Greg Smith
@onshi.bsky.social
Library person by day, cat person by night. Views are my own (if that), not my employer's. Dang #otherGregs! @onshi@masto.ai
CNN: trash
"Soon, CNN will run live odds on world events where its viewers can gamble on them in real time on their smartphones."
CNN Partners With a Gambling App That Lets You Wager on Starvation in Gaza
The app company’s two biggest investors are also heavily invested in the Israeli military.
truthout.org
December 6, 2025 at 4:09 AM
CNN: trash
AI is to blame for this, isn’t it?
December 6, 2025 at 3:47 AM
AI is to blame for this, isn’t it?
Reposted by Greg Smith
A massive problem today is the uneven distribution of shame. Some of us are running dedicated on-site shame servers 24/7 while others have no access to shame at all, even though they desperately need it. What we need to do is put shame in the cloud
December 6, 2025 at 2:54 AM
A massive problem today is the uneven distribution of shame. Some of us are running dedicated on-site shame servers 24/7 while others have no access to shame at all, even though they desperately need it. What we need to do is put shame in the cloud
Reposted by Greg Smith
In WHITE FLIGHT, I detailed how segregationists moved from the overt racism of the KKK to subtler and stronger forms of discrimination rooted in a language of race-neutral rights … and then MAGA just picked up the tiki torch and lit a cross again.
Social scientists spent the last 50 years arguing that racism is still prevalent in US even if it's covert (racism w/ a veneer), unconscious (racism w/out intent), or systemic (racism w/out racists).
Along comes MAGA, which embraces gutter racism while claiming that teaching about racism is racist.
Along comes MAGA, which embraces gutter racism while claiming that teaching about racism is racist.
Trump: "It’s a hellhole right now. And those Somalians should be out of here. They've destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain. You have her. She’s always talking about the Constitution provides me with – go back to your own country and figure out your constitution."
December 4, 2025 at 12:49 PM
In WHITE FLIGHT, I detailed how segregationists moved from the overt racism of the KKK to subtler and stronger forms of discrimination rooted in a language of race-neutral rights … and then MAGA just picked up the tiki torch and lit a cross again.
Forget the obvious intent of this (“ban the global censors” or whatever) but by including “compliance and online safety” they are also punishing people who work with law enforcement to fight child predators, organized crime, money laundering, and espionage. Purely accidental?
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
December 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Forget the obvious intent of this (“ban the global censors” or whatever) but by including “compliance and online safety” they are also punishing people who work with law enforcement to fight child predators, organized crime, money laundering, and espionage. Purely accidental?
It shouldn’t need to be said that “making war crimes constitutional” wouldn’t actually absolve war crimes but it would ratify a murderous regime.
Palantir CEO Says Making War Crimes Constitutional Would Be Good for Business
Palantir CEO Says Making War Crimes Constitutional Would Be Good for Business
Alex Karp vows to use his "whole influence" on immigration and defense policy.
gizmodo.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:25 AM
It shouldn’t need to be said that “making war crimes constitutional” wouldn’t actually absolve war crimes but it would ratify a murderous regime.
If you watched The American Revolution on @pbs.org and were wondering what the absolute banger was that dropped every time the French fleet appeared, that’s my boy Rameau:
open.spotify.com/track/2bahH1...
open.spotify.com/track/2bahH1...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:24 PM
If you watched The American Revolution on @pbs.org and were wondering what the absolute banger was that dropped every time the French fleet appeared, that’s my boy Rameau:
open.spotify.com/track/2bahH1...
open.spotify.com/track/2bahH1...
Pretty demoralizing to experience an employer - during massive layoffs, $bns of cuts - that prefers to float the end of hybrid work though leaks instead of straightforward consultation with unions. Once again, bafflegab about “collaboration”. How much collaboration gets done during 2hrs/day commute?
December 2, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Pretty demoralizing to experience an employer - during massive layoffs, $bns of cuts - that prefers to float the end of hybrid work though leaks instead of straightforward consultation with unions. Once again, bafflegab about “collaboration”. How much collaboration gets done during 2hrs/day commute?
Reposted by Greg Smith
My colleagues @lilashroff.bsky.social, @cwarzel.bsky.social and I have a little trio of stories out for the anniversary of ChatGPT.
Here’s Lila on the people outsourcing their thinking to LLMs, and …
Here’s Lila on the people outsourcing their thinking to LLMs, and …
The People Outsourcing Their Thinking to AI
Rise of the LLeMmings
www.theatlantic.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:23 PM
My colleagues @lilashroff.bsky.social, @cwarzel.bsky.social and I have a little trio of stories out for the anniversary of ChatGPT.
Here’s Lila on the people outsourcing their thinking to LLMs, and …
Here’s Lila on the people outsourcing their thinking to LLMs, and …
Reposted by Greg Smith
PSAC members and former members are, once again, getting unfairly burned by Phoenix. The federal government is resorting to threats and intimidation tactics against workers who didn't even know they were overpaid – nearly a decade ago. It’s not only unacceptable, but also against the law.
November 29, 2025 at 5:02 PM
PSAC members and former members are, once again, getting unfairly burned by Phoenix. The federal government is resorting to threats and intimidation tactics against workers who didn't even know they were overpaid – nearly a decade ago. It’s not only unacceptable, but also against the law.
It really says something that iHeart is now adding “guaranteed human” to its podcast branding.
November 29, 2025 at 1:47 AM
It really says something that iHeart is now adding “guaranteed human” to its podcast branding.
Reposted by Greg Smith
In the small industrial city of Trois-Rivières, thousands of kilometres away from Silicon Valley’s AI gold rush, Etienne Brisson is racing to record the devastating impact the technology is having on some of its most vulnerable users.
Story by @patriquin.bsky.social.
thelogic.co/news/the-big...
Story by @patriquin.bsky.social.
thelogic.co/news/the-big...
Meet the Quebecer leading the human resistance against AI - The Logic
Thousands of kilometres away from Silicon Valley’s AI gold rush, Etienne Brisson is racing to record the devastating impact the technology is having on some of its most vulnerable users
thelogic.co
November 27, 2025 at 4:18 PM
In the small industrial city of Trois-Rivières, thousands of kilometres away from Silicon Valley’s AI gold rush, Etienne Brisson is racing to record the devastating impact the technology is having on some of its most vulnerable users.
Story by @patriquin.bsky.social.
thelogic.co/news/the-big...
Story by @patriquin.bsky.social.
thelogic.co/news/the-big...
Reposted by Greg Smith
Is this cheese grater conscious? Many users feel they're talking to a real person. Scientists say it's time to consider whether they're onto something.
November 25, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Is this cheese grater conscious? Many users feel they're talking to a real person. Scientists say it's time to consider whether they're onto something.
Reposted by Greg Smith
Le journaliste @parismarx.com de @techwontsave.us a publié un guide pratique de toutes les bébelles qu'il ne faut pas acheter pour le #blackfriday et pour le temps des fêtes et en général. «Give [your friends and family] a gift to help them reclaim some of their time and concentration.» Smart.
A tech critic’s guide to holiday gift-giving
Maybe your grandma doesn’t need that Alexa smart speaker
disconnect.blog
November 25, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Le journaliste @parismarx.com de @techwontsave.us a publié un guide pratique de toutes les bébelles qu'il ne faut pas acheter pour le #blackfriday et pour le temps des fêtes et en général. «Give [your friends and family] a gift to help them reclaim some of their time and concentration.» Smart.
Bookmarks are gonna make a comeback, I swear
Google is so bad now that my "here's how to find things on Google" lecture was embarrassingly derailed by me, with deep search skills, being unable to find simple things I've located dozens of times before, live in front of students.
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Bookmarks are gonna make a comeback, I swear
Reposted by Greg Smith
War of aggression, mass killing of civilians, and settler colonialism
Nine out of 10 residential buildings in Mariupol were damaged or destroyed during Russia’s invasion. Now, the apartment blocks are being rebuilt – and offered for sale to Russians with low-interest mortgages. youtube.com/shorts/yxsIV...
From Ruins to Russian Residences
YouTube video by Bellingcat
youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:18 PM
War of aggression, mass killing of civilians, and settler colonialism
November 25, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Reposted by Greg Smith
Breaking news: A federal judge dismissed charges against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The judge also ruled that Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor overseeing both cases, had been unlawfully appointed.
The judge also ruled that Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor overseeing both cases, had been unlawfully appointed.
Judge tosses cases against Comey and James, rules prosecutor appointment unlawful
The decision disqualifying Lindsey Halligan as interim U.S. attorney sets back Trump’s efforts to use the Justice Department to target perceived rivals.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Breaking news: A federal judge dismissed charges against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The judge also ruled that Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor overseeing both cases, had been unlawfully appointed.
The judge also ruled that Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor overseeing both cases, had been unlawfully appointed.
The sold out “Limited Edition” iPhone grip was pitched very explicitly as an accessibility device, which I guess is good. I was going to post about the price but it’s even more expensive pre-ordered direct from Hikawa. Expect knock-offs promptly via AliExpress?
www.apple.com/shop/product...
www.apple.com/shop/product...
November 24, 2025 at 12:02 AM
The sold out “Limited Edition” iPhone grip was pitched very explicitly as an accessibility device, which I guess is good. I was going to post about the price but it’s even more expensive pre-ordered direct from Hikawa. Expect knock-offs promptly via AliExpress?
www.apple.com/shop/product...
www.apple.com/shop/product...
Reposted by Greg Smith
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
November 23, 2025 at 12:55 PM
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
Reposted by Greg Smith
This. I've been working with "machine learning" since before the current AI-fever and it's an invaluable tool in science and engineering.
LLMs and GenAI are being misused in a criminally negligent way and using misplaced legitimacy to do it, and that misdirect cannot be allowed to continue.
LLMs and GenAI are being misused in a criminally negligent way and using misplaced legitimacy to do it, and that misdirect cannot be allowed to continue.
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
November 23, 2025 at 1:47 PM
This. I've been working with "machine learning" since before the current AI-fever and it's an invaluable tool in science and engineering.
LLMs and GenAI are being misused in a criminally negligent way and using misplaced legitimacy to do it, and that misdirect cannot be allowed to continue.
LLMs and GenAI are being misused in a criminally negligent way and using misplaced legitimacy to do it, and that misdirect cannot be allowed to continue.
So this is fun. If you schedule a ride with Lyft, it offers to add it to your calendar. Sounds good, right? It would be, except Lyft’s app demands FULL access to your calendar and admits it wants to upload ALL your events (maybe to suggest using Lyft to get to/from them - or who knows what else)!
November 21, 2025 at 2:26 AM
So this is fun. If you schedule a ride with Lyft, it offers to add it to your calendar. Sounds good, right? It would be, except Lyft’s app demands FULL access to your calendar and admits it wants to upload ALL your events (maybe to suggest using Lyft to get to/from them - or who knows what else)!