Derek B. Johnson
@derekbjohnson.bsky.social
Reporter and knowledge broker at CyberScoop, covering privacy, AI and elections. Priors at Federal Computer Week and SC Media. Send tips, leaks and well-wishes to [email protected] or DM for Signal.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
not only was this predictable from the moment he took office, it should have been expected. and yet a constellation of “serious” and “savvy” observers insisted that we were living through a realignment
January 16, 2026 at 1:28 PM
not only was this predictable from the moment he took office, it should have been expected. and yet a constellation of “serious” and “savvy” observers insisted that we were living through a realignment
Love how this is framed as something they've just become aware of through the reporter's question.
Q: There's been criticism from other govts about Grok and xAI manipulating images. We have not heard from this administration. Do you have a position?
LEAVITT: We will get you a firm statement and answer
LEAVITT: We will get you a firm statement and answer
January 15, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Love how this is framed as something they've just become aware of through the reporter's question.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
It means: we’re not going to identify or correct easily verifiable falsehoods expressed by right-wing actors on our programs, and we’re going to spin this as “trust” rather than an abdication of our most basic function as journalists.
Been reading this over and over and can't for the life of me understand what he's even trying to say. This is a lot of words to say... nothing.
January 15, 2026 at 6:12 PM
It means: we’re not going to identify or correct easily verifiable falsehoods expressed by right-wing actors on our programs, and we’re going to spin this as “trust” rather than an abdication of our most basic function as journalists.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
I just don't see much of a point in pretending that it's 1993 and newsrooms with reporters who check sources and consult libel lawyers determine what people see. People are seeing a lot of propaganda instead. It is what it is.
January 15, 2026 at 6:16 PM
I just don't see much of a point in pretending that it's 1993 and newsrooms with reporters who check sources and consult libel lawyers determine what people see. People are seeing a lot of propaganda instead. It is what it is.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
1. He wants to
2. It’s plausible he’ll try
3. His people would support it
4. But it’s vastly harder and more complicated than people are suggesting and can’t be done by his fiat
2. It’s plausible he’ll try
3. His people would support it
4. But it’s vastly harder and more complicated than people are suggesting and can’t be done by his fiat
Trump to Reuters about the midterm elections: "When you think of it, we shouldn't even have an election." www.reuters.com/world/us/fiv...
January 15, 2026 at 4:47 PM
1. He wants to
2. It’s plausible he’ll try
3. His people would support it
4. But it’s vastly harder and more complicated than people are suggesting and can’t be done by his fiat
2. It’s plausible he’ll try
3. His people would support it
4. But it’s vastly harder and more complicated than people are suggesting and can’t be done by his fiat
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
"Let them eat a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, corn tortilla, and one other thing."
January 15, 2026 at 12:46 PM
"Let them eat a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, corn tortilla, and one other thing."
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Ghost plates / patch swapping / mission-specific identities = covert ops / secret police
Another vehicle opened. Back was full of license plates, gear, various fed patches.
January 15, 2026 at 5:07 AM
Ghost plates / patch swapping / mission-specific identities = covert ops / secret police
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
X Safety statement that Grok will now ban sexualized images of real people where illegal.
![Full text (text for all four images):
We remain committed to making X a safe platform for everyone and continue to have zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content.
We take action to remove high-priority violative content, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and non-consensual nudity, taking appropriate action against accounts that violate our X Rules. We also report accounts seeking Child Sexual Exploitation materials to law enforcement authorities as necessary.
Updates to [@]Grok Account
We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis. This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers.
Additionally, image creation and the ability to edit images via the Grok account on the X platform are now only available to paid subscribers. This adds an extra layer of protection by helping to ensure that individuals who attempt to abuse the Grok account to violate the law or our policies can be held accountable.
Geoblock update
We now geoblock the ability of all users to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire via the Grok account and in Grok in X in those jurisdictions where it’s illegal.
X Rules
This does not change our existing safety protocol that all AI prompts and generated content posted to X must strictly adhere to our X Rules. However content is created or whether users are free or paid subscribers, our Safety team are working around the clock to add additional safeguards, take swift and decisive action to remove violating and illegal content, permanently suspend accounts where appropriate, and collaborate with local governments and law enforcement as necessary.
For more information on our policies, please refer to our X Rules and range of enforcement options.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fheqnc63tx7el54cbi4xa2wc/bafkreiel3bg3q22mdqcqgg5s5jbs4mfgbr375h5tsdq2nnpzks5zvt2qlu@jpeg)
January 15, 2026 at 1:13 PM
X Safety statement that Grok will now ban sexualized images of real people where illegal.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
The Rubik's cubes and jam sessions are coming to RSA Conference www.wired.com/story/former...
Former CISA Director Jen Easterly Will Lead RSA Conference
The longtime cybersecurity professional says she’s taking the helm of the legacy security organization at “an inflection point” for tech and the world beyond.
www.wired.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:09 PM
The Rubik's cubes and jam sessions are coming to RSA Conference www.wired.com/story/former...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
How close is this to a real version of civil war at this point? Blanche is the second most powerful person in the United States Justice Department and he's shitposting on social media threatening a governor and mayor with terrorism charges.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche calls what is happening in Minneapolis an “insurrection” and threatens to go after Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey over their “terrorism.”
January 15, 2026 at 4:15 AM
How close is this to a real version of civil war at this point? Blanche is the second most powerful person in the United States Justice Department and he's shitposting on social media threatening a governor and mayor with terrorism charges.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
I feel like the Insurrection Act being triggered somewhere is now a default future that alternative scenarios have to be measured against
This is where it is going. This is what Stephen Miller is pushing to Trump. The only reason it has not happened yet is that the violence is obviously coming from state actors. There is no insurrection to control. But we are one incident away from Trump sending in the military.
President threatens to deploy the Insurrection Act against Minnesota.
January 15, 2026 at 1:23 PM
I feel like the Insurrection Act being triggered somewhere is now a default future that alternative scenarios have to be measured against
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Updated this story with a comment from Plankey himself via @dflawrence.bsky.social cyberscoop.com/sean-plankey...
Sean Plankey re-nominated to lead CISA
President Donald Trump re-nominated Sean Plankey to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Tuesday, after Plankey’s bid for the position ended last year stuck in the Senate.
cyberscoop.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Updated this story with a comment from Plankey himself via @dflawrence.bsky.social cyberscoop.com/sean-plankey...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
has DHS actually attempted to explain what they mean by ONE OF OURS ALL OF YOURS yet?
January 13, 2026 at 9:01 PM
has DHS actually attempted to explain what they mean by ONE OF OURS ALL OF YOURS yet?
Catholic University students say a campuswide ban on Reddit implemented without their consultation is impacting legitimate academic and security research.
Catholic University of America blocks Reddit campuswide, drawing student complaints | EdScoop
The Catholic University of America has instated a campuswide ban of Reddit, drawing complaints from students who say they rely on the website for legitimate academic research.
edscoop.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Catholic University students say a campuswide ban on Reddit implemented without their consultation is impacting legitimate academic and security research.
A decent part of why we're here today is because many of the people you would expect to provide ideological + political pushback against the Trumpist project were, as recently as 2024, still showing their asses and lack of curiosity about the real world.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/o...
January 13, 2026 at 1:33 PM
A decent part of why we're here today is because many of the people you would expect to provide ideological + political pushback against the Trumpist project were, as recently as 2024, still showing their asses and lack of curiosity about the real world.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/o...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Sure. But but it was way better for your career, and the esteem of many of your highly placed professional peers, to be wrong about this and so many people were. They’re doing great btw www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/o...
Opinion | The Resistance Libs Were Right
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:18 PM
Sure. But but it was way better for your career, and the esteem of many of your highly placed professional peers, to be wrong about this and so many people were. They’re doing great btw www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/o...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
If Americans don't need columnists and Thought Leaders to tut-tut them into better behavior—if the Thought Leaders are in fact the source of the ethical failures—then there's no point to keeping the pundits around, and that can't possibly be correct
January 12, 2026 at 4:22 PM
If Americans don't need columnists and Thought Leaders to tut-tut them into better behavior—if the Thought Leaders are in fact the source of the ethical failures—then there's no point to keeping the pundits around, and that can't possibly be correct
Source made a similar point to me last week about some of the Maduro-related deepfakes that were circulated after his capture - in that they're less about being really convincing and more about aligning the latest news event X with your pre-existing emotional "truth."
cyberscoop.com/ai-voting-ma...
cyberscoop.com/ai-voting-ma...
January 12, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Source made a similar point to me last week about some of the Maduro-related deepfakes that were circulated after his capture - in that they're less about being really convincing and more about aligning the latest news event X with your pre-existing emotional "truth."
cyberscoop.com/ai-voting-ma...
cyberscoop.com/ai-voting-ma...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Most dystopian stuff I saw last week (always a competition) - Renee Good haters sharing a fake rap sheet that listed her age as 35 and her birth year as 1980.
It was the low quality that got me; audience so ready to believe "she deserved it," doesn't care if the math on the hoax doc is right.
It was the low quality that got me; audience so ready to believe "she deserved it," doesn't care if the math on the hoax doc is right.
January 12, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Most dystopian stuff I saw last week (always a competition) - Renee Good haters sharing a fake rap sheet that listed her age as 35 and her birth year as 1980.
It was the low quality that got me; audience so ready to believe "she deserved it," doesn't care if the math on the hoax doc is right.
It was the low quality that got me; audience so ready to believe "she deserved it," doesn't care if the math on the hoax doc is right.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
On Friday, Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., wrote to Apple’s and Google’s chief executives, asking them to “enforce your apps stores’ terms of service against X.” via @derekbjohnson.bsky.social cyberscoop.com/senators-ask...
Dems pressure Google, Apple to drop X app as international regulators turn up heat
“There can be no mistake about X’s knowledge, and, at best, negligent response to these trends,” the lawmakers wrote to company executives.
cyberscoop.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:11 PM
On Friday, Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., wrote to Apple’s and Google’s chief executives, asking them to “enforce your apps stores’ terms of service against X.” via @derekbjohnson.bsky.social cyberscoop.com/senators-ask...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
they didn’t leak it to make the shooter look innocent, but to make the victim look guilty. not guilty of a crime. guilty of having a visibly queer wife. guilty of liberalism. guilty of opposing the regime. they don’t seek to exonerate themselves, only to demonstrate who deserves to die.
In the video that the shooter took, which I believe was leaked to be exculpatory, he appears to yell “fucking bitch” after he shoots Renee Good.
January 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM
they didn’t leak it to make the shooter look innocent, but to make the victim look guilty. not guilty of a crime. guilty of having a visibly queer wife. guilty of liberalism. guilty of opposing the regime. they don’t seek to exonerate themselves, only to demonstrate who deserves to die.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
The Department of Homeland Security and the officials who lead it cannot be trusted to provide good-faith, accurate information about what they are doing and any claims they make should be considered in that context. www.ms.now/opinion/kris...
Opinion | Kristi Noem and DHS do not deserve the benefit of the doubt
Philip Bump: The Department of Homeland Security and its leader have an honesty problem — and the numbers prove it.
www.ms.now
January 9, 2026 at 4:16 PM
The Department of Homeland Security and the officials who lead it cannot be trusted to provide good-faith, accurate information about what they are doing and any claims they make should be considered in that context. www.ms.now/opinion/kris...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
i have spent a lot of time studying how journalists and newsrooms report under persistent threats of violence from repressive states and armed non-state actors. the legacy US political press is probably the worst group of people on the planet for fulfilling that role.
January 9, 2026 at 5:36 PM
i have spent a lot of time studying how journalists and newsrooms report under persistent threats of violence from repressive states and armed non-state actors. the legacy US political press is probably the worst group of people on the planet for fulfilling that role.