Tim Newman
@tnewmsblues.bsky.social
Labor + Tech | Currently @techequity.bsky.social | Formerly Coworker(.)org, Coworker Solidarity Fund, Change(.)org, International Labor Rights Forum
Pinned
Tim Newman
@tnewmsblues.bsky.social
· Mar 17
Let’s honor the breakthrough Tim’s in popular culture of late. We are doing great!
Odd to not acknowledge the significant effort - and actual progress - being made on the state level in terms of both policy and enforcement.
Under Trump 2.0, tech platforms have proven to be more responsive to the demands of a rising authoritarian than from pressure from workers, or users, or civil society, writes Dave Karpf. If we are going to repair democratic institutions, we are going to have to do it ourselves, he says.
The Dance with Big Tech is Different under Trump 2.0 | TechPolicy.Press
If we are going to repair democratic institutions, we are going to have to do it ourselves, writes Dave Karpf.
www.techpolicy.press
November 17, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Odd to not acknowledge the significant effort - and actual progress - being made on the state level in terms of both policy and enforcement.
This segment is a total mess and Anderson unfortunately was not up to the task.
Currently fantasizing about how this could have gone with Chotiner instead…
Currently fantasizing about how this could have gone with Chotiner instead…
Q: “.. You've said, ‘AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and spike unemployment to 10% to 20% in the next one to five years.’”
@60minutes.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/anthrop...
@60minutes.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/anthrop...
November 17, 2025 at 2:04 AM
This segment is a total mess and Anderson unfortunately was not up to the task.
Currently fantasizing about how this could have gone with Chotiner instead…
Currently fantasizing about how this could have gone with Chotiner instead…
Reposted by Tim Newman
Meta employee performance will be assessed by AI-driven impact starting in 2026, as the company prioritizes AI adoption across its workforce.
Meta will grade employees on their AI impact starting in 2026
Meta employee performance will be assessed by AI-driven impact starting in 2026, as the company prioritizes AI adoption across its workforce.
www.businessinsider.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Meta employee performance will be assessed by AI-driven impact starting in 2026, as the company prioritizes AI adoption across its workforce.
“Without understanding how AI works, leadership develops unrealistic expectations that cascade through organizations, requiring faster and higher-quality work that’s nearly impossible to sustain.” www.fastcompany.com/91441684/fro...
From cognitive decline to burnout: AI's overlooked impact on workers
Despite AI having many advantages, it also comes with side effects we need to consider when integrating it at work.
www.fastcompany.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:54 PM
“Without understanding how AI works, leadership develops unrealistic expectations that cascade through organizations, requiring faster and higher-quality work that’s nearly impossible to sustain.” www.fastcompany.com/91441684/fro...
Here come the UBI tech bros:
“it would be cheaper and more effective than existing safety nets”
“UBI enables market-friendly solutions… potentially eliminating the need for minimum wage laws, rent control, and subsidized housing.”
“It’s cheaper than poverty.”
nypost.com/2025/11/14/b...
“it would be cheaper and more effective than existing safety nets”
“UBI enables market-friendly solutions… potentially eliminating the need for minimum wage laws, rent control, and subsidized housing.”
“It’s cheaper than poverty.”
nypost.com/2025/11/14/b...
How Silicon Valley is preparing for the jobless AI future it’s creating
“It will be like the Industrial Revolution all over again,” a tech executive told NYNext. “The question is: can we minimize the fallout this time?”
nypost.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Here come the UBI tech bros:
“it would be cheaper and more effective than existing safety nets”
“UBI enables market-friendly solutions… potentially eliminating the need for minimum wage laws, rent control, and subsidized housing.”
“It’s cheaper than poverty.”
nypost.com/2025/11/14/b...
“it would be cheaper and more effective than existing safety nets”
“UBI enables market-friendly solutions… potentially eliminating the need for minimum wage laws, rent control, and subsidized housing.”
“It’s cheaper than poverty.”
nypost.com/2025/11/14/b...
AI is simply not politically neutral
November 15, 2025 at 2:30 PM
AI is simply not politically neutral
Insurer announces “it will only insure construction wrap-up projects that have installed… a safety technology company specializing in video-based behavioral modification and coaching analytics”
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/14/w...
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/14/w...
Surveillance tech leads workers' comp claims to plummet at NYC construction sites
Insurer Zurich North America said it will only insure construction wrap-up projects in New York that have installed video analytics and coaching from Arrowsight.
www.cnbc.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Insurer announces “it will only insure construction wrap-up projects that have installed… a safety technology company specializing in video-based behavioral modification and coaching analytics”
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/14/w...
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/14/w...
Good stuff 👇🏻
In the new TMK, we chat with folks from Amazon Employees for Climate Justice about their campaign to build solidarity among workers, confront the impacts of AI, apply pressure on corporate leadership, and agitate for socio-environmental justice at Amazon and beyond. soundcloud.com/thismachinek...
431. How Amazon Workers are Organizing for Climate Justice (ft. Eliza Pan, Dawn)
[This episode was recorded before Amazon announced its massive layoffs.] We chat with Eliza and Dawn from the Amazon Employees for Climate Justice about their organizing campaigns and how they are hol
soundcloud.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Good stuff 👇🏻
Reposted by Tim Newman
Another commenter notes the contradiction faced by many in the data work part of the AI supply chain:
“They want quality at speed. They WANT robots, lol, and are completely stressed out they have to deal with humans instead.”
“They want quality at speed. They WANT robots, lol, and are completely stressed out they have to deal with humans instead.”
November 14, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Another commenter notes the contradiction faced by many in the data work part of the AI supply chain:
“They want quality at speed. They WANT robots, lol, and are completely stressed out they have to deal with humans instead.”
“They want quality at speed. They WANT robots, lol, and are completely stressed out they have to deal with humans instead.”
Reposted by Tim Newman
The 20 year olds who founded Mercor, which now has a $10B valuation, promote their market of people with niche industry expertise and they predict “we’ll automate maybe two-thirds of knowledge work.”
These Mercor data workers say “it’s a platform that rewards speed over skill.”
These Mercor data workers say “it’s a platform that rewards speed over skill.”
November 14, 2025 at 1:11 PM
The 20 year olds who founded Mercor, which now has a $10B valuation, promote their market of people with niche industry expertise and they predict “we’ll automate maybe two-thirds of knowledge work.”
These Mercor data workers say “it’s a platform that rewards speed over skill.”
These Mercor data workers say “it’s a platform that rewards speed over skill.”
Reposted by Tim Newman
This post from Reddit highlights a lot of the issues AI data workers share about their work: feeling stuck in freelance work due to tough job market; lack of transparency & access to work on platforms; discomfort with implications of their work.
Check out this report: cwa-union.org/ghost-worker...
Check out this report: cwa-union.org/ghost-worker...
November 14, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This post from Reddit highlights a lot of the issues AI data workers share about their work: feeling stuck in freelance work due to tough job market; lack of transparency & access to work on platforms; discomfort with implications of their work.
Check out this report: cwa-union.org/ghost-worker...
Check out this report: cwa-union.org/ghost-worker...
Reposted by Tim Newman
It's a useful reminder that sometimes tech can make a task more efficient for one side (applying for jobs), and more efficient for the other side (writing job adverts), and yet make the system as a whole completely inefficient.
November 14, 2025 at 10:14 AM
It's a useful reminder that sometimes tech can make a task more efficient for one side (applying for jobs), and more efficient for the other side (writing job adverts), and yet make the system as a whole completely inefficient.
Reposted by Tim Newman
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
November 14, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
“The facilities on average offer about 90 positions, and some have as few as 20. Former workers and local campaigners told Rest of World that most of the positions are in security and cleaning.”
“Data centers are like warehouses filled with machines and cables, and there's little need for workers”
https://restofworld.org/2025/data-centers-jobs-microsoft-google-chile/?utm_campaign=row-social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_content=1762891320
https://restofworld.org/2025/data-centers-jobs-microsoft-google-chile/?utm_campaign=row-social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_content=1762891320
November 14, 2025 at 4:05 AM
“The facilities on average offer about 90 positions, and some have as few as 20. Former workers and local campaigners told Rest of World that most of the positions are in security and cleaning.”
Honestly not sure I’ve ever seen anything like this. A breathe of fresh digital air.
November 14, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Honestly not sure I’ve ever seen anything like this. A breathe of fresh digital air.
Exactly the kind of unfair and deceptive markets practices that Lina Khan took on at the FTC by launching Operation AI Comply.
November 14, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Exactly the kind of unfair and deceptive markets practices that Lina Khan took on at the FTC by launching Operation AI Comply.
Ignoring AI isn’t an option (or at least not a good one)
Excerpts from a keynote speech
substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Reposted by Tim Newman
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
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 2:11 PM
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
22 year old billionaire CEO of Mercor last week: “in the future, everyone has $10 million in purchasing power, lives in a nice apartment & works only if they want to.” sfstandard.com/2025/11/07/s...
This week 👇🏻
This week 👇🏻
November 13, 2025 at 2:27 AM
22 year old billionaire CEO of Mercor last week: “in the future, everyone has $10 million in purchasing power, lives in a nice apartment & works only if they want to.” sfstandard.com/2025/11/07/s...
This week 👇🏻
This week 👇🏻
Reposted by Tim Newman
WE WON! After 42 days of striking we have a tentative agreement in hand that protects our existing 4 day work week, establishes a minimum salary, and adds protections against AI replacing jobs at our workplace!
![Graphic with multiple picket signs that reads "[up arrow] Minimum Salary", "4 day Work Week", and a big cancel sign over "AI Replacing Jobs" and so much more. Go to kickstarterunited.org to see it all!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gdife25rfr5drwr2nhncr3rf/bafkreidfgv3xytmgta3x35mjze22ojok7lwh3vlhgrcfbcwr7hjg6bb6eu@jpeg)
November 12, 2025 at 10:54 PM
WE WON! After 42 days of striking we have a tentative agreement in hand that protects our existing 4 day work week, establishes a minimum salary, and adds protections against AI replacing jobs at our workplace!
Reposted by Tim Newman
So check out the thread above…
This startup had a whole wave of profiles and press coverage about the kids in their early 20s who run it.
You’ll never guess where the story is going next. Check out the next few posts…
bsky.app/profile/fort...
This startup had a whole wave of profiles and press coverage about the kids in their early 20s who run it.
You’ll never guess where the story is going next. Check out the next few posts…
bsky.app/profile/fort...
“Everyone’s been focused on what models can do. But the real opportunity is teaching them what only humans know—judgment, nuance, and taste,” Mercor cofounder and the world’s youngest self-made billionaire, Brendan Foody, told Fortune. trib.al/jmbGVzD
November 13, 2025 at 1:09 AM
So check out the thread above…
This startup had a whole wave of profiles and press coverage about the kids in their early 20s who run it.
You’ll never guess where the story is going next. Check out the next few posts…
bsky.app/profile/fort...
This startup had a whole wave of profiles and press coverage about the kids in their early 20s who run it.
You’ll never guess where the story is going next. Check out the next few posts…
bsky.app/profile/fort...
“Separately, CalPERS committed a combined $130 million to two new
funds from crypto specialist Haun Venture”
www.venturecapitaljournal.com/calpers-back...
funds from crypto specialist Haun Venture”
www.venturecapitaljournal.com/calpers-back...
CalPERS backs Haun and Mayfield funds in commitment flurry
The commitments serve as the latest examples of a more venture-focused overhaul of private equity strategy at the $589bn system.
www.venturecapitaljournal.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:26 PM
“Separately, CalPERS committed a combined $130 million to two new
funds from crypto specialist Haun Venture”
www.venturecapitaljournal.com/calpers-back...
funds from crypto specialist Haun Venture”
www.venturecapitaljournal.com/calpers-back...
“Unless bias is obvious, people were perfectly willing to accept AI’s bias… In the case of severe bias, choices followed AI picks around 90% of the time… indicating that even if people are able to recognize AI bias, that awareness isn’t strong enough to negate it” www.washington.edu/news/2025/11...
People mirror AI systems’ hiring biases, study finds
In a new UW study, 528 participants worked with simulated AI systems to select job candidates. The researchers simulated different levels of racial biases for resumes from white, Black, Hispanic and.....
www.washington.edu
November 11, 2025 at 3:43 PM
“Unless bias is obvious, people were perfectly willing to accept AI’s bias… In the case of severe bias, choices followed AI picks around 90% of the time… indicating that even if people are able to recognize AI bias, that awareness isn’t strong enough to negate it” www.washington.edu/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Tim Newman
“The consequences extend beyond lost money. Hazardous gambling is correlated with increased rates of anxiety and depression, and young men who engage in it are more likely to slide into a full-blown gambling addiction. Boys who frequently gamble miss more classes, perform worse in school”
The rise of sports betting is a growing public health crisis
Sports betting is more addictive than ever, and millions of young Americans are paying the price.
www.statnews.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:55 PM
“The consequences extend beyond lost money. Hazardous gambling is correlated with increased rates of anxiety and depression, and young men who engage in it are more likely to slide into a full-blown gambling addiction. Boys who frequently gamble miss more classes, perform worse in school”
“Manufacturing companies that listen to their front-line workers pay their employees 3.6% more than those that don’t.
Such manufacturers also see 16% higher productivity.”
mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-t...
Such manufacturers also see 16% higher productivity.”
mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-t...
For manufacturers, listening to workers pays off in productivity | MIT Sloan
Companies that act on input from front-line employees pay their workers more and experience a productivity bump that offsets those costs.
mitsloan.mit.edu
November 11, 2025 at 2:58 PM
“Manufacturing companies that listen to their front-line workers pay their employees 3.6% more than those that don’t.
Such manufacturers also see 16% higher productivity.”
mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-t...
Such manufacturers also see 16% higher productivity.”
mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-t...