iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

And he deleted stuff. It doesn't prove anything about COVID, but it does eliminate anyone involved in this scheme as a valid source in answering that question. And it seriously harms what little remaining faith in government we have. That's the tragedy of it.

source.in

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Supposedly? He outright said it, multiple times. This is why we can't have nice things. What Morens did was disgraceful and antidemocratic. But since both parties violate #FOIA all the time, we do whataboutism. And on and on, so nothing gets better. Can't we just condemn Morens AND Kennedy?

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I won't opine on criminality, but they weren't just blowing off steam or talking shit. They were deliberately hiding records from #FOIA, a statute widely recognized as crucial to democracy.

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Is anyone else fed up with the Altmans of the world acting like they aren't responsible for creating the very monster they are warning us about?

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Behind the Curtain: We've been warned

Interesting analysis by @axios, one of the #AI industry's biggest champions, about the recklessness of AI companies and elected officials and our apparent helplessness to stop it. www.axios.com/2026/04/29/a...

axios.com

This one is for everyone.

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

C'mon, we all know where this is headed with #SpiritAirlines.

Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Or until Siri voice dictation stops horribly sucking!

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

All very good points. But personally, I think the unforgiveable transgression (politically, Constitutionally, and morally) was the failure to gather the cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment the evening of Biden's first debate in 2024. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/22/c...

chicagotribune.com

Laura Washington: Kamala Harris’ unforgivable transgression

Kamala Harris was imperfect, as all presidential contenders are, but she was also set up for failure.

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Translation: "If ChatGPT can help terrorist organizations around the world create new bioweapons and cyberattacks, just imagine what it can do to reduce your company's labor costs!” #AI www.axios.com/2026/04/06/b...

axios.com

Behind the Curtain: Sam's superintelligence New Deal

Altman says AI superintelligence is so close, so mind-bending, so disruptive that America needs a new social contract.

Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

I think what's even worse here is that, at least according to the #AI people, if you don't use their hated products, you'll fall behind, lose your job or never get one, etc. They hooked the younger people on social media through algorithms and dopamine; they are hooking them on #AI through fear.

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

"No later than March 1, 2026 – Agencies are required to post the final human readable and NIEM-XML versions of their Fiscal Year 2025 Annual FOIA Report on their websites." www.justice.gov/oip/blog/ann...

justice.gov

Announcing Upcoming FY25 FOIA Reporting Deadlines (Updated)

The Office of Information Policy announces updated Annual FOIA Report, Chief FOIA Officer Report, and Quarterly Report submission deadlines and resources.

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

"This is the most transparent Department of Justice in our nation’s history. " There has never been a transparent DOJ in our nation's history, including this one. And this DOJ has STILL not posted its required 2025 annual #FOIA report. #docsoritdidnthappen www.justice.gov/oip/blog/jus...

justice.gov

The Justice Department Recognizes FOIA Professionals During Sunshine Week

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

To be clear, yes, FOIA officers on the whole do the best they can. The problem is the political people. And also to be clear, the Biden DOJ was also terrible and regularly broke the law too.

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

It's like they've given up any pretense of caring about complying with the law. Olmstead v. United States, 277 U.S. 438, 485 (1928) (“If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy[.]”).

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I too am (proudly) GenX but I've succumbed to the ease of just doing what the phone tells me nearly all of the time. Which is what's so scary about outsourcing intelligence to Sam Altman and Elon Musk, etc.

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With the development of artificial intelligence racing forward at warp speed, some of the richest men in the world may be deciding the fate of humanity right now.

This 2024 article largely nailed it, and this Sutton quote is terrifying: “Biological extinction, that’s not the point[.] The light of humanity and our understanding, our intelligence — our consciousness, if you will — can go on without meat humans.” tinyurl.com/sv2wtajz

tinyurl.com

Can Humanity Survive AI?

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Exactly. What's even the point of being human without it?

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Habitual use of GPS negatively impacts spatial memory during self-guided navigation - Scientific Reports

100%. GPS reliance harmed spatial memory. AI for thinking is doing the same to the ability to think. Losing spatial memory maybe isn't that bad. Losing the ability and desire to think is losing our very humanity. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.com

Scientific Reports - Habitual use of GPS negatively impacts spatial memory during self-guided navigation

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Also: “If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy[.]" Olmstead v. US, 277 U.S. 438, 485 (1928). Regardless of whether the accusations were well-founded, the FBI broke the law by withholding them.

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Of course, Epstein Act has no privacy exception for people accused, and says: No record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.

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Trump Files Missing in Epstein Release Highlight Justice Dept.’s Missteps

1. DOJ likely violated the Epstein Act. 2. DOJ likely violated #FOIA under precedent from the Abramoff/Tom DeLay investigation: privacy for high-ranking pub officials is often outweighed by the public interest in knowing whether DOJ "pulled its punches." www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/u...

nytimes.com

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Expect a lot more of this (stock price was rewarded), and remember it has only been made possible through unlicensed copyrighted material, pollution, higher energy prices for consumers, and politicians of both parties who want data centers in our back yards to benefit their campaign donors.

Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Tech bro Jack Dorsey can't be bothered to use proper grammar/capitalization when announcing 4000 people are being replaced by bots at a "strong" company with "gross profit [that] continues to grow." #teamhuman

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Welcome to the Windy City, my friend. Home to five-day #FOIA response deadlines!

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

I'm very excited to announce that I am co-hosting a snarky new #FOIA and government transparency podcast on Bloomberg with my good friend @jasonleopold.bsky.social. Check it out! swap.fm/l/SPV6gC1hPD...

swap.fm

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Our 2024 #FOIA numbers are in! Our suits resulted in the release of 106,966 pages of government records to our clients. These are documents that, but for a lawsuit, would never have been produced, or would have been slow-rolled for years. ☀️☀️☀️

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Really enjoyed this! Thanks so much for the invite.

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

I'm trying to be open-minded about all this, but how is a new flag a good use of time and resources? Is there something about the current flag that's problematic?

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Great coverage by @niemanlab.org and @andrewdeck.bsky.social of our Digital Millennium Copyright Act claims against OpenAI. For digital publishers unhappy with the use of their content to create AI bots that compete with news business, this is the path forward. www.niemanlab.org/2024/11/copy...

niemanlab.org

Core copyright violation claim moves ahead in The Intercept’s lawsuit against OpenAI

The ruling comes after a judge dismissed similar claims filed by Raw Story and AlterNet earlier this month.

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Matt Topic @mvtopic.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Makes me miss Marie’s Riptide Lounge. And the old Tuman’s, where the furniture was salvaged from what college kids threw out.

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Big news on the AI copyright front. Today our claims for The Intercept against OpenAI survived dismissal. There is a viable DMCA cause of action for news publishers without copyright registrations based on the unauthorized use of copyrighted material for the purposes of AI training.

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New Jersey lawmakers pass overhaul of state's open records law

But one thing is absolutely clear: Democrats have been largely terrible on transparency, and in some places (New Jersey, I'm looking at you), they are reducing transparency, not increasing it. apnews.com/article/new-...

apnews.com

Over jeers of “shame” shouted from the gallery, New Jersey lawmakers have passed legislation to overhaul the state’s open public records law.

Of course, I've heard these things from politicians of both parties for years only to be let down time and time again, so in the words of the great Principal Skinner, "Prove me wrong, kids. Prove me wrong." Hope springs eternal.

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Addendum: Unless Elon's Oct 18 comments that government should be "fully transparent" unless disclosure is a "massive risk" to the country are implemented.

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Very good question. But it highlights that journalists shouldn't just rely on the affirmative COPA release. When these events occur, #FOIA CPD right away, and if denied, again at the COPA 60-day deadline.