Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
@sylviavo.bsky.social
Journalist covering tech and politics. Message me securely on Signal: sylviavo.11
Pinned
How Greg and Anna Brockman Became MAGA Megadonors
In November, Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and co-founder, and his wife, Anna, enjoyed a glitzy night out in Washington: a White House state dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The ...
www.theinformation.com
New: How OpenAI President Greg Brockman and his wife Anna went from having little interest in politics to becoming MAGA megadonors. Deep dive with @jemimamcevoy.bsky.social and @stephpalazzolo.bsky.social www.theinformation.com/articles/gre...
New: How OpenAI President Greg Brockman and his wife Anna went from having little interest in politics to becoming MAGA megadonors. Deep dive with @jemimamcevoy.bsky.social and @stephpalazzolo.bsky.social www.theinformation.com/articles/gre...
How Greg and Anna Brockman Became MAGA Megadonors
In November, Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and co-founder, and his wife, Anna, enjoyed a glitzy night out in Washington: a White House state dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The ...
www.theinformation.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:12 PM
New: How OpenAI President Greg Brockman and his wife Anna went from having little interest in politics to becoming MAGA megadonors. Deep dive with @jemimamcevoy.bsky.social and @stephpalazzolo.bsky.social www.theinformation.com/articles/gre...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Weekend: The Big Read
How Greg and Anna Brockman became MAGA megadonors.
Read more from @jemimamcevoy.bsky.social, @stephpalazzolo.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
https://thein.fo/49NNi0c
How Greg and Anna Brockman became MAGA megadonors.
Read more from @jemimamcevoy.bsky.social, @stephpalazzolo.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
https://thein.fo/49NNi0c
How Greg and Anna Brockman Became MAGA Megadonors
In November, Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and co-founder, and his wife, Anna, enjoyed a glitzy night out in Washington: a White House state dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The ...
thein.fo
January 23, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Weekend: The Big Read
How Greg and Anna Brockman became MAGA megadonors.
Read more from @jemimamcevoy.bsky.social, @stephpalazzolo.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
https://thein.fo/49NNi0c
How Greg and Anna Brockman became MAGA megadonors.
Read more from @jemimamcevoy.bsky.social, @stephpalazzolo.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
https://thein.fo/49NNi0c
New: Adam Presser has been named the CEO of TikTok’s new U.S. joint venture, confirming a story Juro Osawa and I wrote in October for @theinformation.com: www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
TikTok Insiders Bet No. 2, Adam Presser, Will Run New Venture
President Donald Trump’s recent announcement that a joint venture will oversee TikTok’s U.S. business left unanswered the important question of who will run the new company. Inside TikTok, executives ...
www.theinformation.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:06 AM
New: Adam Presser has been named the CEO of TikTok’s new U.S. joint venture, confirming a story Juro Osawa and I wrote in October for @theinformation.com: www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
We got Meta’s “general global playbook” for defeating advertiser verification regulations, which the company knows would reduce scams. It includes making scam ads “not findable” for regulators searching Meta’s ad library through targeted scrubbing.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Meta created ‘playbook’ to fend off pressure to crack down on scammers, documents show
As regulators pressure Meta to verify the identity of advertisers on Facebook and Instagram, the social media giant has drafted a “playbook” to stall them. A Reuters investigation examines its tactics...
www.reuters.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:38 PM
We got Meta’s “general global playbook” for defeating advertiser verification regulations, which the company knows would reduce scams. It includes making scam ads “not findable” for regulators searching Meta’s ad library through targeted scrubbing.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
New: I reported on an issue that is only going to get bigger and more interesting over the next year: How the AI backlash could shape the midterm elections. @theinformation.com www.theinformation.com/articles/ai-...
How the AI Backlash Could Shape the Midterm Elections
Lately, Maura Keller—a Democrat running in Georgia’s 3rd Congressional district in next year’s midterm elections—has been going to community meetings where one topic comes up again and again “almost o...
www.theinformation.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:46 PM
New: I reported on an issue that is only going to get bigger and more interesting over the next year: How the AI backlash could shape the midterm elections. @theinformation.com www.theinformation.com/articles/ai-...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Scoop: The White House is working on an executive order that will direct the Justice Department to sue states that pass their own laws regulating AI.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social and @aaronpholmes.bsky.social 👇
https://thein.fo/4pcoF3e
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social and @aaronpholmes.bsky.social 👇
https://thein.fo/4pcoF3e
White House Working on Executive Order to Foil State AI Regulations
The White House is working on an executive order that will direct the Justice Department to sue states that pass their own laws regulating artificial intelligence, according to a draft of the order re...
thein.fo
November 19, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Scoop: The White House is working on an executive order that will direct the Justice Department to sue states that pass their own laws regulating AI.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social and @aaronpholmes.bsky.social 👇
https://thein.fo/4pcoF3e
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social and @aaronpholmes.bsky.social 👇
https://thein.fo/4pcoF3e
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
this is like the third or fourth iteration of the James Damore situation at Google and it's interesting how consistently it happens at the company www.theinformation.com/articles/goo...
Google’s $2.7 Billion AI Hire Tests Company’s Speech Limits With Inflammatory Posts
This spring, Google AI leader Noam Shazeer posted a comment in one of the company’s internal discussion forums, in response to a post about how Google employees could support their transgender and non...
www.theinformation.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:37 PM
this is like the third or fourth iteration of the James Damore situation at Google and it's interesting how consistently it happens at the company www.theinformation.com/articles/goo...
I went on CNN today to discuss my scoop about TikTok’s plan to build a new app for U.S. users ahead of a planned sale. Read the story here: www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
July 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM
I went on CNN today to discuss my scoop about TikTok’s plan to build a new app for U.S. users ahead of a planned sale. Read the story here: www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Creator Economy: What We Know—And Don’t Know—About the New TikTok App
Read more from @kyurieff.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
www.theinformation.com/articles/kno...
Read more from @kyurieff.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
www.theinformation.com/articles/kno...
What We Know—And Don’t Know—About the New TikTok App
On Sunday, our team scooped that TikTok is planning a new version of its app for users in the U.S. ahead of a planned sale of the app to a group of investors.The news is generating a lot of buzz—and a...
www.theinformation.com
July 8, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Creator Economy: What We Know—And Don’t Know—About the New TikTok App
Read more from @kyurieff.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
www.theinformation.com/articles/kno...
Read more from @kyurieff.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
www.theinformation.com/articles/kno...
Inside the Silicon Valley-JD Vance dynamics. My latest: www.theinformation.com/articles/sil...
Silicon Valley Searches for Its JD Vance Angle
As President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” was being debated in the Senate over the past week, cracks were spreading among Republicans over a provision in the bill to block states from regulating artif...
www.theinformation.com
July 2, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Inside the Silicon Valley-JD Vance dynamics. My latest: www.theinformation.com/articles/sil...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Very interesting to see the DOGE project of dismantling govt still very much ongoing despite Musk’s departure.
At the SEC, they are cutting and injecting AI.
What could go wrong?
@sylviavo.bsky.social:
www.theinformation.com/articles/sec...
At the SEC, they are cutting and injecting AI.
What could go wrong?
@sylviavo.bsky.social:
www.theinformation.com/articles/sec...
June 10, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Very interesting to see the DOGE project of dismantling govt still very much ongoing despite Musk’s departure.
At the SEC, they are cutting and injecting AI.
What could go wrong?
@sylviavo.bsky.social:
www.theinformation.com/articles/sec...
At the SEC, they are cutting and injecting AI.
What could go wrong?
@sylviavo.bsky.social:
www.theinformation.com/articles/sec...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Exclusive: SEC employees are bracing for a DOGE-led restructuring, as the financial regulator prepares to bring AI tools into the agency.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social👇
www.theinformation.com/articles/sec...
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social👇
www.theinformation.com/articles/sec...
SEC Employees Brace For DOGE Restructuring, AI Push
Elon Musk may have parted ways with Washington and President Donald Trump, but employees from Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency are moving forward with a plan to restructure the Securities an...
www.theinformation.com
June 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Exclusive: SEC employees are bracing for a DOGE-led restructuring, as the financial regulator prepares to bring AI tools into the agency.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social👇
www.theinformation.com/articles/sec...
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social👇
www.theinformation.com/articles/sec...
Personal news: I'm changing beats to cover Silicon Valley’s growing influence in Washington D.C. under the Trump administration.
If you have tips, ideas or want to chat, you can contact me securely over Signal: sylviavo.11 or by email sylvia@theinformation.com
If you have tips, ideas or want to chat, you can contact me securely over Signal: sylviavo.11 or by email sylvia@theinformation.com
February 19, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Personal news: I'm changing beats to cover Silicon Valley’s growing influence in Washington D.C. under the Trump administration.
If you have tips, ideas or want to chat, you can contact me securely over Signal: sylviavo.11 or by email sylvia@theinformation.com
If you have tips, ideas or want to chat, you can contact me securely over Signal: sylviavo.11 or by email sylvia@theinformation.com
Scoop: At ByteDance's internal all-hands meeting last night, TikTok's CEO said they were working with a "key person" in the Trump administration to find a solution to the ban law. He also talked about removing "unnecessary layers" in the company. www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
TikTok CEO Plans More Streamlining as Talks With Trump Team Continue
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a staff meeting Wednesday evening that he is working closely with the Trump administration to determine the best course of action for the app’s future in the U.S. At th...
www.theinformation.com
February 13, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Scoop: At ByteDance's internal all-hands meeting last night, TikTok's CEO said they were working with a "key person" in the Trump administration to find a solution to the ban law. He also talked about removing "unnecessary layers" in the company. www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
Icymi: Meta has notified employees in an internal post about what they can expect Monday, when the company is due to implement previously announced job cuts affecting 5% of its workforce.
www.theinformation.com/briefings/me...
www.theinformation.com/briefings/me...
Meta Platforms Readies Staff for Layoff Announcement Monday
Meta Platforms is preparing to implement on Monday previously announced job cuts of 5% of its workforce. In a message to staff on Friday, Meta said employees who are laid off will be cut off from the ...
www.theinformation.com
February 8, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Icymi: Meta has notified employees in an internal post about what they can expect Monday, when the company is due to implement previously announced job cuts affecting 5% of its workforce.
www.theinformation.com/briefings/me...
www.theinformation.com/briefings/me...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Scoop: Meta Overhauls Reality Labs Business Unit Ahead of Earnings Report
Meta is transferring oversight of Reality Labs’ business operations to Meta Chief Operating Officer, Javier Olivan, away from Reality Labs’ COO, Dan Reed.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
Meta is transferring oversight of Reality Labs’ business operations to Meta Chief Operating Officer, Javier Olivan, away from Reality Labs’ COO, Dan Reed.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
January 28, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Scoop: Meta Overhauls Reality Labs Business Unit Ahead of Earnings Report
Meta is transferring oversight of Reality Labs’ business operations to Meta Chief Operating Officer, Javier Olivan, away from Reality Labs’ COO, Dan Reed.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
Meta is transferring oversight of Reality Labs’ business operations to Meta Chief Operating Officer, Javier Olivan, away from Reality Labs’ COO, Dan Reed.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social 👇
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Scoop: Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is exploring buying a property in Washington DC, as part of a push to work more closely with the Trump administration
He joins a growing group of tech titans - Elon Musk, David Sacks - seeking bases close to the White House
www.ft.com/content/9310...
He joins a growing group of tech titans - Elon Musk, David Sacks - seeking bases close to the White House
www.ft.com/content/9310...
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg explores purchase of Washington DC property
Billionaire founder of social media group seeks to work more closely with Trump administration
www.ft.com
January 29, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Scoop: Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is exploring buying a property in Washington DC, as part of a push to work more closely with the Trump administration
He joins a growing group of tech titans - Elon Musk, David Sacks - seeking bases close to the White House
www.ft.com/content/9310...
He joins a growing group of tech titans - Elon Musk, David Sacks - seeking bases close to the White House
www.ft.com/content/9310...
DOGE’s top lawyer is out: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Exclusive | DOGE’s Top Lawyer to Depart
Bill McGinley, the group’s counsel, is planning to return to the private sector
www.wsj.com
January 23, 2025 at 10:16 PM
DOGE’s top lawyer is out: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Exclusive: TikTok in Last-Minute Dash to Prepare Retailers, Staff for Ban
TikTok is organizing a last-minute effort to handle the business of millions of creators and merchants on the app once it shuts off in the U.S.
Read more from @kyurieff.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social👇
TikTok is organizing a last-minute effort to handle the business of millions of creators and merchants on the app once it shuts off in the U.S.
Read more from @kyurieff.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social👇
January 18, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Exclusive: TikTok in Last-Minute Dash to Prepare Retailers, Staff for Ban
TikTok is organizing a last-minute effort to handle the business of millions of creators and merchants on the app once it shuts off in the U.S.
Read more from @kyurieff.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social👇
TikTok is organizing a last-minute effort to handle the business of millions of creators and merchants on the app once it shuts off in the U.S.
Read more from @kyurieff.bsky.social and @sylviavo.bsky.social👇
TikTok confirms our scoop from Tuesday. "Unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19." www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
January 18, 2025 at 2:09 AM
TikTok confirms our scoop from Tuesday. "Unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19." www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Not much to see here, just Mark Zuckerberg making sure that Stephen Miller, of all people, greenlights Facebook's new hiring policies.
Gift link to this excellent NYT piece: www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/u...
Gift link to this excellent NYT piece: www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/u...
January 16, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Not much to see here, just Mark Zuckerberg making sure that Stephen Miller, of all people, greenlights Facebook's new hiring policies.
Gift link to this excellent NYT piece: www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/u...
Gift link to this excellent NYT piece: www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/u...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
TikTok plans to shut off its app in the US Sunday, rather than allowing people who have already downloaded it to continue using it, unless SCOTUS intervenes to block the ban, @sylviavo.bsky.social scoops at @theinformation.bsky.social.
It's part of an effort to rally users to oppose the ban.
It's part of an effort to rally users to oppose the ban.
TikTok Prepares for Immediate Shut-Off in the U.S. on Sunday
TikTok plans to shut off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, the day a federal law will ban the app, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban, according to two people familiar with TikTok’s ...
www.theinformation.com
January 15, 2025 at 3:32 PM
TikTok plans to shut off its app in the US Sunday, rather than allowing people who have already downloaded it to continue using it, unless SCOTUS intervenes to block the ban, @sylviavo.bsky.social scoops at @theinformation.bsky.social.
It's part of an effort to rally users to oppose the ban.
It's part of an effort to rally users to oppose the ban.
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
Scoop: TikTok Prepares for Immediate Shut-Off in the U.S. on Sunday
TikTok plans to turn off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, when it is due to be banned. That will bring home the impact to all users immediately.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social and @kyurieff.bsky.social👇
TikTok plans to turn off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, when it is due to be banned. That will bring home the impact to all users immediately.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social and @kyurieff.bsky.social👇
January 15, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Scoop: TikTok Prepares for Immediate Shut-Off in the U.S. on Sunday
TikTok plans to turn off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, when it is due to be banned. That will bring home the impact to all users immediately.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social and @kyurieff.bsky.social👇
TikTok plans to turn off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, when it is due to be banned. That will bring home the impact to all users immediately.
Read more from @sylviavo.bsky.social and @kyurieff.bsky.social👇
Scoop w/ @kyurieff.bsky.social:
TikTok plans to shut off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban. Abruptly switching off the app will bring home the impact of the ban to all TikTok’s users. www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
TikTok plans to shut off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban. Abruptly switching off the app will bring home the impact of the ban to all TikTok’s users. www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
TikTok Prepares for Immediate Shut-Off in the U.S. on Sunday
TikTok plans to shut off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, the day a federal law will ban the app, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban, according to two people familiar with TikTok’s ...
www.theinformation.com
January 15, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Scoop w/ @kyurieff.bsky.social:
TikTok plans to shut off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban. Abruptly switching off the app will bring home the impact of the ban to all TikTok’s users. www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
TikTok plans to shut off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban. Abruptly switching off the app will bring home the impact of the ban to all TikTok’s users. www.theinformation.com/articles/tik...
Reposted by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan
3. I have fired Meta as a client. While I think they are on the right side in the generative AI copyright dispute in which I represented them, and I hope they win, I cannot in good conscience serve as their lawyer any longer 4/4
January 13, 2025 at 9:47 PM
3. I have fired Meta as a client. While I think they are on the right side in the generative AI copyright dispute in which I represented them, and I hope they win, I cannot in good conscience serve as their lawyer any longer 4/4