Katja Muñoz
@katjamunoz.bsky.social
Senior Tech Fellow @dgap.org | AI & Democracy |Influencers | Hybrid Threats | Foresight | Views my own
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
The biggest tech and AI companies spent a record $109 million on lobbying last year as they sought favorable policies from Donald Trump's administration.
Silicon Valley Pours Out Lobbying Cash and Flattery to Win Over Deal-Minded Trump
Silicon Valley has learned how to succeed in Donald Trump’s Washington: Spend record amounts. Visit the White House. Flatter the president as often as you can.
bloom.bg
January 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM
The biggest tech and AI companies spent a record $109 million on lobbying last year as they sought favorable policies from Donald Trump's administration.
X gets inspired by Bluesky… in other words, BlueSky is becoming serious competition for X
X says the new feature, similar to Bluesky's Starter Packs, will arrive in the coming weeks.
X copies Bluesky with a 'Starterpacks' feature that helps you find who to follow | TechCrunch
X says the new feature, similar to Bluesky's Starter Packs, will arrive in the coming weeks.
techcrunch.com
January 22, 2026 at 7:52 AM
X gets inspired by Bluesky… in other words, BlueSky is becoming serious competition for X
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
"Two members of Elon Musk’s DOGE team working at the Social Security Administration were secretly in touch with an advocacy group seeking to “overturn election results in certain states,” and one signed an agreement that may have involved using Social Security data to match state voter rolls..."
If anyone has any information on the identity of the "advocacy group tyring to overturn election results in certain states” and who were secretly in contact with DOGE, my Signal is DavidGilbert.01
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
Trump administration concedes DOGE team may have misused Social Security data
Some DOGE personnel had more access to data than previously acknowledged, according to a court filing.
www.politico.com
January 20, 2026 at 8:14 PM
"Two members of Elon Musk’s DOGE team working at the Social Security Administration were secretly in touch with an advocacy group seeking to “overturn election results in certain states,” and one signed an agreement that may have involved using Social Security data to match state voter rolls..."
Long but very worthwhile read…
“Americans are neither materially nor psychologically ready for this future. They have grown accustomed to the world operating in a certain way: Largely agreeable and militarily passive European and Asian allies cooperate with the United States on economic and security issues”
America vs. the World
President Trump wants to return to the 19th century’s international order. He will leave America less prosperous—and the whole world less secure.
www.theatlantic.com
January 19, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Long but very worthwhile read…
The p in politics stands for pettiness
Live: Trump’s letter to Norway ties Greenland threat to Nobel snub as EU weighs response reut.rs/49KPvte
Live: Trump’s letter to Norway ties Greenland threat to Nobel snub as EU weighs response
Europe mulls using anti-coercion instrument against the U.S. as Greenland crisis deepens.
reut.rs
January 19, 2026 at 12:03 PM
The p in politics stands for pettiness
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
Without the original ChatGPT accidentally tapping into the ELIZA effect, LLMs would have remained a curiosity, with extremely niche backend applications.
But now we are living in the AI hype era, and any conversation about LLMs divorced from the parameters of the AI hype era is fanfiction.
But now we are living in the AI hype era, and any conversation about LLMs divorced from the parameters of the AI hype era is fanfiction.
January 18, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Without the original ChatGPT accidentally tapping into the ELIZA effect, LLMs would have remained a curiosity, with extremely niche backend applications.
But now we are living in the AI hype era, and any conversation about LLMs divorced from the parameters of the AI hype era is fanfiction.
But now we are living in the AI hype era, and any conversation about LLMs divorced from the parameters of the AI hype era is fanfiction.
Let’s see who blinks first…
🚨BREAKING: Germany’s finance minister is throwing his weight behind France on the need for a tough counterstrike against President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to press for U.S. control of Greenland.
Read the story: www.politico.eu/article/germ...
Read the story: www.politico.eu/article/germ...
January 19, 2026 at 9:50 AM
Let’s see who blinks first…
From “clicktivism” coined during the occupy walls greed movement to clicktatorahip now. ..
In the second Trump administration, online conspiracy theories are shaping real-world policies like never before.
Everything Is Content for the ‘Clicktatorship’
In the second Trump administration, online conspiracy theories are shaping real-world policies like never before.
wrd.cm
January 18, 2026 at 4:21 PM
From “clicktivism” coined during the occupy walls greed movement to clicktatorahip now. ..
Engineered collective mobilization made visible
Something strange happened on conservative Twitter on Thursday.
A dozen right-wing influencers suddenly became passionate about semiconductor export policy, posting nearly identical (and often false) attacks over a 27-hour period on a bill most people have never heard of.
🧵
A dozen right-wing influencers suddenly became passionate about semiconductor export policy, posting nearly identical (and often false) attacks over a 27-hour period on a bill most people have never heard of.
🧵
January 17, 2026 at 10:25 PM
Engineered collective mobilization made visible
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
Smarter people than me are obviously going through the details on all of this stuff but I genuinely don't see how any of the multiple insane things Trump is doing right now ever actually work out
January 17, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Smarter people than me are obviously going through the details on all of this stuff but I genuinely don't see how any of the multiple insane things Trump is doing right now ever actually work out
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
Another data point indicating that Polymarket is not a “prediction market” but a public persuasion operation—here it spreads disinformation about Minnesota and DHS signals boosts the disinformation:
January 16, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Another data point indicating that Polymarket is not a “prediction market” but a public persuasion operation—here it spreads disinformation about Minnesota and DHS signals boosts the disinformation:
And so it begins… de-risking from the US
Breaking with the United States, Canada has agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday. n.pr/4bzqnrR
Canada agrees to cut tariff on Chinese EVs in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products
Breaking with the United States, Canada has agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday.
n.pr
January 16, 2026 at 11:58 AM
And so it begins… de-risking from the US
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
EU lawmakers urge ban on AI nudity apps after Grok scandal
EU lawmakers urge ban on AI nudity apps after Grok scandal
Lawmakers warn the tools enable gender-based violence and child sexual abuse
dlvr.it
January 15, 2026 at 6:02 PM
EU lawmakers urge ban on AI nudity apps after Grok scandal
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
I'm just sitting here, trying to figure out how to threat model for armed, masked thugs who may kidnap you off the street, then steal, and possibly sell your phone.
Yes, immigration agents not only took Arnoldo's phone, the 10th grader had to use Find My Phone to locate it — in a vending machine for used electronics, close to an ICE detention center.
Read the full story here:
www.propublica.org/article/vide...
Read the full story here:
www.propublica.org/article/vide...
January 14, 2026 at 12:55 AM
I'm just sitting here, trying to figure out how to threat model for armed, masked thugs who may kidnap you off the street, then steal, and possibly sell your phone.
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
Estimates for number killed in the Tiananmen Square massacre are greatly debated more than 30 years later. Experts say likely between 1,000-3,500. If CBS News warnings are true for Iran's 12,000-20,000 — we are looking at something 5x to 15x greater. A historic horror.
January 13, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Estimates for number killed in the Tiananmen Square massacre are greatly debated more than 30 years later. Experts say likely between 1,000-3,500. If CBS News warnings are true for Iran's 12,000-20,000 — we are looking at something 5x to 15x greater. A historic horror.
Collateral damage of spheres of influence power politics
By pushing for regional dominance & power politics 🇺🇸 flattens its moral credibility
It also confines itself to become a limited regional actor by shifting its focus to western hemisphere & miscalculated the role of non-aligned middle powers
By pushing for regional dominance & power politics 🇺🇸 flattens its moral credibility
It also confines itself to become a limited regional actor by shifting its focus to western hemisphere & miscalculated the role of non-aligned middle powers
"The world until recently believed that US-China decoupling was on the way. It turns out that most countries are now scrambling to de-risk from America." My column.
as.ft.com/r/83099001-d...
as.ft.com/r/83099001-d...
How to de-risk from America
[FREE TO READ] There is no precedent of a dominant power abandoning its primacy, as Trump is doing
as.ft.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Collateral damage of spheres of influence power politics
By pushing for regional dominance & power politics 🇺🇸 flattens its moral credibility
It also confines itself to become a limited regional actor by shifting its focus to western hemisphere & miscalculated the role of non-aligned middle powers
By pushing for regional dominance & power politics 🇺🇸 flattens its moral credibility
It also confines itself to become a limited regional actor by shifting its focus to western hemisphere & miscalculated the role of non-aligned middle powers
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
"The world until recently believed that US-China decoupling was on the way. It turns out that most countries are now scrambling to de-risk from America." My column.
as.ft.com/r/83099001-d...
as.ft.com/r/83099001-d...
How to de-risk from America
[FREE TO READ] There is no precedent of a dominant power abandoning its primacy, as Trump is doing
as.ft.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:05 PM
"The world until recently believed that US-China decoupling was on the way. It turns out that most countries are now scrambling to de-risk from America." My column.
as.ft.com/r/83099001-d...
as.ft.com/r/83099001-d...
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
Iran crisis live: Iranian regime is in its ‘final days and weeks’, says German chancellor
Iran crisis live: Iranian regime is in its ‘final days and weeks’, says German chancellor
Friedrich Merz says government is ‘effectively at the end’ after nearly 650 protesters reportedly killed in the ongoing crackdown
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Trump says countries doing business with Iran face 25% tariff on US trade
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People in Iran: share your views on the current situation
About 2,000 people, including security personnel, have been killed in the protests in Iran, an Iranian official has told the Reuters news agency. We have not been able to independently verify this figure yet. It is difficult to do so because of the ongoing internet blackout in Iran. More details soon…
Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong has urged her country’s nationals in Iran to leave “now” as tensions remain high between Washington and Tehran as the US reportedly weighs a series of potential military options in Iran.
Australia stands with the brave people of Iran in their struggle against an oppressive regime.
We unequivocally condemn the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on its own people – the killing of protesters, the use of force, and arbitrary arrests must stop. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:48 AM
Iran crisis live: Iranian regime is in its ‘final days and weeks’, says German chancellor
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
Love Machines by James Muldoon review – the risks and rewards of getting intimate with AI
Love Machines by James Muldoon review – the risks and rewards of getting intimate with AI
The sociology professor is suitably comfortable with AI helpers that he creates his own – it’s their inventors’ motives and unregulated environment he argues we should be concerned about
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:38 AM
Love Machines by James Muldoon review – the risks and rewards of getting intimate with AI
Sometimes it is amazing to see how fast governments can move…
BREAKING: Creating non-consensual intimate images will become a criminal offence in the UK from this week, the Technology Secretary has announced
Story to follow.
Story to follow.
January 13, 2026 at 7:49 AM
Sometimes it is amazing to see how fast governments can move…
Integration of AI into the Infrastructure of public institutions on it’s way.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the integration of Elon Musk's xAI platform, Grok, into military networks as part of a new "AI acceleration strategy" during a visit to SpaceX.
January 13, 2026 at 6:15 AM
Integration of AI into the Infrastructure of public institutions on it’s way.
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
NEW: Coal-fired power generation fell in both China and India in 2025, for the first time since 1973. The drop came after record clean energy additions in both countries, and was the first time that clean energy was a major driver of falling coal power use.
January 13, 2026 at 4:56 AM
NEW: Coal-fired power generation fell in both China and India in 2025, for the first time since 1973. The drop came after record clean energy additions in both countries, and was the first time that clean energy was a major driver of falling coal power use.
Reposted by Katja Muñoz
MAGA influencers are turning access to the White House into lucrative new businesses. 🔗: on.wsj.com/49A7TFd
January 12, 2026 at 10:11 PM
MAGA influencers are turning access to the White House into lucrative new businesses. 🔗: on.wsj.com/49A7TFd
Starlink connectivity in Iran has been completely jammed, total packet loss, consistent w military-grade, high-power microwave jamming. This blanket interference doesn’t just knock out satellites, it also cripples mobile communications & poses serious health risks.
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
‘Kill Switch’—Iran Shuts Down Starlink Internet For First Time
No way out — Iran's blackout just got worse.
www.forbes.com
January 12, 2026 at 12:17 PM
Starlink connectivity in Iran has been completely jammed, total packet loss, consistent w military-grade, high-power microwave jamming. This blanket interference doesn’t just knock out satellites, it also cripples mobile communications & poses serious health risks.
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...