Alison Masemann
@acmasey.bsky.social
Producer, The Current on CBC Radio.
Here for interesting connections, things that pique my curiosity.
Toronto 🇨🇦
Here for interesting connections, things that pique my curiosity.
Toronto 🇨🇦
Reposted by Alison Masemann
WTF are we doing here, BBC?
December 15, 2025 at 12:35 PM
WTF are we doing here, BBC?
Reposted by Alison Masemann
Reposted by Alison Masemann
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
December 4, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reposted by Alison Masemann
This is new FDA CDER Director with a father who believes his son was killed by COVID vaccine. She is in front of FDA sign and smiling while pointing to his vest which has Pfizer's logo and a bloody handprint on it.
December 4, 2025 at 2:20 PM
This is new FDA CDER Director with a father who believes his son was killed by COVID vaccine. She is in front of FDA sign and smiling while pointing to his vest which has Pfizer's logo and a bloody handprint on it.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
Perhaps apropos. In a 1939 internal note, NBC regretted *not* censoring announcer Walter Winchell after he called Hitler a "madman".
December 3, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Perhaps apropos. In a 1939 internal note, NBC regretted *not* censoring announcer Walter Winchell after he called Hitler a "madman".
Reposted by Alison Masemann
I know: he’s a racist authoritarian who’s running a militantly racist government constantly doing and saying racist things, carrying out a highly militarized campaign of ethnic cleansing and also doing anti diversity crackdown all over the place. And yet…his racist rhetoric IS getting worse, somehow
Trump: "It’s a hellhole right now. And those Somalians should be out of here. They've destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain. You have her. She’s always talking about the Constitution provides me with – go back to your own country and figure out your constitution."
December 3, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I know: he’s a racist authoritarian who’s running a militantly racist government constantly doing and saying racist things, carrying out a highly militarized campaign of ethnic cleansing and also doing anti diversity crackdown all over the place. And yet…his racist rhetoric IS getting worse, somehow
Reposted by Alison Masemann
Can't think of a single perverse incentive here. Sounds great! Should definitely be partnering with news organizations!
The co-founder of Kalshi says: " The long-term vision is to financialize everything and create a tradable asset out of any difference in opinion."
December 3, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Can't think of a single perverse incentive here. Sounds great! Should definitely be partnering with news organizations!
Reposted by Alison Masemann
North Korean-style. A Potemkin village of fake journalists.
December 2, 2025 at 5:31 PM
North Korean-style. A Potemkin village of fake journalists.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Alison Masemann
This is the 2nd time a major government report from Deloitte has been found to contain errors likely generated by AI.
First in Australia and now, as The Independent has confirmed, in a major healthcare policy paper for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador #nlpoli #AI #deloitte
First in Australia and now, as The Independent has confirmed, in a major healthcare policy paper for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador #nlpoli #AI #deloitte
A major healthcare policy paper commissioned by @govnl.bsky.social government from Deloitte at a cost of $1.6 million, cites research papers that don’t exist, making it the second major government policy paper called into question in as many months. #nlpoli #AI
theindependent.ca/news/lji/maj...
theindependent.ca/news/lji/maj...
Major N.L. healthcare report contains errors likely generated by A.I. – The Independent
$1.6 million Health Human Resources Plan from Deloitte cites research papers that don’t exist, making it the second major government policy paper called into question in as many months
theindependent.ca
November 22, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Reposted by Alison Masemann
"It's difficult to think in celebratory terms when I have spent two years seeing what shrapnel does to a child's body. It's difficult to think in celebratory terms when I know that my tax money is doing this."
- Omar El Akkad, winner of the 2025 National Book Award
- Omar El Akkad, winner of the 2025 National Book Award
Omar El Akkad spoke after winning the 2025 National Book Award for nonfiction for “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,” his book on the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. He accepted the award at a gala in New York City this week.
November 23, 2025 at 3:11 AM
"It's difficult to think in celebratory terms when I have spent two years seeing what shrapnel does to a child's body. It's difficult to think in celebratory terms when I know that my tax money is doing this."
- Omar El Akkad, winner of the 2025 National Book Award
- Omar El Akkad, winner of the 2025 National Book Award
Reposted by Alison Masemann
Massive shoutout out to whoever handles the Royal Canadian Air Force’s social media account. They responded to every single comment on their already very solid Trans Day of Remembrance post and they responded like this…
November 22, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Massive shoutout out to whoever handles the Royal Canadian Air Force’s social media account. They responded to every single comment on their already very solid Trans Day of Remembrance post and they responded like this…
Reposted by Alison Masemann
this is your brain when your entire politics is just a set of aesthetics
November 21, 2025 at 11:04 PM
this is your brain when your entire politics is just a set of aesthetics
Reposted by Alison Masemann
On TV shows, we love to arc a villian — force the bad guy to team up with the good guys and follow that character on a path to redemption. It’s fun, but it’s fiction.
In real life, villains rarely arc. Racists stay racist. Monsters stay monsters. If someone says they’ve changed, be real suspicious.
In real life, villains rarely arc. Racists stay racist. Monsters stay monsters. If someone says they’ve changed, be real suspicious.
CNN: In the last couple of weeks or so, she's become kind of an ally on some issues. What do you make of this?
Auchincloss: No, John, she hasn't.
Auchincloss: No, John, she hasn't.
November 22, 2025 at 3:10 AM
On TV shows, we love to arc a villian — force the bad guy to team up with the good guys and follow that character on a path to redemption. It’s fun, but it’s fiction.
In real life, villains rarely arc. Racists stay racist. Monsters stay monsters. If someone says they’ve changed, be real suspicious.
In real life, villains rarely arc. Racists stay racist. Monsters stay monsters. If someone says they’ve changed, be real suspicious.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
This week, I withdrew from a speaking engagement at a public university because they sent me a list of prohibited “words & concepts.” I will not humor this censorship. It does a disservice to the stories I’m discussing & the audience, who deserve unfettered access to information & conversation.
November 20, 2025 at 10:20 PM
This week, I withdrew from a speaking engagement at a public university because they sent me a list of prohibited “words & concepts.” I will not humor this censorship. It does a disservice to the stories I’m discussing & the audience, who deserve unfettered access to information & conversation.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
The radical right *is* rising across much of Europe. But the narrative that young people are leading the charge is overblown.
Gen Z is turning away from mainstream parties, but often the beneficiaries are left-insurgents like England's Greens, France's LFI, or Germany's Linke.
Gen Z is turning away from mainstream parties, but often the beneficiaries are left-insurgents like England's Greens, France's LFI, or Germany's Linke.
The Greens are winning the support of around half of 18 to 24 year olds.
Reform are on 5%. So much for young people's turn to the right!
And the Young Greens now have 40,000 members - the biggest youth and students wing in British politics
Reform are on 5%. So much for young people's turn to the right!
And the Young Greens now have 40,000 members - the biggest youth and students wing in British politics
November 20, 2025 at 6:49 PM
The radical right *is* rising across much of Europe. But the narrative that young people are leading the charge is overblown.
Gen Z is turning away from mainstream parties, but often the beneficiaries are left-insurgents like England's Greens, France's LFI, or Germany's Linke.
Gen Z is turning away from mainstream parties, but often the beneficiaries are left-insurgents like England's Greens, France's LFI, or Germany's Linke.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
Musk has apparently manipulated Grok so much that it says he's a better athlete than LeBron James and a funnier comedian than Jerry Seinfeld.
Imagine being so insecure you need to program an LLM to boost you like that.
Imagine being so insecure you need to program an LLM to boost you like that.
November 20, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Musk has apparently manipulated Grok so much that it says he's a better athlete than LeBron James and a funnier comedian than Jerry Seinfeld.
Imagine being so insecure you need to program an LLM to boost you like that.
Imagine being so insecure you need to program an LLM to boost you like that.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
Will say it one more time: Student-run college papers really are leading the way right now.
#BREAKING: Former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers will immediately leave his role as an instructor at Harvard while the University investigates his ties to child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Dhruv T. Patel and Cam N. Srivastava report.
Dhruv T. Patel and Cam N. Srivastava report.
Summers Will Not Finish Semester of Teaching as Harvard Investigates Epstein Ties | News | The Harvard Crimson
Former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers will immediately leave his role as an instructor at Harvard while the University investigates his ties to child sex trafficker Jeffrey E. Epstein.
www.thecrimson.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Will say it one more time: Student-run college papers really are leading the way right now.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
The world needs more journalists like ABC chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce.
November 19, 2025 at 10:22 PM
The world needs more journalists like ABC chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
November 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
Reposted by Alison Masemann
For the life of me I don't understand why the White House press corps continues to debase itself. (Congress too, for that matter.)
November 18, 2025 at 6:08 PM
For the life of me I don't understand why the White House press corps continues to debase itself. (Congress too, for that matter.)
Reposted by Alison Masemann
Congratulations to @thisweekinwoo.bsky.social on getting this terrible story
thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
Exclusive: Trump DHS Plans Immigration Raids on Churches Over Holidays
The Trump Dept. of Homeland Security is briefing federal agencies on plans for immigration enforcement operations inside churches over holidays.
thisweekinworcester.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Congratulations to @thisweekinwoo.bsky.social on getting this terrible story
thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
Reposted by Alison Masemann
A reminder that seven years ago almost to the day, the CIA determined that Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the killing of @washingtonpost.com journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination
Audio recordings, intercepted phone calls and other intelligence link Mohammed bin Salman to killing that Saudis say was conducted by rogue elements.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:05 PM
A reminder that seven years ago almost to the day, the CIA determined that Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the killing of @washingtonpost.com journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
Reposted by Alison Masemann
German court rules that OpenAI violated copyright laws by training ChatGPT on music 🎵
• May set precedent for Europe AI copyright uses
• OpenAI disagrees & can appeal
"The internet is not a self-service store, and human creative achievements are not free templates"
— German Music Rights Society
• May set precedent for Europe AI copyright uses
• OpenAI disagrees & can appeal
"The internet is not a self-service store, and human creative achievements are not free templates"
— German Music Rights Society
November 12, 2025 at 12:26 AM
German court rules that OpenAI violated copyright laws by training ChatGPT on music 🎵
• May set precedent for Europe AI copyright uses
• OpenAI disagrees & can appeal
"The internet is not a self-service store, and human creative achievements are not free templates"
— German Music Rights Society
• May set precedent for Europe AI copyright uses
• OpenAI disagrees & can appeal
"The internet is not a self-service store, and human creative achievements are not free templates"
— German Music Rights Society