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Lauren Kirchner

@lkirchner.bsky.social
1.4K followers 821 following 296 posts

Investigative reporter at Consumer Reports covering safety and health; previously covered tech and criminal justice at The Markup and ProPublica. Signal: @Lkirchner.44

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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
Ryan Packer @typewriteralley.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
George Saunders on using AI: "Writing is the most precious way one person can communicate their essence to another person. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to get better at making myself present in my writing. Why would I want to sacrifice even one iota of that?"
Have you spent time trying to write or revise with AI? Is there an experiment that would be interesting enough to try?

I have not. Not for a second. To me, this whole idea of using AI to write is . . . anathema. A thing to be most radically avoided.

Writing is the most precious way one person can communicate their essence to another person. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to get better at making myself present in my writing. Why would I want to sacrifice even one iota of that? Not even in an email and certainly not in a short story or novel.Who are we ceding our authority to, exactly, when we let AI write for us? And why? Why surrender our agency (that amazing ability we have to reach across time and space, with our strange, idiosyncratic phenomenon, and land within the sensibility of another human being) to something that, by its very design, pushes the individual sensibility aside? And in the name of . . . what, exactly? Ease, I guess? Efficiency? The person who chooses to write with AI has also sacrificed, from the start, the opportunity of experiencing difficulty, of struggling to say what he wants to say, of making himself evident in his prose, of trying to find out what he believes. By this, he sacrifices a chance to know himself and his mind better. To me, that’s a shame. And it’s dangerous, because, as we are now finding out, it affects the brain and lessens our capabilities. Thanks, but no thanks, get thee behind me, etc.
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Consumer Reports @consumerreports.org · 23/09/2026
Secondhand baby gear can be a great way to save money, but our investigation found some serious safety gaps. We found recalled, restricted, and banned baby products listed on major resale platforms. Here’s what parents should know.
consumerreports.org
Popular Sites for Used Baby Gear Continue to Carry Banned and Recalled Items - Consumer Reports
CR found banned or recalled children's products for sale on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, and Craigslist. Here's how to avoid common dangers.
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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
Business Insider @businessinsider.com · 19/09/2026
Mystery goo, severe burns, and shiploads of counterfeits: The summer of the squishy has gone horribly wrong bit.ly/3TFb4aD
businessinsider.com
Squishies became the toy of the year. Then came the explosions, burns, and poison-control calls.
As squishy toys boom, reports of burns, leaks, and explosions are raising new questions about their safety and ingredients.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I'm at the climate grief, I'm at the killer robots dread, I'm at the combination climate killer robots griefdread
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Good news from @consumerreports.org's latest baby food tests: many lead levels were lower this time than previous tests. Arsenic in rice cereal continues to be a problem, though. Also interesting that some glass-jar food has more microplastics than the pouches www.consumerreports.org/babies-kids/...
consumerreports.org
We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics - Consumer Reports
Many baby foods from Gerber, Happy Baby, and more had low levels of heavy metals. But we also found phthalates and microplastics, which is concerning.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
<3
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I read "Holy the Firm" as a teen, and it lit my brain on fire in the very best way. It woke me up to the power of paying patient, intense attention to the world around you. Showed me how you can find meaning in just about anything if you sit with it long enough, quietly enough. R.I.P. Annie Dillard.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Cholula news #cholunews www.classaction.org/news/cholula...
classaction.org
Cholula Lawsuit Claims McCormick Secretly Reformulated Hot Sauce With Cheaper Ingredients
A class action lawsuit claims that McCormick & Co. failed to disclose that it reformulated Cholula Original Hot Sauce with cheaper ingredients.
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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
Consumer Reports @consumerreports.org · 08/09/2026
After years of advocacy from Consumer Reports and other safety advocates, many dangerous water bead toys have been taken off the market. But they still sometimes show up inside popular "squishies," where they can cause damage if the toys break open. 🧵
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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
tunes to make you run away @whippoorwont.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
"people are anthropomorphizing LLMs because they are so astonishingly good at processing human thought and language" people will anthropomorphize a chair if you put the stitches in the right place.
chair with a "face"
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Evan Simko-Bednarski @simko-bednarski.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It’s a strategic choice to de-emphasize talking to the people who have sources in favor of talking to people who will do marketing for you.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
🙃🙃🙃 "After the rescue, the men admitted to authorities that they 'relied heavily on Google’s Gemini AI' to plan their hike. They had also asked AI what to bring along on the trip." ktla.com/news/califor...
ktla.com
Hikers who relied on AI rescued from California mountain
A group of three novice hikers who said they relied on artificial intelligence to plan their trip was rescued on Monday after becoming stranded on Mount Shasta, according to the Siskiyou County She…
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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission @cpsc.gov · 03/09/2026
CPSC Warns Consumers to Stop Using Ivyapingdianpu’s Squishy Bun Toys Immediately Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Water Bead Ingestion; Violate Mandatory Standard for Water Beads www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/202...
cpsc.gov
CPSC Warns Consumers to Stop Using Ivyapingdianpu’s Squishy Bun Toys Immediately Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Water Bead Ingestion; Violate Mandatory Standard for Water Beads
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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission @cpsc.gov · 03/09/2026
#Recall: GIHNJSI Squeezy Dumplings Toys Sold on Amazon by Chenyuanhui; The squeezy toys contain water beads. Get refund. www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026...
Recalled squeezy dumpling.
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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
Meredith Whittaker @meredithmeredith.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Yes we all think this is stupid but we, the ppl brushing our teeth, are not the customers The customers are the investors who in ~1yr will be enticed to fund Dyson's smart dental AI spinoff, featuring models trained on "the world's largest real time floss dataset" gizmodo.com/dysons-smart...
gizmodo.com
Dyson’s Smart Toothbrush Uses a Camera to Floss Your Teeth
Yes, you can watch the camera feed from an app.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Thanks for all you do!
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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
Lauren Feiner @laurenfeiner.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
What does it look like when data centers move into town? That's what a lot of Americans are wondering these days, and this VA county gives a glimpse. My @theverge.com feature on Data Center Alley is out now, with amazing visuals by @stephenvoss.bsky.social. Gift link www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
theverge.com
Your future is in Virginia
If you want to know what the data center occupation looks like, there’s one place where it already arrived — 20 years ago.
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lauren @lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com · 31/08/2026
"i don't watch vertical video" is the aging millennial answer to "i dont even own a tv" insofar as it's both probably insufferable to be around and much better for your brain
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The 8yo commandeered the Spotify over the weekend. For a while he was exclusively playing The Strokes and Collective Soul (?), but then unfortunately he located the channel that just remixes "Screaming Goat" sound effects into EDM
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
MadeGood chocolate chip granola bars perhaps "not recommended to be eaten every day" hitting my family where it hurts today!
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FT @fucktheory.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Imagine being talented and beautiful and rich and famous and still the most noteworthy thing about you is how good a person you are.
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Dr. Adeene Denton @spacewhalerider.com · 24/08/2026
Described a paper as a "what if an egg did a crime" paper in a meeting today, which to me is very descriptive, but I failed to realize that not everyone is terminally online
A tweet by Beth McColl (@imbethmccoll) that reads: I know it's tempting to be like "what if this alluring but frustrating person transforms their behaviour and gives me exactly what I want! what if then!" yeah what if an egg did a crime? what if the moon put a little shoe on? "what if" is not currency you can spend
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
😱 "Synthetic chemicals were in those that claimed to be '100% natural'; phthalates were in goods labeled 'phthalate-free'; and known allergens were in products marketed as 'hypoallergenic'." www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Personal care products are awash in unlabeled toxic chemicals, study finds
Even products labeled ‘eco’, ‘green’ or ‘natural’ can contain dangerous compounds including Pfas
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
I would like to talk to you about your job some time!
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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
Justin Krajeski @justinkrajeski.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Some worrying stats I learned while writing this story for CR: • E-scooter injuries are up nearly 8 times since 2017 • 80-90% of e-scooter injuries *don't involve other vehicles* • Kids suffer 45% of e-scooter injuries • E-scooter riders are more likely than motorcyclists to suffer brain injuries
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
i'd call that relatedly
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
When CR tested e-scooters a few years ago, they topped out at a max speed of 15 mph. But they're so much faster now - one of the scooters tested in this round goes up to 28 mph, which is just....not a good idea for something you ride on while *standing up*
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Consumer Reports tested 13 e-scooters to rate and review. But because of the frequency of injuries being reported - including injuries sustained by the CR testers themselves in this process - CR is not recommending ANY. www.consumerreports.org/cars/electri...
consumerreports.org
We Tested 13 Electric Scooters. We Don’t Recommend Any. - Consumer Reports
CR doesn't recommend e-scooters because of their high speeds and rising injury rates. Two of CR's testers sustained injuries while evaluating e-scooters, too.
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Consumer Reports @consumerreports.org · 19/08/2026
Do prenatals contain what they’re supposed to? Consumer Reports tested 17 products, including capsules, tablets, softgels, and gummies. Most we tested had key nutrient levels that were lower or higher than claimed on the label. Here's what you should know:
consumerreports.org
Prenatal Vitamin Nutrient Levels May Differ From Labeled Amounts, CR's Tests Show - Consumer Reports
In Consumer Reports’ prenatal vitamin testing, nutrients in most prenatal vitamins didn't match label claims. Here's what this means for your pregnancy.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
NYC bus mechanics tell @simko-bednarski.bsky.social they're under pressure from supervisors to put buses on the road quickly w/o critical maintenance & repairs, potentially putting riders at risk. Documents show 400K work orders closed with no man-hours attached: www.nydailynews.com/2026/08/16/c...
nydailynews.com
Concern continues to surround MTA bus fixes as work orders show no work done
Multiple sources throughout New York City Transit’s bus division told The News at the time that management pressure to keep buses on the road creates a tendency to defer repairs in order to “make serv...
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Fascinating piece framing the promises of (and inevitability of) AI-fueled progress as a "mass corporate delusion" and "literal religious mania" www.thenerve.news/p/cory-docto...
thenerve.news
Cory Doctorow: The people who tell you ‘AI is changing everything’ are lying
It has become impossible to tell managers mesmerised by artificial intelligence that the tools are not, in fact, helpful. So employees just play along with the fiction to keep their jobs, writes our t...
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Important story, well done @dmehro.bsky.social. I wrote this a decade ago when I heard about some 15-year-olds who were put in this position, and it feels almost quaint now www.propublica.org/article/dna-...
propublica.org
DNA Dragnet: In Some Cities, Police Go From Stop-and-Frisk to Stop-and-Spit
Police in Florida and other states are building up private DNA databases, in part by collecting voluntary samples from people not charged with — or even suspected of — any particular crime.
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Reposted by Lauren Kirchner
Evan Simko-Bednarski @simko-bednarski.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Someone give me $25 million dollars and an offset press, please
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
i do not
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Wait, and this guy happens to be named Sullivan? This is too much
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
OK I'm late to this, but I just needed to say: Ted Lemonade
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Evan Simko-Bednarski @simko-bednarski.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Trump Station? A letter from DOT Secretary Duffy to congressional leaders yesterday makes clear, he intends to re-name Penn Station. Read it first in the New York Daily News.
nydailynews.com
Feds look to rename Penn Station, potentially for Trump
In a letter sent Wednesday to Senate leadership on several committees, Duffy lists “administration priorities” for the federal rebuilding of the nation’s busiest rail hub.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Dream internship alert! at @democracynow.org democracynow.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0z7ki...
democracynow.hire.trakstar.com
Archive Intern at Democracy Now!
Democracy Now! Internships are paid, 20-hour per week, temporary work placements to help students, people early in their careers and career changers gain entry-level skills and experience in the field...
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
beautifully written piece
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Old, genuine, unique media is being sacrificed by the pallet on the altar of the gods of fake media
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
PSA for these strange orangey days: NYC is distributing free KN95 masks -- you can drop in any public library branch or any local police precinct! Map here: on.nyc.gov/freemask
on.nyc.gov
Mask Distribution Sites - Google My Maps
In response to the wildfire smoke, free KN95 masks will be available at the listed locations.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Is Consumer Reports ever first to the news? No, no we are not. But, are we....BEST? Maybe?? Thank you for this, @paris.nyc:
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Consumer Reports @consumerreports.org · 13/07/2026
Do you own a Black+Decker PowerCrush BL1230 blender? Did you contact its manufacturer, Spectrum Brands, after reading the Consumer Reports story about it? If so, what did they tell you, and how do you feel about it? Reply below.
consumerreports.org
Lead Detected in a Black+Decker Blender - Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports safety experts are urging the FDA to investigate.
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
“The U.S. has not done a great job in regulating these companies,” he said. “But it’s getting actively worse as we speak.” Seems to be a theme... www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/w...
nytimes.com
Millions of Eye Drop Bottles Recalled Over Contamination Concerns
The prescription drops are used to reduce inflammation after surgery or to treat irritation.
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Amy @lolennui.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
oh yeah can AI do this?? (sends a work email ending with “brest wishes”)
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Hate-click of the day www.nytimes.com/2026/07/04/s...
nytimes.com
To Beat the Heat, the Wealthy Are Building Snow Rooms
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
WooooOOOOOoooOOOOO!
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Astra Taylor @astra.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Instead of founding fathers let us aspire to be perennial midwives, helping always to deliver democracy anew. (The last line of Democracy May Not Exist, but We'll Miss It When It's Gone.)
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Lauren Kirchner @lkirchner.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
insideclimatenews.org/news/0305202...
insideclimatenews.org
How the Rush to Mine the Metal of the Future Echoes America’s Colonial Past - Inside Climate News
Companies have staked claims for more than 100 lithium-mine projects. Tribes are among the most affected.
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Loafy @loaf22.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
It's horrifying to be in the early stages of an era where an abstraction with so much value (data) is being pillaged, all while the vast majority have yet to understand what is being taken. It's not a shiny rock, or a patch of fertile dirt, but a concept with fuzzy boundaries for most.
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