Ben Whitelaw
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social
Founder and editor of everythinginmoderation.co. Co-host & writer of ctrlaltspeech.com puns. Media consultant by day. #LUFC fan by birthright.
Pinned
Ben Whitelaw
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social
· Nov 19
Figured out the overlap between my two groups of Bluesky followers
Ok Bluesky, let’s give this a go: I found this postcard in the back of a photo frame I bought at a London thrift shop.
It’s an unsent postcard from a woman called Linda to her parents. The front shows the Kremlin in Moscow and the stamp says 1984 (!).
I’d love to return it to Linda - can you help?
It’s an unsent postcard from a woman called Linda to her parents. The front shows the Kremlin in Moscow and the stamp says 1984 (!).
I’d love to return it to Linda - can you help?
November 21, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Ok Bluesky, let’s give this a go: I found this postcard in the back of a photo frame I bought at a London thrift shop.
It’s an unsent postcard from a woman called Linda to her parents. The front shows the Kremlin in Moscow and the stamp says 1984 (!).
I’d love to return it to Linda - can you help?
It’s an unsent postcard from a woman called Linda to her parents. The front shows the Kremlin in Moscow and the stamp says 1984 (!).
I’d love to return it to Linda - can you help?
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
New Ctrl-Alt-Speech: You Can't Antitrust Anyone These Days.
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
I'm going to talk about the various stories we discussed this week, but make sure you read to the end as @benwhitelaw.bsky.social and I are giving a task to the internet...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
I'm going to talk about the various stories we discussed this week, but make sure you read to the end as @benwhitelaw.bsky.social and I are giving a task to the internet...
You Can't Antitrust Anyone These Days - Ctrl-Alt-Speech
In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Meta wins FTC antitrust trial over Instagram, WhatsApp deals (CNBC)Commissio...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:55 AM
New Ctrl-Alt-Speech: You Can't Antitrust Anyone These Days.
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
I'm going to talk about the various stories we discussed this week, but make sure you read to the end as @benwhitelaw.bsky.social and I are giving a task to the internet...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
I'm going to talk about the various stories we discussed this week, but make sure you read to the end as @benwhitelaw.bsky.social and I are giving a task to the internet...
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
This week's EiM's Week in Review has:
• Digital Services Act progress report
• Platforms sue US states over child‑safety legislation (again)
• Antitrust case goes in Meta's favour
• Judy Korn on how extremism is changing
Read, share, subscribe
www.everythinginmoderation.co/roblox-chat-...
• Digital Services Act progress report
• Platforms sue US states over child‑safety legislation (again)
• Antitrust case goes in Meta's favour
• Judy Korn on how extremism is changing
Read, share, subscribe
www.everythinginmoderation.co/roblox-chat-...
New chat control (not that one), DSA progress report and how online extremism is changing
The week in content moderation - edition #315
www.everythinginmoderation.co
November 21, 2025 at 3:22 PM
This week's EiM's Week in Review has:
• Digital Services Act progress report
• Platforms sue US states over child‑safety legislation (again)
• Antitrust case goes in Meta's favour
• Judy Korn on how extremism is changing
Read, share, subscribe
www.everythinginmoderation.co/roblox-chat-...
• Digital Services Act progress report
• Platforms sue US states over child‑safety legislation (again)
• Antitrust case goes in Meta's favour
• Judy Korn on how extremism is changing
Read, share, subscribe
www.everythinginmoderation.co/roblox-chat-...
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
NEW
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
emptycity.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM
NEW
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
Come for @leighb.bsky.social’s stellar episode title, stay for @mmasnick.bsky.social being ribbed about not yet reaching 200k Bluesky following
#GetMiketo200k
#GetMiketo200k
New Ctrl-Alt-Speech: New Blocks On The Kids
(And yes, this may be my favorite title of an episode ever).
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social & I talk about Australia blocking kids from more social apps (Reddit?!?) and how kids always find a way around blocks...
(And yes, this may be my favorite title of an episode ever).
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social & I talk about Australia blocking kids from more social apps (Reddit?!?) and how kids always find a way around blocks...
New Blocks On The Kids - Ctrl-Alt-Speech
In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:It’s Cool to Have No Followers Now (New Yorker)Introducing Safe for Work? — ...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Come for @leighb.bsky.social’s stellar episode title, stay for @mmasnick.bsky.social being ribbed about not yet reaching 200k Bluesky following
#GetMiketo200k
#GetMiketo200k
“There’s a risk that today’s AI revolution will end up with the same old incentives and the same old outcomes. As AI locks into the same extractive patterns as the web giants, we can’t afford to ignore what that will mean for our future.” - @parmy.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
The Men Who Shaped the Internet Won’t Be Able to Fix It
Tim Berners-Lee dreamed of a World Wide Web for everyone. Nick Clegg and Meta had different ideas. In new books, both ignore how profit undermined the internet.
www.bloomberg.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:14 PM
“There’s a risk that today’s AI revolution will end up with the same old incentives and the same old outcomes. As AI locks into the same extractive patterns as the web giants, we can’t afford to ignore what that will mean for our future.” - @parmy.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
Your Week in Review just dropped:
🇩🇰 Denmark scraps its "chat control" plans — for now
🇦🇺 Oz adds platforms to social media ban
🌍 New Integrity Institute CEO
...and more!
Plus posts of note from @alixdunn.com, @rude1.blacksky.team and Suba Vasudevan.
www.everythinginmoderation.co/france-shein...
🇩🇰 Denmark scraps its "chat control" plans — for now
🇦🇺 Oz adds platforms to social media ban
🌍 New Integrity Institute CEO
...and more!
Plus posts of note from @alixdunn.com, @rude1.blacksky.team and Suba Vasudevan.
www.everythinginmoderation.co/france-shein...
France cracks down, Denmark backs down and more platforms banned Down Under
The week in content moderation - edition #313
www.everythinginmoderation.co
November 7, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Your Week in Review just dropped:
🇩🇰 Denmark scraps its "chat control" plans — for now
🇦🇺 Oz adds platforms to social media ban
🌍 New Integrity Institute CEO
...and more!
Plus posts of note from @alixdunn.com, @rude1.blacksky.team and Suba Vasudevan.
www.everythinginmoderation.co/france-shein...
🇩🇰 Denmark scraps its "chat control" plans — for now
🇦🇺 Oz adds platforms to social media ban
🌍 New Integrity Institute CEO
...and more!
Plus posts of note from @alixdunn.com, @rude1.blacksky.team and Suba Vasudevan.
www.everythinginmoderation.co/france-shein...
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
New Ctrl-Alt-Speech: New Blocks On The Kids
(And yes, this may be my favorite title of an episode ever).
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social & I talk about Australia blocking kids from more social apps (Reddit?!?) and how kids always find a way around blocks...
(And yes, this may be my favorite title of an episode ever).
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social & I talk about Australia blocking kids from more social apps (Reddit?!?) and how kids always find a way around blocks...
New Blocks On The Kids - Ctrl-Alt-Speech
In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:It’s Cool to Have No Followers Now (New Yorker)Introducing Safe for Work? — ...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:47 PM
New Ctrl-Alt-Speech: New Blocks On The Kids
(And yes, this may be my favorite title of an episode ever).
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social & I talk about Australia blocking kids from more social apps (Reddit?!?) and how kids always find a way around blocks...
(And yes, this may be my favorite title of an episode ever).
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social & I talk about Australia blocking kids from more social apps (Reddit?!?) and how kids always find a way around blocks...
There's something quite wonderful about X/Twitter's Head of Global Government Affairs saying the company invests "significant resources to improve the enforcement capabilities across the world” *just days after* Elon said that it doesn't "censor people"
November 6, 2025 at 10:59 AM
There's something quite wonderful about X/Twitter's Head of Global Government Affairs saying the company invests "significant resources to improve the enforcement capabilities across the world” *just days after* Elon said that it doesn't "censor people"
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
Chatbots your thing? This week’s edition of Week in Review is full of 'em:
• Under 18s face Character.ai chatbots lockdown
• OpenAI's transparency drive
• Better platform data access for researchers
• Former safety researcher speaks out
🔗
www.everythinginmoderation.co/characterai-...
• Under 18s face Character.ai chatbots lockdown
• OpenAI's transparency drive
• Better platform data access for researchers
• Former safety researcher speaks out
🔗
www.everythinginmoderation.co/characterai-...
Under-18 chatbot ban, OpenAI's cynical transparency and more researcher access
The week in content moderation - edition #312
www.everythinginmoderation.co
November 4, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Chatbots your thing? This week’s edition of Week in Review is full of 'em:
• Under 18s face Character.ai chatbots lockdown
• OpenAI's transparency drive
• Better platform data access for researchers
• Former safety researcher speaks out
🔗
www.everythinginmoderation.co/characterai-...
• Under 18s face Character.ai chatbots lockdown
• OpenAI's transparency drive
• Better platform data access for researchers
• Former safety researcher speaks out
🔗
www.everythinginmoderation.co/characterai-...
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
Despite being one of the most milquetoast posters on the platform I'm on hundreds of moderation lists and blocked by nearly 5000 people.
Not once has this impacted my life in any way whatsoever.
Not once has this impacted my life in any way whatsoever.
Blocking hatemongers is one thing but this trend of using mass block lists to avoid hearing from people who might or might not hold points of view you expect to disagree with is unhealthy imo and hurts the platform.
Bluesky was better off with folks like Margaret Mitchell and Giada Pistilli on it.
Bluesky was better off with folks like Margaret Mitchell and Giada Pistilli on it.
November 3, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Despite being one of the most milquetoast posters on the platform I'm on hundreds of moderation lists and blocked by nearly 5000 people.
Not once has this impacted my life in any way whatsoever.
Not once has this impacted my life in any way whatsoever.
The safety policies of generative AI companies — and the subsequent threat of regulation — has been in the headlines for a while.
This week, two companies facing big legal cases — OpenAI and Character.ai — set out to define the narrative, albeit in very different ways.
1/4
This week, two companies facing big legal cases — OpenAI and Character.ai — set out to define the narrative, albeit in very different ways.
1/4
New Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Chat Bot Your Tongue?
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social spend most of the episode talking about a variety of stories regarding AI chatbots...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
@benwhitelaw.bsky.social spend most of the episode talking about a variety of stories regarding AI chatbots...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
Chat Bot Your Tongue? - Ctrl-Alt-Speech
In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Character.AI is banning minors from AI character chats (Financial Times)Stre...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:01 AM
The safety policies of generative AI companies — and the subsequent threat of regulation — has been in the headlines for a while.
This week, two companies facing big legal cases — OpenAI and Character.ai — set out to define the narrative, albeit in very different ways.
1/4
This week, two companies facing big legal cases — OpenAI and Character.ai — set out to define the narrative, albeit in very different ways.
1/4
Didn’t foresee that gen AI would so quickly form part of the way that disenfranchised and generally unimpressed audiences get back at ‘legacy media’ but here we are www.semafor.com/article/10/2...
October 30, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Didn’t foresee that gen AI would so quickly form part of the way that disenfranchised and generally unimpressed audiences get back at ‘legacy media’ but here we are www.semafor.com/article/10/2...
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
If only OpenAI could have foreseen the entirely predictable hazards of irresponsibly releasing this tech. I guess the estate of every dead person will have to individually request a special dispensation to no longer have disgusting videos made by OpenAI’s tools.
OpenAI pauses Sora video generations of Martin Luther King Jr. | TechCrunch
OpenAI is pausing AI video generations of Martin Luther King at the request of the late civil rights activists' estate.
techcrunch.com
October 17, 2025 at 8:26 AM
If only OpenAI could have foreseen the entirely predictable hazards of irresponsibly releasing this tech. I guess the estate of every dead person will have to individually request a special dispensation to no longer have disgusting videos made by OpenAI’s tools.
It's Ctrl-Alt-Speech recording day and @mmasnick.bsky.social is back in the proverbial chair.
What stories are you reading? What should we pick apart? And crucially, which website/app user prompt should we use to start today's episode?
What stories are you reading? What should we pick apart? And crucially, which website/app user prompt should we use to start today's episode?
October 16, 2025 at 12:09 PM
It's Ctrl-Alt-Speech recording day and @mmasnick.bsky.social is back in the proverbial chair.
What stories are you reading? What should we pick apart? And crucially, which website/app user prompt should we use to start today's episode?
What stories are you reading? What should we pick apart? And crucially, which website/app user prompt should we use to start today's episode?
Everything is content moderation (via friend of mine)
October 13, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Everything is content moderation (via friend of mine)
This chart (via @jburnmurdoch.ft.com’s latest article) adds another dimension to the transatlantic tech policy wars (beyond First Amendment differentiator).
Social media platforms are a bigger part of public life and the usage sustains platform lobbyists and calls for voluntary codes.
Social media platforms are a bigger part of public life and the usage sustains platform lobbyists and calls for voluntary codes.
October 5, 2025 at 9:06 AM
This chart (via @jburnmurdoch.ft.com’s latest article) adds another dimension to the transatlantic tech policy wars (beyond First Amendment differentiator).
Social media platforms are a bigger part of public life and the usage sustains platform lobbyists and calls for voluntary codes.
Social media platforms are a bigger part of public life and the usage sustains platform lobbyists and calls for voluntary codes.
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
Everything is content moderation.
October 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Everything is content moderation.
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
New Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Moderating is Such Sweet Sorrow with guest host @dwillner.bsky.social who is entirely responsible for bringing up Shakespeare as part of this discussion. (@benwhitelaw.bsky.social will be back next week!)
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
Moderating is Such Sweet Sorrow - Ctrl-Alt-Speech
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by Dave Willner, founder of Zentropi, and long-time trust & safety expert who...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com
October 1, 2025 at 11:25 PM
New Ctrl-Alt-Speech: Moderating is Such Sweet Sorrow with guest host @dwillner.bsky.social who is entirely responsible for bringing up Shakespeare as part of this discussion. (@benwhitelaw.bsky.social will be back next week!)
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
podcast.ctrlaltspeech.com/2315966/epis...
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
No welcome from Tom Anderson?... I don't know about this
a picture of a smiling man with the name tom on top
ALT: a picture of a smiling man with the name tom on top
media.tenor.com
September 29, 2025 at 6:07 AM
No welcome from Tom Anderson?... I don't know about this
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
Some exciting news: this morning we launched a collaboration with @icrc.org: our Trust & Safety: Armed Conflict game. trust-and-safety-game.icrc.org
Trust & Safety: Armed Conflict
Navigate the challenging world of trust & safety amidst an unfolding armed conflict.
trust-and-safety-game.icrc.org
September 26, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Some exciting news: this morning we launched a collaboration with @icrc.org: our Trust & Safety: Armed Conflict game. trust-and-safety-game.icrc.org
Pretty strange that the EU's new explainer on the Digital Services Act (what it is, how it's enforced, ongoing investigations) doesn't mention the one that's been going on the longest — against X/Twitter (from December 2023)
September 26, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Pretty strange that the EU's new explainer on the Digital Services Act (what it is, how it's enforced, ongoing investigations) doesn't mention the one that's been going on the longest — against X/Twitter (from December 2023)
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
I'm not the first to notice the reinvention of @wired.com from mouthpiece of tech ideology to showing everyone else how to do journalism today, but this cover is something else.
The inclusion of their own hagiographic covers in the back is a nod to that shift, which is beautiful. Also…
The inclusion of their own hagiographic covers in the back is a nod to that shift, which is beautiful. Also…
Big Tech's embrace of President Trump has left many of us wondering: What the hell happened to Silicon Valley?
In our new politics issue, we're getting into it.
Also, we're taking this cover across the US in billboards, posters and a mural. Clues to find us in the 🧵: www.wired.com/politics-iss...
In our new politics issue, we're getting into it.
Also, we're taking this cover across the US in billboards, posters and a mural. Clues to find us in the 🧵: www.wired.com/politics-iss...
September 23, 2025 at 7:47 AM
I'm not the first to notice the reinvention of @wired.com from mouthpiece of tech ideology to showing everyone else how to do journalism today, but this cover is something else.
The inclusion of their own hagiographic covers in the back is a nod to that shift, which is beautiful. Also…
The inclusion of their own hagiographic covers in the back is a nod to that shift, which is beautiful. Also…
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
In case you missed it, here's the latest edition of EiM's Week in Review:
• Parents criticise chatbots in US Senate
• Uni of Pennsylvania publishes AI hate speech paper
• How platforms reacted to Charlie Kirk's death
• Uta Briesewitz on her new film
www.everythinginmoderation.co/charlie-kirk...
• Parents criticise chatbots in US Senate
• Uni of Pennsylvania publishes AI hate speech paper
• How platforms reacted to Charlie Kirk's death
• Uta Briesewitz on her new film
www.everythinginmoderation.co/charlie-kirk...
Moderating Charlie Kirk's legacy, chatbots under fire and LLMs that can't agree
The week in content moderation - edition #305
www.everythinginmoderation.co
September 23, 2025 at 5:45 AM
In case you missed it, here's the latest edition of EiM's Week in Review:
• Parents criticise chatbots in US Senate
• Uni of Pennsylvania publishes AI hate speech paper
• How platforms reacted to Charlie Kirk's death
• Uta Briesewitz on her new film
www.everythinginmoderation.co/charlie-kirk...
• Parents criticise chatbots in US Senate
• Uni of Pennsylvania publishes AI hate speech paper
• How platforms reacted to Charlie Kirk's death
• Uta Briesewitz on her new film
www.everythinginmoderation.co/charlie-kirk...
Reposted by Ben Whitelaw
Judge Merryday has no fucks left to give for Trump's defamation complaint against the NYT:
"As every lawyer knows (or is presumed to know), a complaint isn't a public forum for vituperation & invective—not a protected platform to rage against an adversary"
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"As every lawyer knows (or is presumed to know), a complaint isn't a public forum for vituperation & invective—not a protected platform to rage against an adversary"
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com
September 19, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Judge Merryday has no fucks left to give for Trump's defamation complaint against the NYT:
"As every lawyer knows (or is presumed to know), a complaint isn't a public forum for vituperation & invective—not a protected platform to rage against an adversary"
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"As every lawyer knows (or is presumed to know), a complaint isn't a public forum for vituperation & invective—not a protected platform to rage against an adversary"
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...