Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
@nathaliemarechal.net
Human rights & democracy advocate in 🇺🇸 & the 🌍. Privacy & data @ CDT. She/her. Opinions personal, etc. ❌👑
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
Big news. Fresh reporting from 404 Media details how the Airlines Reporting Corporation, a data broker owned by the U.S.’s major airlines, will ditch a program that sold access to hundreds of millions of flight records to the government - no warrant or subpoena necessary.
NEW: US airlines (Delta, United, American, etc) will shut down a program in which it sold hundreds of millions of your flight records to government agencies, including ICE, FBI, ATF, more. Comes after intense lawmaker-pressure and 404 Media's months-long reporting
www.404media.co/airlines-wil...
www.404media.co/airlines-wil...
Airlines Will Shut Down Program That Sold Your Flights Records to Government
The move comes after intense pressure from lawmakers and 404 Media’s months-long reporting about the airline industry's data selling practices.
www.404media.co
November 18, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Big news. Fresh reporting from 404 Media details how the Airlines Reporting Corporation, a data broker owned by the U.S.’s major airlines, will ditch a program that sold access to hundreds of millions of flight records to the government - no warrant or subpoena necessary.
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
Opinion | Jamal Khashoggi: What the Arab world needs most is free expression
The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so citizens can be informed about global events.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
I mean, look, I'm not a reporter, so who am I to talk?
But on a day where the president both just called a woman reporter "Piggy" and is celebrating someone who had people bone saw apart one of my colleagues, I might just be a little ready to defend my colleagues and profession.
But that's just me
But on a day where the president both just called a woman reporter "Piggy" and is celebrating someone who had people bone saw apart one of my colleagues, I might just be a little ready to defend my colleagues and profession.
But that's just me
November 18, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I mean, look, I'm not a reporter, so who am I to talk?
But on a day where the president both just called a woman reporter "Piggy" and is celebrating someone who had people bone saw apart one of my colleagues, I might just be a little ready to defend my colleagues and profession.
But that's just me
But on a day where the president both just called a woman reporter "Piggy" and is celebrating someone who had people bone saw apart one of my colleagues, I might just be a little ready to defend my colleagues and profession.
But that's just me
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
Just the president of the United States rationalizing that a Washington Post reporter was basically asking to be murdered and cut to pieces with a bone saw because of his reporting.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Just the president of the United States rationalizing that a Washington Post reporter was basically asking to be murdered and cut to pieces with a bone saw because of his reporting.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
This is what we’re up against. Democrats - and all Americans - must say no to technofascism.
A former Palantir exec just published an extortion letter in the Washington Post: Democrats must fund tech oligarchs, abandon antitrust, and create 15 deregulated corporate zones—or “lose.”
When I challenged her, she blocked me.
Tech’s moral rot, exposed:
www.thenerdreich.com/silicon-vall...
When I challenged her, she blocked me.
Tech’s moral rot, exposed:
www.thenerdreich.com/silicon-vall...
Silicon Valley’s Extortion Letter to Democrats
Ex-Palantir Exec Warns Democrats to Bow Down or Lose the Future
www.thenerdreich.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:19 PM
This is what we’re up against. Democrats - and all Americans - must say no to technofascism.
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
Strongly worded op-ed from the EU’s former digital commissioner. As always it comes down to doing something the member states cannot seem to agree to do: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The world’s digital empires are jostling for power – in Europe, we can’t afford to be useful idiots | Thierry Breton
The EU is under US pressure to unravel its hard-won online safety laws. We must not give in, says former European commissioner Thierry Breton
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Strongly worded op-ed from the EU’s former digital commissioner. As always it comes down to doing something the member states cannot seem to agree to do: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
In a short piece for @techpolicypress.bsky.social, @abeba.bsky.social and I write #AIHype Is Steering EU Policy Off Course.
Stop peddling in unscientific discourse about “AGI” and “superintelligence.” Serve citizens. Don't cater to the whims of tech CEOs.
www.techpolicy.press/ai-hype-is-s...
Stop peddling in unscientific discourse about “AGI” and “superintelligence.” Serve citizens. Don't cater to the whims of tech CEOs.
www.techpolicy.press/ai-hype-is-s...
AI Hype Is Steering EU Policy Off Course | TechPolicy.Press
Kris Shrishak and Abeba Birhane say policymakers should stop peddling in unscientific discourse about "AGI" and "superintelligence."
www.techpolicy.press
November 17, 2025 at 2:09 PM
In a short piece for @techpolicypress.bsky.social, @abeba.bsky.social and I write #AIHype Is Steering EU Policy Off Course.
Stop peddling in unscientific discourse about “AGI” and “superintelligence.” Serve citizens. Don't cater to the whims of tech CEOs.
www.techpolicy.press/ai-hype-is-s...
Stop peddling in unscientific discourse about “AGI” and “superintelligence.” Serve citizens. Don't cater to the whims of tech CEOs.
www.techpolicy.press/ai-hype-is-s...
AI hype will be the death of us all, ISTFG www.techpolicy.press/ai-hype-is-s...
AI Hype Is Steering EU Policy Off Course | TechPolicy.Press
Kris Shrishak and Abeba Birhane say policymakers should stop peddling in unscientific discourse about "AGI" and "superintelligence."
www.techpolicy.press
November 17, 2025 at 7:31 PM
AI hype will be the death of us all, ISTFG www.techpolicy.press/ai-hype-is-s...
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
$1 billion data centre to maybe create 100 jobs. That's likely an overstatement.
It is truly not worth draining the living word for this vampiric tech and people are starting to realize it.
www.wisn.com/article/meta...
It is truly not worth draining the living word for this vampiric tech and people are starting to realize it.
www.wisn.com/article/meta...
Meta plans $1 billion data center in Beaver Dam
The facility is expected to be completed in 2027 and will support 100 jobs, according to state officials.
www.wisn.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:17 PM
$1 billion data centre to maybe create 100 jobs. That's likely an overstatement.
It is truly not worth draining the living word for this vampiric tech and people are starting to realize it.
www.wisn.com/article/meta...
It is truly not worth draining the living word for this vampiric tech and people are starting to realize it.
www.wisn.com/article/meta...
Love to see it!
NEW: The backlash to Trump has been coming in big waves. Dems' sweep in last week’s elections. The 7 million people who turned out for “No Kings” protests.
But it's been fueling something else all year: a surge in young progressives signing up to run for office.
www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
But it's been fueling something else all year: a surge in young progressives signing up to run for office.
www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
The Trump Backlash That's Flying Under The Radar
In the past year, nearly 75,000 people have signed up to run for local and state office through Run for Something. And its candidates are winning.
www.huffpost.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Love to see it!
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
One reason the political influence of billonaires has been pernicious is that at certain levels of wealth, people will fawn over whatever inane brain diarrhea you emit as though they’ve just bumped into Socrates in the agora.
Something that’s so striking in these emails is how…unimpressive Epstein is. He comes off as a pompous, sub-literate lech. Yes everyone is so mortifyingly solicitous of him! All fawning and flattery! Why?????
November 14, 2025 at 6:32 PM
One reason the political influence of billonaires has been pernicious is that at certain levels of wealth, people will fawn over whatever inane brain diarrhea you emit as though they’ve just bumped into Socrates in the agora.
Insightful piece that echoes a lot of my current thinking. "AI" is a net negative for people and for democracy, but political elites and "thought leaders" keep pretending otherwise. Will Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory yet again?
AI billionaires are enshittifying our lives, jacking up our electricity bills, destroying our jobs, and inflating a bubble that may crash our economy. For @newrepublic.com, I ask if Democrats will take, or waste, this obvious opportunity? newrepublic.com/article/2028...
Americans Hate AI. Will the Democrats Join Them?
There’s widespread anger at the AI industry—and last week’s elections showed that it’s a winning issue.
newrepublic.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Insightful piece that echoes a lot of my current thinking. "AI" is a net negative for people and for democracy, but political elites and "thought leaders" keep pretending otherwise. Will Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory yet again?
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
New from me: Meta’s advertising system engages in race and gender segregation. A new lawsuit from @lawyerscomm.bsky.social provides a roadmap for new forms of accountability using state consumer protection laws prohibiting unfair or deceptive trade practices to challenge algorithmic discrimination.
Equal Rights Center v. Meta is the most important tech case flying under the radar | Brookings
David Brody discusses how a new decision provides a model for how states and advocates can use state laws to protect civil rights amid AI.
www.brookings.edu
November 13, 2025 at 11:37 PM
New from me: Meta’s advertising system engages in race and gender segregation. A new lawsuit from @lawyerscomm.bsky.social provides a roadmap for new forms of accountability using state consumer protection laws prohibiting unfair or deceptive trade practices to challenge algorithmic discrimination.
Come for the headline, stay for the 🔥 quotes from @kateruane.bsky.social
NEW: Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, and tell local cops whether to contact ICE about the person, while also removing apps designed to warn communities about ICE officials.
“Google wanted to ‘not be evil’ back in the day. Well, they're evil now."
“Google wanted to ‘not be evil’ back in the day. Well, they're evil now."
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable gr...
www.404media.co
November 13, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Come for the headline, stay for the 🔥 quotes from @kateruane.bsky.social
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
New podcast! I discussed whether the AI investment boom is an unsustainable bubble and how a potential crash could reshape policy and public sentiment with Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research's Ryan Cummings, AI Now Institute's Sarah West, and Blood in the Machine's Brian Merchant.
What Are the Implications if the AI Boom Turns to Bust? | TechPolicy.Press
A conversation with Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research's Ryan Cummings, AI Now Institute's Sarah West, and Blood in the Machine's Brian Merchant.
www.techpolicy.press
November 13, 2025 at 10:38 AM
New podcast! I discussed whether the AI investment boom is an unsustainable bubble and how a potential crash could reshape policy and public sentiment with Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research's Ryan Cummings, AI Now Institute's Sarah West, and Blood in the Machine's Brian Merchant.
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
Strong advice here.
Live your life in such a way that if 20K pages of your files are released and someone builds a database of them, it doesn't crash because too many people want to search it simultaneously.
November 13, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Strong advice here.
Beyond parody
Incredible stuff on LinkedIn. Cofounder of AI notetaker says they told early customers that there's an "AI that'll join a meeting.” But it was really just him and cofounder joining & manually taking notes. No AI. Comments flame him. He posts reply trying to kind of walk it back. Overall: Total bait.
November 12, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Beyond parody
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
@publicknowledge.bsky.social hosted a series of People’s Oversight Hearings for FCC, FTC, and CFPB today, asking the questions that Congress *should* be asking. Featuring FTC Commissioner Becca Slaughter, former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler, and many other former agency senior leaders. Watch here:
November 12, 2025 at 6:40 PM
@publicknowledge.bsky.social hosted a series of People’s Oversight Hearings for FCC, FTC, and CFPB today, asking the questions that Congress *should* be asking. Featuring FTC Commissioner Becca Slaughter, former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler, and many other former agency senior leaders. Watch here:
We’re now starting the People’s CFPB Oversight Hearing
November 12, 2025 at 6:36 PM
We’re now starting the People’s CFPB Oversight Hearing
The People’s FTC Oversight hearing is about to start
November 12, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The People’s FTC Oversight hearing is about to start
Resisting authoritarianism comes in many flavors. When public officials fail to play their constitutionally mandated oversight role, a powerful tactic is to build alternative mechanisms to shine a light on corruption, abuses of power, and other malfeasance.
November 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Resisting authoritarianism comes in many flavors. When public officials fail to play their constitutionally mandated oversight role, a powerful tactic is to build alternative mechanisms to shine a light on corruption, abuses of power, and other malfeasance.
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Early Career Rescue Fellowship
www.uni-konstanz.de
November 11, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Reposted by Nathalie Maréchal, PhD
“A large part of the venture capital model is serving as a recruitment mechanism into tech fascism.”
My interview with @harrisonmooney.bsky.social of @thetyee.ca
thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...
My interview with @harrisonmooney.bsky.social of @thetyee.ca
thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...
The Man Who Tracks Silicon Valley’s ‘Nerd Reich’ | The Tyee
Wonder what US tech titans wish for, Canada? Study their roots, says writer Gil Duran. A Tyee Q&A.
thetyee.ca
November 10, 2025 at 6:17 PM
“A large part of the venture capital model is serving as a recruitment mechanism into tech fascism.”
My interview with @harrisonmooney.bsky.social of @thetyee.ca
thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...
My interview with @harrisonmooney.bsky.social of @thetyee.ca
thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...
What the hell did I just read 😐
A.I. Is on Its Way to Something Even More Remarkable Than Intelligence www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/o...
A.I. Is on Its Way to Something Even More Remarkable Than Intelligence www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/o...
Opinion | A.I. Is on Its Way to Something Even More Remarkable Than Intelligence
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:27 AM
What the hell did I just read 😐
A.I. Is on Its Way to Something Even More Remarkable Than Intelligence www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/o...
A.I. Is on Its Way to Something Even More Remarkable Than Intelligence www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/o...