Ben Shultz
@benmshultz.com
☀️ Lead Researcher, @AmericanSunlight.org ("evil people," according to Elon)
💻 Fellow, @HIIGberlin.bsky.social
🇪🇺 AI Expert, @coe.int
🤖 Hobbies include hunting Russian bots
🏛️ Big fan of democracy
🍊 Alum #MaxwellMafia
https://www.benmshultz.com | 📍Berlin
💻 Fellow, @HIIGberlin.bsky.social
🇪🇺 AI Expert, @coe.int
🤖 Hobbies include hunting Russian bots
🏛️ Big fan of democracy
🍊 Alum #MaxwellMafia
https://www.benmshultz.com | 📍Berlin
Pinned
Another day, hundreds more ads for #AI nudify apps across #Meta platforms...
Meta loves to talk about "new technology to detect ads for nudify apps" and "strict rules against non-consensual intimate imagery."
Funny though, because we at @americansunlight.org sure do find these ads often...
Meta loves to talk about "new technology to detect ads for nudify apps" and "strict rules against non-consensual intimate imagery."
Funny though, because we at @americansunlight.org sure do find these ads often...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Bitcoin is still a problem, folks
It got overshadowed by the pipeline news, but NYS’s deal to allow Greenidge Generation to keep operating an upstate gas plant *for the sole purpose of mining bitcoin* might be almost as big of a reversal gothamist.com/news/upstate...
Upstate NY Bitcoin mine agrees to slash emissions, will get air permit from the state
The move comes days after Hochul’s administration paved the way for a new natural gas pipeline in New York Harbor.
gothamist.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Bitcoin is still a problem, folks
Reposted by Ben Shultz
New:
On The Gateway Pundit's podcast yesterday, Stewart Rhodes announced he's relaunching the Oath Keepers
He also urged Trump to “call us up as a militia" & "order us all to come together in our counties under his command."
www.mediamatters.org/oath-keepers...
On The Gateway Pundit's podcast yesterday, Stewart Rhodes announced he's relaunching the Oath Keepers
He also urged Trump to “call us up as a militia" & "order us all to come together in our counties under his command."
www.mediamatters.org/oath-keepers...
![STEWART RHODES (FOUNDER, OATH KEEPERS): And one other thing I want to say is that President Trump, as commander in chief, always has absolute authority to call all of us up as the militia because every one of us — in federal statues defining the militia, it's every able-bodied male from age 17-45. And for us veterans, it goes up to age 64 because of our prior training and experience.
Right now, under federal statutes, President Trump can call us up as the militia if he sees it necessary, especially for three purposes: to repel invasions, to suppress insurrections, and to execute the laws of the union. And right now, we see all three of those in play.
...
And the militia is all of us. So the National Guard is part of the militia, which is why it's completely lawful for him to use the National Guard as he has, and he should do more of that, I think, across the country.
...
He could just say given the circumstances of an invasion, insurrection, and resistance against federal law being being enforced, I'm calling up the militia, ordering all the men to come together [in] every county, put the veterans in charge of training and organizing all the other men and just have them stand too and await his orders. He can do that and I think he should do that. And so that's what I'll be advocating for from him. So from the bottom, from down the rank and file, we can let President Trump know that we're ready to serve, encourage him to do that, call us up as a militia, order us all to come together in our counties under his command, which gives you complete legal sanction to do what you're doing.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:af7tqcetuyt352aolf3znlxe/bafkreialm4skuozqobejpd6vx4m6kuwsgtidxmmxvj3ftcff6otiuyohiy@jpeg)
November 10, 2025 at 4:54 PM
New:
On The Gateway Pundit's podcast yesterday, Stewart Rhodes announced he's relaunching the Oath Keepers
He also urged Trump to “call us up as a militia" & "order us all to come together in our counties under his command."
www.mediamatters.org/oath-keepers...
On The Gateway Pundit's podcast yesterday, Stewart Rhodes announced he's relaunching the Oath Keepers
He also urged Trump to “call us up as a militia" & "order us all to come together in our counties under his command."
www.mediamatters.org/oath-keepers...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda today appointed Robertas Kaunas as defense minister and Vaida Aleknavičienė as culture minister.
Lithuania names new defense minister
Opposition slammed appointment of Robertas Kaunas, who will oversee a huge rise in military spending, as a “lottery.”
www.politico.eu
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda today appointed Robertas Kaunas as defense minister and Vaida Aleknavičienė as culture minister.
Reposted by Ben Shultz
I think this is absolutely right. They memorized the lessons of that era — triangulation, bipartisanship, government is somehow shameful — and can’t adapt to the very different world we’re now in.
IMHO, most of the Dem leadership came up through the ranks during the Reagan years and started getting seniority during the 1994 shellacking so a fighting retreat is their standard tactic. They don’t do brinksmanship well.
November 10, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I think this is absolutely right. They memorized the lessons of that era — triangulation, bipartisanship, government is somehow shameful — and can’t adapt to the very different world we’re now in.
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Incredibly bittersweet to be published in Teen Vogue this weekend after devastating layoffs, including my editor for this piece. It’s about how beauty influencers have fallen into and become part of the alt-right pipeline targeting girls and women
www.teenvogue.com/story/womano...
www.teenvogue.com/story/womano...
The 'Womanosphere' Is Coming for Teen Girls
How beauty and wellness influencers are part of a misinformation ecosystem pushing traditional values on girls.
www.teenvogue.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Incredibly bittersweet to be published in Teen Vogue this weekend after devastating layoffs, including my editor for this piece. It’s about how beauty influencers have fallen into and become part of the alt-right pipeline targeting girls and women
www.teenvogue.com/story/womano...
www.teenvogue.com/story/womano...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Meta is now running pro-data-center ads in regions with intense development
about.fb.com/news/2025/11...
about.fb.com/news/2025/11...
November 9, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Meta is now running pro-data-center ads in regions with intense development
about.fb.com/news/2025/11...
about.fb.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Only the Democrats could watch a series of elections resoundingly go their way and then, less than a week later, loudly announce that they want to fold on the shutdown. Absolutely worthless party of cowards and hogs. Stupid, weak, useless.
November 9, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Only the Democrats could watch a series of elections resoundingly go their way and then, less than a week later, loudly announce that they want to fold on the shutdown. Absolutely worthless party of cowards and hogs. Stupid, weak, useless.
Reposted by Ben Shultz
America’s armed forces have been engaged in an intensifying air campaign against suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. These maps, charts and videos show the extent of the attacks
Tracking American drug-boat strikes off Venezuela’s coast
Are smugglers or Nicolás Maduro’s regime the target?
econ.st
November 7, 2025 at 9:40 PM
America’s armed forces have been engaged in an intensifying air campaign against suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. These maps, charts and videos show the extent of the attacks
Reposted by Ben Shultz
They're still praising the emperor's imaginary clothes even as he's losing them elections
Republicans Are in Denial About Tuesday
What happens when your party gets killed in an election but you can’t admit that anything is actually wrong?
www.thebulwark.com
November 8, 2025 at 11:01 AM
They're still praising the emperor's imaginary clothes even as he's losing them elections
Reposted by Ben Shultz
This piece on Texas Roadhouse is instructive in explaining restaurant weakness: commodity inflation up nearly 8% is crushing the group — but the consumer is in no mood to accept a pass-through.
@jonathandmaze.bsky.social $TXRH
restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/be...
@jonathandmaze.bsky.social $TXRH
restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/be...
November 7, 2025 at 1:14 PM
This piece on Texas Roadhouse is instructive in explaining restaurant weakness: commodity inflation up nearly 8% is crushing the group — but the consumer is in no mood to accept a pass-through.
@jonathandmaze.bsky.social $TXRH
restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/be...
@jonathandmaze.bsky.social $TXRH
restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/be...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington has been investigating a trip that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and four aides took to Qatar in 2023, but the mayor is not a target, according to law enforcement and other administration officials.
DOJ is investigating Bowser’s Qatar trip but says mayor is not a target
The D.C. U.S. attorney’s office has been investigating a 2023 trip Bowser and four aides took to Qatar, partially funded by that country’s government.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington has been investigating a trip that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and four aides took to Qatar in 2023, but the mayor is not a target, according to law enforcement and other administration officials.
Reposted by Ben Shultz
The focus in Israel is now squarely back on the domestic struggle between the government and the legal system. Any hope of a national reckoning over the war in Gaza will have to wait until after the next parliamentary elections
Israel’s politicians are taking on its lawyers once again
The arrest of the IDF’s top lawyer will affect Israel’s political future
econ.st
November 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
The focus in Israel is now squarely back on the domestic struggle between the government and the legal system. Any hope of a national reckoning over the war in Gaza will have to wait until after the next parliamentary elections
Reposted by Ben Shultz
“The 🇪🇺 EU executive plans to create a Centre for Democratic Resilience to counter disinformation from 🇷🇺 Russia and other authoritarian regimes, according to a leaked paper.“
EU plans hub to tackle disinformation threat from Russia and others
Move follows ‘escalating hybrid attacks’ by Russia and other foreign powers spreading fake articles across social media
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:43 PM
“The 🇪🇺 EU executive plans to create a Centre for Democratic Resilience to counter disinformation from 🇷🇺 Russia and other authoritarian regimes, according to a leaked paper.“
Reposted by Ben Shultz
British military planners travelled to Bodø, nestled between the sea and snow-capped peaks of the Arctic Circle, to rehearse what it would look like if Russia decided to unleash hostile activity there.
But the task is not purely hypothetical.
🔗 www.politico.eu/article/brit...
But the task is not purely hypothetical.
🔗 www.politico.eu/article/brit...
November 7, 2025 at 3:27 PM
British military planners travelled to Bodø, nestled between the sea and snow-capped peaks of the Arctic Circle, to rehearse what it would look like if Russia decided to unleash hostile activity there.
But the task is not purely hypothetical.
🔗 www.politico.eu/article/brit...
But the task is not purely hypothetical.
🔗 www.politico.eu/article/brit...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Surely Johnson is the most pathetic Speaker in the history of the United States. An unctuous toady to power, crawling up to his presidential benefactor, practically begging for Trump to usurp Congress's constitutional role.
Mike Johnson on the tariffs case before SCOTUS: "I'm cheering for the president that the executive will win on this. Now, I say that as a jealous guardian of the legislative branch of government, Article 1."
November 6, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Surely Johnson is the most pathetic Speaker in the history of the United States. An unctuous toady to power, crawling up to his presidential benefactor, practically begging for Trump to usurp Congress's constitutional role.
Reposted by Ben Shultz
“President Trump’s instinct when he loses is to sulk, and to lash out. He will almost certainly now retaliate against New York City – but doing this comes with enormous political risk.”
inews.co.uk/opinion/city...
inews.co.uk/opinion/city...
The city that gave rise to Trump could be the key to his downfall
The President threw everything at Zohran Mamdani – and failed
inews.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 11:16 AM
“President Trump’s instinct when he loses is to sulk, and to lash out. He will almost certainly now retaliate against New York City – but doing this comes with enormous political risk.”
inews.co.uk/opinion/city...
inews.co.uk/opinion/city...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Breaking: Democrats have surged into a commanding win capturing a super-majority in the New Jersey Assembly!
November 5, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Breaking: Democrats have surged into a commanding win capturing a super-majority in the New Jersey Assembly!
Reposted by Ben Shultz
BREAKING: PROP 50 HAS PASSED IN CALIFORNIA
November 5, 2025 at 4:01 AM
BREAKING: PROP 50 HAS PASSED IN CALIFORNIA
Another day, hundreds more ads for #AI nudify apps across #Meta platforms...
Meta loves to talk about "new technology to detect ads for nudify apps" and "strict rules against non-consensual intimate imagery."
Funny though, because we at @americansunlight.org sure do find these ads often...
Meta loves to talk about "new technology to detect ads for nudify apps" and "strict rules against non-consensual intimate imagery."
Funny though, because we at @americansunlight.org sure do find these ads often...
November 4, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Another day, hundreds more ads for #AI nudify apps across #Meta platforms...
Meta loves to talk about "new technology to detect ads for nudify apps" and "strict rules against non-consensual intimate imagery."
Funny though, because we at @americansunlight.org sure do find these ads often...
Meta loves to talk about "new technology to detect ads for nudify apps" and "strict rules against non-consensual intimate imagery."
Funny though, because we at @americansunlight.org sure do find these ads often...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
The Trump administration has recast Binance founder CZ as a martyr—and his pardon may have unintended consequences for the US crypto industry. www.wired.com/story/trumps...
Trump's CZ Pardon Has the Crypto World Bracing for Impact
The Trump administration has recast Binance founder CZ as a martyr—and his pardon may have unintended consequences for the US crypto industry.
www.wired.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The Trump administration has recast Binance founder CZ as a martyr—and his pardon may have unintended consequences for the US crypto industry. www.wired.com/story/trumps...
Reposted by Ben Shultz
Everything the “don’t tread on me” folks claimed to care about is being done by the people they now blindly support
October 31, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Everything the “don’t tread on me” folks claimed to care about is being done by the people they now blindly support
Reposted by Ben Shultz
The effectual truth of “don’t tread on me” is “do tread on them.”
Everything the “don’t tread on me” folks claimed to care about is being done by the people they now blindly support
November 1, 2025 at 4:17 PM
The effectual truth of “don’t tread on me” is “do tread on them.”