makena kelly
@makenakelly.bsky.social
reporter @ WIRED covering the politics and power influencing the internet
DMs open, Signal: makenakelly.32
FAQ, Instagram, TikTok, & everything else at linktr.ee/makenakelly
DMs open, Signal: makenakelly.32
FAQ, Instagram, TikTok, & everything else at linktr.ee/makenakelly
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This DOGE Whistleblower Is Running for Office
WIRED spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate.
www.wired.com
EXCLUSIVE: DOGE whistleblower and former SSA Chief Data Officer Chuck Borges is running for office.
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
Reposted by makena kelly
SCOOP: In text messages sent in 2017, Jeffrey Epstein appears to position himself as a middleman between president Donald Trump’s administration and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates. He seemingly represents himself as passing on information directly from Trump to Gates through an intermediary.
Jeffrey Epstein Claimed Intimate Knowledge of Donald Trump’s Views in Texts With Bill Gates Adviser
In text messages from 2017, Jeffrey Epstein seemingly represented himself as positioned to pass information from the Trump White House to Bill Gates through an intermediary.
www.wired.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:22 PM
SCOOP: In text messages sent in 2017, Jeffrey Epstein appears to position himself as a middleman between president Donald Trump’s administration and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates. He seemingly represents himself as passing on information directly from Trump to Gates through an intermediary.
Reposted by makena kelly
The Department of Homeland Security collected data on Chicago residents accused of gang ties to test if police files could feed an FBI watchlist. Months passed before anyone noticed it wasn’t deleted. www.wired.com/story/dhs-ke...
DHS Kept Chicago Police Records for Months in Violation of Domestic Espionage Rules
The Department of Homeland Security collected data on Chicago residents accused of gang ties to test if police files could feed an FBI watchlist. Months passed before anyone noticed it wasn’t deleted.
www.wired.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:06 PM
The Department of Homeland Security collected data on Chicago residents accused of gang ties to test if police files could feed an FBI watchlist. Months passed before anyone noticed it wasn’t deleted. www.wired.com/story/dhs-ke...
Reposted by makena kelly
EXCLUSIVE: DOGE whistleblower and former SSA Chief Data Officer Chuck Borges is running for office.
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
This DOGE Whistleblower Is Running for Office
WIRED spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate.
www.wired.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
EXCLUSIVE: DOGE whistleblower and former SSA Chief Data Officer Chuck Borges is running for office.
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
Reposted by makena kelly
NEW: Chuck Borges blew the whistle on DOGE uploading incredibly sensitive Social Security data to an unsecured cloud environment. Now he's running for state senate in Maryland, and gave his first interview to @makenakelly.bsky.social
This DOGE Whistleblower Is Running for Office
WIRED spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate.
www.wired.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
NEW: Chuck Borges blew the whistle on DOGE uploading incredibly sensitive Social Security data to an unsecured cloud environment. Now he's running for state senate in Maryland, and gave his first interview to @makenakelly.bsky.social
Reposted by makena kelly
NEW: @wired.com spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate.
This is....the first DOGE'd candidate?! I think?!
it's a worthwhile interview -- read @makenakelly.bsky.social:
This is....the first DOGE'd candidate?! I think?!
it's a worthwhile interview -- read @makenakelly.bsky.social:
This DOGE Whistleblower Is Running for Office
WIRED spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate.
www.wired.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
NEW: @wired.com spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate.
This is....the first DOGE'd candidate?! I think?!
it's a worthwhile interview -- read @makenakelly.bsky.social:
This is....the first DOGE'd candidate?! I think?!
it's a worthwhile interview -- read @makenakelly.bsky.social:
EXCLUSIVE: DOGE whistleblower and former SSA Chief Data Officer Chuck Borges is running for office.
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
This DOGE Whistleblower Is Running for Office
WIRED spoke with Chuck Borges, the former SSA data chief turned DOGE whistleblower, who is running to represent southern Maryland in the state’s senate.
www.wired.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
EXCLUSIVE: DOGE whistleblower and former SSA Chief Data Officer Chuck Borges is running for office.
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
In his first interview since announcing his campaign for Maryland State Senate, he describes being sidelined at SSA + why government needs more technologists.
www.wired.com/story/doge-w...
Reposted by makena kelly
new from me today: not all data centers are created environmentally equal — and building them in states with cleaner grids and more access to water could go a long way in preventing environmental catastrophe
If the US Has to Build Data Centers, Here’s Where They Should Go
A new analysis tries to calculate the coming environmental footprint of AI in the US and finds that the ideal sites for data centers aren’t where they’re being built.
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
new from me today: not all data centers are created environmentally equal — and building them in states with cleaner grids and more access to water could go a long way in preventing environmental catastrophe
i can't stop listening to this lmao www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_FC...
IJUSTINE (MUSIC VIDEO)
YouTube video by KIRAAI
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:22 PM
i can't stop listening to this lmao www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_FC...
how ur 10pm email finds me
November 11, 2025 at 3:05 AM
how ur 10pm email finds me
Reposted by makena kelly
with the end of the shutdown looming, here's my look for @wired.com into what life has been like for EPA employees over the past five weeks: little to no heads up about who was getting furloughed next, important projects getting put on the back burner while deregulation moves forward:
The EPA Is in Chaos
“We learn who is furloughed when we send an email to someone and get the out-of-office message,” one employee tells WIRED.
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:39 PM
with the end of the shutdown looming, here's my look for @wired.com into what life has been like for EPA employees over the past five weeks: little to no heads up about who was getting furloughed next, important projects getting put on the back burner while deregulation moves forward:
Reposted by makena kelly
SCOOP: China's top 2 gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, became unavailable on app stores over the weekend. Apple confirmed to WIRED that it removed the two apps following "an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China."
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
Apple Pulls China’s Top Gay Dating Apps After Government Order
The removal of Blued and Finka marks another setback for China’s marginalized LGBTQ+ community.
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:27 AM
SCOOP: China's top 2 gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, became unavailable on app stores over the weekend. Apple confirmed to WIRED that it removed the two apps following "an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China."
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
maturing is learning that neither a new planner nor any new productivity software will solve all your problems
November 10, 2025 at 12:30 AM
maturing is learning that neither a new planner nor any new productivity software will solve all your problems
wild that twice this year democrats (in DC + in TX) have reached the threshold of making Republicans feel some pain and just dip lol
www.politico.com/live-updates...
www.politico.com/live-updates...
Senate hopes for shutdown breakthrough Sunday
Senators believe enough Democrats are ready to reopen the government. The White House isn’t standing in the way of an emerging deal.
www.politico.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:50 PM
wild that twice this year democrats (in DC + in TX) have reached the threshold of making Republicans feel some pain and just dip lol
www.politico.com/live-updates...
www.politico.com/live-updates...
Reposted by makena kelly
Stand with Condé Nast Union 🚨 We’re calling on you to sign our petition telling management to reinstate the Fired Four, reverse the suspensions, and end the union busting.
Sign here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...
Sign here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...
November 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Stand with Condé Nast Union 🚨 We’re calling on you to sign our petition telling management to reinstate the Fired Four, reverse the suspensions, and end the union busting.
Sign here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...
Sign here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...
very cool that my zohran fandom take is in this list :-)
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
What Did the 2025 Election Mean?
There’s a lot of excitement following Zohran Mamdani’s and Democrats’ big victories. There are a lot of takes, too. Here are some of the best ones.
nymag.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:55 PM
very cool that my zohran fandom take is in this list :-)
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
@ CrookedCon today say hi!!
November 7, 2025 at 3:54 PM
@ CrookedCon today say hi!!
Reposted by makena kelly
Hey everyone, thank you so much for the outpouring of support.
I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
Click here to support Jake Lahut's story *LahutRentFund
*spotfund is the easiest place to create beautiful and free online fundraisers. It takes just minutes to start raising money today.
spot.fund
November 7, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Hey everyone, thank you so much for the outpouring of support.
I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
after the year we've all had... a girl can have a two months long christmas season
November 7, 2025 at 1:49 AM
after the year we've all had... a girl can have a two months long christmas season
Reposted by makena kelly
A statement from Wired's Conde Union Members
November 6, 2025 at 8:19 PM
A statement from Wired's Conde Union Members
Reposted by makena kelly
the polling on data centers is just atrocious for the AI industry:
• the younger people are, the more likely they are to dislike them
• arguments against data centers consistently poll as more convincing than arguments for them
• the dislike is also bipartisan, spans across all other demos
• the younger people are, the more likely they are to dislike them
• arguments against data centers consistently poll as more convincing than arguments for them
• the dislike is also bipartisan, spans across all other demos
The Data Center Backlash Is Swallowing American Politics
Activists on both the left and the right are pushing back against AI development.
heatmap.news
November 6, 2025 at 9:36 PM
the polling on data centers is just atrocious for the AI industry:
• the younger people are, the more likely they are to dislike them
• arguments against data centers consistently poll as more convincing than arguments for them
• the dislike is also bipartisan, spans across all other demos
• the younger people are, the more likely they are to dislike them
• arguments against data centers consistently poll as more convincing than arguments for them
• the dislike is also bipartisan, spans across all other demos
Reposted by makena kelly
when Elon Musk attacked my reporting to his millions of followers last week, it was one of the scariest days of my life
in that moment, the leadership at @wired.com enthusiastically stood by my article and its message: holding powerful tech leaders accountable
in that moment, the leadership at @wired.com enthusiastically stood by my article and its message: holding powerful tech leaders accountable
November 6, 2025 at 6:35 PM
when Elon Musk attacked my reporting to his millions of followers last week, it was one of the scariest days of my life
in that moment, the leadership at @wired.com enthusiastically stood by my article and its message: holding powerful tech leaders accountable
in that moment, the leadership at @wired.com enthusiastically stood by my article and its message: holding powerful tech leaders accountable
Reposted by makena kelly
I'm one of the four fired employees. I was a writer & producer at Bon Appétit for nearly five years, during which I helped organize our union and sat on our bargaining committee.
I am, to my knowledge, the only trans woman in our union and the only trans woman on editorial who doesn't work at Them
I am, to my knowledge, the only trans woman in our union and the only trans woman on editorial who doesn't work at Them
New: Conde Nast fired four employees who were among a group that confronted the company's head of human resources on Wednesday over the decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue/recent cuts. Employees who were fired included journalists from the New Yorker, Wired, and Bon Appétit.
November 6, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I'm one of the four fired employees. I was a writer & producer at Bon Appétit for nearly five years, during which I helped organize our union and sat on our bargaining committee.
I am, to my knowledge, the only trans woman in our union and the only trans woman on editorial who doesn't work at Them
I am, to my knowledge, the only trans woman in our union and the only trans woman on editorial who doesn't work at Them
Reposted by makena kelly
But if you have some spare income, give what you can here or sign up for one of the paid tiers. I think the founding member thing lets you put in whatever you want straightfromthehut.substack.com
StraightFromThe Hut | Jake Lahut | Substack
A campaign and communications strategy newsletter, plus a home for Jake Lahut's freelance feature reporting and other notebook items (no paywalls, but pay to support). Click to read StraightFromThe Hu...
straightfromthehut.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:39 PM
But if you have some spare income, give what you can here or sign up for one of the paid tiers. I think the founding member thing lets you put in whatever you want straightfromthehut.substack.com
Reposted by makena kelly
As my general two cents: don't cancel your WIRED subscriptions.
Best culture, best newsroom of anywhere I've worked. I love the living shit out of these folks, and they don't deserve to be negatively impacted by a decision that was made by the parent company, not them. And it's only $2 a month.
Best culture, best newsroom of anywhere I've worked. I love the living shit out of these folks, and they don't deserve to be negatively impacted by a decision that was made by the parent company, not them. And it's only $2 a month.
November 6, 2025 at 6:39 PM
As my general two cents: don't cancel your WIRED subscriptions.
Best culture, best newsroom of anywhere I've worked. I love the living shit out of these folks, and they don't deserve to be negatively impacted by a decision that was made by the parent company, not them. And it's only $2 a month.
Best culture, best newsroom of anywhere I've worked. I love the living shit out of these folks, and they don't deserve to be negatively impacted by a decision that was made by the parent company, not them. And it's only $2 a month.
Reposted by makena kelly
This is a really hard day and I want to just add as WIRED's politics editor -- WIRED's politics reporting isn't going anywhere. We are very much here and won't stop.
Please continue to read and support us - canceling your subscription to WIRED is not standing in solidarity with our journalists.
Please continue to read and support us - canceling your subscription to WIRED is not standing in solidarity with our journalists.
The key thing to watch here: they fired a Wired political reporter. That’s the title doing the most effective, pointed work. Teen Vogue’s stuff was culturally impactful, but less focused on investigating the administration. Within the Condé portfolio, Wired and the New Yorker are the canaries.
New: Conde Nast fired four employees who were among a group that confronted the company's head of human resources on Wednesday over the decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue/recent cuts. Employees who were fired included journalists from the New Yorker, Wired, and Bon Appétit.
November 6, 2025 at 6:26 PM
This is a really hard day and I want to just add as WIRED's politics editor -- WIRED's politics reporting isn't going anywhere. We are very much here and won't stop.
Please continue to read and support us - canceling your subscription to WIRED is not standing in solidarity with our journalists.
Please continue to read and support us - canceling your subscription to WIRED is not standing in solidarity with our journalists.