Thomas Baekdal
@baekdal.bsky.social
Author, Professional Writer, Magazine Publisher, and Media Analyst.
So what are you doing on a Saturday evening? Me? ... oh, you know, just moving my newsletter sending system to a EU-based provider instead of using one in the USA.
(I'm moving all my business infrastructure to EU because it has become too risky to use US-based services)
(I'm moving all my business infrastructure to EU because it has become too risky to use US-based services)
January 24, 2026 at 7:20 PM
So what are you doing on a Saturday evening? Me? ... oh, you know, just moving my newsletter sending system to a EU-based provider instead of using one in the USA.
(I'm moving all my business infrastructure to EU because it has become too risky to use US-based services)
(I'm moving all my business infrastructure to EU because it has become too risky to use US-based services)
My sister lives in Canada (north of Edmonton), and she just sent me this...
January 24, 2026 at 7:13 PM
My sister lives in Canada (north of Edmonton), and she just sent me this...
Reposted by Thomas Baekdal
It's funny, I recall all those American technologists telling me seizing TikTok was necessary because China would use it to spy on Americans.
Most people who otherwise understand tech have almost *no* understanding whatsoever of how data is collected, where, by whom, or how it gets sold.
Most people who otherwise understand tech have almost *no* understanding whatsoever of how data is collected, where, by whom, or how it gets sold.
According to its new privacy policy, TikTok now collects more data on its users, including their precise location, after majority ownership officially switched to a group based in the US. www.wired.com/story/tiktok...
TikTok Is Now Collecting Even More Data About Its Users. Here Are the 3 Biggest Changes
According to its new privacy policy, TikTok now collects more data on its users, including their precise location, after majority ownership officially switched to a group based in the US.
www.wired.com
January 24, 2026 at 5:09 PM
It's funny, I recall all those American technologists telling me seizing TikTok was necessary because China would use it to spy on Americans.
Most people who otherwise understand tech have almost *no* understanding whatsoever of how data is collected, where, by whom, or how it gets sold.
Most people who otherwise understand tech have almost *no* understanding whatsoever of how data is collected, where, by whom, or how it gets sold.
In my latest Baekdal/Plus newsletter, I talk about the problem of newspapers focusing on bombastic headlines, and how that is turning people away from the news -- News is often like the ‘boy who cried wolf’: baekdal.com/newsletter/n...
January 24, 2026 at 4:12 PM
In my latest Baekdal/Plus newsletter, I talk about the problem of newspapers focusing on bombastic headlines, and how that is turning people away from the news -- News is often like the ‘boy who cried wolf’: baekdal.com/newsletter/n...
As a Dane and as a European, I think it's completely unacceptable that TikTok is being sold to a bunch of Trump's tech buddies. We should demand that TikTok is sold to a European company, otherwise we should block it from the European market.
January 23, 2026 at 6:58 PM
As a Dane and as a European, I think it's completely unacceptable that TikTok is being sold to a bunch of Trump's tech buddies. We should demand that TikTok is sold to a European company, otherwise we should block it from the European market.
News sites are often a total mess, which makes it extremely hard to extract things for when I'm doing media analysis.
This evening, I ran into a particular problem that would have taken hours to do manually, so I asked Claude to do it. It has now been running for 20 minutes...
This evening, I ran into a particular problem that would have taken hours to do manually, so I asked Claude to do it. It has now been running for 20 minutes...
January 23, 2026 at 1:28 AM
News sites are often a total mess, which makes it extremely hard to extract things for when I'm doing media analysis.
This evening, I ran into a particular problem that would have taken hours to do manually, so I asked Claude to do it. It has now been running for 20 minutes...
This evening, I ran into a particular problem that would have taken hours to do manually, so I asked Claude to do it. It has now been running for 20 minutes...
Look newspaper. You know the story about the 'boy who cried wolf?" ... that's what you are doing with these headlines. No seriously, how many times over the past year have you published him saying that only for it not to be true. This type of headline has zero credibility.
January 23, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Look newspaper. You know the story about the 'boy who cried wolf?" ... that's what you are doing with these headlines. No seriously, how many times over the past year have you published him saying that only for it not to be true. This type of headline has zero credibility.
Well, we still don't know any of the details, or even if Denmark/Greenland have even agreed to any of this. But... look at what I predicted a week ago.
January 21, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Well, we still don't know any of the details, or even if Denmark/Greenland have even agreed to any of this. But... look at what I predicted a week ago.
It's actually insane to listen to Trump's speech at Davos. He is offending everyone. It's one offensive remark after another. In the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy, there was a person who decided to insult everyone in the entire universe in alphabetical order. That's what Trump is doing today.
January 21, 2026 at 2:46 PM
It's actually insane to listen to Trump's speech at Davos. He is offending everyone. It's one offensive remark after another. In the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy, there was a person who decided to insult everyone in the entire universe in alphabetical order. That's what Trump is doing today.
The Guardian's newsroom has had enough of this nonsense. Good job The Guardian. Don't just report what he is saying, fact check it as part of the live stream!
January 21, 2026 at 2:29 PM
The Guardian's newsroom has had enough of this nonsense. Good job The Guardian. Don't just report what he is saying, fact check it as part of the live stream!
He is actually insane... I mean, this has gone on for long enough.
January 21, 2026 at 2:18 PM
He is actually insane... I mean, this has gone on for long enough.
So, UPS, I will be really curious about how you plan to bring me my package today (in Silkeborg Denmark), when it was in Langenhagen, Germany at 11:42 ... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
January 21, 2026 at 12:26 PM
So, UPS, I will be really curious about how you plan to bring me my package today (in Silkeborg Denmark), when it was in Langenhagen, Germany at 11:42 ... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I turned the NYT Congress 2026 Polls page into a graph (comparing what they were one year ago with what they are now) ...and the Republican party is losing a lot of support. They were several points in the lead, now they are losing by about the same amount of points.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
January 21, 2026 at 3:26 AM
I turned the NYT Congress 2026 Polls page into a graph (comparing what they were one year ago with what they are now) ...and the Republican party is losing a lot of support. They were several points in the lead, now they are losing by about the same amount of points.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Denmark Bled Alongside American Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now Trump Won't Rule Out Taking Greenland From Them:
www.military.com/daily-news/i...
www.military.com/daily-news/i...
Denmark Bled Alongside American Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now Trump Won't Rule Out Taking Greenland From Them
Denmark deployed soldiers to both Iraq and Afghanistan when America launched the Global War on Terrorism. Fifty of their soldiers never came home. Now the United States refuses to rule out military ac...
www.military.com
January 21, 2026 at 12:27 AM
Denmark Bled Alongside American Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now Trump Won't Rule Out Taking Greenland From Them:
www.military.com/daily-news/i...
www.military.com/daily-news/i...
One of my family members is an officer in the Danish Air Force, and for the past many years has been deployed at US Ramstein Air Base in Germany as part of NATO.
If Trump orders an attack on Greenland, he will be fighting against his colleagues and friends, and they will be fighting him.
If Trump orders an attack on Greenland, he will be fighting against his colleagues and friends, and they will be fighting him.
January 20, 2026 at 11:25 PM
One of my family members is an officer in the Danish Air Force, and for the past many years has been deployed at US Ramstein Air Base in Germany as part of NATO.
If Trump orders an attack on Greenland, he will be fighting against his colleagues and friends, and they will be fighting him.
If Trump orders an attack on Greenland, he will be fighting against his colleagues and friends, and they will be fighting him.
Very high chance of northern lights again this evening.
January 20, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Very high chance of northern lights again this evening.
This is freaking brilliant!! ... Dear America, We’d Like to Speak to the Manager: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBoL...
Dear America, We’d Like to Speak to the Manager
YouTube video by New York Times Opinion
www.youtube.com
January 20, 2026 at 4:39 PM
This is freaking brilliant!! ... Dear America, We’d Like to Speak to the Manager: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBoL...
The message from the US at Davos is that of a rapist. They want to rape Greenland, but "don't fight it, don't retaliate, just let us do it!"
January 20, 2026 at 3:17 PM
The message from the US at Davos is that of a rapist. They want to rape Greenland, but "don't fight it, don't retaliate, just let us do it!"
In the early 2000s, fashion web shops imagine a future where shoppers from home could connect with roller-skating shopping assistants online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=453D... ;)
2000: Web Shoppers - The Future of Fashion? | Tomorrow's World | BBC Archive
YouTube video by BBC Archive
www.youtube.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:03 PM
In the early 2000s, fashion web shops imagine a future where shoppers from home could connect with roller-skating shopping assistants online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=453D... ;)
I'm confused. There is a new social network being launched today in Europe call 'W' ... I see several sites writing about it, but I cannot for the life of me figure out what their website is. Does anyone know?
January 20, 2026 at 2:44 PM
I'm confused. There is a new social network being launched today in Europe call 'W' ... I see several sites writing about it, but I cannot for the life of me figure out what their website is. Does anyone know?
Reposted by Thomas Baekdal
This percentage figure really shows how much control EU companies have given to their US counterparts. Also, how big is the opportunity here.
> 80% of total spending on cloud software and services for business use in Europe went to US companies
> 80% of total spending on cloud software and services for business use in Europe went to US companies
European Union companies' annual purchases of cloud software services that benefit the US economy amount to €264 billion … If the EU were able to produce 15% of services it currently purchases from the US in 2035, this would result in 463,000 additional jobs in the EU. www.cigref.fr/technologica...
Technological dependence on American software and cloud services : an assessment of the economic consequences in Europe - Cigref
‘Technological dependence on American software and cloud services: an estimate of the economic consequences in Europe’ is a new study on Europe's
www.cigref.fr
January 20, 2026 at 11:03 AM
This percentage figure really shows how much control EU companies have given to their US counterparts. Also, how big is the opportunity here.
> 80% of total spending on cloud software and services for business use in Europe went to US companies
> 80% of total spending on cloud software and services for business use in Europe went to US companies
I have run the numbers, and if I were to move my business to use Proton instead, it would cost me €12 more per year.
January 20, 2026 at 1:46 PM
I have run the numbers, and if I were to move my business to use Proton instead, it would cost me €12 more per year.
The power has been out this evening, and I was talking with my neighbor as I was checking if it was just my house, or everyone (it is everyone in my town). And my neighbor joked "maybe it's Trump who has attacked us".
It was of course just said for fun, but it's insane that it's even a thing.
It was of course just said for fun, but it's insane that it's even a thing.
January 20, 2026 at 1:51 AM
The power has been out this evening, and I was talking with my neighbor as I was checking if it was just my house, or everyone (it is everyone in my town). And my neighbor joked "maybe it's Trump who has attacked us".
It was of course just said for fun, but it's insane that it's even a thing.
It was of course just said for fun, but it's insane that it's even a thing.
Reposted by Thomas Baekdal
Not to state the obvious, but saying you will attack an ally because you didn’t win the Nobel Peace Prize, is exactly why you shouldn’t win a Nobel Peace Prize.
January 19, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Not to state the obvious, but saying you will attack an ally because you didn’t win the Nobel Peace Prize, is exactly why you shouldn’t win a Nobel Peace Prize.
What the actual...
Analysis: UK newspaper editorial opposition to climate action overtakes support for first time
"All 98 editorials opposing climate action were in right-leaning titles, incl the Sun, Mail, Telegraph, Times & Express"
By Josh Gabbatiss & Sylvia Hayes
www.carbonbrief.org/...
"All 98 editorials opposing climate action were in right-leaning titles, incl the Sun, Mail, Telegraph, Times & Express"
By Josh Gabbatiss & Sylvia Hayes
www.carbonbrief.org/...
January 19, 2026 at 2:49 PM
What the actual...