Ben Winters
@benwinters.bsky.social
director of AI and privacy at Consumer Federation of America | teaching tech policy law/reg @udclaw | formerly EPIC (the privacy one not the bad ones), and DOJ Civil Rights division| ⚫️⚪️+🗽 | 🐦 🐿 | he/him
contact: bwinters@consumerfed.org
contact: bwinters@consumerfed.org
yessss, I am the vice president
i have a favorite AI program
it is the one who asked a 12 year old for nude through their moms cars interface
the one that has a feature to make a picture of anything into a “spicy one”
the one that coined the term MechaHitler
i have a favorite AI program
it is the one who asked a 12 year old for nude through their moms cars interface
the one that has a feature to make a picture of anything into a “spicy one”
the one that coined the term MechaHitler
JD Vance: "I'm a Grok guy. I think it's the best. It's also the least woke."
November 14, 2025 at 2:26 AM
yessss, I am the vice president
i have a favorite AI program
it is the one who asked a 12 year old for nude through their moms cars interface
the one that has a feature to make a picture of anything into a “spicy one”
the one that coined the term MechaHitler
i have a favorite AI program
it is the one who asked a 12 year old for nude through their moms cars interface
the one that has a feature to make a picture of anything into a “spicy one”
the one that coined the term MechaHitler
Reposted by Ben Winters
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Reposted by Ben Winters
Reposted by Ben Winters
We used to have the Bureau of Labor Statistics collect inflation data but under Trump we’ve outsourced it to DoorDash
November 12, 2025 at 1:09 AM
We used to have the Bureau of Labor Statistics collect inflation data but under Trump we’ve outsourced it to DoorDash
Reposted by Ben Winters
This is also messed up. Strong headline.
ChatGPT Now Linked to Way More Deaths Than the Caffeinated Lemonade That Panera Pulled Off the Market in Disgrace
ChatGPT has been publicly linked to at least eight deaths. OpenAI has announced no plans to take it off the market.
futurism.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:58 PM
This is also messed up. Strong headline.
Reposted by Ben Winters
I would like to take this opportunity to get on the record and apologize: I had complained about how every single thing at the grocery store now costs five dollars more than it used to, but I had not seen the latest data from DoorDash's State of Local Commerce report, which disproves that.
November 11, 2025 at 7:49 PM
I would like to take this opportunity to get on the record and apologize: I had complained about how every single thing at the grocery store now costs five dollars more than it used to, but I had not seen the latest data from DoorDash's State of Local Commerce report, which disproves that.
Reposted by Ben Winters
There would not have been enough space on the opinion pages of newspapers or segments on cable news to cover the amount of outrage that the media would have directed at Joe Biden if he did not know the standard duration of a home mortgage, but Trump? Crickets.
November 11, 2025 at 1:35 PM
There would not have been enough space on the opinion pages of newspapers or segments on cable news to cover the amount of outrage that the media would have directed at Joe Biden if he did not know the standard duration of a home mortgage, but Trump? Crickets.
Reposted by Ben Winters
the hipsters, they’re ordering double frufru mocha soy frappuccino. doesn’t anybody order a black coffee anymore
November 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM
the hipsters, they’re ordering double frufru mocha soy frappuccino. doesn’t anybody order a black coffee anymore
Reposted by Ben Winters
Democrats, coming off a historic national protest against fascism and a country-wide electoral sweep:
November 9, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Democrats, coming off a historic national protest against fascism and a country-wide electoral sweep:
Reposted by Ben Winters
Tech guys six months ago: haha yes we’re cutting all this WASTEFUL spending by eliminating medical research and USAID
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
November 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Tech guys six months ago: haha yes we’re cutting all this WASTEFUL spending by eliminating medical research and USAID
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
Reposted by Ben Winters
The diagram for what Palantir does is like if Richard Scarry got super paranoid and did an Apocalypse picture book
November 7, 2025 at 8:14 PM
The diagram for what Palantir does is like if Richard Scarry got super paranoid and did an Apocalypse picture book
Reposted by Ben Winters
Indefensible to argue this belongs in schools.
Seven more families are now suing OpenAI over ChatGPT's role in suicides, delusions | TechCrunch
In one case, 23-year-old Zane Shamblin had a conversation with ChatGPT that lasted more than four hours.
techcrunch.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Indefensible to argue this belongs in schools.
Reposted by Ben Winters
hey remember when we were told we needed to be super worried about TikTok data falling into the wrong hands and that surely having Oracle hold onto it would be safer
New: Washington Post is the latest organization to confirm a data breach linked to the mass-hacks of Oracle E-Business apps, which companies use to store their business/HR data.
Google previously said that over 100 organizations have been hacked as part of the campaign.
Google previously said that over 100 organizations have been hacked as part of the campaign.
Washington Post confirms data breach linked to Oracle hacks | TechCrunch
The Washington Post is the latest victim of a hacking campaign by the notorious Clop ransomware gang, which relied on vulnerabilities in Oracle software used by many corporations.
techcrunch.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:44 PM
hey remember when we were told we needed to be super worried about TikTok data falling into the wrong hands and that surely having Oracle hold onto it would be safer
Reposted by Ben Winters
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
OpenAI in Danger After Authors Suing It Gain Access to Its Internal Slack Messages
Authors and publishers, who are suing OpenAI, secured access to internal Slack messages and emails discussing the deletion of pirated books.
futurism.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 AM
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Reposted by Ben Winters
Reposted by Ben Winters
"Faced with this dilemma—where do you get a trillion dollars quick?—OpenAI is getting ready to run hat in hand to the taxpayer for subsidies, like every great Ayn Randian self-created entrepreneur, pulling themselves up by their bootstraps." prospect.org/2025/11/07/o...
OpenAI Is Maneuvering for a Government Bailout - The American Prospect
For artificial intelligence to ever pencil out, some truly enormous revenue streams will be required. And if you need trillions of dollars for data centers forever, there’s only one entity to turn to:...
prospect.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:26 PM
"Faced with this dilemma—where do you get a trillion dollars quick?—OpenAI is getting ready to run hat in hand to the taxpayer for subsidies, like every great Ayn Randian self-created entrepreneur, pulling themselves up by their bootstraps." prospect.org/2025/11/07/o...
Reposted by Ben Winters
FRED HICKEY: “.. GenAI is probably the most over-hyped technology I’ve ever witnessed in my 45 years of following tech stocks.”
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/commentary/b...
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/commentary/b...
November 7, 2025 at 4:35 PM
FRED HICKEY: “.. GenAI is probably the most over-hyped technology I’ve ever witnessed in my 45 years of following tech stocks.”
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/commentary/b...
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/commentary/b...
Reposted by Ben Winters
We need this to penetrate public consciousness.
Sooner or later they come hat in hand to govt. They will tell SNAP recipients to “get a job.” To billionaires peddling an idea no one needs, they open the coffers filled with our tax dollars.
Sooner or later they come hat in hand to govt. They will tell SNAP recipients to “get a job.” To billionaires peddling an idea no one needs, they open the coffers filled with our tax dollars.
"Faced with this dilemma—where do you get a trillion dollars quick?—OpenAI is getting ready to run hat in hand to the taxpayer for subsidies, like every great Ayn Randian self-created entrepreneur, pulling themselves up by their bootstraps." prospect.org/2025/11/07/o...
OpenAI Is Maneuvering for a Government Bailout - The American Prospect
For artificial intelligence to ever pencil out, some truly enormous revenue streams will be required. And if you need trillions of dollars for data centers forever, there’s only one entity to turn to:...
prospect.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:29 PM
We need this to penetrate public consciousness.
Sooner or later they come hat in hand to govt. They will tell SNAP recipients to “get a job.” To billionaires peddling an idea no one needs, they open the coffers filled with our tax dollars.
Sooner or later they come hat in hand to govt. They will tell SNAP recipients to “get a job.” To billionaires peddling an idea no one needs, they open the coffers filled with our tax dollars.
it is always worth repeating that this is the result of a purposeful choice
OpenAI's Sora 2 is flooding social media with videos of women being strangled. Yet another example of generative AI companies failing to prevent users from creating media that violates their own policies against violent content.
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
OpenAI’s Sora 2 Floods Social Media With Videos of Women Being Strangled
X and TikTok accounts are dedicated to posting AI-generated videos of women being strangled.
www.404media.co
November 7, 2025 at 4:25 PM
it is always worth repeating that this is the result of a purposeful choice
Reposted by Ben Winters
OpenAI's Sora 2 is flooding social media with videos of women being strangled. Yet another example of generative AI companies failing to prevent users from creating media that violates their own policies against violent content.
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
OpenAI’s Sora 2 Floods Social Media With Videos of Women Being Strangled
X and TikTok accounts are dedicated to posting AI-generated videos of women being strangled.
www.404media.co
November 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
OpenAI's Sora 2 is flooding social media with videos of women being strangled. Yet another example of generative AI companies failing to prevent users from creating media that violates their own policies against violent content.
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
www.404media.co/openais-sora...
Beyond just the fact that they are profiting from these scams that absolutely ruin people's lives, they acknowledge they can do more about it and choose not to
Along with extractive and evil OpenAI, this is who we're moving toward a government bailout for while millions starve
Along with extractive and evil OpenAI, this is who we're moving toward a government bailout for while millions starve
November 7, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Beyond just the fact that they are profiting from these scams that absolutely ruin people's lives, they acknowledge they can do more about it and choose not to
Along with extractive and evil OpenAI, this is who we're moving toward a government bailout for while millions starve
Along with extractive and evil OpenAI, this is who we're moving toward a government bailout for while millions starve
Reposted by Ben Winters
Did you know a former White House climate advisor flipped a GOP stronghold in Virginia by running entirely on putting a stop to more AI data centers?
For @heatmap.news I profiled John McAuliff and a campaign that will be a roadmap for all future anti-AI politicians moving forward.
For @heatmap.news I profiled John McAuliff and a campaign that will be a roadmap for all future anti-AI politicians moving forward.
This Virginia Election Was a Warning for Data Centers
John McAuliff ran his campaign almost entirely on data centers — and won.
heatmap.news
November 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Did you know a former White House climate advisor flipped a GOP stronghold in Virginia by running entirely on putting a stop to more AI data centers?
For @heatmap.news I profiled John McAuliff and a campaign that will be a roadmap for all future anti-AI politicians moving forward.
For @heatmap.news I profiled John McAuliff and a campaign that will be a roadmap for all future anti-AI politicians moving forward.
Reposted by Ben Winters
The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.
November 7, 2025 at 7:39 AM
The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.
just absolute clowns - enjoy the direct deposits and book deals
November 6, 2025 at 5:12 PM
just absolute clowns - enjoy the direct deposits and book deals