Alberto Cairo
@albertocairo.com
Designer, journalist, and professor.
Author of 'The Art of Insight' (2023) 'How Charts Lie' (2019), 'The Truthful Art' (2016), and 'The Functional Art' (2012). NEW PROJECT: https://openvisualizationacademy.org/
Author of 'The Art of Insight' (2023) 'How Charts Lie' (2019), 'The Truthful Art' (2016), and 'The Functional Art' (2012). NEW PROJECT: https://openvisualizationacademy.org/
Pinned
Friends of the Open Visualization Academy: Ari Lamstein
openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com
In the newsletter: Friends of the Open Visualization Academy, episode 2: Ari Lamstein: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/friends-of... #dataViz #dataVisualization #dataJournalism
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
I spoke with the authors of the study, Christian Gläßel and
@ascharpf.bsky.social, who drew direct parallels between the creation of secret police in authoritarian regimes and what is happening under the Trump administration.
Right now, the signals of impunity for loyalists stands out.
@ascharpf.bsky.social, who drew direct parallels between the creation of secret police in authoritarian regimes and what is happening under the Trump administration.
Right now, the signals of impunity for loyalists stands out.
January 11, 2026 at 3:25 PM
I spoke with the authors of the study, Christian Gläßel and
@ascharpf.bsky.social, who drew direct parallels between the creation of secret police in authoritarian regimes and what is happening under the Trump administration.
Right now, the signals of impunity for loyalists stands out.
@ascharpf.bsky.social, who drew direct parallels between the creation of secret police in authoritarian regimes and what is happening under the Trump administration.
Right now, the signals of impunity for loyalists stands out.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
One basic lesson from political research is that secret police generally rely on mediocre men willing to do the dirty work of authoritarian regimes in order to advance their careers.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-the-fb...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-the-fb...
January 11, 2026 at 3:17 PM
One basic lesson from political research is that secret police generally rely on mediocre men willing to do the dirty work of authoritarian regimes in order to advance their careers.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-the-fb...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-the-fb...
...that we can't avoid confronting, characterized by profound and shameless moral depravity. There's no dialogue possible with such a movement. It must be crushed rhetorically, intellectually, and politically, and thrown back to the netherworld that it should have never been allowed to leave. 2/2
January 10, 2026 at 8:52 PM
...that we can't avoid confronting, characterized by profound and shameless moral depravity. There's no dialogue possible with such a movement. It must be crushed rhetorically, intellectually, and politically, and thrown back to the netherworld that it should have never been allowed to leave. 2/2
This great essay by @gbbranstetter.bsky.social: autonomy.substack.com/p/a-queer-li... aligns with some personal and private musings from the past 12 months: We're way too wary of using the language of moral clarity —and we shouldn't be. It's a weapon against the reactionary uprising... 1/2
A Queer Life Is A Human Life
The murder of Renee Good
autonomy.substack.com
January 10, 2026 at 8:51 PM
This great essay by @gbbranstetter.bsky.social: autonomy.substack.com/p/a-queer-li... aligns with some personal and private musings from the past 12 months: We're way too wary of using the language of moral clarity —and we shouldn't be. It's a weapon against the reactionary uprising... 1/2
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
In the newsletter: Designing for Everyone by Michela Tjan: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/designing-... with a nod to @frank.computer's fantastic course about accessibility for the Open Visualization Academy (launching on January 31st!)
Designing for Everyone
Why Accessibility Matters
openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:37 PM
In the newsletter: Designing for Everyone by Michela Tjan: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/designing-... with a nod to @frank.computer's fantastic course about accessibility for the Open Visualization Academy (launching on January 31st!)
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Just a note in passing regarding the Bluesky dataviz community: this post has lots of activity here in 24 hours and also, Joey did not announce it on X. It happens here. 🦋📊
January 8, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Just a note in passing regarding the Bluesky dataviz community: this post has lots of activity here in 24 hours and also, Joey did not announce it on X. It happens here. 🦋📊
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
This is a gorgeous write-up of what accessibility in visualization is all about.
Also, I cannot wait to share the course once it is out on the 31st! It's the most comprehensive open course on the topic of accessibility in visualization and great for students of both accessibility and visualization.
Also, I cannot wait to share the course once it is out on the 31st! It's the most comprehensive open course on the topic of accessibility in visualization and great for students of both accessibility and visualization.
In the newsletter: Designing for Everyone by Michela Tjan: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/designing-... with a nod to @frank.computer's fantastic course about accessibility for the Open Visualization Academy (launching on January 31st!)
Designing for Everyone
Why Accessibility Matters
openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:13 PM
This is a gorgeous write-up of what accessibility in visualization is all about.
Also, I cannot wait to share the course once it is out on the 31st! It's the most comprehensive open course on the topic of accessibility in visualization and great for students of both accessibility and visualization.
Also, I cannot wait to share the course once it is out on the 31st! It's the most comprehensive open course on the topic of accessibility in visualization and great for students of both accessibility and visualization.
In the newsletter: Designing for Everyone by Michela Tjan: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/designing-... with a nod to @frank.computer's fantastic course about accessibility for the Open Visualization Academy (launching on January 31st!)
Designing for Everyone
Why Accessibility Matters
openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:37 PM
In the newsletter: Designing for Everyone by Michela Tjan: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/designing-... with a nod to @frank.computer's fantastic course about accessibility for the Open Visualization Academy (launching on January 31st!)
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
It has been an obvious, sometimes even almost stated project of Trump 2.0 to engineer a redo of the post George Floyd protests of 2020, this time with much more state violence. And now a federal agent has shot and killed a woman in a car at point blank range a mile from where Floyd was murdered.
January 7, 2026 at 9:29 PM
It has been an obvious, sometimes even almost stated project of Trump 2.0 to engineer a redo of the post George Floyd protests of 2020, this time with much more state violence. And now a federal agent has shot and killed a woman in a car at point blank range a mile from where Floyd was murdered.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
masked, unidentified goons who assault and murder with impunity. a literal gestapo.
This is the ICE agent who murdered a woman by shooting her multiple times in the face.
January 7, 2026 at 7:36 PM
masked, unidentified goons who assault and murder with impunity. a literal gestapo.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Here are two key frames of the video. (Changed language on the first notation.)
January 7, 2026 at 6:44 PM
Here are two key frames of the video. (Changed language on the first notation.)
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
In the video in the post, you can see that the officer can clearly get out of the way of the vehicle, at first doesn't, pulls his firearm and continues to shoot as the driver has already driven past him. bsky.app/profile/bnon...
NEW: Second video shows ICE shooting in Minneapolis. A woman, a U.S. citizen, was killed
January 7, 2026 at 6:29 PM
In the video in the post, you can see that the officer can clearly get out of the way of the vehicle, at first doesn't, pulls his firearm and continues to shoot as the driver has already driven past him. bsky.app/profile/bnon...
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
A functional country would shut Grok down permanently. Like, immediately. Right now. Last week. Whatever. Just flip the switch. Obviously.
January 4, 2026 at 10:52 PM
A functional country would shut Grok down permanently. Like, immediately. Right now. Last week. Whatever. Just flip the switch. Obviously.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
So many in media are ill-equipped to interview officials about what’s happening because they begin with the presumption of legitimacy and don’t know enough about history or U.S. foreign policy to foment intelligent pushback and hold officials accountable.
January 4, 2026 at 11:32 PM
So many in media are ill-equipped to interview officials about what’s happening because they begin with the presumption of legitimacy and don’t know enough about history or U.S. foreign policy to foment intelligent pushback and hold officials accountable.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Im seeing discussions about consultations with congress, authorizations of force etc. I have to say this transcends any of what I would call sub constitutional technicalities. The president has gone to war with a foreign power and, it seems, kidnapped a foreign head of state on the basis of nothing.
January 3, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Im seeing discussions about consultations with congress, authorizations of force etc. I have to say this transcends any of what I would call sub constitutional technicalities. The president has gone to war with a foreign power and, it seems, kidnapped a foreign head of state on the basis of nothing.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
I can't imagine how this will end terribly... Oh wait I can imagine a million ways this ends absolutely terribly.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
Live updates: Trump says Maduro captured in ‘large scale strike’ against Venezuela
The United States carried out a large-scale strike on Venezuela, capturing its president, Nicolás Maduro, and flying him out of the country, President Trump said.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:28 AM
I can't imagine how this will end terribly... Oh wait I can imagine a million ways this ends absolutely terribly.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Rules-based international order has had a rough couple of decades, but this pretty much ends it entirely. Both the strikes and the capture of Maduro are also blatant violations of US domestic law too, of course.
January 3, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Rules-based international order has had a rough couple of decades, but this pretty much ends it entirely. Both the strikes and the capture of Maduro are also blatant violations of US domestic law too, of course.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
I actually think it's time to bring back the approach of curated lists and webrings from the early web again. Huge opportunity space for hand curation of information
In an age where AI slop websites have made entire categories of information difficult to find, what we need is Yahoo (or Dmoz): a human-curated list of reliable websites, organized by topic.
January 2, 2026 at 10:29 PM
I actually think it's time to bring back the approach of curated lists and webrings from the early web again. Huge opportunity space for hand curation of information
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Central to this conversation was the new Trans News Initiative, an interactive tool tracking trends in coverage over the last 5 years.
Check it out here!
transnewsinitiative.org
Check it out here!
transnewsinitiative.org
Trans News Initiative
A database and analysis of news coverage affecting trans communities.
transnewsinitiative.org
January 2, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Central to this conversation was the new Trans News Initiative, an interactive tool tracking trends in coverage over the last 5 years.
Check it out here!
transnewsinitiative.org
Check it out here!
transnewsinitiative.org
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
For your weekend listening: I filled in as guest host on @thegailyshow.org and dug deep into how transgender people are covered in the news.
I was joined by @petrinkae.bsky.social of the @transjournalists.org Association for a thoughtful, data-driven conversation about trends in trans coverage.
I was joined by @petrinkae.bsky.social of the @transjournalists.org Association for a thoughtful, data-driven conversation about trends in trans coverage.
New Tool Tracks Media Coverage of the Transgender Community
YouTube video by The Gaily Show
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:12 PM
For your weekend listening: I filled in as guest host on @thegailyshow.org and dug deep into how transgender people are covered in the news.
I was joined by @petrinkae.bsky.social of the @transjournalists.org Association for a thoughtful, data-driven conversation about trends in trans coverage.
I was joined by @petrinkae.bsky.social of the @transjournalists.org Association for a thoughtful, data-driven conversation about trends in trans coverage.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Historians: Quibbling Over Exact Definition Of Concentration Camp Sign Of Healthy Society https://theonion.com/historians-quibbling-over-exact-definition-of-concentration-camp-sign-of-healthy-society/
December 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Historians: Quibbling Over Exact Definition Of Concentration Camp Sign Of Healthy Society https://theonion.com/historians-quibbling-over-exact-definition-of-concentration-camp-sign-of-healthy-society/
I've read a few of these men (Deneen in particular) and this is spot on "[Field detects] a strain of decadence underlying the fanaticism, with soft, comfortable men mistaking cruel titillation for insight and trying their mightiest to look tough" @lkatfield.bsky.social 'Furious Minds' is excellent
The last couple grafs here also remind me why Tim Walz calling these guys “weird” worked so well. When you see Samuel Alito flying the flag upside down outside his vacation home because… well, I don’t why, maybe because Biden wanted to forgive student debt or install EV chargers… they just seem nuts
December 28, 2025 at 3:04 PM
I've read a few of these men (Deneen in particular) and this is spot on "[Field detects] a strain of decadence underlying the fanaticism, with soft, comfortable men mistaking cruel titillation for insight and trying their mightiest to look tough" @lkatfield.bsky.social 'Furious Minds' is excellent
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Im profoundly committed to access as care, access as process. Some of you need to understand that since chatGPT etc have entered the fray, many profs are seeing truly detrimental effects on students' engagement, learning and community. Caring about that isn't ableist/being a cop/technophobic.
December 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Im profoundly committed to access as care, access as process. Some of you need to understand that since chatGPT etc have entered the fray, many profs are seeing truly detrimental effects on students' engagement, learning and community. Caring about that isn't ableist/being a cop/technophobic.
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Maybe, if you're not actually in university classrooms, teaching students in the age of gAI, perhaps you might want to stop and listen when people actually in those classrooms raise concerns about what they are seeing; and not just dismiss us as luddites, or boomers, or cruel profs playing cops
December 28, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Maybe, if you're not actually in university classrooms, teaching students in the age of gAI, perhaps you might want to stop and listen when people actually in those classrooms raise concerns about what they are seeing; and not just dismiss us as luddites, or boomers, or cruel profs playing cops
Reposted by Alberto Cairo
Se a imprensa comercial hereditária está ruim, e está, por que você não lê mais, assina mais, compartilha mais, comenta mais, as coisas incríveis que são feitas com dedicação pela imprensa independente?
December 26, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Se a imprensa comercial hereditária está ruim, e está, por que você não lê mais, assina mais, compartilha mais, comenta mais, as coisas incríveis que são feitas com dedicação pela imprensa independente?