Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
@zeyiyang.bsky.social
🖊 Writing about China and Technology for WIRED. Reporting on everything because everything is computer.
✉️ zeyi_yang[AT]wired.com
💬 signal: zeyiyang.06
✉️ zeyi_yang[AT]wired.com
💬 signal: zeyiyang.06
Pinned
Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
@zeyiyang.bsky.social
· Oct 1
A Journey Into the Heart of Labubu
I made an epic trek across four countries to answer one question: Why is the world going mad for a plushie monster?
www.wired.com
In college, I'd always walk past an unremarkable store in Beijing that sold a variety of trendy, but tacky, toys. That store has turned into Pop Mart, the $45-billion Chinese toy empire behind Labubu, the biggest global fad of 2025.
This is my big story/pilgrimage trip to explain how they got here
This is my big story/pilgrimage trip to explain how they got here
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
new from me today: not all data centers are created environmentally equal — and building them in states with cleaner grids and more access to water could go a long way in preventing environmental catastrophe
If the US Has to Build Data Centers, Here’s Where They Should Go
A new analysis tries to calculate the coming environmental footprint of AI in the US and finds that the ideal sites for data centers aren’t where they’re being built.
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
new from me today: not all data centers are created environmentally equal — and building them in states with cleaner grids and more access to water could go a long way in preventing environmental catastrophe
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
Tesla (TSLA) sees worst sales performance in China in years
Tesla (TSLA) sees worst sales performance in China in years
In October, Tesla (TSLA) saw its worst sales performance in China in years – down 36% year-over-year. It was its worst month of the year – even worse than when the automaker was transitioning production to the refreshed Model Y.
more…
electrek.co
November 10, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Tesla (TSLA) sees worst sales performance in China in years
ICYMI
SCOOP: China's top 2 gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, became unavailable on app stores over the weekend. Apple confirmed to WIRED that it removed the two apps following "an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China."
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
Apple Pulls China’s Top Gay Dating Apps After Government Order
The removal of Blued and Finka marks another setback for China’s marginalized LGBTQ+ community.
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
ICYMI
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
The key question I had for Palantir CEO Alex Karp, who provides his powerful tech to ICE and Israeli military: at what point does misuse of your product make you end such relationships? Hear his answers on this and much more www.wired.com/story/alex-k...
Alex Karp Goes to War
Palantir’s CEO is good with ICE and says he defends human rights. But will Israel and Trump ever go too far for him?
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
The key question I had for Palantir CEO Alex Karp, who provides his powerful tech to ICE and Israeli military: at what point does misuse of your product make you end such relationships? Hear his answers on this and much more www.wired.com/story/alex-k...
SCOOP: China's top 2 gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, became unavailable on app stores over the weekend. Apple confirmed to WIRED that it removed the two apps following "an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China."
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
Apple Pulls China’s Top Gay Dating Apps After Government Order
The removal of Blued and Finka marks another setback for China’s marginalized LGBTQ+ community.
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:27 AM
SCOOP: China's top 2 gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, became unavailable on app stores over the weekend. Apple confirmed to WIRED that it removed the two apps following "an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China."
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
Other big tech companies including Amazon, Apple, and Nvidia have continued their annual disclosures this year even as the Trump administration cracks down on DEI.
www.wired.com/story/google...
www.wired.com/story/google...
Google, Microsoft, and Meta Have Stopped Publishing Workforce Diversity Data
Other big tech companies including Amazon, Apple, and Nvidia have continued their annual disclosures this year even as the Trump administration cracks down on DEI.
www.wired.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Other big tech companies including Amazon, Apple, and Nvidia have continued their annual disclosures this year even as the Trump administration cracks down on DEI.
www.wired.com/story/google...
www.wired.com/story/google...
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
Hey everyone, thank you so much for the outpouring of support.
I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
Click here to support Jake Lahut's story *LahutRentFund
*spotfund is the easiest place to create beautiful and free online fundraisers. It takes just minutes to start raising money today.
spot.fund
November 7, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Hey everyone, thank you so much for the outpouring of support.
I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
I need to pay rent, and I launched a GoFundMe spot.fund/LahutRentFund
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
China is reportedly behind the newly disclosed hack of the Congressional Budget Office, and it may still have access to some CBO systems: www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/p...
Congressional Budget Office hacked, China suspected in breach | CNN Politics
The Congressional Budget Office has been hacked, potentially exposing its communications with the offices of lawmakers, according to an email sent to congressional staff this week and obtained by CNN.
www.cnn.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:09 PM
China is reportedly behind the newly disclosed hack of the Congressional Budget Office, and it may still have access to some CBO systems: www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/p...
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
Jake is a resourceful political reporter with deep access to the White House; he goes out of his way to befriend everyone in the newsroom; and he is tireless at promoting our work on TV.
WIRED will carry on politics reporting with his legacy, but he deserves a better employer and platform.
WIRED will carry on politics reporting with his legacy, but he deserves a better employer and platform.
I was one of the four people who got canned.
In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Jake is a resourceful political reporter with deep access to the White House; he goes out of his way to befriend everyone in the newsroom; and he is tireless at promoting our work on TV.
WIRED will carry on politics reporting with his legacy, but he deserves a better employer and platform.
WIRED will carry on politics reporting with his legacy, but he deserves a better employer and platform.
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
A statement from Wired's Conde Union Members
November 6, 2025 at 8:19 PM
A statement from Wired's Conde Union Members
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
Breaking News: Late last night Conde Nast illegally fired 4 union organizers who asked company execs to explain the downsizing of Teen Vogue and continued layoffs. We’ve filed a grievance.
November 6, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Breaking News: Late last night Conde Nast illegally fired 4 union organizers who asked company execs to explain the downsizing of Teen Vogue and continued layoffs. We’ve filed a grievance.
Jake is a resourceful political reporter with deep access to the White House; he goes out of his way to befriend everyone in the newsroom; and he is tireless at promoting our work on TV.
WIRED will carry on politics reporting with his legacy, but he deserves a better employer and platform.
WIRED will carry on politics reporting with his legacy, but he deserves a better employer and platform.
I was one of the four people who got canned.
In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Jake is a resourceful political reporter with deep access to the White House; he goes out of his way to befriend everyone in the newsroom; and he is tireless at promoting our work on TV.
WIRED will carry on politics reporting with his legacy, but he deserves a better employer and platform.
WIRED will carry on politics reporting with his legacy, but he deserves a better employer and platform.
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
SCOOP (free, as it's FOIA-based!): I obtained 1,665 pgs of documents about "Bicken Ben," a growing private school the Zuckerbergs ran illegally out of their Palo Alto compound
Neighbors complained the school for years. Then, in 2024, they reached their breaking point:
www.wired.com/story/mark-z...
Neighbors complained the school for years. Then, in 2024, they reached their breaking point:
www.wired.com/story/mark-z...
Mark Zuckerberg Opened an Illegal School at His Palo Alto Compound. His Neighbors Revolted
Neighbors complained about noise, security guards, and hordes of traffic. An unlicensed school named after the Zuckerbergs’ pet chicken tipped them over the edge.
www.wired.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:29 PM
SCOOP (free, as it's FOIA-based!): I obtained 1,665 pgs of documents about "Bicken Ben," a growing private school the Zuckerbergs ran illegally out of their Palo Alto compound
Neighbors complained the school for years. Then, in 2024, they reached their breaking point:
www.wired.com/story/mark-z...
Neighbors complained the school for years. Then, in 2024, they reached their breaking point:
www.wired.com/story/mark-z...
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Australia has so much solar that it's offering everyone free electricity
Australia's extensive solar power penetration makes so much energy that the government wants to offer free electricity at peak hours.
electrek.co
November 6, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
November 5, 2025 at 11:09 PM
This is argued from the conservative point of view, but the same observation made can be very helpful to the democrats in how to build alliance in the new economic reality
I can't believe I'm saying this but this Breitbart dude captures *a portion* of Mamdani's appeal in a way I haven't quite seen elsewhere.
www.commonplace.org/p/zohrans-pa...
www.commonplace.org/p/zohrans-pa...
Zohran’s Park Slope Populists
Conservatives shouldn’t write off the economic pain of New York City’s downwardly mobile professional class.
www.commonplace.org
November 5, 2025 at 4:17 PM
This is argued from the conservative point of view, but the same observation made can be very helpful to the democrats in how to build alliance in the new economic reality
Gorsuch raised the counter-example that, if Trump's tariffs are justified, could a US president tariff all gas car imports citing the emergency of the climate change, and the US Solicitor General said yes that's right. www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXhz...
U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument on Legality of President Trump's Tariffs
YouTube video by C-SPAN
www.youtube.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Gorsuch raised the counter-example that, if Trump's tariffs are justified, could a US president tariff all gas car imports citing the emergency of the climate change, and the US Solicitor General said yes that's right. www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXhz...
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
Bluesky rn
November 5, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Bluesky rn
lmao I didn’t expect to read the economist citing the plot of 熊出没 as an allegory of China’s rising position in climate technologies.
Apparently 熊大&熊二 are Briar and Bramble, and 光头强 is “Vick—bald, middle-aged and out of his depth—can be read as a Westerner.”
Apparently 熊大&熊二 are Briar and Bramble, and 光头强 is “Vick—bald, middle-aged and out of his depth—can be read as a Westerner.”
The world’s renewable-energy superpower
China’s moment for climate leadership has arrived
www.economist.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:05 PM
lmao I didn’t expect to read the economist citing the plot of 熊出没 as an allegory of China’s rising position in climate technologies.
Apparently 熊大&熊二 are Briar and Bramble, and 光头强 is “Vick—bald, middle-aged and out of his depth—can be read as a Westerner.”
Apparently 熊大&熊二 are Briar and Bramble, and 光头强 is “Vick—bald, middle-aged and out of his depth—can be read as a Westerner.”
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
“In September 2024, the university informed Chinese state security that it would not be publishing a final phase of research on forced labour in China. “Immediately, relations improved,” an administrator wrote.”
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
UK university halted human rights research after pressure from China
Exclusive: Leading professor at Sheffield Hallam was told to cease research on supply chains and forced labour in China after demands from authorities
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:11 PM
“In September 2024, the university informed Chinese state security that it would not be publishing a final phase of research on forced labour in China. “Immediately, relations improved,” an administrator wrote.”
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
November 3, 2025 at 7:52 PM
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
Reposted by Zeyi Yang 杨泽毅
ok what's next? let's just say after 10+ years in journalism this is the most excited and responsible i feel to contribute to something because i believe in it so much. beating out everyone else's coverage of ICE/tech/your privacy in this dystopia, @404media.co, its an honor to join your badass team
New: Videos show ICE/CBP agents are scanning peoples' faces on the street to verify citizenship. ICE has tool to instantly look up unprecedented number of databases with just a photo
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples’ Faces on the Street To Verify Citizenship
Videos on social media show officers from ICE and CBP using facial recognition technology on people in the field. One expert described the practice as “pure dystopian creep.”
www.404media.co
November 3, 2025 at 2:36 PM
ok what's next? let's just say after 10+ years in journalism this is the most excited and responsible i feel to contribute to something because i believe in it so much. beating out everyone else's coverage of ICE/tech/your privacy in this dystopia, @404media.co, its an honor to join your badass team