zeynep tufekci
@zey.bsky.social
It is said that there may be seeming disorder and yet no real disorder at all
AI video is almost there: no amount of post-hoc squinting can tell fake from real.
Losing our last bastion of verification is no joke. Trusted news can help with high-profile events, but what about everyday life? Recipe for chaos.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
Losing our last bastion of verification is no joke. Trusted news can help with high-profile events, but what about everyday life? Recipe for chaos.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
August 11, 2025 at 1:37 PM
AI video is almost there: no amount of post-hoc squinting can tell fake from real.
Losing our last bastion of verification is no joke. Trusted news can help with high-profile events, but what about everyday life? Recipe for chaos.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
Losing our last bastion of verification is no joke. Trusted news can help with high-profile events, but what about everyday life? Recipe for chaos.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
I wrote about Grok going "MechaHitler" over at X, and the need to view LLMs correctly: as remarkably powerful plausibility engines.
Their AGI marketing and the strong inclination to project human qualities to anything that can speak is misleading us.
NYT gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/o...
Their AGI marketing and the strong inclination to project human qualities to anything that can speak is misleading us.
NYT gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/o...
July 11, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I wrote about Grok going "MechaHitler" over at X, and the need to view LLMs correctly: as remarkably powerful plausibility engines.
Their AGI marketing and the strong inclination to project human qualities to anything that can speak is misleading us.
NYT gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/o...
Their AGI marketing and the strong inclination to project human qualities to anything that can speak is misleading us.
NYT gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/o...
Grok system prompts are now public. Transparency is helpful. ChatGPT and Gemini also have prompts.
So, Grok is instructed to be “extremely skeptical” and not to “blindly defer to mainstream authority or media.”
Grok now says “both sides of this debate have biases” about number of Holocaust deaths.
So, Grok is instructed to be “extremely skeptical” and not to “blindly defer to mainstream authority or media.”
Grok now says “both sides of this debate have biases” about number of Holocaust deaths.
May 17, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Grok system prompts are now public. Transparency is helpful. ChatGPT and Gemini also have prompts.
So, Grok is instructed to be “extremely skeptical” and not to “blindly defer to mainstream authority or media.”
Grok now says “both sides of this debate have biases” about number of Holocaust deaths.
So, Grok is instructed to be “extremely skeptical” and not to “blindly defer to mainstream authority or media.”
Grok now says “both sides of this debate have biases” about number of Holocaust deaths.
Why did Grok suddenly start talking about “white genocide in South Africa” even if asked about baseball or cute dogs?
Because someone at Musk’s xAi deliberately did this, and we only found out because they were clumsy.
My piece on the real dangers of AI.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/17/o...
Because someone at Musk’s xAi deliberately did this, and we only found out because they were clumsy.
My piece on the real dangers of AI.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/17/o...
May 17, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Why did Grok suddenly start talking about “white genocide in South Africa” even if asked about baseball or cute dogs?
Because someone at Musk’s xAi deliberately did this, and we only found out because they were clumsy.
My piece on the real dangers of AI.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/17/o...
Because someone at Musk’s xAi deliberately did this, and we only found out because they were clumsy.
My piece on the real dangers of AI.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/17/o...
Drama over at X/xAI.
Whatever you ask Grok, it pivots to “white genocide” in South Africa.
The last panel is what Grok claims was a “verbatim” system prompt that caused the behavior. Jury out.
It’s now fixed but they haven’t yet bothered explaining.
This, not those AGI fantastical scenarios.
Whatever you ask Grok, it pivots to “white genocide” in South Africa.
The last panel is what Grok claims was a “verbatim” system prompt that caused the behavior. Jury out.
It’s now fixed but they haven’t yet bothered explaining.
This, not those AGI fantastical scenarios.
May 15, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Drama over at X/xAI.
Whatever you ask Grok, it pivots to “white genocide” in South Africa.
The last panel is what Grok claims was a “verbatim” system prompt that caused the behavior. Jury out.
It’s now fixed but they haven’t yet bothered explaining.
This, not those AGI fantastical scenarios.
Whatever you ask Grok, it pivots to “white genocide” in South Africa.
The last panel is what Grok claims was a “verbatim” system prompt that caused the behavior. Jury out.
It’s now fixed but they haven’t yet bothered explaining.
This, not those AGI fantastical scenarios.
Make America’s Teeth Rot Again.😢
Gift link on the studies that show what happens when fluoride is removed from water, as Secretary Kennedy has recently said he will move to do.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/o...
Gift link on the studies that show what happens when fluoride is removed from water, as Secretary Kennedy has recently said he will move to do.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/o...
April 16, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Make America’s Teeth Rot Again.😢
Gift link on the studies that show what happens when fluoride is removed from water, as Secretary Kennedy has recently said he will move to do.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/o...
Gift link on the studies that show what happens when fluoride is removed from water, as Secretary Kennedy has recently said he will move to do.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/o...
The post I replied is below. Context is Biden’s HHS having debarred EcoHealth and Daszak as “a threat to public safety”.
You can certainly publish as you wish, and they can all block me and talk amongst themselves behind a block. Fine! I asked you why no senior authors, no reply. Ok.
Good luck!
You can certainly publish as you wish, and they can all block me and talk amongst themselves behind a block. Fine! I asked you why no senior authors, no reply. Ok.
Good luck!
April 12, 2025 at 11:47 PM
The post I replied is below. Context is Biden’s HHS having debarred EcoHealth and Daszak as “a threat to public safety”.
You can certainly publish as you wish, and they can all block me and talk amongst themselves behind a block. Fine! I asked you why no senior authors, no reply. Ok.
Good luck!
You can certainly publish as you wish, and they can all block me and talk amongst themselves behind a block. Fine! I asked you why no senior authors, no reply. Ok.
Good luck!
Again, they’ve all blocked me so I can’t see whatever else BUT the post YOU TAGGED ME about was me responding to this by Daszak, who along with his NGO EcoHealth was debarred BY BIDEN’S HHS as “a threat to public safety.”
It wasn’t about your paper, but I did ask why no senior authors. No answer.
It wasn’t about your paper, but I did ask why no senior authors. No answer.
April 12, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Again, they’ve all blocked me so I can’t see whatever else BUT the post YOU TAGGED ME about was me responding to this by Daszak, who along with his NGO EcoHealth was debarred BY BIDEN’S HHS as “a threat to public safety.”
It wasn’t about your paper, but I did ask why no senior authors. No answer.
It wasn’t about your paper, but I did ask why no senior authors. No answer.
I have been specific especially since i have written heavily fact-checked multiple articles in the NYT though they were short.
A much longer article may be appropriate since there’s too much material!
See the actual conversation below. Do what you want with Biden HHS assessment.
A much longer article may be appropriate since there’s too much material!
See the actual conversation below. Do what you want with Biden HHS assessment.
April 12, 2025 at 9:01 PM
I have been specific especially since i have written heavily fact-checked multiple articles in the NYT though they were short.
A much longer article may be appropriate since there’s too much material!
See the actual conversation below. Do what you want with Biden HHS assessment.
A much longer article may be appropriate since there’s too much material!
See the actual conversation below. Do what you want with Biden HHS assessment.
Must watch video of a Fulbright scholar with a legal visa being taken abruptly by masked agents — who don’t even show an ID.
There is no claim she committed any crimes. She co-wrote an op-ed in a student newspaper.
They could have just served notice to her to leave the country.
There is no claim she committed any crimes. She co-wrote an op-ed in a student newspaper.
They could have just served notice to her to leave the country.
March 27, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Must watch video of a Fulbright scholar with a legal visa being taken abruptly by masked agents — who don’t even show an ID.
There is no claim she committed any crimes. She co-wrote an op-ed in a student newspaper.
They could have just served notice to her to leave the country.
There is no claim she committed any crimes. She co-wrote an op-ed in a student newspaper.
They could have just served notice to her to leave the country.
I highly recommend this book on past lab leaks and coverups by award-winning investigative journalist Alison Young — USA TODAY, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Knight Ridder’s Washington Bureau and was a professor at the Missouri School of Journalism.
www.alisonyoungreports.com/pandora-s-ga...
www.alisonyoungreports.com/pandora-s-ga...
March 16, 2025 at 3:26 PM
I highly recommend this book on past lab leaks and coverups by award-winning investigative journalist Alison Young — USA TODAY, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Knight Ridder’s Washington Bureau and was a professor at the Missouri School of Journalism.
www.alisonyoungreports.com/pandora-s-ga...
www.alisonyoungreports.com/pandora-s-ga...
The Wuhan lab is STILL doing unsafe research that could trigger a pandemic AND getting prestigious pubs as incentive.😫
To fix this for the future, we have to admit we were deliberately misled on the possibility of a lab leak in the past. Horrid but true.
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/o...
To fix this for the future, we have to admit we were deliberately misled on the possibility of a lab leak in the past. Horrid but true.
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/o...
March 16, 2025 at 12:23 PM
The Wuhan lab is STILL doing unsafe research that could trigger a pandemic AND getting prestigious pubs as incentive.😫
To fix this for the future, we have to admit we were deliberately misled on the possibility of a lab leak in the past. Horrid but true.
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/o...
To fix this for the future, we have to admit we were deliberately misled on the possibility of a lab leak in the past. Horrid but true.
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/o...
Btw, Ralph Baric has LONG publicly said research in the Wuhan lab was risky, their biosafety inadequate, and their “luck may run out”.
He never said “lab leak” was a conspiracy—the opposite.
Propaganda drowned him out, and the price has been high. Sad fact.
www.technologyreview.com/2021/06/29/1...
He never said “lab leak” was a conspiracy—the opposite.
Propaganda drowned him out, and the price has been high. Sad fact.
www.technologyreview.com/2021/06/29/1...
March 3, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Btw, Ralph Baric has LONG publicly said research in the Wuhan lab was risky, their biosafety inadequate, and their “luck may run out”.
He never said “lab leak” was a conspiracy—the opposite.
Propaganda drowned him out, and the price has been high. Sad fact.
www.technologyreview.com/2021/06/29/1...
He never said “lab leak” was a conspiracy—the opposite.
Propaganda drowned him out, and the price has been high. Sad fact.
www.technologyreview.com/2021/06/29/1...
Let’s add subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a long-term measles complication.
About 7 to 10 years after seemingly fully recovering from measles, some children will die from SSPE after prolonged and awful suffering. Devastating.
Vaccines prevent it.
medlineplus.gov/ency/article...
About 7 to 10 years after seemingly fully recovering from measles, some children will die from SSPE after prolonged and awful suffering. Devastating.
Vaccines prevent it.
medlineplus.gov/ency/article...
February 28, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Let’s add subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a long-term measles complication.
About 7 to 10 years after seemingly fully recovering from measles, some children will die from SSPE after prolonged and awful suffering. Devastating.
Vaccines prevent it.
medlineplus.gov/ency/article...
About 7 to 10 years after seemingly fully recovering from measles, some children will die from SSPE after prolonged and awful suffering. Devastating.
Vaccines prevent it.
medlineplus.gov/ency/article...
The measles-induced immune amnesia is in addition to AND separate from the temporary immune suppression leading to opportunistic infections that many other viruses, like influenza, also do.
This is specific to measles and it’s startling RECENT science.
See paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
This is specific to measles and it’s startling RECENT science.
See paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
February 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM
The measles-induced immune amnesia is in addition to AND separate from the temporary immune suppression leading to opportunistic infections that many other viruses, like influenza, also do.
This is specific to measles and it’s startling RECENT science.
See paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
This is specific to measles and it’s startling RECENT science.
See paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Little known, recently discovered fact:
Measles wipes out immune protections OTHER diseases: many who recover actually face big future risk.
Earlier measles may be implicated in HALF OF ALL LATER CHILDHOOD DEATHS from ALL infectious diseases before vaccines.
Gift🔗👉
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/o...
Measles wipes out immune protections OTHER diseases: many who recover actually face big future risk.
Earlier measles may be implicated in HALF OF ALL LATER CHILDHOOD DEATHS from ALL infectious diseases before vaccines.
Gift🔗👉
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/o...
February 28, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Little known, recently discovered fact:
Measles wipes out immune protections OTHER diseases: many who recover actually face big future risk.
Earlier measles may be implicated in HALF OF ALL LATER CHILDHOOD DEATHS from ALL infectious diseases before vaccines.
Gift🔗👉
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/o...
Measles wipes out immune protections OTHER diseases: many who recover actually face big future risk.
Earlier measles may be implicated in HALF OF ALL LATER CHILDHOOD DEATHS from ALL infectious diseases before vaccines.
Gift🔗👉
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/o...
These newly cancelled projects “had received a waiver from the freeze because the State Department previously identified its work as essential and lifesaving.”
What else is there to say? They’re all obliterated, with nary an effort to distinguish.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/h...
What else is there to say? They’re all obliterated, with nary an effort to distinguish.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/h...
February 28, 2025 at 2:03 AM
These newly cancelled projects “had received a waiver from the freeze because the State Department previously identified its work as essential and lifesaving.”
What else is there to say? They’re all obliterated, with nary an effort to distinguish.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/h...
What else is there to say? They’re all obliterated, with nary an effort to distinguish.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/h...
These newly cancelled projects “had received a waiver from the freeze because the State Department previously identified its work as essential and lifesaving.”
What else is there to say? They’re all obliterated, with nary an effort to distinguish.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/h...
What else is there to say? They’re all obliterated, with nary an effort to distinguish.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/h...
February 28, 2025 at 2:01 AM
These newly cancelled projects “had received a waiver from the freeze because the State Department previously identified its work as essential and lifesaving.”
What else is there to say? They’re all obliterated, with nary an effort to distinguish.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/h...
What else is there to say? They’re all obliterated, with nary an effort to distinguish.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/h...
Gift link.
A small unelected, secretive crew now has free access to sensitive private data of everyone.
And Musk is already publicly targeting family members of judges who rule against the administration.
If this isn’t ringing alarm bells, I don’t know what would.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/o...
A small unelected, secretive crew now has free access to sensitive private data of everyone.
And Musk is already publicly targeting family members of judges who rule against the administration.
If this isn’t ringing alarm bells, I don’t know what would.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/o...
February 21, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Gift link.
A small unelected, secretive crew now has free access to sensitive private data of everyone.
And Musk is already publicly targeting family members of judges who rule against the administration.
If this isn’t ringing alarm bells, I don’t know what would.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/o...
A small unelected, secretive crew now has free access to sensitive private data of everyone.
And Musk is already publicly targeting family members of judges who rule against the administration.
If this isn’t ringing alarm bells, I don’t know what would.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/o...
Gift link.
The actual story of the shackled people being deported without even being told where they were being taken — maybe to countries where they’d face torture or death — while their terrified children cried.😢
The White House posted that pic with “ASMR” tag.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/w...
The actual story of the shackled people being deported without even being told where they were being taken — maybe to countries where they’d face torture or death — while their terrified children cried.😢
The White House posted that pic with “ASMR” tag.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/w...
February 20, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Gift link.
The actual story of the shackled people being deported without even being told where they were being taken — maybe to countries where they’d face torture or death — while their terrified children cried.😢
The White House posted that pic with “ASMR” tag.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/w...
The actual story of the shackled people being deported without even being told where they were being taken — maybe to countries where they’d face torture or death — while their terrified children cried.😢
The White House posted that pic with “ASMR” tag.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/w...
Anyone know whether the “announced Friday afternoon, effective Monday morning” decimation of NIH funding for biomedical research in red states had elicited any response from the leaders of those institutions or representatives from those states?
The impact will be huge.
The impact will be huge.
February 8, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Anyone know whether the “announced Friday afternoon, effective Monday morning” decimation of NIH funding for biomedical research in red states had elicited any response from the leaders of those institutions or representatives from those states?
The impact will be huge.
The impact will be huge.
Silicon Valley has pivoted to Trump, and now are talking him into an AI strategy that may enrich a few companies but is far from what we actually need to do to grapple with AI.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...
February 5, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Silicon Valley has pivoted to Trump, and now are talking him into an AI strategy that may enrich a few companies but is far from what we actually need to do to grapple with AI.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...
Classic “masculine energy” — throw the subordinate woman employee under the bus for policies enacted while you were CEO with controlling stock. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/u...
January 17, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Classic “masculine energy” — throw the subordinate woman employee under the bus for policies enacted while you were CEO with controlling stock. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/u...
Zuckerberg says they’re unleashing free speech and “masculine energy”, but Meta is REMOVING THEME COLORS for personalizing PRIVATE messenger chats.
Such free speech.
Praising the politician who had just said he should be imprisoned for life?
So brave.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...
Such free speech.
Praising the politician who had just said he should be imprisoned for life?
So brave.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...
January 15, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Zuckerberg says they’re unleashing free speech and “masculine energy”, but Meta is REMOVING THEME COLORS for personalizing PRIVATE messenger chats.
Such free speech.
Praising the politician who had just said he should be imprisoned for life?
So brave.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...
Such free speech.
Praising the politician who had just said he should be imprisoned for life?
So brave.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...
Zuckerberg says they’re unleashing free speech and “masculine energy”, but Meta is REMOVING THEME COLORS for personalizing PRIVATE messenger chats.
Such free speech.
Praising the politician who had just said he should be imprisoned for life?
So brave.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...
Such free speech.
Praising the politician who had just said he should be imprisoned for life?
So brave.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...
January 15, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Zuckerberg says they’re unleashing free speech and “masculine energy”, but Meta is REMOVING THEME COLORS for personalizing PRIVATE messenger chats.
Such free speech.
Praising the politician who had just said he should be imprisoned for life?
So brave.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...
Such free speech.
Praising the politician who had just said he should be imprisoned for life?
So brave.
Gift link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...