Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
@7smiles.bsky.social
Peaceful advocate for a better world. Effect change through community centered discussions. I'm based in New York, and I post mostly about:
digital privacy | queerness | public policy
digital privacy | queerness | public policy
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Special thanks to the developers building our decentralized future. Mastodon, Bluesky, Pixelfed, IPFS, Matrix, Solid, and countless other projects advancing open standards and keeping the internet weird, resilient, and truly shaped by its users.
November 28, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Special thanks to the developers building our decentralized future. Mastodon, Bluesky, Pixelfed, IPFS, Matrix, Solid, and countless other projects advancing open standards and keeping the internet weird, resilient, and truly shaped by its users.
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
GAAHHHH!! Why does Big Tech have to ruin everything?? I'm sick and tired of this pattern...
www.molecularist.com/2025/11/did-...
www.molecularist.com/2025/11/did-...
Did Qualcomm kill Arduino for good? | Molecularist
The maker community worried Qualcomm would kill the Arduino ethos. New T&Cs confirm the community's worst fears. Here's what's at stake, what Qualcomm got wrong, and what might still be salvaged.
www.molecularist.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:05 PM
GAAHHHH!! Why does Big Tech have to ruin everything?? I'm sick and tired of this pattern...
www.molecularist.com/2025/11/did-...
www.molecularist.com/2025/11/did-...
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
🚨 BREAKING #Google just activated #Gemini on #Gmail - without asking you.
Turn it off now; here's how!
tuta.com/blog/how-to-...
✊️ Fight AI & fight Google
You have to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations.
Share so everyone is aware. ❤️
Turn it off now; here's how!
tuta.com/blog/how-to-...
✊️ Fight AI & fight Google
You have to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations.
Share so everyone is aware. ❤️
November 21, 2025 at 7:22 AM
🚨 BREAKING #Google just activated #Gemini on #Gmail - without asking you.
Turn it off now; here's how!
tuta.com/blog/how-to-...
✊️ Fight AI & fight Google
You have to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations.
Share so everyone is aware. ❤️
Turn it off now; here's how!
tuta.com/blog/how-to-...
✊️ Fight AI & fight Google
You have to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations.
Share so everyone is aware. ❤️
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
✍️ With the #EUSummit25 on Digital Sovereignty taking place today, we’re proud to join 100+ partners in signing the “Declaration of Digital Independence” led by @apell.info.
Open source is key to Europe’s sovereignty, innovation and competitiveness.
Participate by signing the declaration👇️
Open source is key to Europe’s sovereignty, innovation and competitiveness.
Participate by signing the declaration👇️
Declaration of Digital Independence – Open Letter initiated by APELL – The European Open Source Software Business Association
digitalindependence.eu
November 18, 2025 at 1:05 PM
✍️ With the #EUSummit25 on Digital Sovereignty taking place today, we’re proud to join 100+ partners in signing the “Declaration of Digital Independence” led by @apell.info.
Open source is key to Europe’s sovereignty, innovation and competitiveness.
Participate by signing the declaration👇️
Open source is key to Europe’s sovereignty, innovation and competitiveness.
Participate by signing the declaration👇️
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
this! the AI industry and CS at large literally treats the human condition as a problem to be solved
"We are tearing people down by convincing them that they can't function without these tools. And we are doing this purely because some very rich unhappy oligarchs would like to become even richer if no more happier. There is nothing benevolent about this."
November 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
this! the AI industry and CS at large literally treats the human condition as a problem to be solved
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
what exactly is "winning the AI race? environmental destruction, labor extraction, ever more intrusive surveillance, mass manipulation, and unprecedented power for the handful???
Nvidia's Jensen Huang says China 'will win' AI race with US, FT reports reut.rs/48YNsTM
Nvidia's Jensen Huang says China 'will win' AI race with US, FT reports
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has warned that China will beat the United States in the artificial intelligence race, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
reut.rs
November 5, 2025 at 9:40 PM
what exactly is "winning the AI race? environmental destruction, labor extraction, ever more intrusive surveillance, mass manipulation, and unprecedented power for the handful???
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
When you book a flight through major travel sites, a data broker owned by U.S. airlines will sell details about your flight—your name, credit card used, and where you’re flying to the government.
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
How to Opt-Out of Airlines Selling Your Travel Data to the Government
The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), owned by major U.S. airlines, collects billions of ticketing records and sells them to the government to be searched without a warrant. I managed to opt-out…
www.404media.co
November 4, 2025 at 2:48 PM
When you book a flight through major travel sites, a data broker owned by U.S. airlines will sell details about your flight—your name, credit card used, and where you’re flying to the government.
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Reminder: Turn this off by Nov 3rd or LinkedIn will use your posts to train their AI. You can also formally object to this practice, as well.
And note to @Microsoft: opting people in, by default, for AI training is wrong.
proton.me/blog/linkedi...
And note to @Microsoft: opting people in, by default, for AI training is wrong.
proton.me/blog/linkedi...
LinkedIn will use your data to train AI – how to opt out | Proton
LinkedIn will share your public data with Microsoft to train AI. Find what this means for your privacy and how to opt out.
proton.me
October 31, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Reminder: Turn this off by Nov 3rd or LinkedIn will use your posts to train their AI. You can also formally object to this practice, as well.
And note to @Microsoft: opting people in, by default, for AI training is wrong.
proton.me/blog/linkedi...
And note to @Microsoft: opting people in, by default, for AI training is wrong.
proton.me/blog/linkedi...
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
No, law enforcement should not be able to purchase our data instead of getting a warrant. 🚫 We're dedicated to closing this loophole: takebackctrl.org/get-a-warrant
October 30, 2025 at 7:03 PM
No, law enforcement should not be able to purchase our data instead of getting a warrant. 🚫 We're dedicated to closing this loophole: takebackctrl.org/get-a-warrant
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
“Speaking to Futurism, DAIR director of research Alex Hanna said Amazon’s tech panopticon is ‘central to keeping control” over its workers.’”
Amazon Tells Driver to Keep Delivering Packages Amid Raging Wildfire
Amazon is accused of controlling workers through a surveillance dragnet, while skirting responsibility for their wellbeing.
futurism.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:38 PM
“Speaking to Futurism, DAIR director of research Alex Hanna said Amazon’s tech panopticon is ‘central to keeping control” over its workers.’”
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
“Relying on chatbots isn’t fringe — it’s the predictable result of care made scarce, stigmatized, and costly. Recognizing that doesn’t mean uncritically embracing chatbot care, but it’s past time to name what’s happening: Privately owned chatbots are functioning as public health resources.”
‘AI psychosis’ discussions ignore a bigger problem with chatbots
Don’t frame chatbot failures as human “insanity.”
www.statnews.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:54 PM
“Relying on chatbots isn’t fringe — it’s the predictable result of care made scarce, stigmatized, and costly. Recognizing that doesn’t mean uncritically embracing chatbot care, but it’s past time to name what’s happening: Privately owned chatbots are functioning as public health resources.”
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Roomba should have been a warning.
Man Alarmed to Discover His Smart Vacuum Was Broadcasting a Secret Map of His House
One man's robot vacuum was constantly communicating with its manufacturer, sending a detailed 3D map of his house halfway across the world.
futurism.com
October 26, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Roomba should have been a warning.
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
NEW: an a16z-backed startup called Doublespeed promises clients can “orchestrate actions on thousands of social accounts through both bulk content creation and deployment.”
Essentially an AI-powered bot service in violation of all major social media platforms
www.404media.co/a16z-backed-...
Essentially an AI-powered bot service in violation of all major social media platforms
www.404media.co/a16z-backed-...
a16z-Backed Startup Sells Thousands of ‘Synthetic Influencers’ to Manipulate Social Media as a Service
Andreessen Horowitz is funding a company that clearly violates the inauthentic behavior policies of every major social media platform.
www.404media.co
October 24, 2025 at 6:14 PM
NEW: an a16z-backed startup called Doublespeed promises clients can “orchestrate actions on thousands of social accounts through both bulk content creation and deployment.”
Essentially an AI-powered bot service in violation of all major social media platforms
www.404media.co/a16z-backed-...
Essentially an AI-powered bot service in violation of all major social media platforms
www.404media.co/a16z-backed-...
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
AI Chatbots Operate As Confirmation Bias Machines new study confirms
"Sycophantic AI increases attitude extremity and overconfidence."
This study provides evidence that sycophantic AI chatbots operate as confirmation bias machines. osf.io/preprints/ps...
This study provides evidence that sycophantic AI chatbots operate as confirmation bias machines. osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
October 24, 2025 at 9:50 PM
AI Chatbots Operate As Confirmation Bias Machines new study confirms
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
built on theft and at massive environmental cost and most importantly, numerous studies keep demonstrating that genAI tools often work a little better than by chance. how is it that we can’t expunge these slop machines out of our institutions and communities
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory
An intensive international study was coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and led by the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM
built on theft and at massive environmental cost and most importantly, numerous studies keep demonstrating that genAI tools often work a little better than by chance. how is it that we can’t expunge these slop machines out of our institutions and communities
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
this group built a data center tracker www.distilled.earth/p/these-data...
October 20, 2025 at 7:33 AM
this group built a data center tracker www.distilled.earth/p/these-data...
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
🚨 Another massive AWS outage just took down Roblox, Fortnite, Coinbase, Snapchat, and all Supercell games.
Half the internet has gone dark because of one Big Tech company. This is not innovation, it is monopoly risk.
💡It’s time to choose alternatives.
#GoEuropean #DigitalSovereignty #AWS #Outage
Half the internet has gone dark because of one Big Tech company. This is not innovation, it is monopoly risk.
💡It’s time to choose alternatives.
#GoEuropean #DigitalSovereignty #AWS #Outage
October 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM
🚨 Another massive AWS outage just took down Roblox, Fortnite, Coinbase, Snapchat, and all Supercell games.
Half the internet has gone dark because of one Big Tech company. This is not innovation, it is monopoly risk.
💡It’s time to choose alternatives.
#GoEuropean #DigitalSovereignty #AWS #Outage
Half the internet has gone dark because of one Big Tech company. This is not innovation, it is monopoly risk.
💡It’s time to choose alternatives.
#GoEuropean #DigitalSovereignty #AWS #Outage
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
“At toilet time, you sign in via a fingerprint sensor so that the device knows who's using the facilities. (Please wash your hands before signing out or tracking your progress.) Then, check in with the app for the day's analysis and trends over time.”
Kohler Wants to Put a Tiny Camera in Your Toilet and Analyze the Contents
The company's new Dekoda toilet accessory is like a little bathroom detective.
www.cnet.com
October 19, 2025 at 4:07 PM
“At toilet time, you sign in via a fingerprint sensor so that the device knows who's using the facilities. (Please wash your hands before signing out or tracking your progress.) Then, check in with the app for the day's analysis and trends over time.”
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Great to see this open access "Digital Africa" series taking shape. It provides a platform for African scholarship, expands African case studies and foregrounds African theorisation of the relationship between digital technologies, rights and power interests.
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/series/di...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/series/di...
Digital Africa: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) - Bloomsbury
Digital Africa explores how digital technologies have opened new spaces for the exercise of democratic rights and freedoms in Africa and how repressive regimes…
www.bloomsbury.com
October 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Great to see this open access "Digital Africa" series taking shape. It provides a platform for African scholarship, expands African case studies and foregrounds African theorisation of the relationship between digital technologies, rights and power interests.
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/series/di...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/series/di...
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Please believe OpenAI when their research confirms that LLMs will always inevitably produce plausible but false outputs. #AIforDummies
"In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limits."
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws
In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...
www.computerworld.com
October 17, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Please believe OpenAI when their research confirms that LLMs will always inevitably produce plausible but false outputs. #AIforDummies
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
🚨⏳ Act now! You have until 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 to prevent Microsoft from using your LinkedIn data to train AI.
You're opted in automatically, unless you take action and turn it off.
You're opted in automatically, unless you take action and turn it off.
October 17, 2025 at 10:16 AM
🚨⏳ Act now! You have until 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 to prevent Microsoft from using your LinkedIn data to train AI.
You're opted in automatically, unless you take action and turn it off.
You're opted in automatically, unless you take action and turn it off.
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
The administration “is currently pressuring OpenAI and other AI companies to make their models more conservative-friendly.”
OpenAI is trying to clamp down on ‘bias’ in ChatGPT
GPT-5 is better at resisting liberal ‘pressure,’ the company says.
www.theverge.com
October 11, 2025 at 12:02 PM
The administration “is currently pressuring OpenAI and other AI companies to make their models more conservative-friendly.”
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
"Ignorance isn’t always innocent. A lot of the time, it’s strategic. ... White ignorance doesn’t persist bc there’s a lack of information—it persists bc there’s a refusal to engage... once you admit you knew & did nothing... you’d have to admit you were fine with it. You have to admit complicity."
"Black people are tired. Not metaphorically tired—actually tired. The kind of tired that turns every group chat into a mix of gallows humor and emotional triage."
I write about white ignorance and how exhausting it is to hear white ppl insist "this isn't who we are, when it's ALWAYS who we've been.
I write about white ignorance and how exhausting it is to hear white ppl insist "this isn't who we are, when it's ALWAYS who we've been.
White People’s Performative Ignorance Is Exhausting—Opinion
Disbelief over authoritarianism in America isn’t a cutesy personality trait. It’s a confession: You haven’t been paying attention.
rewirenewsgroup.com
October 8, 2025 at 2:21 PM
"Ignorance isn’t always innocent. A lot of the time, it’s strategic. ... White ignorance doesn’t persist bc there’s a lack of information—it persists bc there’s a refusal to engage... once you admit you knew & did nothing... you’d have to admit you were fine with it. You have to admit complicity."
Reposted by Smiles #7 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
How AI is fueling surveillance capitalism and undermining democracy
youtu.be/cn8_lmWfXkQ?...
youtu.be/cn8_lmWfXkQ?...
How AI is fueling surveillance capitalism and undermining democracy
YouTube video by Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
youtu.be
October 9, 2025 at 5:07 AM
How AI is fueling surveillance capitalism and undermining democracy
youtu.be/cn8_lmWfXkQ?...
youtu.be/cn8_lmWfXkQ?...
More of this!
California's governor signed a bill that requires browsers to set up an easy-to-find mechanism that lets Californians opt-out of third-party information sharing with the push of a button therecord.media/california-s...
California enacts law giving consumers ability to universally opt out of data sharing
The California Consumer Privacy Act, signed in 2018, gave Californians the right to send opt-out signals, but major browsers have not had to make opt-outs simple to use.
therecord.media
October 9, 2025 at 4:46 AM
More of this!