iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Illinois just passed the toughest AI safety law in the country—audits, incident reports, protections for workers who speak up. Washington's answer? Preempt it. We break down the policy implications and why Congress is stalled on AI policy in our latest Substack 🧵👇 #AI #AIpolicy

open.substack.com

While Congress argued, states are quietly writing the AI rulebook

Illinois just passed the toughest AI safety law in the country—audits, incident reports, protections for workers who speak up. Washington’s answer? Preempt it.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Sarah Wynn-Williams sat silent for an hour at Hay Festival to avoid breaching Meta's legal order against her. Now Meta says even her silence counted as speech and wants her fined for it.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Voters are increasingly using AI chatbots as their nonpartisan researcher for elections — instead of news, voter guides, or social media. The problem is that AI isn't neutral. It reflects its data and its creators' biases. The way we vote might be changing for good.

nytimes.com

‘Who Should I Vote for?’ Voters Turn to A.I. Before Casting Their Ballots

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Meta contractors were told to pose as kids online just to probe rival chatbots on suicide, sex, and eating disorders — and it took internal docs and insiders talking to get this out. This is exactly why whistleblower protections matter. #Meta #AI

wired.com

Meta Contractors Posed as Teens to Prompt Rival Chatbots About Suicide, Sex, and Drugs

Hundreds of contractors working on a project for Meta pretended to be kids in order to see how other chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT would respond to high-risk subjects, WIRED found.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Turns out Lumon Industries isn't that fictional. Meta laid off thousands, transitioned thousands more into AI busywork, and tracked their every keystroke. Workers are calling it a gulag. The company's response? A memo. And snacks. Work at Meta and have concerns? We can help. psst.org/safe

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Meta is starting to look like a real-life episode of Severance — workers are literally calling it "the gulag." No increased snack budget will fix the fear of mass layoffs, constant surveillance, or the dread of being assigned soul-crushing AI busywork. #Meta #AI

wired.com

Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth Admits the Company’s AI Reorg Was ‘Atrocious’

In an internal memo seen by WIRED, Bosworth promised employees more stability, better communication, and the return of workplace perks as the company seeks to improve morale.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

From the outside of AI companies: Landmark investments, IPO runways, and CEOs predicting futures that sound like science fiction. Inside, employees are mocking their company's own AI tools and cleaning up after products that fall far short of what leadership promises. More on our Substack ↓

open.substack.com

The Meme Is the Message

What anti-AI jokes inside Amazon and Google are really telling us... and what Meta just did to make it all much worse

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

The government is taking a page from Silicon Valley's playbook — and whistleblowers are going to feel it.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

The federal government is making it harder for whistleblowers to speak up — borrowing the tools straight from Silicon Valley. OPM Director Scott Kupor, a former Andreessen Horowitz partner, wants all federal workers to sign NDAs. His words: "government should run more like the private sector."

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Illinois just passed SB 315, the nation's strongest check on major AI companies yet. Beyond self-reported safety disclosures, it mandates independent third-party audits and whistleblower protections for employees raising concerns. A real step toward accountability. #AI #SB315

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Meta just laid off 10% of its workforce this morning — via email. If you're one of them, you're not alone. Before you sign your severance agreement, make sure you understand what's in it. We offer free legal advice to anyone who needs it. #Meta #AI

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

SpaceX is preparing to file what's expected to be the largest initial public offering in Wall Street history — and there are already red flags. Ex-OpenAI researchers warn that xAI's poor safety record is a risk worth paying attention to. When insiders speak up, it's worth listening.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

🚨 For the first time ever, workers at a frontier AI lab are unionizing. From last week's 600-employee open letter to the CEO, to today's announced union — Google workers are driving action while leadership stays silent. That's why we need safe channels for workers to speak out without fear.

theguardian.com

Google DeepMind workers in UK vote to unionize amid deal with US military

Exclusive: Worker pointed to Iran war and Pentagon’s Anthropic feud as indications the department is ‘not a responsible partner’

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

"By the time the power dynamic shifts, the culture is already set." Read our Substack interview with an anonymous software engineer on why startup workers are the hardest to organize — and the most motivated to try.

psstpsst.substack.com

Accidental Architects: An Anonymous Tech Worker on Idealism, Disillusionment, and Why Silicon Valley Can’t See What It’s Building

"By the Time the Power Dynamic Shifts, the Culture is Already Set" — A conversation from inside the startup

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Google employees are stepping up. Hundreds signed a letter to their CEO refusing a classified AI deal with the Pentagon — demanding their work not be used in "inhumane or extremely harmful ways."

washingtonpost.com

Google workers petition CEO to refuse classified AI work with Pentagon

Hundreads of Google employees wrote in a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai that they did not want to see its AI technology used in “inhumane or extremely harmful ways.”

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

For years, John risked his safety to document violent extremist networks from the inside. In this powerful new episode of Proton's Witness Protection, he shares the operational security measures that helped him survive undercover and the personal cost of living in secrecy for so long.

youtube.com

How Extreme Privacy Kept Me Alive in a Militia

YouTube video by Proton

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Protecting a source's anonymity used to be enough. It isn't anymore. AI has changed what journalism owes the people who risk everything to tell the truth. Perugia. Friday. 2PM. Teatro del Pavone. Also live-streamed. In conversation with @juliaangwin.com, @jengibson.bsky.social, and more. #IJF26

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

If you’re a Meta or other tech employee getting laid off, here are a few things you should know... In solidarity, Psst.org.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Meta just fired 700 employees. Meta also just unveiled a new stock program for top executives that could increase compensation by as much as $921 million each over the next five years. The AI divide is widening: more layoffs for workers, bigger payouts for leadership. #Meta #Layoffs

nytimes.com

Meta Lays Off 700 Employees, While Rewarding Top Executives

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Meta whistleblowers warned for years about harms to children's mental health and safety. A New Mexico jury found Meta liable for enabling child exploitation. But $375M is nothing to a trillion-dollar company. We need stronger whistleblower protections and real regulatory enforcement.

npr.org

New Mexico jury says Meta harms children's mental health and safety, violating state law

The jury agreed that Meta engaged in "unconscionable" trade practices that unfairly took advantage of the vulnerabilities of and inexperience of children. Jurors found there were thousands of violatio...

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

AI companies are now defense contractors. Soon, warfare won't just be assisted by AI—it will be decided by it. When national security interests take over, who will be left to sound the alarm? 🚨 Read more about this on our latest Substack 👇

open.substack.com

Your toaster has more guardrails than an AI weapon

Frontier AI companies have become defense contractors operating in a regulatory vacuum that answers to virtually no one.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

OpenAI's erotica push is facing pushback from its own advisors. They warn that it could foster unhealthy emotional dependence on ChatGPT and risk creating a "sexy suicide coach. Without proper external oversight, only insiders can push back on products that could harm children. #Whistleblower #AI

wsj.com

OpenAI’s Bid to Allow X-Rated Talk Is Freaking Out Its Own Advisers

Warnings surface that the company risks creating a ‘sexy suicide coach’ if it begins allowing sexually explicit chats

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Today at #SXSW2026, @jengibson.bsky.social sits down with whistleblower Attaullah Baig - former Head of Security at WhatsApp - to discuss how we can build real safeguards so that truth-telling in the age of AI isn’t a career-ending act of courage. Join us! 4–5 PM CT | JW Marriott, Salon AB, Austin

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Employees from OpenAI and Google—including DeepMind chief scientist @jeffdean.bsky.social—filed an amicus brief backing Anthropic against the U.S. government. Inside voices matter. When employees concerns transcend company borders, it signals the stakes are real. #AI #Anthropic #OpenAI #Google

wired.com

OpenAI and Google Workers File Amicus Brief in Support of Anthropic Against the US Government

Google DeepMind chief scientist Jeff Dean is among the AI researchers and engineers rushing to Anthropic's defense.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

AI employees at Google DeepMind and OpenAI have now published an open letter urging their companies to stand in solidarity with Anthropic and refuse to allow their models to be used by the Department of War for domestic mass surveillance and autonomously killing people without human oversight.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

BREAKING: Anthropic refuses to cede to the Pentagon’s demands. CEO Dario Amodei said, “We cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” We need enforceable AI regulations — not just reliance on CEOs’ good consciences — to ensure safety and limits on harmful uses.

anthropic.com

Statement from Dario Amodei on our discussions with the Department of War

A statement from our CEO on national security uses of AI

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

🚩Anthropic dropped a core safety pledge. In 2023, it vowed not to train models unless safety could be guaranteed; a recent RSP revision from CEO Dario Amodei removes that guarantee. Once marketing itself as the most safety-first lab, Anthropic may now be balancing safety with commercial momentum.

time.com

Anthropic Drops Flagship Safety Pledge

In an abrupt shift, the company may release future AI models without ironclad safety guarantees

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summons Anthropic’s CEO to the Pentagon today, reportedly to present Amodei with an ultimatum to lift safeguards on Claude. This points to a bigger problem in AI safety: Without AI regulations, we’re left to trust individual CEOs to act responsibly and safely.

axios.com

Scoop: Hegseth to meet Anthropic CEO as Pentagon threatens banishment

Hegseth plans to present an ultimatu

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

🏈 AI firms spent huge sums on Super Bowl ads, each vying to brand themselves as the “good guy” — but just days later, several senior employees at top labs publicly resigned. Read our latest Substack on what these inside voices are telling us on the outside.

open.substack.com

A.I. employees made cute ads feel less cute

In the week after the Super Bowl, frontier AI company employees provided a look behind the curtain

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Does Meta want to post for you—post‑mortem? Meta was granted a patent in December for a system that uses AI to simulate a deceased user’s activity across its platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and Threads—making posts, leaving comments, and interacting with others. #AI #Meta #AIethics

fastcompany.com

Meta patents AI that lets dead people post from the great beyond

Meta’s latest patent outlines AI that could mimic dead users’ activity across Facebook and Instagram, but the company says there are no plans to use the technology.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

An Anthropic safety researcher resigned Monday, warning of value gaps inside AI labs. Mrinank Sharma’s claims are alarming, but they leave a key question: what pressures push employees to set aside their principles? We need more insiders and greater transparency from AI companies. #AI #AISafety

forbes.com

Anthropic AI Safety Researcher Quits—And Warns Of World ‘In Peril’

Mrinank Sharma, who led the safeguards research team at Anthropic, shared his resignation letter on X, which quickly garnered nearly 1 million views.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

New lawsuit against xAI claims the company "...has harmed thousands of women who were digitally stripped and forced into sexual situations that they never consented to and who now face the very real risk that those public images will surface in their lives..."

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

📑 Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei recently published “The Adolescence of Technology,” a new essay that lays out what he sees as the biggest dangers of powerful AI, from bioterrorism and autonomous weapons to mass job loss and AI-powered dictatorships. #AI #Anthropic

darioamodei.com

Dario Amodei — The Adolescence of Technology

Confronting and Overcoming the Risks of Powerful AI

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

📱Social Media Giants Meta, TikTok, Snap, and Youtube face a series of landmark trials this year accusing their products of being addictive. Teenagers, school districts and states have filed thousands of lawsuits accusing them of encouraging excessive use by millions of young Americans.

nytimes.com

Social Media Giants Face Landmark Legal Tests on Child Safety

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

❗Consumer dystopia: Lawmakers race to stop AI-driven "surveillance pricing" that charges consumers personalized prices. Across more than a dozen states, policymakers are scrambling to enact protections as retailers deploy AI-powered systems that tailor prices to individual shoppers.

azcapitoltimes.com

States move to curb AI-driven ‘surveillance pricing’ | Arizona Capitol Times

State policymakers are introducing bills to ban retailers from using AI-powered personalized pricing, citing concerns over unfair targeting and exploitation.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

@calmatters.org reporter @khari.bsky.social details California AG Rob Bonta’s inquiry into Elon Musk’s Grok over alleged AI-generated non-consensual explicit imagery and spoke with Psst.org about why laws should add whistleblower protections for employees who work on these systems.

calmatters.org

California investigates Elon Musk’s AI company after ‘avalanche’ of complaints about sexual content

Attorney General Rob Bonta will investigate into whether deepfakes from Elon Musk's new AI tool Grok violate California law.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

🚨 TODAY: California Attorney General Rob Bonta says his office is investigating Grok for generating nonconsensual sexualized images of real people. "I urge xAI to take immediate action to ensure this goes no further," he said. xAI now faces regulatory pressure from U.S. officials. #AI #Grok

businessinsider.com

California's Attorney General is investigating Grok's sexualized deepfakes

California Attorney General Rob Bonta's investigation comes amid a growing backlash to xAI and its Grok chatbot.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

🗣️Tech Worker Announcement: Meta plans to lay off 10% of staff in its Reality Labs division. As Meta shifts its focus from its Metaverse to building next-generation artificial intelligence, their newly announced cuts could affect more than 10% of the metaverse unit. #Meta #AI

nytimes.com

Meta Plans to Cut Around 10% of Employees in Reality Labs Business

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

💡 To offer a more personalized AI experience, Google's introducing "Personal Intelligence" to its Gemini chatbot. Google's Gemini will now use what it knows about you from Gmail, Search,Youtube and the rest of your Google apps to answer your questions, so long as you opt-in.

theverge.com

Google’s Gemini AI will use what it knows about you from Gmail, Search, and YouTube

Google wants Gemini to give you more personalized responses.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

BREAKING❗: Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot will be integrated into Pentagon networks. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Musk's AI tool will join military systems later this month despite mounting scrutiny over Grok's generation of sexually inappropriate and violent imagery. #AI #Grok

theguardian.com

Musk’s AI tool Grok will be integrated into Pentagon networks, Hegseth says

Defense secretary says AI tool will join military systems later this month as it comes under fire for sexual imagery

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

OpenAI and Common Sense Media join forces 🤝 The unexpected alliance is developing the Parents and Kids Safe AI Act to establish guardrails protecting children from AI chatbot risks. This comes amid ongoing lawsuits against OpenAI, alleging chatbot interactions contributed to suicide. #AIsafety #AI

kqed.org

OpenAI and Common Sense Media Partner on New Kids AI Safety Ballot Measure | KQED

Common Sense Media and OpenAI announced a California initiative they say would, if voters approve, establish the strongest youth AI safety protections in the nation, in the absence of federal mandates...

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

California Senator Steve Padilla wants a 4-year ban on AI chatbots in kids' toys. 🧸 The proposal aims to protect children amid growing concerns about inappropriate child-AI toy interactions. "Our children cannot be used as lab rats for Big Tech's experiments," Padilla warns. #AI #AISafety

techcrunch.com

California lawmaker proposes a four-year ban on AI chatbots in kids' toys | TechCrunch

“Our children cannot be used as lab rats for Big Tech to experiment on,” Senator Steve Padilla said. He just introduced a bill to ban AI chatbots in toys until safety regulations are developed.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

🚨 BREAKING: The UK watchdog Ofcom launches an investigation into X over concerns of Grok being used to generate sexually explicit images. "If found to have broken the law, Ofcom can potentially issue X with a fine of up to 10% of its worldwide revenue or £18 million, whichever is greater."

bbc.com

Ofcom investigates Elon Musk's X over Grok AI sexual deepfakes

The watchdog said it had received reports of the platform's Grok AI chatbot creating undressed images of people.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Having to see Elon Musk in a women's bikini this New Year was not inevitable, nor was it unpreventable for Grok to undress images of unconsenting women and children. Check out our latest Substack on how whistleblowers could have helped us avoid the great Grok undressing spree. Read now!

open.substack.com

How whistleblowers could have helped us avoid the Great Grok Undressing Spree

New year, new AI hopes/horrors.

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Psst.org @psst-org.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

🚨 The first major settlement involving an AI chatbot-related teen death has been announced. Google and Character.AI are settling a lawsuit filed by the parents of a teenager who alleges the companies provided harmful chatbot companions that led their child to take their own life.

washingtonpost.com

Google and chatbot start-up Character move to settle teen suicide lawsuits

The companies said in court filings that they aim to settle five lawsuits from families alleging that Character.AI chatbots harmed minors and caused two suicides.

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