Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 05/10/2026This is your occasional reminder that generative "AI" in particular could have been developed on public domain materials and/or licensed and compensated works but the major players intentionally, methodically and systemically chose to steal labor from working creative folks instead 10080612490
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 17hThe big tech companies want you to believe that their default software offerings are the only option, but spoiler alert, there’s a wide array of fantastic software out there. www.eff.org/pages/i-wan...eff.orgHow to Opt Out of Software Made by Big TechBig tech companies make the devices we use and the operating systems that come on them. They also make the bulk of the default software that comes packed into those operating systems. But spend even 11404199
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 02/10/2026🚨BREAKING: In a win for voters, the Kansas Court of Appeals Friday denied Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s (R) latest request to revive a GOP-backed law that would throw out mail-in ballots received after Election Day, even if they were cast on time. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...democracydocket.comGOP bid to scrap Kansas mail ballot grace period fails againThe ruling means Kansas election officials must continue counting ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within the following three days, including in the upcoming November elections. 17094052837
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Florida Amendment 3 could mean a $20 million loss for Miami-Dade libraries, about 16% of the system’s operating budget. buff.ly/gZGMqifbuff.lyWhat a $20 Million Library Cut Looks Like in Real LifeThe projected problems for Miami-Dade libraries make the Amendment 3 debate very concrete. This is not only about budgets, tax policy, or local government accounting. It is about people who use the… 074
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)WIRED @wired.com · 02/10/2026DHS agents not only tracked and intimidated people observing ICE activity in Maine, but stored information about them in a Palantir-built database, newly unsealed court filings say.wired.comICE Has Been Dumping Protester Photos Into a Palantir DatabaseDHS agents not only tracked and intimidated people observing ICE activity in Maine, but stored information about them in a Palantir-built database, newly unsealed court filings say. 9320971302
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 02/10/2026EFF and @aclu-norcal.bsky.social have demanded records from the Marin County Sheriff’s Office following a news report that it has shared Flock data with out-of-state and federal agencies – a violation of the 2022 settlement of our lawsuit, and of state law.eff.orgWe Demand More Information on How Marin Cops Illegally Shared Flock ALPR DataThe Marin County Sheriff’s Office is the latest California law enforcement agency to get caught sharing automated license plate reader (ALPR) data from their Flock Safety system with out-of-state and ... 18731
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 02/10/2026"Surveillance is not safety," EFF's Rindala Alajaji said, via @nbcbayarea.com. "That’s why EFF and the ACLU of Northern California are suing the city of San Jose on behalf of SIREN and CAIR - because in a single year, San Jose PD ran over 250,000 warrantless searches on this location data."nbcbayarea.com'Surveillance is not safety': Protesters push San Jose to shut down Flock camera networkProtesters issued a renewed call for San Jose to shut down its network of roughly 500 automated license plate reading cameras. 616751
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)evacide @evacide.bsky.social · 01/10/2026This company makes a cute little tool for silencing AirTags and they absolutely do not care that they are helping people to create perfect stalking devices. sixcolors.com/post/2026/10...sixcolors.comSilencing AirTags enables stalkers and domestic violenceElevationLab has released an AirTag product I find appalling, and I strongly urge they immediately withdraw it from sale and recall all inventory. The AirTag Silencer is a simple device: remove the… 614665
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Gwendolyn Corvid @gwendolyn-corvid.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Transphobia is not popular www.erininthemorning.com/p/new-poll-f...erininthemorning.comNew Poll From The 19th News Shows Public Turning Against Republican Anti-Trans Healthcare BansThe poll even shows faltering Republican support for such bans. 16373102
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 01/10/2026Today we’re launching Opt Out October, our guide for opting out of certain features and finding alternatives to products made by big tech companies. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...eff.orgHappy Opt Out October! Let’s Find Real Alternatives to the Tech GiantsOver the years, the major tech companies have found all sorts of ways to embed themselves into our lives. We often use their software, their AI tools, their social media, and their operating systems 6315166
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 01/10/2026The Senate Education Committee REFUSED to hear opposition to book-banning legislation in order to push it through. That means they need to hear from you, RIGHT NOW. buff.ly/tTNdgMJ #library #libraries #read #reading #book #books #librarianship #litbuff.lyThey silenced opposition to book banning in LouisianaThe Senate Education Committee REFUSED to hear opposition to the SB7 in order to push it through. That means they need to hear from you, RIGHT NOW. 0147
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Amendment 3 is not only about one department, one service, or one line item. It is about whether local governments will have enough stable revenue to maintain the public systems that residents rely on every day. buff.ly/SoMXlD8buff.lyJacksonville’s Amendment 3 Warning Is About More Than One Budget LineThe warnings about Amendment 3 are not only coming from libraries, local governments, first responders, and nonprofit organizations. They are also coming from business and civic leaders who… 064
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 01/10/2026“Right now, the public backlash is so strong against Flock, and the public is not as well aware of the concerns with Axon and some of the other surveillance companies,” EFF’s Beryl Lipton told @thorbenson.bsky.social for @prospect.org.prospect.orgLicense Plate and Switch - The American ProspectCities are succumbing to public pressure and removing Flock license plate readers. But they are substituting alternatives with the same capabilities. 313168
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Would you believe that even the latest poll from Fox News shows that 77% of parents are concerned about book bans? Of course, we already knew that. Nearly every poll conducted has produced nearly identical results. buff.ly/nSrUUdq #library #libraries #read #reading #book #books #librarianshipbuff.lyEven FOX NEWS is reporting that parents are against book bansWould you believe that even the latest poll from Fox News shows that 77% of parents are concerned about book bans? 0164
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)WIRED @wired.com · 01/10/2026The attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was not conducted mainly by extremists or fringe militia groups. It was, according to the data, the work of normal Americans.wired.comThe Real Threat to the Midterms Is Regular Americans Thinking Violence Is the AnswerRobert A. Pape, a leading authority on political violence, wants Americans to understand that the threat is coming not from the fringes, but from the mainstream. 1421319590
John the Librarian (he/him) @johnthelibrarian.bsky.social · 01/10/2026The problem with defining consent as “no means no” is the assumption that it’s safe for women to say no to men. 000
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)maura quint @mauraquint.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Yes every woman has been harassed, many assaulted. But every woman has also experienced invisible loss from moments she avoided harassment. She felt a space becoming unsafe, so she left, while men stayed on. And in leaving, she lost: opportunities, experiences, learning, promotions, even simply fun. 168187364705
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 30/09/2026With every news cycle and legislative session, it seems that a new facet of book banning finds its way into the media. Take a look at the latest efforts to ban books and what people are doing to fight back... buff.ly/GW0k31g #library #libraries #read #reading #book #books #librarianship #litbuff.lyBook Banning Challenges throughout the USHow are you supporting your libraries in the fight against book banning? 095
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Saeed Jones @theferocity.bsky.social · 30/09/2026This will be a thread of essays I recommend to students in my creative nonfiction workshop: 16970210
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Spotsylvania, Virginia, is the latest battleground where a community has pushed back against banning books, and the answer from politicians has been to just close the school libraries altogether. buff.ly/1QxmRVf #library #libraries #read #reading #book #books #librarianship #litbuff.lyUnqualified Superintendents Want to Close Libraries and Burn BooksSpotsylvania, Virginia is the latest battleground where a community has pushed back against banning books, and the answer from politicians has been to just close the school libraries altogether. 11212
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Joey Politano🏳️🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 27/09/2026NEW from me: Over the last 4 years, America has lost more than 200k jobs in creative fields like publishing, film, TV, or graphic design. It's the worst stretch for arts jobs outside of recessions. How much is AI to blame? And can the arts' business model survive?🧵 www.apricitas.io/p/ai-and-the...apricitas.ioAI and the Fall? of the Creative ClassAmerica is Losing Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs in Media, Film & the Arts. How Much is AI to Blame? 16681219
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Joey Politano🏳️🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Perhaps the best evidence for AI-driven arts job loss is that all digital arts industries are losing jobs while most live arts still chug along Sectors like graphic design, streaming, & movie recording have experienced historically unusual job loss since ChatGPT's launch 522934
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Joey Politano🏳️🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Still, it's extremely difficult to predict how tech will interact with arts businesses Take US novel sales, which had been declining for decades up to 2020. Would anyone have anticipated that short-form video apps like TikTok would reverse this trend and send book sales soaring? 829740
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Jillian @bookworm17.bsky.social · 30/09/2026We need more men calling out misogyny, willing to stand with women, and take action. goodlawproject.org/s/748822goodlawproject.orgIt’s time for men to speak up - and act | Good Law Project 20520157
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)404 Media @404media.co · 30/09/2026The idea is that, since USPS trucks are constantly traveling anyway, they can be used as a way to collect data, eventually potentially across the nation.404media.coUSPS To Put Cameras in Trucks That Scan Roads for ‘Community Safety’USPS says the cameras, put on USPS truck dashboards, will scan roads, signs, and more. 120623378
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 30/09/2026A new poll from The 19th News shows faltering Republican support for gender-affirming care bans for trans youth. It also shows that anti-trans ads might be backfiring, with respondents increasingly saying Republicans are talking about trans people too much. Subscribe to support our journalism.erininthemorning.comNew Poll From The 19th News Shows Public Turning Against Republican Anti-Trans Healthcare BansThe poll even shows faltering Republican support for such bans. 24930236
John the Librarian (he/him) @johnthelibrarian.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Amen baptistnews.com/article/dear...baptistnews.comDear men, it is time to wake the hell upAll this is horrible, but there’s one fact about this case that ought to keep you awake at night worried about the future of the world: 000
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)404 Media @404media.co · 30/09/2026BREAKING: The Trump administration is using a grant program from the 1980s to force cities around the US to funnel their ongoing collection of Flock, Axon, and other ALPR data into large federal surveillance centers that fall under the White House’s jurisdiction, 404 Media has learned404media.coHow Cities Are Forced to Funnel License Plate Data to a Massive Federal Surveillance ProgramHow the federal government built a massive database of license plate reader data through an anti-drug trafficking program. 6213661085
John the Librarian (he/him) @johnthelibrarian.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Tech oligarchs literally don’t understand that most people don’t want machines to do people things. We want machines to do machine things, so we can do more people things for ourselves. 030
John the Librarian (he/him) @johnthelibrarian.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Say you’re in the woods & you see a bear. Chances are this bear isn’t dangerous: most bears want nothing to do with you. But sometimes, a bear could be aggressive, violent, dangerous. Can you tell which is which just by looking? Are you sure? Best to treat all bears as a potential threat. 100
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)The Florida Trib @thefloridatrib.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is plowing ahead with officially designating a leading Muslim civil rights nonprofit and more than 100 other groups as “domestic terrorist organizations,” in a move critics say is unprecedented and unconstitutional. floridatrib.org/2026/09/29/d...floridatrib.orgDeSantis exercises ‘unprecedented’ power to label groups ‘domestic terrorists’Gov. DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet voted to advance the terrorist designations Tuesday, approving the proposal in just over 30 seconds and with no discussion. 62494342
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Did you know that many politicians and far-right groups are attempting to deny your freedom to simply check out a book by defunding libraries over books and programs? It's true, and they may be coming for your library next. buff.ly/TMxtf5F #library #libraries #read #reading #book #booksbuff.lyThey're coming for your public library (updated)They aren't stopping with Llano County, Texas or the state of Missouri. They'll be coming for your public library next. 0149
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Bennett @sleightedge.bsky.social · 29/09/2026The problem is even more fundamental. LLMs do not understand causation or logic. They only understand correlation. Which means, even with full token context, they will always have the chance to hallucinate. 620518
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Stop telling women what to do. Stop telling us to do all of the work. Stop acting like you know more about our struggle than we do. Stand up for your fellow human being without any reward because that’s what we’re supposed to do. Ffs. 92605275
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Many people are unaware that book banning has escalated to the point that librarians and educators could be targeted for prosecution if they distribute “offensive” materials. Read on to learn more... buff.ly/sLEKgwr #library #libraries #read #reading #book #books #librarianship #litbuff.lyNew Laws Make Banned Books a CrimeAre new obscenity laws crossing a line? Teachers and librarians could face jail time for providing access to banned books. 085
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)conifergirl.bsky.social @conifergirl.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Part 1 Cornell Knew. Cornell Punished. So Why Did the Criminal Case Die? By Tony Pentimalli I am sick to death of reading some version of this story because we have been here before, frankly far too many times, 38970302
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)conifergirl.bsky.social @conifergirl.bsky.social · 29/09/2026happening and chose laughter, encouragement, silence or indifference instead of stepping in deserves condemnation too. Rotten cultures survive because too many men decide another man's behavior is not their problem. 1948
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 28/09/2026Digital rights activists have long railed at the use of the term "IP," criticizing it for being deceptively imprecise and also rhetorically dishonest. I get where these objections are coming from, but I think they're misguided. 17924
John the Librarian (he/him) @johnthelibrarian.bsky.social · 29/09/2026@doctorow.pluralistic.net nails it. As usual. pluralistic.net/2026/07/24/s...pluralistic.netPluralistic: AI solipsists and AI cynics (24 Jul 2026) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow 000
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Karly Kingsley @karlykingsley.bsky.social · 28/09/2026If you’ve never told a man you were in a relationship and he still wouldn’t stop texting you or leave you alone, even after you said stop or walked alone at night with your keys between your fingers 31521122
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Qasim Rashid, Esq. @qasimrashid.com · 28/09/2026To the people complaining these sex abuse cases have created a world where men now have to think 10 times before they touch a woman. Yes, that's the point. It's called consent. Welcome to human decency. 298152503602
John the Librarian (he/him) @johnthelibrarian.bsky.social · 29/09/2026What if the solution to the Fermi paradox isn’t that technological species wipe themselves out? What if real intelligence, true wisdom, is recognizing the world you’ve built is unhealthy & destructive and you choose to reject it? To walk away from it and rebuild a world healthier & more humane? 010
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Rather than ban books, consider strategies that support your child’s needs while allowing others the freedom to read. Here are three steps you can take to give you peace of mind while still ensuring that your child gets the benefits of reading... buff.ly/SxnxJgl #library #libraries #readbuff.lyA 3-Step Approach to Protecting Your Child without Banning BooksCommunicating with your child about what they're reading can be a better approach than banning books at the library. 0189
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Volusia County, FL, said the library would lose about 30% of the budget if Amendment 3 passes in November. “ All options are on the table at this point in terms of closures of libraries, reduction in force, charging for programs that we’ve traditionally offered at no charge." buff.ly/qXFgLxBbuff.lyVolusia County Would Lose $7 Million from the Library BudgetMyNews 13 is reporting that the Volusia County library system is projected to lose $7 million in funding if Amendment 3 passes in November. 0114
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 27/09/2026What DraftKings is doing with their targeted promotions is just one example of how online behavioral advertising causes real harm to real people.eff.orgDraftKings Is Using AI to Supercharge the Harms of Online Behavioral AdvertisingOnline sports betting company DraftKings is using AI to target customers who are most likely to place losing bets and respond to gambling promotions. This kind of targeting is a form of online behavio... 116568
John the Librarian (he/him) @johnthelibrarian.bsky.social · 28/09/2026My doctor asked me if was dealing with depression or anxiety I said both. He asked if I had a sense of what’s causing it. I just gestured to world in general. He said, “Fair.” 020
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Campus rape is really widespread; statistics suggest a significant percent of women who go to college will be raped there; feminism opened up a good conversation about it around 2012-13; it's weird when people treated Cornell like an isolated rather than dramatic example of a pervasive problem. 402411525
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)ACLU @aclu.org · 27/09/2026Tennessee is set to execute Christa Pike on September 30. Christa has spent nearly three decades in solitary confinement after committing her crime as an 18-year-old girl with severe, untreated mental illness stemming from childhood abuse. Tell Governor Lee to stop her execution now.mercyforchrista.orgPetition | Christa PikeSign the petition to support Christa Pike's clemency campaign in Tennessee. 18303125
Reposted by John the Librarian (he/him)James Hughes @dystopian-fashion.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Why Can’t the Mainstream Media Say “Psychopathic Narcissist”? www.counterpunch.org/2026/09/25/w...counterpunch.orgWhy Can’t the Mainstream Media Say “Psychopathic Narcissist”?Narcissism: Marked by grandiosity, pride, arrogance, and a constant need for attention and admiration. Psychopathy: Characterized by high impulsivity, 22141481400