Nathaniel Poor
@natpoor.bsky.social
Internet sociologist, games scholar, in the non-profit sector.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
When deception’s more profitable than honesty, users lose.
Internal documents suggest that Meta earns $3.5B(!) every 6 mo. from scam ads, revealing a deeper systemic problem: the economic incentive to tolerate “higher legal risk” content still outweighs any penalty. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Internal documents suggest that Meta earns $3.5B(!) every 6 mo. from scam ads, revealing a deeper systemic problem: the economic incentive to tolerate “higher legal risk” content still outweighs any penalty. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Meta is earning a fortune on a deluge of fraudulent ads, documents show
Meta projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from ads for scams and banned goods, and it internally estimates that its platforms show users 15 billion scam ads a day, company documents show.
www.reuters.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:14 AM
When deception’s more profitable than honesty, users lose.
Internal documents suggest that Meta earns $3.5B(!) every 6 mo. from scam ads, revealing a deeper systemic problem: the economic incentive to tolerate “higher legal risk” content still outweighs any penalty. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Internal documents suggest that Meta earns $3.5B(!) every 6 mo. from scam ads, revealing a deeper systemic problem: the economic incentive to tolerate “higher legal risk” content still outweighs any penalty. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
lol this is a total misunderstanding of the ELIZA effect
This shallow essay argues that AI will become "conscious" when ppl succumb to the ELIZA effect: a known vulnerability since the 60s. Montero makes uninformed public views the gold standard in benchmarking tech.
In 2023, Judy Estrin called "AI" authoritarian intelligence. This completes the recipe.
In 2023, Judy Estrin called "AI" authoritarian intelligence. This completes the recipe.
November 8, 2025 at 1:35 PM
lol this is a total misunderstanding of the ELIZA effect
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
as a computer scientist, i am BEGGING people to realize that there is no cognition inside of an LLM
no reasoning, no thought process, no self-awareness
I read a lot of arguments (for AND against) LLMs, and both sides seem to think there’s a consciousness or intentionality or even a moral alignment
no reasoning, no thought process, no self-awareness
I read a lot of arguments (for AND against) LLMs, and both sides seem to think there’s a consciousness or intentionality or even a moral alignment
November 7, 2025 at 12:53 PM
as a computer scientist, i am BEGGING people to realize that there is no cognition inside of an LLM
no reasoning, no thought process, no self-awareness
I read a lot of arguments (for AND against) LLMs, and both sides seem to think there’s a consciousness or intentionality or even a moral alignment
no reasoning, no thought process, no self-awareness
I read a lot of arguments (for AND against) LLMs, and both sides seem to think there’s a consciousness or intentionality or even a moral alignment
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
THIS. All of this, including thread posts! 🔥
Identifying flaws in GenAI unfortunately offers a pretext for claims that perfecting the product is just a matter of time & money. So pointing to chatbots’ role in,say, suicides can only go so far if we don’t also identify the systemic, irresolvable lack of Gen AI’s human commitment bc math has none
November 8, 2025 at 7:23 PM
THIS. All of this, including thread posts! 🔥
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
I love that the Boston cop slide never got fixed and now people just willingly go down it in tribute. It’s basically a national landmark at this point
November 8, 2025 at 6:15 AM
I love that the Boston cop slide never got fixed and now people just willingly go down it in tribute. It’s basically a national landmark at this point
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
June 19, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
It’s more than just bad priorities. It’s about lack of basic decency.
October 25, 2025 at 8:30 PM
It’s more than just bad priorities. It’s about lack of basic decency.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
I've received an 'exclusive' invite to try Nature's new 'research assistant', which will burn down a forest to provide a 'summary of the paper' I'm reading and I have SUCH exciting news for them, that's called an 'abstract' and the actual authors already wrote it for me, no forest-burning required.
October 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM
I've received an 'exclusive' invite to try Nature's new 'research assistant', which will burn down a forest to provide a 'summary of the paper' I'm reading and I have SUCH exciting news for them, that's called an 'abstract' and the actual authors already wrote it for me, no forest-burning required.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Chris Murphy: "This is a country that's falling apart because Trump is in the middle of an authoritarian takeover. We're not on the verge of an authoritarian takeover. We're in the middle of it ... I have no moral obligation to vote for a budget that literally funds the destruction of our democracy"
October 16, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Chris Murphy: "This is a country that's falling apart because Trump is in the middle of an authoritarian takeover. We're not on the verge of an authoritarian takeover. We're in the middle of it ... I have no moral obligation to vote for a budget that literally funds the destruction of our democracy"
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Trump has no legal authority, "standing" or otherwise, to order the killing of people in international waters for unsubstantiated accusations of non-capital crimes.
Calling them "narcoterrorists" does not make it right or legal to order their deaths without any due process.
Calling them "narcoterrorists" does not make it right or legal to order their deaths without any due process.
Trump announces another strike "just off the Coast of Venezuela" that killed 6 people
October 14, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Trump has no legal authority, "standing" or otherwise, to order the killing of people in international waters for unsubstantiated accusations of non-capital crimes.
Calling them "narcoterrorists" does not make it right or legal to order their deaths without any due process.
Calling them "narcoterrorists" does not make it right or legal to order their deaths without any due process.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
“We can give $20 billion to Argentina but we can’t afford the CDC’s measles experts” is a hell of an argument
October 11, 2025 at 7:03 PM
“We can give $20 billion to Argentina but we can’t afford the CDC’s measles experts” is a hell of an argument
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Welcome to the capitalist innovation museum we got
- scam machine
- psychosis inducing machine
- weapons of mass destruction
- button you push that makes the planet hotter
- markets that intentionally starve people
- clothes that fall apart after washing them 1 time
- medicine you can’t afford
- scam machine
- psychosis inducing machine
- weapons of mass destruction
- button you push that makes the planet hotter
- markets that intentionally starve people
- clothes that fall apart after washing them 1 time
- medicine you can’t afford
October 8, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Welcome to the capitalist innovation museum we got
- scam machine
- psychosis inducing machine
- weapons of mass destruction
- button you push that makes the planet hotter
- markets that intentionally starve people
- clothes that fall apart after washing them 1 time
- medicine you can’t afford
- scam machine
- psychosis inducing machine
- weapons of mass destruction
- button you push that makes the planet hotter
- markets that intentionally starve people
- clothes that fall apart after washing them 1 time
- medicine you can’t afford
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Jim Lee's impassioned words about why DC will never use AI have already won New York Comic Con.
Jim Lee On Why DC Will Never Use AI: “AI Doesn’t Dream, Feel, Or Make Art, It Aggregates It”
The President, Publisher, and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics spoke out at today's Retailer Day at New York Comic Con.
comicbookclublive.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Jim Lee's impassioned words about why DC will never use AI have already won New York Comic Con.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
As they labor to fight off the slop bots, Wikipedia maintains a fairly extensive list of signs & tells that text was written by AI. “This list is descriptive, not prescriptive; it consists of observations, not rules.” [en.wikipedia.org]
October 8, 2025 at 6:44 PM
As they labor to fight off the slop bots, Wikipedia maintains a fairly extensive list of signs & tells that text was written by AI. “This list is descriptive, not prescriptive; it consists of observations, not rules.” [en.wikipedia.org]
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
“AI isn’t magic; it’s a pyramid scheme of human labor,” said @adiod.bsky.social, a researcher at @dairinstitute.bsky.social. “These raters are the middle rung: invisible, essential and expendable.” www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
How thousands of ‘overworked, underpaid’ humans train Google’s AI to seem smart
Contracted AI raters describe grueling deadlines, poor pay and opacity around work to make chatbots intelligent
www.theguardian.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM
“AI isn’t magic; it’s a pyramid scheme of human labor,” said @adiod.bsky.social, a researcher at @dairinstitute.bsky.social. “These raters are the middle rung: invisible, essential and expendable.” www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Literally the authoritarian playbook:
1. Call your opponents terrorists.
2. Deploy state power against them.
There's nothing subtle or confusing or complex about what's happening. The *outcome* is uncertain but the authoritarianism is right out in the open.
1. Call your opponents terrorists.
2. Deploy state power against them.
There's nothing subtle or confusing or complex about what's happening. The *outcome* is uncertain but the authoritarianism is right out in the open.
September 26, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Literally the authoritarian playbook:
1. Call your opponents terrorists.
2. Deploy state power against them.
There's nothing subtle or confusing or complex about what's happening. The *outcome* is uncertain but the authoritarianism is right out in the open.
1. Call your opponents terrorists.
2. Deploy state power against them.
There's nothing subtle or confusing or complex about what's happening. The *outcome* is uncertain but the authoritarianism is right out in the open.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Newsom: "I fear that we will not have an election in 2028 -- I really mean that in the core of my soul -- unless we wake up to the code red, what's happening in this country, and we wake up soberly to how serious this moment is."
September 24, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Newsom: "I fear that we will not have an election in 2028 -- I really mean that in the core of my soul -- unless we wake up to the code red, what's happening in this country, and we wake up soberly to how serious this moment is."
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Over the next 15 months, we can expect a coordinated campaign — backed by the full power of the executive branch — to undermine confidence in our election system. Here’s what to expect, and how key actors can be ready to respond: bit.ly/4fRIqtA
What to Expect Next in the Trump Administration’s Strategy to Meddle with the Vote
Efforts to protect the coming elections must begin now.
www.brennancenter.org
September 19, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Over the next 15 months, we can expect a coordinated campaign — backed by the full power of the executive branch — to undermine confidence in our election system. Here’s what to expect, and how key actors can be ready to respond: bit.ly/4fRIqtA
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
This is really good.
Charlie Kirk, Redeemed: A Political Class Finds Its Lost Cause
By ignoring the rhetoric and actions of the Turning Point USA founder, pundits and politicians are sanitizing his legacy.
www.vanityfair.com
September 17, 2025 at 7:44 PM
This is really good.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
The free speech activist who built a list of professors he worked to get fired for their speech must be celebrated for his support of free speech, and anyone who quotes his speech accurately in context will be fired and/or face state punishment by the champions of free speech, do I have that right?
September 15, 2025 at 2:43 PM
The free speech activist who built a list of professors he worked to get fired for their speech must be celebrated for his support of free speech, and anyone who quotes his speech accurately in context will be fired and/or face state punishment by the champions of free speech, do I have that right?
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
I have written and deleted a lot of posts but I keep thinking about how the brutal assassination of Minnesota State senator Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their beloved dog Gilbert in June did not prompt this same level of calls for empathy, sympathy, and flags at half-mast.
September 13, 2025 at 10:34 PM
I have written and deleted a lot of posts but I keep thinking about how the brutal assassination of Minnesota State senator Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their beloved dog Gilbert in June did not prompt this same level of calls for empathy, sympathy, and flags at half-mast.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Shocked, shocked, I tell you
Aaaaand the main business case for consumer LLMs is revealed. It's for gathering data on users, creating profiles, and targeting us with ads and propaganda. Hooray -- it's Web 2.0 with chatbots!
feels significant that mass-market LLMs like ChatGPT are now capable of generating extensive natural-language dossiers about a given user's interests, location, preferences, identifying information, and more
simonwillison.net/2025/May/21/...
simonwillison.net/2025/May/21/...
September 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Shocked, shocked, I tell you
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
When people say “I want my kids to have things I never had the opportunity to have,” I did not realize they meant measles.
September 3, 2025 at 7:45 PM
When people say “I want my kids to have things I never had the opportunity to have,” I did not realize they meant measles.
Reposted by Nathaniel Poor
Wrote about Comer/Mace attempting to doxx and intimidate Wikipedia editors in an effort to force their own viewpoint onto Wikipedia.
House Republicans Want To Doxx Wikipedia Editors Over Bogus ‘Bias’ Complaints
Congress has absolutely zero constitutional authority to investigate a private website for its editorial decisions. Zero. None. This is First Amendment 101. Yet House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and…
Congress has absolutely zero constitutional authority to investigate a private website for its editorial decisions. Zero. None. This is First Amendment 101. Yet House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and…
House Republicans Want To Doxx Wikipedia Editors Over Bogus ‘Bias’ Complaints
Congress has absolutely zero constitutional authority to investigate a private website for its editorial decisions. Zero. None. This is First Amendment 101. Yet House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Cybersecurity Subcommittee Chairwoman Nancy Mace have decided otherwise. In a letter to Wikimedia Foundation CEO Maryana Iskander, these two Republicans are demanding that Wikipedia hand over editor identities, internal communications, and arbitration records because some studies suggest there might be bias in Wikipedia articles about Israel-Palestine issues.
www.techdirt.com
August 29, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Wrote about Comer/Mace attempting to doxx and intimidate Wikipedia editors in an effort to force their own viewpoint onto Wikipedia.