Christopher Whitaker
LightNews LightNews
banner
civicwhitaker.com
Christopher Whitaker
@civicwhitaker.com
1.5K followers 1.3K following 1K posts
Civic Technologist | Executive Director, Alliance of Civic Technologists | Army Veteran | Alumni of Code for America, Defense Digital Service and USDS #civictech #chicago

Really doesn’t like bullies

Signal: civicwhitaker.53
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
civicwhitaker.com
Christopher Whitaker @civicwhitaker.com · Nov 10
#Introductions

Hi, I'm Christopher Whitaker & I'm a civic technologist w/ a hybrid background as a product manager & bureaucrat. I currently serve as director of the Alliance of Civic Technologists - a network of local #civictech volunteer groups. www.civictechnologists.org

Army vet / #chicago
Home
ACT is a decentralized network of civic tech volunteer organizations.
www.civictechnologists.org
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
beta.nyc
NYC’s Public Interest Technology community is reopening its doors! 📣 🥳

Join the CUNY Public Interest Technology Lab, BetaNYC, and PIT-UN for the NYC PIT Pop-Up Open House & Relaunch.

📆 Friday, January 9, 2026, 12 pm to 6 pm
📍 The Oculus, 185 Greenwich Street
🎟️ RSVP: www.beta.nyc/event/e260109
Colorful sci-fi comic poster that reads “NYC PIT POP UP” with “Public Interest Technology” across the top, set against a starry purple-to-pink sky over Lower Manhattan. Three futuristic, diverse figures in goggles and capes stride past the Oculus and NYC skyline (including One World Trade), with a rocket and arrow streaking overhead and a “Fulton St 4 5 A C” subway sign in the corner.
December 26, 2025 at 5:02 PM
civicwhitaker.com
“The Marleys were dead, to begin with.”
a group of people are sitting in a park with a white truck in the background .
Alt: a group of people are sitting in a park with a white truck in the background - a man pops up a chair and says ‘dis gon be good’
media.tenor.com
December 26, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
kevintmorris.bsky.social
I've always loved this illustration depicting Joseph and Mary looking for a room. I am finding it especially powerful this year
Everett Patterson's "José y Maria."
December 23, 2025 at 8:09 PM
civicwhitaker.com
How is this legal? And if it is legal, what exactly do we take a torch to it legislatively?

www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/20...
Her daughter was unraveling, and she didn’t know why. Then she found the AI chat logs.
A majority of teens are interacting with AI companions, and many of their parents have no idea.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 23, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
peoplesfabric.com
Henceforth this shall be known as the Shut the Fuck Up About Chicago decision.

@harebrained.bsky.social
jonseidel.bsky.social Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 2d
#BREAKING The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with the State of Illinois on National Guard deployment.

Under the law invoked by President Trump, he must be unable "with the regular military" to "execute the laws of the United States," it finds.

Full ruling here: cst.brightspotcdn.com/80/88/05a75e...
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES _________________ No. 25A443 _________________ DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, ET AL. v. ILLINOIS, ET AL. ON APPLICATION FOR STAY [December 23, 2025] Federal immigration-enforcement efforts have encoun- tered significant resistance, as well as some violence, in Chicago. According to the Government, federal officers have been obstructed, threatened, and assaulted as they at- tempt to perform their duties. The Government also alleges that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Broadview, Illinois, has been the site of frequent and sometimes violent protests, damaging federal property and threatening the safety of federal officers. These at- tacks, the Government says, have greatly impeded its ef- forts to enforce the immigration laws. On October 4, 2025, the President called 300 members of the Illinois National Guard into active federal service to protect federal personnel and property in Illinois, particu- larly in and around Chicago. The following day, members of the Texas National Guard were also federalized and sent to Chicago. In calling forth the Guard, the President relied on 10 U. S. C. §12406(3), which empowers him to federalize members of the Guard if he is “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.” The United States District Court for the Northern Dis- trict of Illinois entered a temporary restraining order bar- ring the federalization and deployment of the Guard in Illi- nois. The Seventh Circuit denied in relevant part the Government’s motion for a stay, permitting the Guard to remain federalized within Illinois but maintaining the bar on deployment. The Government asked this Court to stay the District Court’s order. After the response and reply were filed, JUSTICE BARRETT referred the application to the Court. We directed the parties to file supplemental letter briefs on an issue that the District Court had addressed but the parties’ initial briefs had not: the meaning of the term “regular forces” in §12406(3). In its supplemental brief, the Govern- ment argues that the term refers to civilian law enforce- ment officers, such as those employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Federal Protective Service. Respondents, echoing the District Court, maintain that the term refers to the regular forces of the United States mili- tary. We conclude that the term “regular forces” in §12406(3) likely refers to the regular forces of the United States mili- tary. This interpretation means that to call the Guard into active federal service under §12406(3), the President must be “unable” with the regular military “to execute the laws of the United States.” Because the statute requires an assess- ment of the military’s ability to execute the laws, it likely applies only where the military could legally execute the laws. Such circumstances are exceptional: Under the Posse Comitatus Act, the military is prohibited from “execut[ing] the laws” “except in cases and under circumstances ex- pressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress.” 18 U. S. C. §1385. So before the President can federalize the Guard under §12406(3), he likely must have statutory or constitutional authority to execute the laws with the reg- ular military and must be “unable” with those forces to per- form that function. At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois. The President has not in- voked a statute that provides an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act. Instead, he relies on inherent constitu- tional authority that, according to the Government, allows him to use the military to protect federal personnel and property. But the Government also claims—consistent with the longstanding view of the Executive Branch—that performing such protective functions does not constitute “execut[ing] the laws” within the meaning of the Posse Comitatus Act. See Supp. Letter Reply Brief for Applicants 8; 1 Supp. Op. OLC 343, n. 1 (1971) (collecting sources). If that is correct, it is hard to see how performing those func- tions could constitute “execut[ing] the laws” under §12406(3). See Azar v. Allina Health Services, 587 U. S. 566, 574 (2019) (“This Court does not lightly assume that Congress silently attaches different meanings to the same term in the same or related statutes”). Thus, at least in this posture, the Government has not carried its burden to show that §12406(3) permits the President to federalize the Guard in the exercise of inherent authority to protect fed- eral personnel and property in Illinois. We need not and do not address the reviewability of findings made by the Pres- ident under §12406(3) or any other statute. The application for stay is denied.
December 23, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
projectfranklin.bsky.social
🚨New leadership for water security.

Top cybersecurity expert Tarah Wheeler joins DEF CON Franklin
as Senior Fellow, to help design a cutting edge managed security model for rural water utilities that will scale the impact of #DEFCONFranklin nationwide.

👉 cpi.harris.uchicago.edu/2025/12/23/h...
Harris Cyber Policy Initiative Taps Top Hacker to Design New Security Model for Water Utilities | Cyber Policy Initiative
cpi.harris.uchicago.edu
December 23, 2025 at 9:35 PM
civicwhitaker.com
December 23, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
upshot.nytimes.com
On DOGE’s watch, federal spending did not go down at all. It went up. But is still led to cuts that closed offices, canceled programs and deprived people of food, medicine and other aid.

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
How Did DOGE Disrupt So Much While Saving So Little?
www.nytimes.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
civicwhitaker.com
It just keeps spreading, doesn’t it?
December 23, 2025 at 12:41 AM
civicwhitaker.com
I don’t know who names things over there but between Op: Warp Speed, Genesis, and now the Defiant somebody is clearly a fan of Star Trek
newsguy.bsky.social Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 3d
Trump Class battleship illustration, as released by the White House.
December 22, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
chrisdeleon.bsky.social
here's the 60 minutes cecot video part 1 of 5 - recorded/uploaded by and all credit to @jasonparis.bsky.social

I just reduced background noise, chopped the 14 minutes into 3 minute segments each compressed under 100 mb for bsky's limits, cropped and rotated a few degrees for easier viewing on here
December 22, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
mclean.bsky.social
PSA for my fellow Illinois legislative advocates

You want to have your bills filed by 1/14 for the spring session

Draft the change you want to see in the world

Share it will your electeds. You never know, it could become law!
December 22, 2025 at 9:07 PM
civicwhitaker.com
Funny how Politico gives the Flock CEO a 1:1 the same day the @404media.co story about their cameras being open on the internet drops
December 22, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
404media.co
This is 404 Media's @jasonkoebler.bsky.social waving at himself through a Flock camera; one of 60 we learned was left exposed to the open internet. Not only could anyone with a link livestream it, but some admin portals were open with no login credentials required.

www.404media.co/flock-expose...
December 22, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
jasonkoebler.bsky.social
SCOOP: Flock left at least 60 of its AI-powered, people-tracking surveillance cameras exposed and livestreaming to the open internet. We tracked ourselves. The exposure highlights the power of these cameras and types of things they're tracking. Not just cars.

www.404media.co/flock-expose...
Flock Exposed Its AI-Powered Cameras to the Internet. We Tracked Ourselves.
Flock left at least 60 of its people-tracking Condor PTZ cameras live streaming and exposed to the open internet.
www.404media.co
December 22, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
theverge.com
Imagine a radiologist is using a cutting-edge AI tool to analyze your brain scan. The scan flags a problem in your "basilar ganglia." The problem is, there's no such thing.

Read more from @haydenfield.bsky.social: www.theverge.com/health/71804...
Verge headline: Google's healthcare AI made up a body part -- what happens when doctors don't notice? by Hayden Field 2025 Year in Review Illustration shows a brain wearing a stethoscope
December 21, 2025 at 6:51 PM
civicwhitaker.com
Illinois needs to take a look at this situation before letting them expand here.
December 21, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
jmochicago.bsky.social
God, I love Chicago
dawnxianamoon.bsky.social Dawn Xiana Moon @dawnxianamoon.bsky.social · 5d
Chicago is having none of this administration's BS.
Sign at the Weiners Circle: "F k T mp we can redact too."
December 20, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
refrag.bsky.social
If you live in Chicago, please sign this petition to make a police oversight board (CCPSA) hold a public hearing into CPD cooperation with ICE.
denali.bsky.social Denali @denali.bsky.social · 7d
Here's the full statement from the police district council members and a link to the petition

www.change.org/p/ccpsa-hear...
Police district council members and community leaders file petition calling for public hearing on CPDs role in federal immigration enforcement This afternoon police district council members and community leaders have submitted a petition signed by more than 2000 Chicagoans calling on the community commission for public safety and accountability (CCPSA) to convene a public hearing on the Chicago Police Departments (CPD) interactions with US Immigration Customs Enforcement (CPB) Under the empowering communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinance 2000 resident signatures are required to trigger a mandatory public hearing before the CCPsa on specific policing issues this process exists to ensure direct Community input on police conduct accountability and policy More than a month ago over 30 police district council members formally requested this hearing today we have returned with this request backed by our communities because what Chicagoans are enduring is urgent unacceptable and cannot be delayed any longer across Chicago ice and CPB have spread fear chaos and trauma entire neighborhoods are living in survival mode in the last 48 hours actions involving the Chicago Police Department have raised urgent and alarming questions about whether CPD is enabling or facilitating Federal immigration enforcement in ways that directly contradict Chicago's welcoming city protections when Greg bavino publicly thanked CPD it sent a chilling message to immigrant communities and raise serious concerns that the systems meant to protect them may instead be placing them in harm's We are demanding answers we are demanding transparency and we are demanding accountability Chicagoans have the right to know exactly what role CPD is playing in ice and CPB operations and whether our cities laws are being violated Chicago is a welcoming City that promise means nothing if it's not enforced this petition was submitted this afternoon to the community commission for Public Safety and accountability by Leonardo quintero (12th district) Elianne Bahena (10th district) and Beth Rochford (17th district) on behalf of communities across Chicago who refused to be ignored
December 20, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
newsjennifer.bsky.social
The people of Chicago are relentless in their push back against Greg Bovino & his terror campaign here. @mandophotos.bsky.social captures that in this thread but these 2 pix really standout to me: one shows the fury against ICE/CBP & the other shows the cameras up/ whistles strategy at work.
Angry Chicagoans yelling at CBP troops Chicago area person documenting CBP & using warning whistle
December 19, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
scalzi.com
One major problem, bluntly, is that lots of folks can't distinguish between good writing and poor writing. This is about education, not intelligence: they could learn the difference, but it's frequently not taught, even in "good" schools. This is ultimately a competitive disadvantage for them.
dylosaurus.bsky.social Dylo @dylosaurus.bsky.social · 6d
it's so wild that people conflate quickness with quality so they think chatGPT writing a wall of text in 10 seconds means it's good writing.
December 19, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
joshshepperd.bsky.social
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
civicwhitaker.com
This is a good example of why we need ranked choice voting.
mattheweadie.bsky.social Matthew Eadie @mattheweadie.bsky.social · 7d
Exclusive: AIPAC getting very involved in #IL09, viewing the race as one of the most important races nationwide and the potential lead domino for the Democrats' 2026 midterms

But to win, AIPAC is first trying to get Bruce Leon to drop out
AIPAC pushes Leon to quit House race - Evanston Now
Lobbying group's leaders held meeting last week with community leaders as ballot deadline looms.
evanstonnow.com
December 19, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
cronin.xxx
As predicted the online safety act has succeeded only in making us less safe.
Admit your mistake. Repeal it now.
December 19, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
stevevance.net
🥹
December 17, 2025 at 7:10 AM