TracingVRL by A.J. Fish
@tracingvrl.bsky.social
The software-journalism project tracing the COVID infodemic going ViRaL. Local and international. Reposts are not endorsements.
By programmer-journalist A.J. Fish. Bylines @EastBayExpress @muckrack.
TracingVRL.substack.com
By programmer-journalist A.J. Fish. Bylines @EastBayExpress @muckrack.
TracingVRL.substack.com
We need a lesson in "good faith" and "bad faith". It sounds like a nice-to-have sentiment but it's more than that
November 11, 2025 at 12:36 AM
We need a lesson in "good faith" and "bad faith". It sounds like a nice-to-have sentiment but it's more than that
Amazing ... there's no way you captured it in photo but we could pray @bcmerchant.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Amazing ... there's no way you captured it in photo but we could pray @bcmerchant.bsky.social
This has been occupying my thoughts lately. That AI will be able to out-perform humans in philosophy & biology is laughable. That it will be able to reason is laughable. It's important to not get stunned by people like Tom Friedman who is a dum-dum in the face of these claims
November 10, 2025 at 9:57 PM
This has been occupying my thoughts lately. That AI will be able to out-perform humans in philosophy & biology is laughable. That it will be able to reason is laughable. It's important to not get stunned by people like Tom Friedman who is a dum-dum in the face of these claims
The NYT is now assisting Sam Altman's campaign for A.I.-client privilege (so courts/parents could not find out whether the chatbot talked their teen into suicide?)
November 10, 2025 at 4:37 PM
The NYT is now assisting Sam Altman's campaign for A.I.-client privilege (so courts/parents could not find out whether the chatbot talked their teen into suicide?)
iclg.com/news/23169-c...
"The veto follows months of debate in Sacramento, where lawmakers had already scaled back some of the bill’s more severe provisions to ease pressure on employers."
"The veto follows months of debate in Sacramento, where lawmakers had already scaled back some of the bill’s more severe provisions to ease pressure on employers."
California governor rejects ‘No Robo Bosses Act’ | ICLG
In spite of widespread concerns over the automation of key HR and recruitment decisions, Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill which would have curbed business’s reliance on artificial intelligence.
iclg.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:14 PM
iclg.com/news/23169-c...
"The veto follows months of debate in Sacramento, where lawmakers had already scaled back some of the bill’s more severe provisions to ease pressure on employers."
"The veto follows months of debate in Sacramento, where lawmakers had already scaled back some of the bill’s more severe provisions to ease pressure on employers."
Remember, the margins for laws keeping AI in check were big. Gov Newsom had to *veto* the no robo bosses act. Which means the state legislature passed this bill into law. Even the EFF endorsed this law.
The Gov vetoed it.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
The Gov vetoed it.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Yes to California’s “No Robo Bosses Act”
Algorithmic decision-making is a growing threat to workers. California’s Governor should sign S.B. 7, a common-sense bill to end some of the harshest consequences of automated abuse at work. EFF is pr...
www.eff.org
November 9, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Remember, the margins for laws keeping AI in check were big. Gov Newsom had to *veto* the no robo bosses act. Which means the state legislature passed this bill into law. Even the EFF endorsed this law.
The Gov vetoed it.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
The Gov vetoed it.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
We are burning up and drowning apnews.com/article/hurr...
Climate change boosted Hurricane Melissa's destructive winds and rain, analysis finds
An analysis from World Weather Attribution reports human-caused climate change intensified the winds and rainfall unleashed by Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean.
apnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:14 AM
We are burning up and drowning apnews.com/article/hurr...
The venture capital finance model has led to this pattern. The Nerd Reich is doing legit journalism, even if the production values make it look like conspiracy (which makes it brilliant) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw_W...
'Fentanyl Capitalism': How Tech Venture Capital Is Eating the World | Catherine Bracy x Gil Duran
YouTube video by The Nerd Reich with Gil Duran
www.youtube.com
November 8, 2025 at 6:18 PM
The venture capital finance model has led to this pattern. The Nerd Reich is doing legit journalism, even if the production values make it look like conspiracy (which makes it brilliant) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw_W...
I never forgot that article about Ben/Barbara Barre's experience.
November 8, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I never forgot that article about Ben/Barbara Barre's experience.
It's impossible to pick out the most shocking line of this:
"a team that vets suspicious marketers was told not to shut down accounts that could cost Meta more than $135 million, with a manager overseeing the effort writing, 'We have specific revenue guardrails.'"
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
"a team that vets suspicious marketers was told not to shut down accounts that could cost Meta more than $135 million, with a manager overseeing the effort writing, 'We have specific revenue guardrails.'"
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
Meta is making billions from scammy ads, leaks to Reuters show
One document reportedly said Meta serves 15 billion ads a day that show signs of fraud.
www.sfgate.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:59 PM
It's impossible to pick out the most shocking line of this:
"a team that vets suspicious marketers was told not to shut down accounts that could cost Meta more than $135 million, with a manager overseeing the effort writing, 'We have specific revenue guardrails.'"
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
"a team that vets suspicious marketers was told not to shut down accounts that could cost Meta more than $135 million, with a manager overseeing the effort writing, 'We have specific revenue guardrails.'"
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
This is an eye-popping story.
In the United States, Zuckerberg's own employees calculated, ONE THIRD of all successful scams involved a Meta platform (Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp/Threads.)
"It's easier to advertise scams on Meta platforms than on Google."
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
In the United States, Zuckerberg's own employees calculated, ONE THIRD of all successful scams involved a Meta platform (Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp/Threads.)
"It's easier to advertise scams on Meta platforms than on Google."
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
Meta is making billions from scammy ads, leaks to Reuters show
One document reportedly said Meta serves 15 billion ads a day that show signs of fraud.
www.sfgate.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:53 PM
This is an eye-popping story.
In the United States, Zuckerberg's own employees calculated, ONE THIRD of all successful scams involved a Meta platform (Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp/Threads.)
"It's easier to advertise scams on Meta platforms than on Google."
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
In the United States, Zuckerberg's own employees calculated, ONE THIRD of all successful scams involved a Meta platform (Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp/Threads.)
"It's easier to advertise scams on Meta platforms than on Google."
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
People in my mileau are extremely anti-Trump but remain pro-Musk & rah-rah AI.
One can't cover the antivaxx movement without covering Silicon Valley finance models, microtargeted ads, and technofascism bsky.app/profile/gild... #antivaxx
One can't cover the antivaxx movement without covering Silicon Valley finance models, microtargeted ads, and technofascism bsky.app/profile/gild... #antivaxx
In 2008, a blogger named Curtis Yarvin called for a future president to kill foreign aid programs as part of a plan to replace democracy with dictatorship.
Now 600,000 people are dead—and 14 million will die by 2030, according to the Lancet. This is the running death toll of tech fascism.
Now 600,000 people are dead—and 14 million will die by 2030, according to the Lancet. This is the running death toll of tech fascism.
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
November 7, 2025 at 10:39 PM
People in my mileau are extremely anti-Trump but remain pro-Musk & rah-rah AI.
One can't cover the antivaxx movement without covering Silicon Valley finance models, microtargeted ads, and technofascism bsky.app/profile/gild... #antivaxx
One can't cover the antivaxx movement without covering Silicon Valley finance models, microtargeted ads, and technofascism bsky.app/profile/gild... #antivaxx
It's almost the first thing I think of in the morning. Officially now, we're the baddies?
Even John Yoo is asking this www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Even John Yoo is asking this www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | What’s wrong with a military campaign against the drug trade
Trump’s boat strikes against the cartels risk crossing the line between law enforcement and war.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:44 PM
It's almost the first thing I think of in the morning. Officially now, we're the baddies?
Even John Yoo is asking this www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Even John Yoo is asking this www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
My companion piece explains the film’s context: USAID’s dismantling is estimated to have already killed 600,000 people, ⅔ of them children. Officials simply deny any harm, while halting data monitoring and firing inspectors general who’d have documented it. 2/
www.impactcounter.com/dashboard?vi...
www.impactcounter.com/dashboard?vi...
November 7, 2025 at 4:42 PM
The Singularity (which always sounded to me like digital fascism) is "nigh"? Interesting.
November 6, 2025 at 9:38 PM
The Singularity (which always sounded to me like digital fascism) is "nigh"? Interesting.