Kean Birch
@keanbirch.bsky.social
Ontario Research Chair in Science Policy
Obsessed with assets & assetization + into science & technology studies, political economy, economic sociology: https://keanbirch.net/
Obsessed with assets & assetization + into science & technology studies, political economy, economic sociology: https://keanbirch.net/
Reposted by Kean Birch
February 6, 2026 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Kean Birch
DEADLINE EXTENSION! Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) has extended the deadline for conference Open Panel submissions until 9th February 2026. The conference is being held in Toronto, 7-10th Oct 2026.
Conference Theme: TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures
4sonline.org/call_for_ope...
Conference Theme: TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures
4sonline.org/call_for_ope...
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
February 3, 2026 at 2:26 PM
DEADLINE EXTENSION! Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) has extended the deadline for conference Open Panel submissions until 9th February 2026. The conference is being held in Toronto, 7-10th Oct 2026.
Conference Theme: TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures
4sonline.org/call_for_ope...
Conference Theme: TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures
4sonline.org/call_for_ope...
Looking forward to reading this - subscription economy
I logged on today to post this after some hiatus and my gracious that Stancil guy truly is an economically illiterate asshole. Also, bump, look at my article.
new jawn from me out today in economy & society on the "subscription economy," part of my larger project on *the paywall society* www.researchgate.net/publication/...
February 6, 2026 at 3:06 AM
Looking forward to reading this - subscription economy
Reposted by Kean Birch
New in SER: Nils Peters shows soaring UK startup valuations in the 2010s were less about VC power & more about a struggle for ownership. Late‑stage funds pushed into early‑stage rounds, intensifying competition & a small elite captured outsized returns. doi.org/10.1093/ser/...
Bringing ownership in: a conjunctural approach to venture capital valuations
Abstract. High startup valuations are commonly perceived as expressions of venture capitalists’ (VCs) power. This study complicates this view and argues th
doi.org
February 2, 2026 at 12:15 PM
New in SER: Nils Peters shows soaring UK startup valuations in the 2010s were less about VC power & more about a struggle for ownership. Late‑stage funds pushed into early‑stage rounds, intensifying competition & a small elite captured outsized returns. doi.org/10.1093/ser/...
Worth reading this take on forced diffusion of #genAI
At Davos, the tech oligarchs seem to have given up on people organically adopting their technology, and are instead asking what government can do to “make diffusion occur.” open.substack.com/pub/theameri...
February 5, 2026 at 3:56 AM
Worth reading this take on forced diffusion of #genAI
Reposted by Kean Birch
Government used AI to summarize expert reports from its AI consult. I did the same by uploading them to Chat GPT/Perplexity AI to generate new summaries. I found the government consistently softened advice creating an illusion of consensus that isn’t really there.
www.michaelgeist.ca/2026/02/aico...
www.michaelgeist.ca/2026/02/aico...
An Illusion of Consensus: What the Government Isn’t Saying About the Results of its AI Consultation - Michael Geist
The government quietly released a “what we heard” report this week discussing the response to its 30-day sprint AI consultation from last October. Described as the “largest public consultation in the ...
www.michaelgeist.ca
February 4, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Government used AI to summarize expert reports from its AI consult. I did the same by uploading them to Chat GPT/Perplexity AI to generate new summaries. I found the government consistently softened advice creating an illusion of consensus that isn’t really there.
www.michaelgeist.ca/2026/02/aico...
www.michaelgeist.ca/2026/02/aico...
DEADLINE EXTENSION! Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) has extended the deadline for conference Open Panel submissions until 9th February 2026. The conference is being held in Toronto, 7-10th Oct 2026.
Conference Theme: TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures
4sonline.org/call_for_ope...
Conference Theme: TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures
4sonline.org/call_for_ope...
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
February 3, 2026 at 2:26 PM
DEADLINE EXTENSION! Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) has extended the deadline for conference Open Panel submissions until 9th February 2026. The conference is being held in Toronto, 7-10th Oct 2026.
Conference Theme: TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures
4sonline.org/call_for_ope...
Conference Theme: TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures
4sonline.org/call_for_ope...
Reposted by Kean Birch
New commentary by @cellllla.bsky.social, @perhaxis.bsky.social and myself: "The tech worker movement and the rise of the tech oligarchy". www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The tech worker movement and the rise of the tech oligarchy
Published in Science as Culture (Ahead of Print, 2026)
www.tandfonline.com
January 30, 2026 at 6:24 PM
New commentary by @cellllla.bsky.social, @perhaxis.bsky.social and myself: "The tech worker movement and the rise of the tech oligarchy". www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Kean Birch
Fabian Muniesa - 'Paranoid Finance' @ Sciences Po Paris (AxPo / CEE) 19.02.2026 www.sciencespo.fr/centre-etude...
January 29, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Fabian Muniesa - 'Paranoid Finance' @ Sciences Po Paris (AxPo / CEE) 19.02.2026 www.sciencespo.fr/centre-etude...
Reposted by Kean Birch
I'm looking forward to 4S and another visit to Toronto! The 4S meetings are definitely my favorite "big" conference (and they aren't even that big), with lots of variety in content and opportunities to meet new people.
I'm co-chairing the Society for Social Studies of Science @4sweb.bsky.social Conference in Toronto, Oct 2026. #STS #scipol #innovation
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
About the Conference
www.4sonline.org
January 24, 2026 at 3:23 PM
I'm looking forward to 4S and another visit to Toronto! The 4S meetings are definitely my favorite "big" conference (and they aren't even that big), with lots of variety in content and opportunities to meet new people.
Reposted by Kean Birch
Ute Tellmann @ CSI 09.02.2026 : 'Financialization and Assetization as a Politics of Property' www.csi.minesparis.psl.eu/en/agenda-en...
January 23, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Ute Tellmann @ CSI 09.02.2026 : 'Financialization and Assetization as a Politics of Property' www.csi.minesparis.psl.eu/en/agenda-en...
Reposted by Kean Birch
Now available for pre-order and we're open for book talks to students, workshops and conferences, organisations etc.
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
January 21, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Now available for pre-order and we're open for book talks to students, workshops and conferences, organisations etc.
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
An observation: #genAI doesn't have any #networkeffects, as far as I can tell, which might explain its general lack of radical impact (esp. as execs have been conditioned on building strategies of market power thro network effects)
January 22, 2026 at 1:53 PM
An observation: #genAI doesn't have any #networkeffects, as far as I can tell, which might explain its general lack of radical impact (esp. as execs have been conditioned on building strategies of market power thro network effects)
Reposted by Kean Birch
The People's Consultation on AI launched today! Whether you have in-depth expertise in AI issues, or don't consider yourself an "expert" but have firsthand experience with AI or its impacts and want to have your say, this is for you. Participate by March 15, 2026: www.peoplesaiconsultation.ca
January 22, 2026 at 12:38 AM
The People's Consultation on AI launched today! Whether you have in-depth expertise in AI issues, or don't consider yourself an "expert" but have firsthand experience with AI or its impacts and want to have your say, this is for you. Participate by March 15, 2026: www.peoplesaiconsultation.ca
Maybe someone with a longer memory can say whether internet companies had to tell everyone in the 1990s to use the internet or it'd turn into a bubble ....
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
AI boom could falter without wider adoption, Microsoft chief Satya Nadella warns
Big tech boss tells delegates at Davos that broader global use is essential if technology is to deliver lasting growth
www.irishtimes.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Maybe someone with a longer memory can say whether internet companies had to tell everyone in the 1990s to use the internet or it'd turn into a bubble ....
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
Reposted by Kean Birch
The next @4sweb.bsky.social conference will be in Toronto (not the USA 😅) October 7 - 10th. Currently accepting proposals (250 word abstracts) for Open Panels, due ⭐️February 2nd⭐️ www.xcdsystem.com/4sonline/abs... #histsci #philsci #sts #medanthro
January 19, 2026 at 8:02 PM
The next @4sweb.bsky.social conference will be in Toronto (not the USA 😅) October 7 - 10th. Currently accepting proposals (250 word abstracts) for Open Panels, due ⭐️February 2nd⭐️ www.xcdsystem.com/4sonline/abs... #histsci #philsci #sts #medanthro
Reposted by Kean Birch
I'm co-chairing the Society for Social Studies of Science @4sweb.bsky.social Conference in Toronto, Oct 2026. #STS #scipol #innovation
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
About the Conference
www.4sonline.org
January 14, 2026 at 4:12 PM
I'm co-chairing the Society for Social Studies of Science @4sweb.bsky.social Conference in Toronto, Oct 2026. #STS #scipol #innovation
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
I'm co-chairing the Society for Social Studies of Science @4sweb.bsky.social Conference in Toronto, Oct 2026. #STS #scipol #innovation
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
About the Conference
www.4sonline.org
January 14, 2026 at 4:12 PM
I'm co-chairing the Society for Social Studies of Science @4sweb.bsky.social Conference in Toronto, Oct 2026. #STS #scipol #innovation
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Theme: "TechnoPower • Technoscientific Futures".
Open panel submissions portal is open! ls!
Deadline: 2nd February 2026
www.4sonline.org/about_the_co...
Beautiful, utter nonsense from #venturecapitalists
Baudrillard would describe prediction markets as a "nauseating…prodigious uselessness…[of a] hypertrophied world which cannot give birth to anything"
Everyone has seen the demonic Kalshi video about assetizing opinions and financializing everything, but the a16z hype is equally deranged [cont.]
a16z.com/prediction-t...
a16z.com/prediction-t...
January 13, 2026 at 4:09 AM
Beautiful, utter nonsense from #venturecapitalists
The mirage of #genAI? Only functionality is to legitimate layoffs & appease investors but only for a while ...
January 10, 2026 at 8:48 PM
The mirage of #genAI? Only functionality is to legitimate layoffs & appease investors but only for a while ...
Reposted by Kean Birch
Get ready for the open call for panels next week! More soon.
December 11, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Get ready for the open call for panels next week! More soon.
Reposted by Kean Birch
In Canada, call or email Evan Solomon and demand he do his job as “Minister of AI and Digital innovation” to stop the CSAM and non-consensual porn. X should be banned in this country.
📞 416-972-2030
📧 evan.solomon@parl.gc.ca
📞 416-972-2030
📧 evan.solomon@parl.gc.ca
Here is a template letter, with alt text for copy-pasting, to send to your state AG, or tweak to send to your reps, etc. It will take two minutes. Find their contact here: www.naag.org/find-my-ag/
![Dear [AG],
I'm curious what [State] is doing to combat this pervasive sexual harassment and abuse of primarily women and children:
https://defector.com/whos-responsible-for-elon-musks-idiot-chatbot-producing-on-demand-child-sexual-abuse-material
https://futurism.com/future-society/grok-violence-women
The industrial-scale generation and distribution of revenge porn and CSAM on Twitter/X is blatantly criminal by all involved, and in violation of both state and federal law.
I hope to see serious charges announced against Elon, Twitter/X management, Grok developers, and any individual users publicly sharing images of [State] residents. Anything less is tacit approval to continue this monstrous, illegal spree.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qnjqnno3fftf2wj4xfkxpt32/bafkreiefbqpox4q2s4vgdigpitfmoh73yxeljh6cogy3x2mmnesqeeqzri@jpeg)
January 8, 2026 at 12:49 AM
In Canada, call or email Evan Solomon and demand he do his job as “Minister of AI and Digital innovation” to stop the CSAM and non-consensual porn. X should be banned in this country.
📞 416-972-2030
📧 evan.solomon@parl.gc.ca
📞 416-972-2030
📧 evan.solomon@parl.gc.ca
Reposted by Kean Birch
Kicking off 2026 with a new piece in @sciasculture.bsky.social titled “Manufacturing the Leviathan: Palantir’s Technological Republic and the Nationalist Faction of the Tech Oligarchy". The piece is part of the forum on "Tech Oligarchy" edited by @keanbirch.bsky.social. A brief summary:
January 5, 2026 at 9:29 AM
Kicking off 2026 with a new piece in @sciasculture.bsky.social titled “Manufacturing the Leviathan: Palantir’s Technological Republic and the Nationalist Faction of the Tech Oligarchy". The piece is part of the forum on "Tech Oligarchy" edited by @keanbirch.bsky.social. A brief summary:
Wonder if this is real? #parasiticinnovation
screenshot in case the post gets taken down or deleted
January 3, 2026 at 6:04 AM
Wonder if this is real? #parasiticinnovation
For anyone looking for somewhere to submit something about #rentiership - special issue CfP on rentier capitalism || www.nature.com/collections/...
Rentier capitalism
This Collection interrogates rentier capitalism in relation to asset concentration, financial stability, income distribution, market dynamics, and ...
www.nature.com
December 28, 2025 at 7:54 PM
For anyone looking for somewhere to submit something about #rentiership - special issue CfP on rentier capitalism || www.nature.com/collections/...