Pinned
Bobbie
@bobbie.net
· May 2
Your Favorite New Coworker Is an AI-Enhanced Operative From North Korea
For years, North Korea has been secretly placing young IT workers inside Western companies. With AI, their schemes are now more devious—and effective—than ever.
www.wired.com
My new story at @wired.com on North Korea's extensive effort to secretly placing young IT workers inside Western companies.
They use AI, deepfakes and boots on the ground to steal identities, get remote jobs, and funnel money and data back to fund the Kim regime.
www.wired.com/story/north-...
They use AI, deepfakes and boots on the ground to steal identities, get remote jobs, and funnel money and data back to fund the Kim regime.
www.wired.com/story/north-...
If Trump has, in fact, backed down on sending a massive ICE deployment to the SF Bay Area, it would be yet more confirmation that he nearly always backs down in the face of (a) organized resistance and (b) personal contact from the rich and powerful.
www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/art...
www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/art...
Trump calls off planned federal ‘surge’ in S.F. but plans for Bay Area immigration crackdown unclear
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he called off the planned federal deployment to the city after speaking with Mayor Daniel Lurie.
www.sfchronicle.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:15 PM
If Trump has, in fact, backed down on sending a massive ICE deployment to the SF Bay Area, it would be yet more confirmation that he nearly always backs down in the face of (a) organized resistance and (b) personal contact from the rich and powerful.
www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/art...
www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/art...
What is Sora's deepfake slop for, exactly? A little bit from me in the NYT on this awful, ghoulish invention which ultimately seems to have one purpose: to demolish the wall between the real and the unreal.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/o...
Opinion | What Is Sora Slop For, Exactly?
www.nytimes.com
October 19, 2025 at 4:04 PM
What is Sora's deepfake slop for, exactly? A little bit from me in the NYT on this awful, ghoulish invention which ultimately seems to have one purpose: to demolish the wall between the real and the unreal.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/o...
Reposted by Bobbie
📣 Our book of the month for August is... STRATA: STORIES FROM DEEP TIME by @laurapoppick.bsky.social
We loved this detailed, deliberate overview of geoscience—and its mixture of lyrical prose and detailed profiles of researchers and the things they study.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/announcing...
We loved this detailed, deliberate overview of geoscience—and its mixture of lyrical prose and detailed profiles of researchers and the things they study.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/announcing...
Deep thoughts on deep time with August's book of the month
Laura Poppick's "Strata" takes the long view on geology.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
August 1, 2025 at 7:36 PM
📣 Our book of the month for August is... STRATA: STORIES FROM DEEP TIME by @laurapoppick.bsky.social
We loved this detailed, deliberate overview of geoscience—and its mixture of lyrical prose and detailed profiles of researchers and the things they study.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/announcing...
We loved this detailed, deliberate overview of geoscience—and its mixture of lyrical prose and detailed profiles of researchers and the things they study.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/announcing...
Reposted by Bobbie
📢 Our pick of the month for July is "The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog": @biologycarly.bsky.social's fun new book showing how silly science can lead to serious discoveries.
Publishers Weekly called it "pop science at its finest" and they're right!
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur015-sal...
Publishers Weekly called it "pop science at its finest" and they're right!
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur015-sal...
Silly science is serious business in July's book of the month
We're reading Carly Anne York's "The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog".
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
📢 Our pick of the month for July is "The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog": @biologycarly.bsky.social's fun new book showing how silly science can lead to serious discoveries.
Publishers Weekly called it "pop science at its finest" and they're right!
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur015-sal...
Publishers Weekly called it "pop science at its finest" and they're right!
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur015-sal...
Had a great conversation with @karenhao.bsky.social about her book EMPIRE OF AI, OpenAI, its true costs, and end-of-the-world thinking for this month's @readcurious.xyz live Q&A.
I'll be sharing our chat soon in our free email newsletter. Sign up if you're interested!
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
I'll be sharing our chat soon in our free email newsletter. Sign up if you're interested!
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
June 27, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Had a great conversation with @karenhao.bsky.social about her book EMPIRE OF AI, OpenAI, its true costs, and end-of-the-world thinking for this month's @readcurious.xyz live Q&A.
I'll be sharing our chat soon in our free email newsletter. Sign up if you're interested!
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
I'll be sharing our chat soon in our free email newsletter. Sign up if you're interested!
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
Reposted by Bobbie
Sen. Alex Padilla, who was just forcibly removed from a DHS press conference, is the ranking member of Judiciary’s subcommittee on immigration, citizenship, and border safety, which has “oversight of federal agencies with citizenship, asylum, refugee, and immigration enforcement responsibilities.”
June 12, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Sen. Alex Padilla, who was just forcibly removed from a DHS press conference, is the ranking member of Judiciary’s subcommittee on immigration, citizenship, and border safety, which has “oversight of federal agencies with citizenship, asylum, refugee, and immigration enforcement responsibilities.”
Reposted by Bobbie
📣ATTENTION YOUNG WRITERS!📣
Henry Lien will be holding a free youth writing workshop hosted at @Chapter510 in partnership with the Locus Awards and @sistahscifi on Sunday, June 22nd in Oakland. RSVP now here or through the link in our bio! tinyurl.com/3fcz9yt7
See you there! #kidlit
Henry Lien will be holding a free youth writing workshop hosted at @Chapter510 in partnership with the Locus Awards and @sistahscifi on Sunday, June 22nd in Oakland. RSVP now here or through the link in our bio! tinyurl.com/3fcz9yt7
See you there! #kidlit
June 11, 2025 at 6:52 PM
📣ATTENTION YOUNG WRITERS!📣
Henry Lien will be holding a free youth writing workshop hosted at @Chapter510 in partnership with the Locus Awards and @sistahscifi on Sunday, June 22nd in Oakland. RSVP now here or through the link in our bio! tinyurl.com/3fcz9yt7
See you there! #kidlit
Henry Lien will be holding a free youth writing workshop hosted at @Chapter510 in partnership with the Locus Awards and @sistahscifi on Sunday, June 22nd in Oakland. RSVP now here or through the link in our bio! tinyurl.com/3fcz9yt7
See you there! #kidlit
Reposted by Bobbie
Four things we loved about @karenhao.bsky.social's EMPIRE OF AI, our book of the month for June.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/close-read...
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/close-read...
What I loved most about Karen Hao's Empire of AI
A few highlights from this new book looking into OpenAI, Sam Altman and the dramatic, deterministic, technological world they are building.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
June 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Four things we loved about @karenhao.bsky.social's EMPIRE OF AI, our book of the month for June.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/close-read...
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/close-read...
Mainstream media keeps laundering these “philosophers of the alt right” or “big thinkers of Silicon Valley”…
And then you watch them on video and immediately see they are total chuds you wouldn’t want to spend 2 minutes alone with.
Why can’t people see how utterly weird these dudes are?
And then you watch them on video and immediately see they are total chuds you wouldn’t want to spend 2 minutes alone with.
Why can’t people see how utterly weird these dudes are?
June 7, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Mainstream media keeps laundering these “philosophers of the alt right” or “big thinkers of Silicon Valley”…
And then you watch them on video and immediately see they are total chuds you wouldn’t want to spend 2 minutes alone with.
Why can’t people see how utterly weird these dudes are?
And then you watch them on video and immediately see they are total chuds you wouldn’t want to spend 2 minutes alone with.
Why can’t people see how utterly weird these dudes are?
Request for advice: a family member of mine in the UK, a lefty in his younger days, has been Farage-pilled.
Constant stream of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant posts and right wing talking points, angry responses to my comments and questions.
Any tips, suggestions or guides to constructively engage?
Constant stream of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant posts and right wing talking points, angry responses to my comments and questions.
Any tips, suggestions or guides to constructively engage?
June 5, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Request for advice: a family member of mine in the UK, a lefty in his younger days, has been Farage-pilled.
Constant stream of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant posts and right wing talking points, angry responses to my comments and questions.
Any tips, suggestions or guides to constructively engage?
Constant stream of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant posts and right wing talking points, angry responses to my comments and questions.
Any tips, suggestions or guides to constructively engage?
Reposted by Bobbie
Our book of the month for June is @karenhao.bsky.social's astonishing look at the hottest company in tech: "Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI"
It's a detailed, critical dive into what AI is, where it comes from, and what it costs.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur014-kar...
It's a detailed, critical dive into what AI is, where it comes from, and what it costs.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur014-kar...
Get ready for some deep learning with June's book of the month
Our pick is Karen Hao's stupendous, skeptical "Empire of AI".
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
June 2, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Our book of the month for June is @karenhao.bsky.social's astonishing look at the hottest company in tech: "Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI"
It's a detailed, critical dive into what AI is, where it comes from, and what it costs.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur014-kar...
It's a detailed, critical dive into what AI is, where it comes from, and what it costs.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/cur014-kar...
Reposted by Bobbie
THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!
We have 9 days to reach our fundraising goal & we have a LONG way to go!!
Be the reason that the Locus lights stay on! Help us out at igg.me/at/locusmag2025. We are so grateful for your support!
Fundraiser link in bio #sff #scifi #fantasy #booksky
We have 9 days to reach our fundraising goal & we have a LONG way to go!!
Be the reason that the Locus lights stay on! Help us out at igg.me/at/locusmag2025. We are so grateful for your support!
Fundraiser link in bio #sff #scifi #fantasy #booksky
May 23, 2025 at 1:00 AM
THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!
We have 9 days to reach our fundraising goal & we have a LONG way to go!!
Be the reason that the Locus lights stay on! Help us out at igg.me/at/locusmag2025. We are so grateful for your support!
Fundraiser link in bio #sff #scifi #fantasy #booksky
We have 9 days to reach our fundraising goal & we have a LONG way to go!!
Be the reason that the Locus lights stay on! Help us out at igg.me/at/locusmag2025. We are so grateful for your support!
Fundraiser link in bio #sff #scifi #fantasy #booksky
Thanks to Vox for having me on Today, Explained to talk about fake North Korean workers. I'm told this goes out on many public radio stations, so hello to you all out there!
(I cannot bring myself to listen to my own voice today, so please tell me if I goofed)
megaphone.link/VMP4489740505
(I cannot bring myself to listen to my own voice today, so please tell me if I goofed)
megaphone.link/VMP4489740505
My colleague, the scammer by Today, Explained
North Korea has been sending young, tech-savvy operatives to pose as ordinary American job seekers. Tech reporter Bobbie Johnson investigates the scam.
megaphone.link
May 19, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Thanks to Vox for having me on Today, Explained to talk about fake North Korean workers. I'm told this goes out on many public radio stations, so hello to you all out there!
(I cannot bring myself to listen to my own voice today, so please tell me if I goofed)
megaphone.link/VMP4489740505
(I cannot bring myself to listen to my own voice today, so please tell me if I goofed)
megaphone.link/VMP4489740505
It should not be controversial or complicated to say that what is happening in Gaza is wrong. But here we are.
We are bearing witness to thousands of people, many of them children, being trapped and bombed and starved to death. Doctors have been killed. Aid workers. Journalists.
This is wrong.
We are bearing witness to thousands of people, many of them children, being trapped and bombed and starved to death. Doctors have been killed. Aid workers. Journalists.
This is wrong.
May 19, 2025 at 5:16 PM
It should not be controversial or complicated to say that what is happening in Gaza is wrong. But here we are.
We are bearing witness to thousands of people, many of them children, being trapped and bombed and starved to death. Doctors have been killed. Aid workers. Journalists.
This is wrong.
We are bearing witness to thousands of people, many of them children, being trapped and bombed and starved to death. Doctors have been killed. Aid workers. Journalists.
This is wrong.
Reposted by Bobbie
The same reporters who won’t call the plane a bribe because it did not come with a note that says “now you will do what we want” somehow also often think that trans people are too biased to report on trans issues.
May 12, 2025 at 3:16 PM
The same reporters who won’t call the plane a bribe because it did not come with a note that says “now you will do what we want” somehow also often think that trans people are too biased to report on trans issues.
Lovely recommendation from @longreads.com today for my recent @wired.com story on why your weird remote work buddy may actually be a North Korean IT worker.
"puts you on the edge of your seat for the audacity of the cybercrime alone"
longreads.com/2025/05/09/t...
"puts you on the edge of your seat for the audacity of the cybercrime alone"
longreads.com/2025/05/09/t...
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week - Longreads
Recommendations from Bobbie Johnson; Bee Wilson; Jia Tolentino; Isra Fejzullaj, Rina Chandran, and Michael Zelenko; and Matthew Ponsford.
longreads.com
May 9, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Lovely recommendation from @longreads.com today for my recent @wired.com story on why your weird remote work buddy may actually be a North Korean IT worker.
"puts you on the edge of your seat for the audacity of the cybercrime alone"
longreads.com/2025/05/09/t...
"puts you on the edge of your seat for the audacity of the cybercrime alone"
longreads.com/2025/05/09/t...
I am very much looking forward to talking to Bonnie about this wonderful book!
Our book of the month for May is the fascinating ON MUSCLE by @bonnietsui.bsky.social.
It's a perfect blend of science and memoir, social history and technical detail, with some rivetingly beautiful personal stories.
Find out more and sign up here: newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/bonnie-tsu...
It's a perfect blend of science and memoir, social history and technical detail, with some rivetingly beautiful personal stories.
Find out more and sign up here: newsletter.readcurious.xyz/p/bonnie-tsu...
On Muscle: Curious Reading Club's book of the month for May 2025
Bonnie Tsui’s new book will make you look at your body and what it can do in a whole new way.
newsletter.readcurious.xyz
May 4, 2025 at 9:45 PM
I am very much looking forward to talking to Bonnie about this wonderful book!
My new story at @wired.com on North Korea's extensive effort to secretly placing young IT workers inside Western companies.
They use AI, deepfakes and boots on the ground to steal identities, get remote jobs, and funnel money and data back to fund the Kim regime.
www.wired.com/story/north-...
They use AI, deepfakes and boots on the ground to steal identities, get remote jobs, and funnel money and data back to fund the Kim regime.
www.wired.com/story/north-...
Your Favorite New Coworker Is an AI-Enhanced Operative From North Korea
For years, North Korea has been secretly placing young IT workers inside Western companies. With AI, their schemes are now more devious—and effective—than ever.
www.wired.com
May 2, 2025 at 5:16 PM
My new story at @wired.com on North Korea's extensive effort to secretly placing young IT workers inside Western companies.
They use AI, deepfakes and boots on the ground to steal identities, get remote jobs, and funnel money and data back to fund the Kim regime.
www.wired.com/story/north-...
They use AI, deepfakes and boots on the ground to steal identities, get remote jobs, and funnel money and data back to fund the Kim regime.
www.wired.com/story/north-...
You know that co-worker who always joins meetings with their camera off? The engineer who quietly gets his work done and never says much in the team chat?
What if you discovered they were in fact a North Korean agent, working to send money back to Kim Jong Un's regime?
www.wired.com/story/north-...
What if you discovered they were in fact a North Korean agent, working to send money back to Kim Jong Un's regime?
www.wired.com/story/north-...
Your Favorite New Coworker Is an AI-Enhanced Operative From North Korea
For years, North Korea has been secretly placing young IT workers inside Western companies. With AI, their schemes are now more devious—and effective—than ever.
www.wired.com
May 1, 2025 at 4:20 PM
You know that co-worker who always joins meetings with their camera off? The engineer who quietly gets his work done and never says much in the team chat?
What if you discovered they were in fact a North Korean agent, working to send money back to Kim Jong Un's regime?
www.wired.com/story/north-...
What if you discovered they were in fact a North Korean agent, working to send money back to Kim Jong Un's regime?
www.wired.com/story/north-...
So we have:
—masked vigilantes grabbing folks off the street
—for free speech, for tattoos, or just because they’re brown (including Native Americans)
—moving them to rocket docket jurisdictions
—then deporting them to utterly random countries
—this includes US citizen children WITH CANCER
—masked vigilantes grabbing folks off the street
—for free speech, for tattoos, or just because they’re brown (including Native Americans)
—moving them to rocket docket jurisdictions
—then deporting them to utterly random countries
—this includes US citizen children WITH CANCER
April 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
So we have:
—masked vigilantes grabbing folks off the street
—for free speech, for tattoos, or just because they’re brown (including Native Americans)
—moving them to rocket docket jurisdictions
—then deporting them to utterly random countries
—this includes US citizen children WITH CANCER
—masked vigilantes grabbing folks off the street
—for free speech, for tattoos, or just because they’re brown (including Native Americans)
—moving them to rocket docket jurisdictions
—then deporting them to utterly random countries
—this includes US citizen children WITH CANCER
Reposted by Bobbie
Easy to be flippant, but Trump going on the record to tell the media he is not in control of his govt and is being misinformed by advisors. Someone else is running the country.
April 25, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Easy to be flippant, but Trump going on the record to tell the media he is not in control of his govt and is being misinformed by advisors. Someone else is running the country.
A question: the Supreme Court may have ruled that whatever the president does basically isn’t a crime, but does that mean anyone committing criminal acts on behalf of the president is immune? Because we got a lot of people out there just following orders.
April 19, 2025 at 5:25 PM
A question: the Supreme Court may have ruled that whatever the president does basically isn’t a crime, but does that mean anyone committing criminal acts on behalf of the president is immune? Because we got a lot of people out there just following orders.
100% Mia is gonna be one of the best ever to do it (if not already)
I've been saying for years now that @miasato.bsky.social is the next hot shit you gotta watch out for and now the American Society of Magazine Editors agrees: Mia is officially an instance of "outstanding achievement by early-career journalists" asme.memberclicks.net/american-soc...
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGAZINE EDITORS ANNOUNCES NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARDS 2025 WINNERS
asme.memberclicks.net
April 10, 2025 at 11:08 PM
100% Mia is gonna be one of the best ever to do it (if not already)
Reposted by Bobbie
Good day to remember that a US President has no inherent power over tariffs whatsoever. It’s not like war powers or pardons. It’s entirely delegated by Congress to deal with emergencies. GOP Congress cld modify that law tonight and bring this to a screeching halt.
April 2, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Good day to remember that a US President has no inherent power over tariffs whatsoever. It’s not like war powers or pardons. It’s entirely delegated by Congress to deal with emergencies. GOP Congress cld modify that law tonight and bring this to a screeching halt.
Reposted by Bobbie
"high-profile “free speech” advocates such as Bari Weiss, Jonathan Haidt, David Brooks, David Frum, John McWhorter, and Malcolm Gladwell have either remained silent or championed the arrests."
A review of the signatories of the now-infamous 2020 Harper’s Letter shows that only 24% who put their name on the letter defending “Open Debate” have come out in opposition to Trump’s war on campus free speech. By me and @ahjohnson.bsky.social inthesetimes.com/article/demo...
Democratic Party Leaders and “Free Speech” Warriors Shrug as Trump Deports Dissidents
While the Trump administration targets hundreds over their constitutionally protected right to political speech, Democratic leadership and influential media pundits have largely stayed quiet.
inthesetimes.com
April 2, 2025 at 1:01 PM
"high-profile “free speech” advocates such as Bari Weiss, Jonathan Haidt, David Brooks, David Frum, John McWhorter, and Malcolm Gladwell have either remained silent or championed the arrests."