Sam Cole
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samleecole.bsky.social
Sam Cole
@samleecole.bsky.social
23K followers 400 following 780 posts
journalist / co-founder @404media.co
signal: sam.404 (sensitive comms)
sam@404media.co (everything else)
complain about the paywall catch a block
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samleecole.bsky.social
Sam Cole @samleecole.bsky.social · Aug 22
it's been two wild years, and we can't wait to keep rocking into year three www.404media.co/two-years-40...
404 Media at Two Years: How We've Grown, and What's Next
We're reflecting on the impact our journalism had in year two, how we've grown with your support, and what we aspire to accomplish in year three.
www.404media.co
samleecole.bsky.social
one chatbot told a participant in this study to go lay down in the dark when he was presenting with a brain hemorrhage... what are we even doing

www.404media.co/chatbots-hea...
Chatbots Make Terrible Doctors, New Study Finds
Chatbots provided incorrect, conflicting medical advice, researchers found: “Despite all the hype, AI just isn't ready to take on the role of the physician.”
www.404media.co
February 9, 2026 at 4:06 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
:)
February 9, 2026 at 3:22 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
lol. lmao

www.404media.co/watch-404-me...
Watch 404 Media’s Super Bowl Ad
WE BOUGHT A SUPER BOWL AD.
www.404media.co
February 9, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
jasonkoebler.bsky.social
The inspector general is investigating whether ICE’s surveillance is legal. Even if this doesn’t result in any changes it will likely result in more details about how these systems work and that will hopefully be useful: www.404media.co/inspector-ge...
Inspector General Investigating Whether ICE's Surveillance Tech Breaks the Law
DHS's inspector general is probing ICE's biometric and surveillance programs.
www.404media.co
February 6, 2026 at 5:01 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
ok, whoa. the DOJ just told me that the unredacted version of the document in question contains an image of a victim’s face overlayed on the face of the Mona Lisa image. so, that's why it's redacted. jesus christ
February 5, 2026 at 10:26 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
cool. glad we protected her identity at least www.404media.co/the-doj-reda...
The DOJ Redacted a Photo of the Mona Lisa in the Epstein Files
While Epstein’s victims endure the fallout of their photos and names being exposed in the Department of Justice’s latest tranche of files, investigators redacted the identity of the most famous portra...
www.404media.co
February 5, 2026 at 9:41 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
josephcox.bsky.social
A new tool lets you search the Epstein files for mentions of your LinkedIn contacts. Tried it out, does work. Outputs a report with links to the material on the DOJ website.

www.404media.co/this-tool-se...
This Tool Searches the Epstein Files For Your LinkedIn Contacts
EpsteIN—as in, Epstein and LinkedIn—searches your connections on the social network for names that match those in the released files.
www.404media.co
February 5, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
jasonkoebler.bsky.social
There is zero reason for a billionaire to own an adversarial news outlet in a kleptocracy. And so billionaires are gutting the media companies they own, reorienting them to better align with the regime, and spending money on bribes rather than journalists

www.404media.co/the-washingt...
The Washington Post Is No Longer Useful to Jeff Bezos
In a kleptocracy, there is no reason for a billionaire to own an adversarial news outlet.
www.404media.co
February 5, 2026 at 3:14 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
"....what its journalists do—accountability journalism about the rich and powerful—does not serve someone who is rich and powerful. The Washington Post and many of its reporters are no longer useful to Bezos, and so he has decided to get rid of them."

www.404media.co/the-washingt...
The Washington Post Is No Longer Useful to Jeff Bezos
In a kleptocracy, there is no reason for a billionaire to own an adversarial news outlet.
www.404media.co
February 5, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
willoremus.com
Whatever you think of the Washington Post at this moment, here's a chance to support the dedicated, hard-working journalists who were just laid off. If you have the means, your donation is most welcome. If you don't, a kind thought and maybe spreading the word to others is support enough 💙
Donate to Washington Post 2026 layoff fund, organized by Rachel Siegel
On Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, The Washington Post laid off hundreds of journalists. We ar… Rachel Siegel needs your support for Washington Post 2026 layoff fund
www.gofundme.com
February 4, 2026 at 3:58 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
the @404media.co podcast is out today. this week we talk about the bungled Epstein files data dumps, and the complete disaster it's been for victims whose photos and names were exposed:

www.404media.co/podcast-the-...
February 4, 2026 at 7:08 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
are you/do you know any online SWers in AL or NC? hit my dms pls for a story! or email and signal are in my bio
February 4, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
drewharwell.com
We at the @postguild.bsky.social are raising money for the hundreds of journalists the Post just laid off. This goes to the people who are hurting, not the Post. Or if you'd rather, go subscribe to an independent journalist. Support is hugely appreciated.

www.gofundme.com/f/standing-t...
Donate to Washington Post 2026 layoff fund, organized by Rachel Siegel
On Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, The Washington Post laid off hundreds of journalists. We ar… Rachel Siegel needs your support for Washington Post 2026 layoff fund
www.gofundme.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
bschillace.brandyschillace.com
Given the WaPo disaster, I’m re-posting my starter pack of indie journalists—it probably needs an update so give me a shout to add folks.
#wapo #journalism
go.bsky.app/A2UpMn5
February 4, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
404media.co
LIVE NOW: 404 Media is taking your questions on the state of surveillance in the US: from Flock cameras to tools Palantir made for ICE to find neighborhoods to raid.

Join us now (we have lots of great questions already and we'll try to get to as many as possible!)
www.reddit.com/r/technology...
From the technology community on Reddit: Hi! We're 404 Media's Jason Koebler and Joseph Cox. AMA (us) about the tech ICE is using, Flock and the state of surveillance in the US on Feb. 4, 12 pm ET
Explore this post and more from the technology community
www.reddit.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
josephcox.bsky.social
New from 404 Media: the FBI has been unable to get into the iPhone of raided Washington Post journalist because the phone had Lockdown Mode enabled. Apple markets Lockdown Mode mostly to stop spyware like NSO. Here, a real world example of it stopping access too www.404media.co/fbi-couldnt-...
FBI Couldn’t Get into WaPo Reporter’s iPhone Because It Had Lockdown Mode Enabled
Lockdown Mode is a sometimes overlooked feature of Apple devices that broadly make them harder to hack. A court record indicates the feature might be effective at stopping third parties unlocking some...
www.404media.co
February 4, 2026 at 2:07 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
ask @josephcox.bsky.social and @jasonkoebler.bsky.social ANYTHING. get your questions in now and they'll start answering live today at noon est:
www.reddit.com/r/technology...
From the technology community on Reddit: Hi! We're 404 Media's Jason Koebler and Joseph Cox. AMA (us) about the tech ICE is using, Flock and the state of surveillance in the US on Feb. 4, 12 pm ET
Explore this post and more from the technology community
www.reddit.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
jasonkoebler.bsky.social
🚨fun (?) project alert / help needed🚨

if you live in OTTUMWA, IOWA please dm or signal me @jason.404.

seeking contact with ottumwa resident
February 3, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
josephcox.bsky.social
New from 404 Media: hackers and trolls have targeted a wave of ICE spotting apps, those that let you report sightings of ICE officials. In one case, hackers even managed to send a push notification to app users. Claimed personal data sent to the gov, but no evidence
www.404media.co/hackers-and-...
Hackers and Trolls Target Wave of ICE Spotting Apps
Hackers have targeted a spread of apps or sites that aim to track ICE activity, in one case even sending push notifications to users in an attempt to intimidate them.
www.404media.co
February 3, 2026 at 3:33 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
tough news: security researchers saw you doing the 👅✌️ pose at your cousin's wedding www.404media.co/wedding-phot...
Wedding Photo Booth Company Exposes Customers’ Drunken Photos
‘Curator Live’, a popular photo booth company for weddings and other events, is exposing all sorts of unsuspecting people’s photos.
www.404media.co
February 3, 2026 at 2:08 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
New: The DOJ left multiple unredacted nude images in the Epstein data dump. They only removed them after 404 Media reported the links. This is very disturbing: www.404media.co/doj-released...
DOJ Released Unredacted Nude Images in Epstein Files
A note from investigators in the files said some images Epstein had were "POSSIBLE CSAM."
www.404media.co
February 2, 2026 at 3:41 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
ZINE PDF IS HERE www.404media.co/icezine/
Our Zine About ICE Surveillance Is Here
Download a PDF of our first ever zine here.
www.404media.co
February 2, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
404media.co
New emails show Musk has been lying about his relationship with Epstein.
Musk to Epstein: ‘What Day/Night Will Be the Wildest Party on Your Island?’
New emails show Musk has been lying about his relationship with Epstein.
www.404media.co
January 30, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Sam Cole
mjgault.bsky.social
if you search for 'Melania' on Amazon, you'll see a banner ad for the doc, a link to buy her book, and an erotic thriller depicting the First Lady as a monster published in 2018
Erotic Parody 'Melania: Devourer of Men' Sales Surge on Amazon Amid Documentary Flop
A Reddit-led protest is trying to push an eight year old erotic thriller to the top of Amazon’s sales charts.
www.404media.co
January 30, 2026 at 2:31 PM
samleecole.bsky.social
looks like MV finally decided to put together a statement longer than a chatgpt koan. from their X account:
ManyVids is an incredibly disruptive company. We don't accept the status quo, and we are not afraid of voicing injustice. MV is currently leading a second revolution in the adult industry for the second time in 12 years -and our actions are making waves. At ManyVids, we began integrating Al into our internal workflows over two years ago, and it quickly became clear that this technology would play an important role in achieving our mission, driven by a very clear vision. At MV, Al is primarily a tool for efficiency, not a replacement for creativity, which is crucial to delivering an exceptional, multi-layered, one-stop-shop platform. When it comes to Al-generated or Al-assisted content on the platform, less than 0.38% of all content (from approximately 67 Al creator profiles) is Al, and it is clearly labeled in its own category. Those creators must follow the same strict Trust & Safety, age-verification, co-performer identification, and consent standards as all other creators on ManyVids. M We have historically been among the strictest platforms in the industry when it comes to age verification, co-performer identification, and identity verification for content creators since day one. We have always taken strong public positions against platforms that were built on stolen content, impersonation, or non-consensual distribution. Those behaviors cause real harm, and that is precisely why ManyVids was created to bring better, safer, and more ethical options to a historic historically exploitative industry. Traffic-based adult platforms are becoming less viable under stricter age-verification and compliance regulations, which we fully support. It is quite clear that traditional traffic-based tube sites will not stand the test of time under those regulations. We believe the industry needs to start respecting its creators and move away from offering free, unregulated NSFW content, as we shared in a pinned post on our X account months ago. Requiring payment methods such as c… It is also important to say that ManyVids is a woman-led tech company in an industry that is dominated by men, for men. Our CEO, Bella French, intentionally stopped doing interviews almost five years ago and has not maintained personal social media for many years. The company's social presence has also been intentionally paused. Updates to her bio-for the first time in close to six months on her bellafrench.com website recently reflected long-term strategic positioning, not a sudden shift in direction. Those changes were not promoted anywhere and were intended for a business-focused audience to help our community grow. Within hours of making those edits, a negative article was published out of context by a blog closely connected to other industry players. We have navigated misinformation and coordinated pushback for over a decade - this is not new in our industry. We are used to dealing with intentional attempts to discredit our team, our community, and our disruptive vision. We also believe strongly in educating adults who may be considering a career in the adult industry. The internet's memory is permanent, and the promotional gimmick of instant explosive financial success is false and potentially dangerous. ManyVids is a creative pop-culture community for adults where positive freedom of speech and creative expression are welcomed, but where we also understand that sustainable success requires long-term effort and business skills. ManyVids' News feed offers daily entertainment with original informational content, well-researched historical references, art, and humor. For that level of human creativity combined with Al intelligence to thrive, it is crucial to offer a safe space, which is why we do not allow public comments on our free social posts-this helps maintain an uplifting and joyful environment. ManyVids is an inclusive, decentralized, human-driven ecosystem for adults first and always will be. Our offering of both 18+ NSFW and SFW content is our biggest s… companions with sexual capabilities will become increasingly in demand, and tech firms with strong, proven ethical expertise, supported by real-time creator uploads that reflect constantly evolving human sexual expression and interaction, will become extremely valuable in the near future. As we all know, we are about to experience unprecedented job-market disruption. To ensure a positive future for humanity, we need to act now and have solutions in place for this upcoming transformational tsunami. At ManyVids, we have created a Human-Centered Economy a job-creation model of the future where humans can monetize their passions, stay connected, and remain motivated. We believe Al companies should take this job-displacement challenge as seriously as their Al development, and we are open to collaborating with leading Al companies that want to help champion a worldwide transformation within the online adult industry in a way that makes it unrecognizable from what it is today, while also providing solutions for merit-based job creation for adults an ecosystem where redistribution through universal monthly or bi-weekly bonus-based income would be possible. We see Al not as taking jobs from humans, but as freeing people from work they never wanted to do in the first place, so they can pursue more meaningful, human-centered paths based on respect and creativity on platforms such as ManyVids. With bolda bold and courageous visionaries, the future can be filled with abundance if we take the right actions today. At ManyVids, we hope to play an important role in building a world where human health, respect for all, and meaning are celebrated and protected in an increasingly Al- and robotics-driven world. MV Team
January 29, 2026 at 9:54 PM