look like Victor Laszlo
January 30, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
"We desperately need clear, fearless [media] truth-telling that doesn't pull its punches and doesn't hand a megaphone to lies and propaganda in the name of supposed fairness.
"We need the fact-based truth more than ever."
-- Margaret Sullivan (@sulliview.bsky.social)
"We need the fact-based truth more than ever."
-- Margaret Sullivan (@sulliview.bsky.social)
Defensive caution can’t compete with right-wing propaganda
Is it so hard for journalists to clearly state that the Trump administration is lying?
margaretsullivan.substack.com
January 29, 2026 at 10:26 PM
"We desperately need clear, fearless [media] truth-telling that doesn't pull its punches and doesn't hand a megaphone to lies and propaganda in the name of supposed fairness.
"We need the fact-based truth more than ever."
-- Margaret Sullivan (@sulliview.bsky.social)
"We need the fact-based truth more than ever."
-- Margaret Sullivan (@sulliview.bsky.social)
Same old playbook :
Tesla's 'unsupervised' Robotaxis vanish a week after pre-earnings announcement
A week ago, Elon Musk announced that Tesla had started Robotaxi rides in Austin “with no safety monitor in the...
electrek.co
January 29, 2026 at 11:32 PM
Same old playbook :
Glass says values of its current leadership don’t align with the theme of his Lincoln symphony
Philip Glass pulls world premiere from Kennedy Center
The pioneering composer announced that “the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message” of his Symphony No. 15: “Lincoln.”
www.washingtonpost.com
January 29, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Glass says values of its current leadership don’t align with the theme of his Lincoln symphony
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
So much more productive to fight the forces of evil than to expend energy arguing with like-minded people about exact terminology or how best to do so.
January 25, 2026 at 9:31 PM
So much more productive to fight the forces of evil than to expend energy arguing with like-minded people about exact terminology or how best to do so.
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
Dublin City Council CEO Richard Shakespeare says "I have now taken the decision to suspend all posting by the City Council on the X.com platform. This applies to all City Council X accounts and will be actioned with immediate effect."
January 23, 2026 at 10:49 AM
Dublin City Council CEO Richard Shakespeare says "I have now taken the decision to suspend all posting by the City Council on the X.com platform. This applies to all City Council X accounts and will be actioned with immediate effect."
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
I’ll catch up with the Davos Amateur Dramatic Society’s production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui later. Not sure I can bear it live…
January 21, 2026 at 2:30 PM
I’ll catch up with the Davos Amateur Dramatic Society’s production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui later. Not sure I can bear it live…
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
America, come take your deranged grandpa home, he's embarrassing you.
January 21, 2026 at 2:22 PM
America, come take your deranged grandpa home, he's embarrassing you.
Human beings seem to struggle to focus on more than one crisis at a time
January 20, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Human beings seem to struggle to focus on more than one crisis at a time
Woohoo. Northern lights from Greystones this evening #auroraborealis
January 19, 2026 at 9:56 PM
Woohoo. Northern lights from Greystones this evening #auroraborealis
Enoch Burke and his family are willing to see him imprisoned for the sake of gaining a platform. Why oh why does @news.rte.ie keep giving him that platform? I do despair
January 16, 2026 at 8:30 PM
Enoch Burke and his family are willing to see him imprisoned for the sake of gaining a platform. Why oh why does @news.rte.ie keep giving him that platform? I do despair
👏
Glad to see the Ombudsman for Children leaving X. The office is on Bluesky - @ocoireland.bsky.social
January 13, 2026 at 10:18 AM
👏
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
Take a look at today’s Daily Brief for the latest sci-tech news, such as:
🏆 Dublin’s Coroflo wins four awards at CES 2026
🤖 OpenAI acquires health-tech Torch for $100m
🥽 Reports: Meta plans job cuts in Reality Labs division
...and more!
mailchi.mp/siliconrepub...
🏆 Dublin’s Coroflo wins four awards at CES 2026
🤖 OpenAI acquires health-tech Torch for $100m
🥽 Reports: Meta plans job cuts in Reality Labs division
...and more!
mailchi.mp/siliconrepub...
Dublin’s Coroflo sweeps awards at CES
mailchi.mp
January 13, 2026 at 10:04 AM
Take a look at today’s Daily Brief for the latest sci-tech news, such as:
🏆 Dublin’s Coroflo wins four awards at CES 2026
🤖 OpenAI acquires health-tech Torch for $100m
🥽 Reports: Meta plans job cuts in Reality Labs division
...and more!
mailchi.mp/siliconrepub...
🏆 Dublin’s Coroflo wins four awards at CES 2026
🤖 OpenAI acquires health-tech Torch for $100m
🥽 Reports: Meta plans job cuts in Reality Labs division
...and more!
mailchi.mp/siliconrepub...
Reposted by Ann O’Dea
From food security to emissions, disappearing data is making it harder to understand what’s really happening in the US.
America’s Statistical System Is Breaking Down
Canceled surveys, missing datasets and staffing cuts are leaving the US with growing blind spots — and weakening trust in official numbers.
bloom.bg
January 12, 2026 at 6:00 PM
From food security to emissions, disappearing data is making it harder to understand what’s really happening in the US.