S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
@ashleighweeden.bsky.social
*maybe not here quite so much, as I tend to my grief and growth*
Dr. Weeden. She/Her. Rural Futurist. Feminist. Curious/Furious. Place, power, policy. Obsessed with questions like "why?" and "so what?"
Dr. Weeden. She/Her. Rural Futurist. Feminist. Curious/Furious. Place, power, policy. Obsessed with questions like "why?" and "so what?"
For the first time in a long time, weather kept me from Paisley, where we lay a wreath in honour of Keith and Gordon Weeden - and for the first time ever, Jim Weeden isn't here to share his memories of those great men, their sacrifices and their service, but we carry those memories and we remember.
November 11, 2025 at 4:29 PM
For the first time in a long time, weather kept me from Paisley, where we lay a wreath in honour of Keith and Gordon Weeden - and for the first time ever, Jim Weeden isn't here to share his memories of those great men, their sacrifices and their service, but we carry those memories and we remember.
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
"The question now is whether democratic societies can recognize this formation for what it is—and build alternatives before the infrastructure of control becomes too deeply embedded to dislodge."
The Authoritarian Stack: how tech billionaires are building a post-democratic America and why Europe is next.
My new project is an interactive investigation and open data platform to expose tech authoritarianism and mobilize collective power for democratic alternatives.
www.authoritarian-stack.info
My new project is an interactive investigation and open data platform to expose tech authoritarianism and mobilize collective power for democratic alternatives.
www.authoritarian-stack.info
The Authoritarian Stack
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next
www.authoritarian-stack.info
November 8, 2025 at 2:47 PM
"The question now is whether democratic societies can recognize this formation for what it is—and build alternatives before the infrastructure of control becomes too deeply embedded to dislodge."
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
UK government project using AI to find benefit fraud resulted in:
- A 46% false fraud rate
- Anguish for families who were wrongly accused of fraud and had benefits stopped
- Months of additional work for government, setting up a hotline, correcting false fraud
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
- A 46% false fraud rate
- Anguish for families who were wrongly accused of fraud and had benefits stopped
- Months of additional work for government, setting up a hotline, correcting false fraud
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
HMRC trial of child benefit crackdown wrongly suspected fraud in 46% of cases
Exclusive: Almost half of families flagged as emigrants based on Home Office travel data were still living in UK
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:11 PM
UK government project using AI to find benefit fraud resulted in:
- A 46% false fraud rate
- Anguish for families who were wrongly accused of fraud and had benefits stopped
- Months of additional work for government, setting up a hotline, correcting false fraud
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
- A 46% false fraud rate
- Anguish for families who were wrongly accused of fraud and had benefits stopped
- Months of additional work for government, setting up a hotline, correcting false fraud
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
Buried in the Doug Ford govt's fall budget are changes that would remove parts of Wasaga beach from provincial protection. As I reported in August, those parts are 60% of the world’s longest freshwater beach and the main nesting area for the endangered piping plover: thenarwhal.ca/wasaga-beach...
November 10, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Buried in the Doug Ford govt's fall budget are changes that would remove parts of Wasaga beach from provincial protection. As I reported in August, those parts are 60% of the world’s longest freshwater beach and the main nesting area for the endangered piping plover: thenarwhal.ca/wasaga-beach...
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
Policies like these — and the budget is rife with them — are incremental and reactive. They are the opposite of transformational. Canada is facing three intertwined crises: US instability, the climate emergency, the digital economic revolution. Old, incremental thinking simply won‘t cut it.
November 11, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Policies like these — and the budget is rife with them — are incremental and reactive. They are the opposite of transformational. Canada is facing three intertwined crises: US instability, the climate emergency, the digital economic revolution. Old, incremental thinking simply won‘t cut it.
10+ years of banging my head against this particular wall over here…
If building out digital capacity is so important, why rely on inducements and hope for the best (while paying a premium in the form of private firms’ profit margins) instead of just building it yourself?
November 11, 2025 at 12:50 PM
10+ years of banging my head against this particular wall over here…
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
Every time someone’s like “put that in the louvre,” my head now goes “and then steal it from the louvre, the security password is louvre”
November 11, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Every time someone’s like “put that in the louvre,” my head now goes “and then steal it from the louvre, the security password is louvre”
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
Absolutely brilliant exposition of what is happening *RIGHT NOW* across Ontario and Canada, thank you @danyaalraza.com .
Health care is in crisis, the solutions are obvious, and governments everywhere are looking away from what is happening.
Gift link:
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Health care is in crisis, the solutions are obvious, and governments everywhere are looking away from what is happening.
Gift link:
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
November 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Absolutely brilliant exposition of what is happening *RIGHT NOW* across Ontario and Canada, thank you @danyaalraza.com .
Health care is in crisis, the solutions are obvious, and governments everywhere are looking away from what is happening.
Gift link:
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Health care is in crisis, the solutions are obvious, and governments everywhere are looking away from what is happening.
Gift link:
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
We also got information this week about intimate partner violence in Toronto.
Conclusion? Victims/survivors are failed across this province every single day.
Conclusion? Victims/survivors are failed across this province every single day.
Toronto police release detailed data on intimate partner violence for the 1st time | CBC News
The number of intimate partner violence occurrences in Toronto each year has remained steady over the last decade, ranging from about 17,200 to 19,300 a year, according to new data from Toronto police...
www.cbc.ca
November 10, 2025 at 2:16 PM
We also got information this week about intimate partner violence in Toronto.
Conclusion? Victims/survivors are failed across this province every single day.
Conclusion? Victims/survivors are failed across this province every single day.
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
I'm from Northern Ontario. I've done extensive research and advocacy with survivors in rural, remote and Northern communities.
Frankly, the only thing that surprises me about this report is that it's getting so much media attention outside of the region. I'm glad because it's about time!
Frankly, the only thing that surprises me about this report is that it's getting so much media attention outside of the region. I'm glad because it's about time!
Report finds survivors face barriers to getting sexual assault evidence kits in northern Ontario | CBC News
A new report by Sudbury group She Matters reveals that northern Ontario sexual assault survivors face significant barriers to timely access to sexual assault evidence kits because of distance and unde...
www.cbc.ca
November 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
I'm from Northern Ontario. I've done extensive research and advocacy with survivors in rural, remote and Northern communities.
Frankly, the only thing that surprises me about this report is that it's getting so much media attention outside of the region. I'm glad because it's about time!
Frankly, the only thing that surprises me about this report is that it's getting so much media attention outside of the region. I'm glad because it's about time!
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
Mark Carney's budget will make Trump and Canada’s corporate class happy, but it does little for working people.
Martin Lukacs and @desmondcole.bsky.social break down the Liberals' Stephen Harper-esque moves, from public service layoffs to corporate handouts. breachmedia.ca/a-budget-for...
Martin Lukacs and @desmondcole.bsky.social break down the Liberals' Stephen Harper-esque moves, from public service layoffs to corporate handouts. breachmedia.ca/a-budget-for...
A budget for tanks, banks, and oil barons ⋆ The Breach
Martin Lukacs and Desmond Cole discuss the Liberal government’s Harper-esque budget
breachmedia.ca
November 6, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Mark Carney's budget will make Trump and Canada’s corporate class happy, but it does little for working people.
Martin Lukacs and @desmondcole.bsky.social break down the Liberals' Stephen Harper-esque moves, from public service layoffs to corporate handouts. breachmedia.ca/a-budget-for...
Martin Lukacs and @desmondcole.bsky.social break down the Liberals' Stephen Harper-esque moves, from public service layoffs to corporate handouts. breachmedia.ca/a-budget-for...
After a truly banoodles week, as almost every day since we decided to build a life together, I am so, so grateful for a fabulous partner. It took me a long time to choose, but I chose well. I’m a tough cookie but admittedly would be a total puddle half the time if I didn’t have Ian…
November 9, 2025 at 5:28 PM
After a truly banoodles week, as almost every day since we decided to build a life together, I am so, so grateful for a fabulous partner. It took me a long time to choose, but I chose well. I’m a tough cookie but admittedly would be a total puddle half the time if I didn’t have Ian…
We’ve been here before. It didn’t work then. It won’t work now.
(I was in high school/post-sec and the daughter of a nurse and a civil servant in Ontario’s Harris years and Canada’s Chrétien/Martin/Harper years… I had a front row seat.)
(I was in high school/post-sec and the daughter of a nurse and a civil servant in Ontario’s Harris years and Canada’s Chrétien/Martin/Harper years… I had a front row seat.)
If the government continues down its current path, it will be repeating the mistakes of the 1990s: favouring extreme austerity with no consideration for the consequences.
That approach was a disaster in 1994, and it would be worse today.
That approach was a disaster in 1994, and it would be worse today.
Public Sector Job Cuts Undermine the Federal Government’s Commitment to Canadians | Perspectives Journal
There are easy solutions for the government to both raise revenue and rein in spending in a way that is fair and beneficial for Canadians, and that doesn’t compromise services.
perspectivesjournal.ca
November 8, 2025 at 2:07 PM
We’ve been here before. It didn’t work then. It won’t work now.
(I was in high school/post-sec and the daughter of a nurse and a civil servant in Ontario’s Harris years and Canada’s Chrétien/Martin/Harper years… I had a front row seat.)
(I was in high school/post-sec and the daughter of a nurse and a civil servant in Ontario’s Harris years and Canada’s Chrétien/Martin/Harper years… I had a front row seat.)
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
There is some serious class action potential with OpenAI and the other LLMs.
Not least because these products straight up can’t do many of the tasks they advertise and charge (exorbitantly) for.
But also, the suicide.
abc7news.com/post/openai-...
Not least because these products straight up can’t do many of the tasks they advertise and charge (exorbitantly) for.
But also, the suicide.
abc7news.com/post/openai-...
Over 1 million people talk to ChatGPT about suicide weekly, new OpenAI data reveals
An estimated 1.2 million users reportedly talk to ChatGPT about suicide weekly, according to a newly released report from the A.I. giant. This latest revelation comes as the company races to strength...
abc7news.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:12 AM
There is some serious class action potential with OpenAI and the other LLMs.
Not least because these products straight up can’t do many of the tasks they advertise and charge (exorbitantly) for.
But also, the suicide.
abc7news.com/post/openai-...
Not least because these products straight up can’t do many of the tasks they advertise and charge (exorbitantly) for.
But also, the suicide.
abc7news.com/post/openai-...
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
After publishing the 1953 paper with stolen data and winning a Nobel Prize, James Watson basically coasted on the back of Franklin's work for an astonishing 71 years with few substantive contributions to the field.
I see James Watson has died.
What did Watson discover?
Rosalind Franklin's lab notes.
Only we spell it 'S-T-E-A-L' these days.
What did Watson discover?
Rosalind Franklin's lab notes.
Only we spell it 'S-T-E-A-L' these days.
November 7, 2025 at 8:49 PM
After publishing the 1953 paper with stolen data and winning a Nobel Prize, James Watson basically coasted on the back of Franklin's work for an astonishing 71 years with few substantive contributions to the field.
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
Hi Bluesky 👋
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Hi Bluesky 👋
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
Imagine if Canada had actually launched the Canada Innovation Corporation and it had made some progress in identifying new opportunities and building capacity in global value chains before we turned to using our recently elevated elbows to simply dig more stuff out of the ground and send it abroad.
November 6, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Imagine if Canada had actually launched the Canada Innovation Corporation and it had made some progress in identifying new opportunities and building capacity in global value chains before we turned to using our recently elevated elbows to simply dig more stuff out of the ground and send it abroad.
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
My overdue innovation lens take on Budget 2025 is that there’s a lot of tax credit tinkering, tangible economy initiatives, and a less-scathed PSE research ecosystem than expected, but no evidence of a grand, coherent innovation strategy nor major innovation agency.
And so, we muddle on.
And so, we muddle on.
November 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
My overdue innovation lens take on Budget 2025 is that there’s a lot of tax credit tinkering, tangible economy initiatives, and a less-scathed PSE research ecosystem than expected, but no evidence of a grand, coherent innovation strategy nor major innovation agency.
And so, we muddle on.
And so, we muddle on.
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
An excellent conversation that speaks to the hardware geek and data center veteran in me. In summary: massive data center buildouts for so-called 'AI' are stupid and unethical for all the reasons we routinely state and *also* idiotic from a purely technical perspective.
Nicholas Weaver: The futile future of the gigawatt datacenter
The edge is where it’s at
Blog post by @ncweaver.skerry-tech.com:
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/07/t...
Interview with Nick:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5rL... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20251107-nic... - podcast
time: 26 min 53 sec
The edge is where it’s at
Blog post by @ncweaver.skerry-tech.com:
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/07/t...
Interview with Nick:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5rL... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20251107-nic... - podcast
time: 26 min 53 sec
November 7, 2025 at 3:13 PM
An excellent conversation that speaks to the hardware geek and data center veteran in me. In summary: massive data center buildouts for so-called 'AI' are stupid and unethical for all the reasons we routinely state and *also* idiotic from a purely technical perspective.
I come by my “ethics of refusal” honestly: the way I feel about AI now is the way my Dad understood the problematics of the now largely abandoned fuel-ethanol industry. It’s bad science, bad policy, and bad faith all around.
November 7, 2025 at 2:54 PM
I come by my “ethics of refusal” honestly: the way I feel about AI now is the way my Dad understood the problematics of the now largely abandoned fuel-ethanol industry. It’s bad science, bad policy, and bad faith all around.
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
Incredible to watch this play out, cities/states mobilizing to defend against Federal gov't. I've seen @stateofthecity.bsky.social talk about his research into mayors/cities & this reminds me so much of other historical moments, like (as mayor) Konrad Adenauer keeping Cologne fed & stable in WWI.
NEW: New York has been quietly preparing for a potential Trump deployment of troops & agents to NYC.
Hochul, business, activists mobilized - meeting, discussing lawsuits, talking to LA/Chicago.
+ New details on Canal Street raid.
W/ @danarubinsteinbsky.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/n...
Hochul, business, activists mobilized - meeting, discussing lawsuits, talking to LA/Chicago.
+ New details on Canal Street raid.
W/ @danarubinsteinbsky.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/n...
New York Prepares for a Potential Trump Immigration Crackdown
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Incredible to watch this play out, cities/states mobilizing to defend against Federal gov't. I've seen @stateofthecity.bsky.social talk about his research into mayors/cities & this reminds me so much of other historical moments, like (as mayor) Konrad Adenauer keeping Cologne fed & stable in WWI.
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
“Another example came from writer and Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton, who contracted SARS-CoV-2 for the first time this September after unmasking at a fan convention. He wrote on Instagram that he had ‘let his guard down’ due to social pressure, calling the infection ‘so avoidable.’”
November 6, 2025 at 5:50 PM
“Another example came from writer and Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton, who contracted SARS-CoV-2 for the first time this September after unmasking at a fan convention. He wrote on Instagram that he had ‘let his guard down’ due to social pressure, calling the infection ‘so avoidable.’”
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
🗣️📢
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
🗣️📢
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
www.404media.co
November 6, 2025 at 6:12 PM
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
🗣️📢
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
🗣️📢
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
Reposted by S. Ashleigh Weeden, PhD
This was such a fun panel to moderate and I'm so glad it had a bit of spice to it. Innovation panels so often fall into the same tired narratives. It was great to see @ashleighweeden.bsky.social, @dkmunro.bsky.social and the other panellists push back on those!
What a delight to be part of an absolutely incredible line up at the CSA Policy Pathways Conference today in Toronto.
Terrific fireside chat at the CSA Policy Pathways Conference with Armine Yalnizyan Kaylie Tiessen and Steve Paikin unpacking yesterday’s Federal budget and what else it might have included.
Our… | S...
Terrific fireside chat at the CSA Policy Pathways Conference with Armine Yalnizyan Kaylie Tiessen and Steve Paikin unpacking yesterday’s Federal budget and what else it might have included.
Our seco...
www.linkedin.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:56 PM
This was such a fun panel to moderate and I'm so glad it had a bit of spice to it. Innovation panels so often fall into the same tired narratives. It was great to see @ashleighweeden.bsky.social, @dkmunro.bsky.social and the other panellists push back on those!