Bobby Allyn
@bobbyallyn.bsky.social
The Trump administration is rolling out the red carpet for once-besieged prediction apps like Polymarket and Kalshi, with millions pouring into bets on the midterms. The companies wave away concerns about foreign influence and partisan meddling www.npr.org/2025/12/23/n...
Election betting on prediction markets apps is set to boom ahead of midterms
Online prediction markets, like Polymarket and Kalshi, were under intense scrutiny in the Biden administration. But Trump officials are embracing the controversial apps, raising new fears about electi...
www.npr.org
December 27, 2025 at 8:48 PM
The Trump administration is rolling out the red carpet for once-besieged prediction apps like Polymarket and Kalshi, with millions pouring into bets on the midterms. The companies wave away concerns about foreign influence and partisan meddling www.npr.org/2025/12/23/n...
“The internal communications…show federal officials mocking immigrants in crass terms and discussing video edits that might help legitimize the administration’s aggressive stance.”
New: We obtained thousands of internal chat messages from the ICE team creating viral videos of raids and "EPIC takedowns."
A scramble to satisfy the White House and "feed the beast" spawned a new "propaganda" machine, current and former officials told us.
"It's a war!"
wapo.st/4s6YnC5
A scramble to satisfy the White House and "feed the beast" spawned a new "propaganda" machine, current and former officials told us.
"It's a war!"
wapo.st/4s6YnC5
‘It’s a war’: Inside ICE’s media machine
Thousands of internal ICE messages show how its public affairs team has coordinated with the White House to satisfy Trump administration demands for viral arrest videos
wapo.st
December 23, 2025 at 4:19 PM
“The internal communications…show federal officials mocking immigrants in crass terms and discussing video edits that might help legitimize the administration’s aggressive stance.”
Just checked Nexis. May be some duplicates, but he's quoted in 917 stories in the past 12 calendar months. Pretty incredible.
December 22, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Just checked Nexis. May be some duplicates, but he's quoted in 917 stories in the past 12 calendar months. Pretty incredible.
“Government silence is a statement, not a VETO," Alfonsi wrote in the email. "If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a 'kill switch'' for any reporting they find inconvenient."
My story on the decision of CBS Editor in Chief Bari Weiss to pull a 60 Minutes story on alleged abuses of Venezuelan migrants sent to notorious Salvadoran Center.
Updated with this morning's remarks from Weiss:
www.npr.org/2025/12/22/g...
Updated with this morning's remarks from Weiss:
www.npr.org/2025/12/22/g...
CBS News chief Bari Weiss pulls '60 Minutes' story, sparking outcry
CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants.
www.npr.org
December 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
“Government silence is a statement, not a VETO," Alfonsi wrote in the email. "If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a 'kill switch'' for any reporting they find inconvenient."
jesus i accidentally called it
Part 5: Revenge of the bamboo
December 22, 2025 at 1:46 AM
jesus i accidentally called it
Reposted by Bobby Allyn
BREAKING: At least 16 files from the Epstein release disappeared from DOJ's webpage, including a photo of Trump, with no explanation.
At least 16 files have disappeared from the DOJ webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein
The Justice Department’s webpage for documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is missing at least 16 of its files a day after they were released.
bit.ly
December 20, 2025 at 9:30 PM
BREAKING: At least 16 files from the Epstein release disappeared from DOJ's webpage, including a photo of Trump, with no explanation.
One interesting aspect of the TikTok deal is: There will now be an American version of TikTok overseen by Larry Ellison's Oracle, PE firm Silver Lake and UAE-backed MGX, and then a second version of TikTok controlled by ByteDance for the rest of the world.
December 19, 2025 at 12:15 AM
One interesting aspect of the TikTok deal is: There will now be an American version of TikTok overseen by Larry Ellison's Oracle, PE firm Silver Lake and UAE-backed MGX, and then a second version of TikTok controlled by ByteDance for the rest of the world.
Trump's BBC lawsuit suggests residents of Florida, where suit was filed, are increasingly turning to VPNs to access things like the BBC program in question. The real reason for Florida's VPN spike? Avoiding age verification laws for porn www.npr.org/2025/12/17/n... by @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social
Trump's BBC lawsuit: A botched report, BritBox, and porn
President Trump's lawsuit alleges that the BBC's fall 2024 documentary was "a brazen attempt" to harm his re-election. The BBC has apologized but rejects his claim.
www.npr.org
December 17, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Trump's BBC lawsuit suggests residents of Florida, where suit was filed, are increasingly turning to VPNs to access things like the BBC program in question. The real reason for Florida's VPN spike? Avoiding age verification laws for porn www.npr.org/2025/12/17/n... by @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social
Reposted by Bobby Allyn
Candace Owens has said that Bill Gates uses laced mosquitoes to make people allergic to beef, that the earth may not be round and that the moon landing was “fake and gay.” Her MAGA fellows draw the line, however, at her comments on Charlie Kirk and Israel.
wapo.st/3MKjPwg
wapo.st/3MKjPwg
She was MAGA’s favorite conspiracist. Then she dug into Charlie Kirk’s killing.
The right-wing firebrand rose to prominence as a pro-Trump conspiracy theorist. Her latest claims have infuriated some of her former allies.
wapo.st
December 16, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Candace Owens has said that Bill Gates uses laced mosquitoes to make people allergic to beef, that the earth may not be round and that the moon landing was “fake and gay.” Her MAGA fellows draw the line, however, at her comments on Charlie Kirk and Israel.
wapo.st/3MKjPwg
wapo.st/3MKjPwg
Trump’s BBC lawsuit, lodged in federal court in Florida, has some pretty major jurisdictional issues to clear before you even get to the merits, as BBC’s lawyers wrote to Trump’s legal team before suit was filed today
December 16, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Trump’s BBC lawsuit, lodged in federal court in Florida, has some pretty major jurisdictional issues to clear before you even get to the merits, as BBC’s lawyers wrote to Trump’s legal team before suit was filed today
“If Ader is confused about what Oracle is doing, he’s not the only one…Oracle is just one of the many companies constructing data centers for OpenAI and hoping it pays all its bills.” www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Oracle’s $300 Billion AI Bet Has Fast Become a Bubble Barometer
Silicon Valley is in the midst of another epic boom, and Larry Ellison has Oracle right at the center of it, for better or worse.
www.bloomberg.com
December 13, 2025 at 1:38 AM
“If Ader is confused about what Oracle is doing, he’s not the only one…Oracle is just one of the many companies constructing data centers for OpenAI and hoping it pays all its bills.” www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
The Trump administration's voter verification tool known as SAVE is flagging U.S. citizens and non-citizens, which can trigger voter registrations to be cancelled. The admin is ramping up the program nationwide
www.npr.org/2025/12/10/n... by @jjoffeblock.bsky.social
www.npr.org/2025/12/10/n... by @jjoffeblock.bsky.social
Trump's SAVE tool is looking for noncitizen voters. But it's flagging U.S. citizens too
Anthony Nel, of Texas, became a U.S. citizen as a teen. But a flaw in a Trump administration citizenship tool flagged him as a potential noncitizen, which led to his voter registration being canceled.
www.npr.org
December 12, 2025 at 9:06 PM
The Trump administration's voter verification tool known as SAVE is flagging U.S. citizens and non-citizens, which can trigger voter registrations to be cancelled. The admin is ramping up the program nationwide
www.npr.org/2025/12/10/n... by @jjoffeblock.bsky.social
www.npr.org/2025/12/10/n... by @jjoffeblock.bsky.social
Truly wild that states now hoping to tap the BEAD program, already plagued with bureaucratic hurdles and complex compliance rules, now have to prove to David Sacks that their AI laws aren't woke in order to expand rural broadband access.
December 12, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Truly wild that states now hoping to tap the BEAD program, already plagued with bureaucratic hurdles and complex compliance rules, now have to prove to David Sacks that their AI laws aren't woke in order to expand rural broadband access.
society’s been waiting too long for an app that will let you make winnie-the-poo rob a bank
December 11, 2025 at 5:28 PM
society’s been waiting too long for an app that will let you make winnie-the-poo rob a bank
nothing quite like the warmth of two AIs bantering about Epstein on a synthetic podcast
December 10, 2025 at 5:35 PM
nothing quite like the warmth of two AIs bantering about Epstein on a synthetic podcast
Was interviewing Steve Bannon today & he claimed X has tried to restore his personal account after his 2020 ban, but he's refused because "the way Elon runs Twitter is to suppress what he doesn't want to hear. And he boosts what he wants to hear. So it's rigged game. Talk about a man-child"
December 10, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Was interviewing Steve Bannon today & he claimed X has tried to restore his personal account after his 2020 ban, but he's refused because "the way Elon runs Twitter is to suppress what he doesn't want to hear. And he boosts what he wants to hear. So it's rigged game. Talk about a man-child"
NEW: ICEBlock sues the Trump administration for violating free speech over pressure on Apple, threats against the developer www.npr.org/2025/12/08/n...
ICEBlock app sues Trump administration for censorship and 'unlawful threats'
The app lets people anonymously share the locations of immigration agents but Apple removed it from its app store under pressure from the Trump administration. Now, the app's developer is suing.
www.npr.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:06 PM
NEW: ICEBlock sues the Trump administration for violating free speech over pressure on Apple, threats against the developer www.npr.org/2025/12/08/n...
had no idea MJ was the Tim Sweeney of the racing world
Michael Jordan testifies in his racing team's antitrust suit against NASCAR. Here's how it came to this
Michael Jordan testifies in his racing team's antitrust suit against NASCAR. Here's how it came to this
NBA legend Michael Jordan took the stand in a Charlotte, N.C., courtroom Friday afternoon during an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR.
www.latimes.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:51 AM
had no idea MJ was the Tim Sweeney of the racing world
Reposted by Bobby Allyn
Real nice dystopia you got here. Be a shame if somethin’ happened to it…
Soon, CNN will run live odds on world events where its viewers can gamble on them in real time on their smartphones. One recent Kalshi betting market that allowed people to bet on whether Palestinians in Gaza would suffer mass starvation.
CNN Partners With a Gambling App That Lets You Wager on Starvation in Gaza
The app company’s two biggest investors are also heavily invested in the Israeli military.
buff.ly
December 6, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Real nice dystopia you got here. Be a shame if somethin’ happened to it…
i learned yesterday that there’s a beauty peptide guy that some of my actor/fashion friends in LA see. this person pushes anti-inflammatory jabs to women as a “glow stack” and to men as “a wolf stack,” and i’ve never felt so alone in los angeles
December 5, 2025 at 6:26 PM
i learned yesterday that there’s a beauty peptide guy that some of my actor/fashion friends in LA see. this person pushes anti-inflammatory jabs to women as a “glow stack” and to men as “a wolf stack,” and i’ve never felt so alone in los angeles
the clownish-ness/rogue-ness of Perplexity’s publicity stunts and public statements are really striking
December 5, 2025 at 6:03 PM
the clownish-ness/rogue-ness of Perplexity’s publicity stunts and public statements are really striking
"Trust and safety is a broad practice which includes critical and life-saving work to protect children and stop CSAM as well as preventing fraud, scams, and sextortion…not censoring just for the sake of it” www.npr.org/2025/12/04/n... by @shannonbond.bsky.social
State Department to deny visas to fact checkers and others, citing 'censorship'
The order is focused on applicants for H-1B visas, which are frequently used by tech companies and is part of a campaign by the Trump administration against online content moderation.
www.npr.org
December 5, 2025 at 12:29 AM
"Trust and safety is a broad practice which includes critical and life-saving work to protect children and stop CSAM as well as preventing fraud, scams, and sextortion…not censoring just for the sake of it” www.npr.org/2025/12/04/n... by @shannonbond.bsky.social
Reposted by Bobby Allyn
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
December 4, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
“Her real betrayal was always of her audience, and of the work she was trusted to do. It’s a cowardly failure made worse by her refusal to name it, or name almost anyone.”
slate.com/culture/2025...
slate.com/culture/2025...
Olivia Nuzzi’s Much-Hyped Book Was Always Going to Be Self-Serving. It’s So Much Worse Than That.
God, everyone sucks so much in American Canto.
slate.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:09 PM
“Her real betrayal was always of her audience, and of the work she was trusted to do. It’s a cowardly failure made worse by her refusal to name it, or name almost anyone.”
slate.com/culture/2025...
slate.com/culture/2025...
reading American Canto has me thinking her NY Mag editor is truly a hero
December 3, 2025 at 3:15 AM
reading American Canto has me thinking her NY Mag editor is truly a hero