Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Christian Vasquez

U.S. Press Freedom Tracker @pressfreedomtracker.us · 2d

If you are a journalist — or know one — who has been attacked, seriously threatened, denied access by a public official or targeted with a legal order in the course of reporting, let us know. You can now submit tips in English or Spanish.

Email: tips@pressfreedomtracker.us

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Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · 2d

The increasing use of AI to surveil people’s emotions endangers not only privacy but also personal autonomy—the bedrock of democracy, writes Oznur Uguz. Newly emerging AI laws fail to provide adequate safeguards, she says.

How AI-Powered Emotional Surveillance Can Threaten Personal Autonomy and Democracy | TechPolicy.Press

If we do not regulate emotional AI surveillance now, we might soon have to fake how we feel to protect our privacy, writes Oznur Uguz.

buff.ly

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Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 3d

"While on the phone with 911, Rinderknecht allegedly typed a question into ChatGPT: 'Are you at fault if a fire is lift because of your cigarettes'"

Bobby Allyn @bobbyallyn.bsky.social · 3d

When investigators recovered the phone of the man suspected of starting the Palisades fire they found an image of a burning city he generated on ChatGPT www.latimes.com/california/s...

Uber driver accused of intentionally starting fire that destroyed Pacific Palisades

Authorities will announce an arrest in connection with the devastating Palisades fire, law enforcement sources said, and are expected to announce a cause of the blaze.

www.latimes.com

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Andy Greenberg @agreenberg.bsky.social · 10d

A source shares some screenshots of the Lapsus ransomware gang celebrating the government shutdown as a disruption to the FBI investigations tracking them.

They also refer to Trump as "my king."

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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 11d

* TRUMP TO U.S. MILITARY LEADERS: WE'RE UNDER INVASION FROM WITHIN

@reuters.com

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Glen @vaguebiscuit.bsky.social · 14d

Well don't I feel stupid

A headline about the James Webb Telescope potentially finding a new stellar object dubbed a black hole star

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Andrew Couts @couts.bsky.social · 18d

NEW: Here's our report on the "SIM farm" the Secret Service discovered, which hopefully helps better explain what the hell is up with all this. @agreenberg.bsky.social, @lhn.bsky.social, & @mattburgess1.bsky.social report: www.wired.com/story/sim-fa...

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Techmeme @techmeme.com · 20d

Researchers suggest LLM-powered medical AI tools understate the severity of symptoms in female patients and show less "empathy" toward Black and Asian patients (Melissa Heikkilä/Financial Times)

Main Link | Techmeme Permalink

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Trans Journalists Association @transjournalists.org · Sep 11

“News organizations should be as transparent as possible about how details… are being confirmed, both to increase accuracy in reporting and build trust with audiences in a breaking news environment.”

Our full statement:

www.transjournalists.org/tja-urges-ca...

TJA urges caution in reporting on details of Charlie Kirk shooting investigation

Various outlets have reported that authorities have found ammunition engraved with expressions of “transgender and antifascist ideology” alongside a weapon purportedly associated with the killing of C...

www.transjournalists.org

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · Sep 11

Old journalism rule: Don't publish everything you hear on the police scanner.

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darth™️ @darthbluesky.bsky.social · Sep 11

i wrote this post in july two years ago when blue sky had around 200,000 total users and i thought i would ask again

tell me what u are doing
be proud of what u do and share it here

darth™️ @darthbluesky.bsky.social · Jul 27

tell me what u are doing
be proud of your work and share it here

bring on the headless horses @ihavethatonvinyl.com · Jul 27

hearing that we're not supposed to be promoting our stuff on here? seen a couple of posts disparaging that practice. still have no idea what this place is about, what is ok to post or not post, feeling like i'm dog paddling here

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Christian Vasquez @chrismvasq.com · Sep 10

"This is the kind of signature that we would see that was made by something biological … it's kind of the equivalent of seeing leftover fossils … leftovers from a meal. And maybe that meal has been excreted by a microbe. And that's what we're seeing in this sample."

www.npr.org/2025/09/10/n...

Life on Mars? NASA says a rock sample shows potential signs of ancient life

Ancient organisms may have left microscopic "biosignatures" on Mars. That's according to NASA scientists, who say a rock sample offers the most concrete proof yet that the red planet once hosted life.

www.npr.org

Christian Vasquez @chrismvasq.com · Sep 10

legitimately depressing

Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · Sep 10

These are currently the top seven columns on the Washington Post's Opinion page:

Linda McMahon and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Linda McMahon and RFK Jr.: Children need natural sources of mental health

George F. Will
Moaning about foreign competition is a great American tradition
Winsome Earle-Sears
Turn back girls’ rights for equality? Let’s use common sense.

Editorial Board
The collapse of Democratic lawfare in Michigan

Mike Sommers
This surprising red state is repeating California’s mistakes
John Spencer
Israel’s siege of Gaza City is lawful and necessary
Kate Andrews
This president’s chainsaw politics are working — just not at the ballot box

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Karl Bode @karlbode.com · Sep 10

the president likely raped and trafficked children, you pathetic fucks

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Sep 10

For much of his presidency, President Donald Trump has been focused on the signature of his predecessor and whether an autopen was used to affix it.

But over the course of 36 hours, attention has pivoted to Trump’s signature.

No clear answers on whether Trump signed the Epstein birthday book

Trump denies it is his, and experts say they can’t be sure. The White House welcomed a forensic analysis of the loopy D and long tail.

wapo.st

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Christian Vasquez @chrismvasq.com · Sep 10

For ex. one concern over solar inverters is catching on fire. So an adversary can mess with things *waves hands around vaguely* to do so but that's a concern anyway regardless lmao and there are mitigations that can avoid both issues AND you can still buy cheap shit from China.

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Christian Vasquez @chrismvasq.com · Sep 10

I don't know what this means. Tampered to do what? It would be cool to know what can actually be done with that access. I doubt the actual alert said anything too different tbh as there is often a lot of rah rah without specifics. These are physical devices so there can be physical solutions.

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Christian Vasquez @chrismvasq.com · Sep 10

wat

"There is increasing concern from U.S. officials that the devices, along with the electronic systems that manage rechargeable batteries, could be seeded with rogue communications components that would allow them to be remotely tampered with on Beijing’s orders."

www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

Exclusive: US warns hidden radios may be embedded in solar-powered highway infrastructure

U.S. officials say solar-powered highway infrastructure including chargers, roadside weather stations, and traffic cameras should be scanned for the presence of rogue devices – such as hidden radios – secreted inside batteries and inverters.

www.reuters.com

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Christian Vasquez @chrismvasq.com · Sep 10

* detained bleh

Christian Vasquez @chrismvasq.com · Sep 10

I shouldn't have to preemptively ensure that I have access to imm lawyers in case I get profiled and detailed when traveling but here we are.

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Christian Vasquez @chrismvasq.com · Sep 10

“My concern is that this is a never-ending war, where Israel is targeting more and more countries around the world with impunity,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.

Progressives Urge U.S. Arms Embargo After Israel Bombs Qatar
theintercept.com/2025/09/09/i...

Progressives Urge U.S. Arms Embargo After Israel Bombs Qatar

Qatar is the sixth country Israel bombed this year, interrupting ceasefire negotiations in a war progressives say U.S. support makes possible.

theintercept.com

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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · Sep 9

Oh, I see that neither @reuters.com nor @advocate.com credited Law Dork with breaking this story. Not cool.

Feds indict LGBTQ org lawyer over testimony in Alabama "judge-shopping" investigation

In an indictment unsealed Monday, Lambda Legal counsel Carl Charles faces a felony charge of making a false declaration to the investigating judicial panel.

www.lawdork.com

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Jay Perk @johnathanperk.bsky.social · Sep 9

My Spanish is improving so much, representing these folks kidnapped by I.C.E.

Still need to hire certified translators, though.

Venmo: @JohnathanPerk
Cashapp: $JohnathanPerk

Community is the only force that can defeat fascism. Thank you all. 🖤🖤

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alec karakatsanis @equalityalec.bsky.social · Sep 9

A few random headlines from the last 24 hours are a reminder that the system of “law enforcement” only attempts to enforce *some* laws against *some* people. Being “tough on crime” always means ignoring crimes of the powerful while ruthlessly crushing vulnerable people and political targets.

Headlines about cops drinking and driving and banks supporting Epstein and lgbtq lawyer targeted by Trump and irs immunizing rich people for tax shelters.

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Amistad Law Project @amistadlaw.bsky.social · Sep 9

Please do not call the cops when someone is having a mental health crisis. They escalate the crisis and put people in more danger.

In Philly, you can call 988 to get in touch with non-police mobile crisis teams.

Thank you @leximcmenamin.com for reporting on this for @teenvogue.com.

Lex McMenamin (they/them) @leximcmenamin.com · Sep 9

Lil Nas X faces felony charges of "battery" against an officer from an arrest during a mental health crisis in late August. I wrote about my family member's experience with police being sent during mental health episodes—still common for wellness checks—and how it ruined their life.
@teenvogue.com

Why Lil Nas X's Arrest Is More Proof Police Have No Business Treating the Mentally Ill

"Police generally aren’t trained or qualified to respond to mental health crises."

www.teenvogue.com

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Barred and Boujee aka Madiba Dennie @audrelawdamercy.bsky.social · Sep 9

Being Latino and speaking Spanish is not probative of anything but being Latino and speaking Spanish

The only way the Court could conclude otherwise is if it thinks being Latino is incompatible with innocence

ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/noem-...

Conservative Justices Declare Racial Profiling Just Fine If Mister Trump Asks For It

Once again, the Court issues an unexplained shadow docket order that will inflict real-world harm on people whom Supreme Court justices never encounter or think about.

ballsandstrikes.org

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