iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 21/07/2026

I do not wish to chat with my expense software, I do not wish to gossip with my 401k portfolio, I do not wish to go to the ball game with my home equity loan.

Concierge: Hi there! I'm sorry to hear you aren't fully satisfied with Expensify. What's your #1 frustration? Thanks!
Me: Slop software: bad
Concierge: I'm sorry you're having a bad experience with Expensify. Can you share what specifically feels worst right now — for example, is it submitting expenses, approvals, the mobile app, or something else?
Me: Can I opt out of this version forever?
Concierge: Hmm, I'm not quite sure what you're referring to. Would you mind providing a bit more context about this matter?
Me: Like, can I use old.expensify.com
Concierge: | am sorry to hear this. I'd love to understand what you prefer about Expensify Classic that you can't do in New Expensify.
Me: You assume that things should always do more, sometimes they do enough things and adding new things is a mistake. I do not wish to chat with my expense software, I do not wish to gossip with my 401k portfolio, I do not wish to go to the ball game with my home equity loan. The automation is
prompting me and will not accept "do not notify" (only "not now" forever) and even if it did accept it, it really only means notifications in my browser, I am
still going to get a notification on my phone, which I consented to before there was a robot harassing me to do the user testing that seemingly was not
performed prior to launch (and probably inserting a new record in some overwhelmed human's inbox). You should roll it back, nobody needs it.
Concierge: Concierge is escalating for human review...

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 13/02/2026

Here are some photos I took at a practice picket yesterday with my @propublicaguild colleagues. I was excited to meet Scabby, a true NYC celebrity!

A smiling woman in a heart costume holds a cow bell and picket sign.

A group of workers picket, among them a woman chants into a megaphone.

A dapper worker with a megaphone gives a speech next to Scabby the inflatable rat while colleagues look on.

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 21/11/2025

I've seen this story making the rounds in my Signal chats, and I don't think it would be if they @TheGuardian had a used a more accurate headline. Vetting is important for sensitive group chats!

Screenshot of a link shared in Signal: The FBI "infiltrated a group" (instead of "spied on a Signal group chat") of immigration activists, from The Guardian.

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 20/09/2025

Me: it’s Björk. Her: she looks like Zoey! Me: Zoey? Is she in your class? Her: nooo Zoey from Kpop Demon Hunters! Me: 💀

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2025

Two more emails and then I think I'm done.

Screenshot of my sent folder: 9,998 messages.

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 28/07/2025

It occurred to me that maybe the Apple Intelligence AI could be useful for this one thing. Turns out no, it's not. Deactivated it again.

An email that claims to be from "Amazon Inc" telling me there's an issue with my shipment.

Clicking on the "from" name reveals the email is not coming from an Amazon domain but rather b2bbinfrmr.de.

Apple Intelligence summarizes the email as though it's a legit shipment notice.

Me reporting a concern "Missed key detail": Failure to recognize a phishing attack.

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 07/05/2025

The latest build of Firefox Nightly just prompted me with this window I don't think I've seen before. Reminds me of this: circumstances.run/@davidgerard/1140…

Screenshot showing a modal window that reads:

Welcome to Firefox

By continuing, you agree to the Firefox Terms of Use and our Privacy Notice. To help improve the browser, Firefox sends diagnostic and interaction data to Mozilla.

Then there's a Continue button.

Then it shows an accordion style interface where you can read the terms of use, read the privacy policy, or adjust the diagnostic and interaction data you send to Mozilla.

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 03/04/2025

Bonus tip: if you’re leaking an image with faces in it, Signal’s camera has a convenient feature to blur them.

Screenshot of the Signal camera with the “adjustments” button highlighted.

Screenshot of Signal’s adjustments tools, the blurring option is highlighted.

Screenshot of Signal’s Blur faces feature.

Photo of my screen, my blurred face is highlighted.

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 11/02/2025

I love this live interpretation audio feature that @mayfirst is using in their membership meeting. They have English and Spanish speakers on the virtual panel as well as live translators. This slider lets you change who you hear, depending on what language you understand. It works really well!

Screenshot of a Jitsi video call with a slider that changes between "Interpretation" and "Live" audio.

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 05/02/2025

Tomorrow is when I delete all my Meta accounts! It’s long overdue, tbh. #Meta #Instagram #Facebook #AfterBigSocial

Screenshot from Instagram: you’ve reached your daily limit.

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 18/01/2025

Offering advice about leaving Meta: teh cyber omg!

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 16/12/2024

I’m so very excited to be joining @ben and @tealtan at @ProPublica, today is my first day! I’ll be helping build & maintain websites on the product team.

Email from GitHub: @benwerd has invited you to join the @propublica organization

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 01/12/2024

“On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks rejected bus driver James F. Blake's order to vacate a row of 4 seats in the ‘colored’ section in favor of a white female passenger who had complained to the driver, once the ‘white’ section was filled.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Parks

Calendar showing December 1 with “Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat & is arrested, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955)

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 14/11/2024

I contributed a small safety feature to an article @apodaca just published. “Press the ESC key three times to instantly leave the page.” It's inspired by a similar mechanism on thetrevorproject.org. themarkup.org/the-breakdown/2024/11… #Privacy #WebDevelopment

Screenshot showing an article with a sidebar: "Quick Exit / Press the ESC three times to instantly leave the page"

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Dan Phiffer @dphiffer.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 09/09/2024

“I didn’t want to do something that usually you think of when you think of Michigan,” she said. “I was like, ‘Why not make a wolf pulling his shirt off?’” www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/style/mi… #Democracy #IVotedSticker #Michigan

A hand-drawn voting sticker shows a werewolf throwing its head back and howling as it tears off a blue shirt. Behind it are an American flag and the words "I Voted."

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