Hadas Kotek 🦄
@hadaskotek.bsky.social
Linguist in tech | Responsible AI, NLP, data science | AltAc advocate | mentor | cat lover | feminist | currently: Apple/MIT
she/her | grayspec | 🏳️⚧️ ally | BLM | powered by coffee & spite | 📍 Cambridge MA
שַׁלַּח לַחְמְךָ עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם כִּי בְרֹב הַיָּמִים תִּמְצָאֶנּוּ
she/her | grayspec | 🏳️⚧️ ally | BLM | powered by coffee & spite | 📍 Cambridge MA
שַׁלַּח לַחְמְךָ עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם כִּי בְרֹב הַיָּמִים תִּמְצָאֶנּוּ
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
syntax innovation from my niece (5) who doesn't see me often:
"What are you my?"
"What are you my?"
January 6, 2026 at 4:33 AM
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
somebody at UChicago is feeding preprints to LLMs without authors' consent, in a research study
they have the gall to suggest to authors they've opted-in that they volunteer to evaluate the LLMs' suggestions regarding their own work.
lol, lmao even. here is the invite and my reply
they have the gall to suggest to authors they've opted-in that they volunteer to evaluate the LLMs' suggestions regarding their own work.
lol, lmao even. here is the invite and my reply
January 5, 2026 at 10:55 PM
somebody at UChicago is feeding preprints to LLMs without authors' consent, in a research study
they have the gall to suggest to authors they've opted-in that they volunteer to evaluate the LLMs' suggestions regarding their own work.
lol, lmao even. here is the invite and my reply
they have the gall to suggest to authors they've opted-in that they volunteer to evaluate the LLMs' suggestions regarding their own work.
lol, lmao even. here is the invite and my reply
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Second covid booster recommended by CDC for adults 65 and older and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised
"Individuals do not need documentation to prove immunocompromised status, and vaccinators are explicitly instructed not to deny vaccination" for lack of documentation.
"Individuals do not need documentation to prove immunocompromised status, and vaccinators are explicitly instructed not to deny vaccination" for lack of documentation.
"Overall, it is reassuring that protection remains available for those who need it most, though it’s befuddling why the announcement recommending additional covid boosters was so quiet," Dr. Leana S. Wen writes. https://wapo.st/3Nm9JBY
Opinion | The CDC quietly recommends a second covid booster for vulnerable adults
Careful, evidence-based vaccine guidance now arrives with little fanfare.
wapo.st
January 4, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Second covid booster recommended by CDC for adults 65 and older and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised
"Individuals do not need documentation to prove immunocompromised status, and vaccinators are explicitly instructed not to deny vaccination" for lack of documentation.
"Individuals do not need documentation to prove immunocompromised status, and vaccinators are explicitly instructed not to deny vaccination" for lack of documentation.
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
In a study following 23 million people age 18-59 (pretty young) for 4 years…despite the fact that the ones who got the COVID vaccine were overall older and sicker at baseline, they not only had 74% lower risk of dying from COVID than the unvaccinated but 25% lower risk of dying from any other cause!
January 4, 2026 at 8:59 PM
In a study following 23 million people age 18-59 (pretty young) for 4 years…despite the fact that the ones who got the COVID vaccine were overall older and sicker at baseline, they not only had 74% lower risk of dying from COVID than the unvaccinated but 25% lower risk of dying from any other cause!
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Wegmans in New York City has begun collecting biometric data on shoppers' eyes, voices and faces from anyone who enters its supermarkets
NYC Wegmans is storing biometric data on shoppers' eyes, voices and faces
The supermarket chain says it’s a move to ensure shopper safety. Surveillance experts warn of privacy risks.
gothamist.com
January 3, 2026 at 11:05 PM
Wegmans in New York City has begun collecting biometric data on shoppers' eyes, voices and faces from anyone who enters its supermarkets
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Aries: Live, laugh, lower your expectations.
January 4, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Aries: Live, laugh, lower your expectations.
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
finally, we're living through precedented times
January 4, 2026 at 6:56 AM
finally, we're living through precedented times
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
the thing is that all the people telling me "the Democrats aren't gonna do anything" are demonstrably right but what have you got? if it's "you, a person, should 'do something'" you're not serious.
of course he starts out with "maduro bad, but.." and does not call for impeachment
… Speaker Jeffries statement:
January 3, 2026 at 6:07 PM
the thing is that all the people telling me "the Democrats aren't gonna do anything" are demonstrably right but what have you got? if it's "you, a person, should 'do something'" you're not serious.
Well this sucks
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0.75%
January 3, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Well this sucks
Leftists are exhausting sometimes
January 3, 2026 at 4:50 AM
Leftists are exhausting sometimes
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
A soft, small, hopeful thing.
January 27, 2025 at 11:12 PM
A soft, small, hopeful thing.
Trying my luck with the #linguistics 🐦🐦 feed. This one goes to the psycholing and pronouns peeps: Both sentences “mom drove her car home” and “mom drove his car home” can have a bound reading and a free reading. Has anyone done a factorial design like this to check the distribution of acceptability?
December 31, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Trying my luck with the #linguistics 🐦🐦 feed. This one goes to the psycholing and pronouns peeps: Both sentences “mom drove her car home” and “mom drove his car home” can have a bound reading and a free reading. Has anyone done a factorial design like this to check the distribution of acceptability?
My 2025 end of year reflection: hkotek.com/blog/2025-re.... Highlights:
- tons of travel! (~monthly)
- tons of reading & shows (164 books, 9 shows)
- mentoring, teaching, research (2 regular mentees, 20 one-off sessions, 9 talks, 2 courses, organized LEXING)
- team & responsibilities grew a bunch
- tons of travel! (~monthly)
- tons of reading & shows (164 books, 9 shows)
- mentoring, teaching, research (2 regular mentees, 20 one-off sessions, 9 talks, 2 courses, organized LEXING)
- team & responsibilities grew a bunch
Hadas Kotek: End of year post for 2025
hkotek.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:40 PM
My 2025 end of year reflection: hkotek.com/blog/2025-re.... Highlights:
- tons of travel! (~monthly)
- tons of reading & shows (164 books, 9 shows)
- mentoring, teaching, research (2 regular mentees, 20 one-off sessions, 9 talks, 2 courses, organized LEXING)
- team & responsibilities grew a bunch
- tons of travel! (~monthly)
- tons of reading & shows (164 books, 9 shows)
- mentoring, teaching, research (2 regular mentees, 20 one-off sessions, 9 talks, 2 courses, organized LEXING)
- team & responsibilities grew a bunch
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Uh… what the fuck?!?
I’m just exhausted with all of this. I don’t want to have to spend time thinking about whether I’ve granted an irrevocable license for someone to take all of my course materials and do whatever they want with them, especially given there’s basically no way around using canvas.
I’m just exhausted with all of this. I don’t want to have to spend time thinking about whether I’ve granted an irrevocable license for someone to take all of my course materials and do whatever they want with them, especially given there’s basically no way around using canvas.
December 30, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Uh… what the fuck?!?
I’m just exhausted with all of this. I don’t want to have to spend time thinking about whether I’ve granted an irrevocable license for someone to take all of my course materials and do whatever they want with them, especially given there’s basically no way around using canvas.
I’m just exhausted with all of this. I don’t want to have to spend time thinking about whether I’ve granted an irrevocable license for someone to take all of my course materials and do whatever they want with them, especially given there’s basically no way around using canvas.
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Of all the dirty tricks: juking USPS rules so that the postmark of mail-in ballots won't reflect the date they were put in the hands of the Postal Service, creating a pretext to throw out the votes.
December 30, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Of all the dirty tricks: juking USPS rules so that the postmark of mail-in ballots won't reflect the date they were put in the hands of the Postal Service, creating a pretext to throw out the votes.
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
A growing body of research indicates that Texas's restrictive abortion bans have negatively impacted the health and lives of Texas women and babies in multiple ways. Across the board, pregnancy outcomes and complications have worsened.
What researchers have discovered about maternal, infant health under Texas' abortion laws
In the more than four years since the state of Texas significantly restricted access to abortion, medical researchers have been studying the health effects of that policy change.
medicalxpress.com
December 29, 2025 at 5:12 PM
A growing body of research indicates that Texas's restrictive abortion bans have negatively impacted the health and lives of Texas women and babies in multiple ways. Across the board, pregnancy outcomes and complications have worsened.
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Just gonna say this again for games sphere cus we get the same question:
Networking doesn't mean schmoozing up to famous people, it means making friends with your peers. Then in 10 years, 20, one of you might be famous? And sure you're still helping each other cus well yeah friends.
Make. Friends.
Networking doesn't mean schmoozing up to famous people, it means making friends with your peers. Then in 10 years, 20, one of you might be famous? And sure you're still helping each other cus well yeah friends.
Make. Friends.
Talking to one of these types at a con who asked how I 'got in' with so many 'famous writers' who I'd been talking to and I said "we made friends before anyone knew who we were decades ago by striking up interesting conversations and enjoying each other's company" and he kept re-asking the question.
They have come to the convention hoping to "break in" and then find themselves -- shocker! -- a "nobody in the book world." Yeah no shit! We all are! I have gently told guys like this a million times that it takes most of us *years* of hard work but they do not believe that could be true for them. +
December 27, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Just gonna say this again for games sphere cus we get the same question:
Networking doesn't mean schmoozing up to famous people, it means making friends with your peers. Then in 10 years, 20, one of you might be famous? And sure you're still helping each other cus well yeah friends.
Make. Friends.
Networking doesn't mean schmoozing up to famous people, it means making friends with your peers. Then in 10 years, 20, one of you might be famous? And sure you're still helping each other cus well yeah friends.
Make. Friends.
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
First post on bluesky! Announcing a new preprint with @eiling.bsky.social :
We “broke” the bouba-kiki effect.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
We “broke” the bouba-kiki effect.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
December 27, 2025 at 5:04 PM
First post on bluesky! Announcing a new preprint with @eiling.bsky.social :
We “broke” the bouba-kiki effect.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
We “broke” the bouba-kiki effect.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
because when we have nice public things that aren't segregated racists tend to foment "socialism!" panics?
Americans are hungry for community. So why don’t we have more European-style squares? | CNN
As travel abroad has become common for more Americans, many have enjoyed Europe’s vibrant squares. Why doesn’t the United States have more of that kind of gathering spot and is change afoot?
edition.cnn.com
December 25, 2025 at 2:58 AM
because when we have nice public things that aren't segregated racists tend to foment "socialism!" panics?
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Ya'll the footnotes. I have never seen anything like this.
![2 In its public-facing statements, the DOJ appears determined to project two images: it, the great protector of culture and children, see discussions supra; and it, the champion of the faithfuloppressed (mostly, Christians, although sometimes with the slightest pinch of “Judeo-”). See, e.g., DOJ press release of Apr. 22, 2025 (celebrating “the inaugural meeting of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias in the federal government,” where the AG “was joined by peaceful Christian Americans who were unfairly targeted by the [prior a]dministration”; discussions included “efforts to push radical and anti-Christian gender ideology on kids in classrooms, foster care, sports, and healthcare”). These perceived imperatives have formed an unholy alliance, from the perspective of transgender people, who find themselves in an increasingly inhospitable environment. Justice Alito has acknowledged “the discrimination” and “disadvantage[]” facing the transgender community today. Skrmetti at 577. It also is of great concern, for those who value the separation of church and state, to see the Department of Justice cavalierly blurring the lines. See also, e.g., press releases dated Sept. 9, and Sept. 30, 2025 (second and third hearings regarding “threats to religious liberty in education,” which ‒ of course ‒ included matters of gender transition).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:24vva42nxim6zbcmnozegoef/bafkreifolehrzbx4tqud53zwep5fps47jbuvsea7gvprwey7m2mlju42ha@jpeg)
December 25, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Ya'll the footnotes. I have never seen anything like this.
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
I hear there is a wave of people coming from twitter? I have a starter pack of non-AI cat accounts that post their own images and use alt text. go.bsky.app/J8yqxnN
December 25, 2025 at 1:14 AM
I hear there is a wave of people coming from twitter? I have a starter pack of non-AI cat accounts that post their own images and use alt text. go.bsky.app/J8yqxnN
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
It's Festivus, so I'm going to air some grievances.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
December 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
It's Festivus, so I'm going to air some grievances.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
Santa doesn't need to go down chimneys but he does because it soots him
December 24, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Santa doesn't need to go down chimneys but he does because it soots him
Reposted by Hadas Kotek 🦄
2025 Headline of the Year nominee (July)
December 22, 2025 at 11:50 PM
2025 Headline of the Year nominee (July)