Tony Elkins
@tonyelkins.com
Poynter Faculty. Poynter Leadership Academy coach, AI ethics, lots of other things. News Product Alliance founding member. Comanche citizen / Kiowa. Asheville
Reposted by Tony Elkins
A lot of people cannot just start a paid newsletter or become freelancers to sustain their careers. The sports, metro, and international desks did work that requires *team* resources, like legal checks, documents, access to archives, and long-term beat experience.
February 4, 2026 at 2:42 PM
A lot of people cannot just start a paid newsletter or become freelancers to sustain their careers. The sports, metro, and international desks did work that requires *team* resources, like legal checks, documents, access to archives, and long-term beat experience.
Reposted by Tony Elkins
thanks, i hate it.
ALL of the WaPo layoffs suck today, but this one stings because the arts are usually the first thing to go.
GIVE ME MORE MUSIC CRITICISM (from insanely talented writers), YOU COWARDS.
ALL of the WaPo layoffs suck today, but this one stings because the arts are usually the first thing to go.
GIVE ME MORE MUSIC CRITICISM (from insanely talented writers), YOU COWARDS.
I’ve been laid off by The Washington Post
Serving as this newspaper’s pop music critic for the past 16-plus years has been my privilege, my joy
Endless solidarity to my righteous colleagues, endless gratitude to our faithful readers
Serving as this newspaper’s pop music critic for the past 16-plus years has been my privilege, my joy
Endless solidarity to my righteous colleagues, endless gratitude to our faithful readers
February 4, 2026 at 7:00 PM
thanks, i hate it.
ALL of the WaPo layoffs suck today, but this one stings because the arts are usually the first thing to go.
GIVE ME MORE MUSIC CRITICISM (from insanely talented writers), YOU COWARDS.
ALL of the WaPo layoffs suck today, but this one stings because the arts are usually the first thing to go.
GIVE ME MORE MUSIC CRITICISM (from insanely talented writers), YOU COWARDS.
Reposted by Tony Elkins
The targeting of Native Americans by ICE is so widespread, tribal governments all over are responding. To protect tribal citizens from ICE raids, tribes are holding events to help citizens get updated IDs and even speeding up the printing and processing times.
February 4, 2026 at 4:59 PM
The targeting of Native Americans by ICE is so widespread, tribal governments all over are responding. To protect tribal citizens from ICE raids, tribes are holding events to help citizens get updated IDs and even speeding up the printing and processing times.
Reposted by Tony Elkins
ohhh ‘democracy dies in darkness’ was aspirational
February 4, 2026 at 3:47 PM
ohhh ‘democracy dies in darkness’ was aspirational
Who else has noticed the enshitification of resealable plastic zippers on food packaging?
I swear it's getting harder to close everything from shredded cheese to our dog's treats. All to save a fraction of cent to get max profits. I nearly threw a bag of tortillas across the kitchen out of anger.
I swear it's getting harder to close everything from shredded cheese to our dog's treats. All to save a fraction of cent to get max profits. I nearly threw a bag of tortillas across the kitchen out of anger.
a person is holding a piece of paper that has the letter c on it
ALT: a person is holding a piece of paper that has the letter c on it
media.tenor.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Who else has noticed the enshitification of resealable plastic zippers on food packaging?
I swear it's getting harder to close everything from shredded cheese to our dog's treats. All to save a fraction of cent to get max profits. I nearly threw a bag of tortillas across the kitchen out of anger.
I swear it's getting harder to close everything from shredded cheese to our dog's treats. All to save a fraction of cent to get max profits. I nearly threw a bag of tortillas across the kitchen out of anger.
All my family lives on tribal land scattered across Oklahoma and I am so frustrated and angry it's come to this.
February 3, 2026 at 2:43 PM
All my family lives on tribal land scattered across Oklahoma and I am so frustrated and angry it's come to this.
My nihilism is at an all time rate.
February 2, 2026 at 6:43 PM
My nihilism is at an all time rate.
Reposted by Tony Elkins
there's this new dynamic where the DOJ cannot win in court and is (relatedly) incapable of meeting the minimum threshold of professional legal conduct, and so an increasing percentage of its actions are purely for intimidation and content
January 30, 2026 at 1:54 PM
there's this new dynamic where the DOJ cannot win in court and is (relatedly) incapable of meeting the minimum threshold of professional legal conduct, and so an increasing percentage of its actions are purely for intimidation and content
Reposted by Tony Elkins
The violent occupation of Minneapolis started with a vlog. I've wanted to find a framework to describe Nick Shirley & others like him: "Influencer" is too quaint. "Journalist" is obviously wrong.
I landed on "slopagandist."
Gift link (open in a web browser) www.theverge.com/news/869824/...
I landed on "slopagandist."
Gift link (open in a web browser) www.theverge.com/news/869824/...
What is Nick Shirley?
Slop doesn’t need to be AI-generated
www.theverge.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:11 PM
The violent occupation of Minneapolis started with a vlog. I've wanted to find a framework to describe Nick Shirley & others like him: "Influencer" is too quaint. "Journalist" is obviously wrong.
I landed on "slopagandist."
Gift link (open in a web browser) www.theverge.com/news/869824/...
I landed on "slopagandist."
Gift link (open in a web browser) www.theverge.com/news/869824/...
Reposted by Tony Elkins
We are observers, not protestors. We show up to document and film the atrocities ICE is committing. Using 5 year olds as bait. Kidnapping senior citizens. Breaking down doors without warrants. Murdering poets and nurses. Media has all of that information because *observers* were there to document it
January 25, 2026 at 12:20 AM
We are observers, not protestors. We show up to document and film the atrocities ICE is committing. Using 5 year olds as bait. Kidnapping senior citizens. Breaking down doors without warrants. Murdering poets and nurses. Media has all of that information because *observers* were there to document it
Reposted by Tony Elkins
BREAKING: Now that TikTok is under US-based ownership, the social media app potentially collects more detailed information about its users, including precise location data.
My latest for @wired.com:
www.wired.com/story/tiktok...
My latest for @wired.com:
www.wired.com/story/tiktok...
TikTok Is Now Collecting Even More Data About Its Users. Here Are the 3 Biggest Changes
According to its new privacy policy, TikTok now collects more data on its users, including their precise location, after majority ownership officially switched to a group based in the US.
www.wired.com
January 23, 2026 at 9:48 PM
BREAKING: Now that TikTok is under US-based ownership, the social media app potentially collects more detailed information about its users, including precise location data.
My latest for @wired.com:
www.wired.com/story/tiktok...
My latest for @wired.com:
www.wired.com/story/tiktok...
Reposted by Tony Elkins
Went to an EdTech conference earlier to talk to esports people. Was having a brew when a guy on the table next to me said "this is literally innovation 2.0, so how do we take it to the next level... innovation 3.0". I didn't know people actually spoke like this. Now I'm annoyed and a little afraid
January 22, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Went to an EdTech conference earlier to talk to esports people. Was having a brew when a guy on the table next to me said "this is literally innovation 2.0, so how do we take it to the next level... innovation 3.0". I didn't know people actually spoke like this. Now I'm annoyed and a little afraid
I watch a lot of woodworking videos on YouTube on Saturday morning and OH MY GOD THESE ARE THE NEW VERSIONS OF NETWORK FISHING SHOWS.
January 10, 2026 at 2:41 PM
I watch a lot of woodworking videos on YouTube on Saturday morning and OH MY GOD THESE ARE THE NEW VERSIONS OF NETWORK FISHING SHOWS.
Reposted by Tony Elkins
As someone who works in news, it is 100% okay to turn off the news and have something else on in the background.
As someone who is chronically online and scrolls, it's also a reminder to turn off auto-play on videos.
As someone who is chronically online and scrolls, it's also a reminder to turn off auto-play on videos.
January 7, 2026 at 7:21 PM
As someone who works in news, it is 100% okay to turn off the news and have something else on in the background.
As someone who is chronically online and scrolls, it's also a reminder to turn off auto-play on videos.
As someone who is chronically online and scrolls, it's also a reminder to turn off auto-play on videos.
Reposted by Tony Elkins
if you do not want to watch the video, go to settings > content and media and uncheck the "autoplay videos and gifs" box right now
January 7, 2026 at 6:02 PM
if you do not want to watch the video, go to settings > content and media and uncheck the "autoplay videos and gifs" box right now
Reposted by Tony Elkins
X basically industrialized the creation of fake porn of women who don't consent. Others did it first, but Grok made it normalized and centralized: publicly visible, instantly creatable by anyone, regardless of who's being targeted and dehumanized. Only question now is will X suffer any consequences
January 7, 2026 at 12:45 PM
X basically industrialized the creation of fake porn of women who don't consent. Others did it first, but Grok made it normalized and centralized: publicly visible, instantly creatable by anyone, regardless of who's being targeted and dehumanized. Only question now is will X suffer any consequences
I've tried to dial back my AI-Doomer persona, but this technology is not worth the human toll it is taking.
Many are just waking up to the Grok-nonconsensual images story as these pictures began flooding X over the holidays, but here’s our piece from Jan 2 featuring a victim, Julie Yukari, who was brave enough to speak on the record and on camera:
www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
Elon Musk's Grok AI floods X with sexualized photos of women and minors
When contacted by Reuters for comment by email, xAI replied with the message "Legacy Media Lies."
www.reuters.com
January 5, 2026 at 9:23 PM
I've tried to dial back my AI-Doomer persona, but this technology is not worth the human toll it is taking.
I didn't write a Nieman Lap prediction, but I have a can't lose prognostication that will absolutely come true, bet money on it.
Orgs will continue to ask their people to do "More With Less" and that is 100% unsustainable and will lead to burnout, loss of morale and, ultimately, people will leave.
Orgs will continue to ask their people to do "More With Less" and that is 100% unsustainable and will lead to burnout, loss of morale and, ultimately, people will leave.
December 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
I didn't write a Nieman Lap prediction, but I have a can't lose prognostication that will absolutely come true, bet money on it.
Orgs will continue to ask their people to do "More With Less" and that is 100% unsustainable and will lead to burnout, loss of morale and, ultimately, people will leave.
Orgs will continue to ask their people to do "More With Less" and that is 100% unsustainable and will lead to burnout, loss of morale and, ultimately, people will leave.
New from me at @poynterinstitute.bsky.social
You might be covering Federal Indian Law without even knowing it and @indigenousja.bsky.social and UC Berkeley Law are hosting a webinar tomorrow to better equip your coverage.
www.poynter.org/reporting-ed...
You might be covering Federal Indian Law without even knowing it and @indigenousja.bsky.social and UC Berkeley Law are hosting a webinar tomorrow to better equip your coverage.
www.poynter.org/reporting-ed...
Federal Indian law is shaping some of the biggest stories in America. Most journalists don’t know they’re covering it. - Poynter
A webinar from UC Berkeley and the Indigenous Journalists Association offers reporters essential grounding in federal Indian law
www.poynter.org
November 17, 2025 at 8:58 PM
New from me at @poynterinstitute.bsky.social
You might be covering Federal Indian Law without even knowing it and @indigenousja.bsky.social and UC Berkeley Law are hosting a webinar tomorrow to better equip your coverage.
www.poynter.org/reporting-ed...
You might be covering Federal Indian Law without even knowing it and @indigenousja.bsky.social and UC Berkeley Law are hosting a webinar tomorrow to better equip your coverage.
www.poynter.org/reporting-ed...
Reposted by Tony Elkins
Jaw dropped. Trump Administration Removes Report on Missing and Murdered Native Americans, Calling It DEI Content
Trump Administration Removes Report on Missing and Murdered Native Americans, Calling It DEI Content - Oklahoma Watch
The Trump administration removed a congressionally mandated report on missing and murdered Native Americans from the DOJ website, citing compliance with an executive order against DEI. Senators who ch...
oklahomawatch.org
November 17, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Jaw dropped. Trump Administration Removes Report on Missing and Murdered Native Americans, Calling It DEI Content
Reposted by Tony Elkins
a heinous news cycle in every sense of the word
November 13, 2025 at 7:27 PM
a heinous news cycle in every sense of the word
Hot take: Buc-ee’s is Redneck Tokyo.
November 8, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Hot take: Buc-ee’s is Redneck Tokyo.
What’s it’s like to work on the @poynterinstitute.bsky.social AI team with me and @alexmahadevan.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:42 PM
What’s it’s like to work on the @poynterinstitute.bsky.social AI team with me and @alexmahadevan.com
I actually live in a cabin in the woods and it is not cheap. Propane is outrageous, gas costs to drive into town, constantly fighting back nature from reclaiming us . . . it's a heavy cost. Literally no sarcasm.
October 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
I actually live in a cabin in the woods and it is not cheap. Propane is outrageous, gas costs to drive into town, constantly fighting back nature from reclaiming us . . . it's a heavy cost. Literally no sarcasm.
Living in Florida for nearly 12 years must have prepared me for Singapore, because the weather is not as bad as the Internet made it out to be. It’s also one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited.
October 8, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Living in Florida for nearly 12 years must have prepared me for Singapore, because the weather is not as bad as the Internet made it out to be. It’s also one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited.