Erica "digifox" Kovac
@digifox.binaryden.net
Software Engineer | Social Democrat | Pro-Nuclear, Pro-Growth | in the vicinity of "Tomboy Transfemme", she/her | Opinions are mine, not my employer's.
Pfp by @nicnak044.bsky.social
Pfp by @nicnak044.bsky.social
Pinned
let the version of the industry that does this repent through bankruptcy; if I pay for technology I expect it to serve *my* interests, not those who wish to control and surveill me
Software is a tool, and tools should serve the user above all else.
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
in fact, as someone who could be fairly accused of occasionally agreeing with moderates on policy, the main thing that differentiates me from them is that I understand someone can be annoying and also not matter that much, while the far right is the scourge of all mankind and must be obliterated
January 11, 2026 at 12:02 AM
in fact, as someone who could be fairly accused of occasionally agreeing with moderates on policy, the main thing that differentiates me from them is that I understand someone can be annoying and also not matter that much, while the far right is the scourge of all mankind and must be obliterated
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
The elephant in the room is that mayors and governors across the country have very good reason to question the loyalty and allegiances of the state and local police forces and that’s one of the impediments to doing anything about the current occupations
January 10, 2026 at 1:28 PM
The elephant in the room is that mayors and governors across the country have very good reason to question the loyalty and allegiances of the state and local police forces and that’s one of the impediments to doing anything about the current occupations
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Honestly Sweeney's (no relation) point makes sense except that the politicians are not asking for X to receive special treatment from these closed, walled-garden platforms, but that X be treated the same as every other app
So how we feelin' about that Epic ecosystem nowadays?
We all feel confident that Fortnite is a good spot for kids to hang out?
We all feel confident that Fortnite is a good spot for kids to hang out?
January 10, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Honestly Sweeney's (no relation) point makes sense except that the politicians are not asking for X to receive special treatment from these closed, walled-garden platforms, but that X be treated the same as every other app
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
NEW: A teacher called over a dozen therapists to find mental health care following a miscarriage.
An EMT spent months looking for one after a suicide attempt.
They couldn’t find any in-network provider able to see them. Now they're suing their insurer.
An EMT spent months looking for one after a suicide attempt.
They couldn’t find any in-network provider able to see them. Now they're suing their insurer.
They Couldn’t Access Mental Health Care When They Needed It. Now They’re Suing Their Insurer.
A new lawsuit alleges that an insurer’s ghost network hindered New York City employees from accessing the mental health care they sought — and harmed the reputation of psychiatrists wrongly listed as ...
www.propublica.org
January 9, 2026 at 1:00 PM
NEW: A teacher called over a dozen therapists to find mental health care following a miscarriage.
An EMT spent months looking for one after a suicide attempt.
They couldn’t find any in-network provider able to see them. Now they're suing their insurer.
An EMT spent months looking for one after a suicide attempt.
They couldn’t find any in-network provider able to see them. Now they're suing their insurer.
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
it was very obvious to me from the early terf wars that there was a kind of bigotry black hole: the transphobes all became racists. the racists were all misogynists. the misogynists were all authoritarians. much of my work since then has been devoted to trying to understand why.
you know how if you try and make LLMs more racist, they also end up more sexist and pro-genocide? this is the human example of that. evil isn't a single thing, if you start down one path you keep ending up at the same destination.
Graham's all about 'protecting women'
January 9, 2026 at 10:23 PM
it was very obvious to me from the early terf wars that there was a kind of bigotry black hole: the transphobes all became racists. the racists were all misogynists. the misogynists were all authoritarians. much of my work since then has been devoted to trying to understand why.
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
For a literal decade the official CBP policy has been “don’t stand in front of or behind vehicles” because the decade before that their internally commissioned studies found that agents were putting themselves in front of vehicles so as to shoot the occupants
Because he put himself in front of the car to have an excuse to shoot!
January 10, 2026 at 12:01 AM
For a literal decade the official CBP policy has been “don’t stand in front of or behind vehicles” because the decade before that their internally commissioned studies found that agents were putting themselves in front of vehicles so as to shoot the occupants
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
It's almost like the App and Play Stores have never been about moderation or keeping users safe, they've been about control and taxing developers wherever possible
January 9, 2026 at 9:39 PM
It's almost like the App and Play Stores have never been about moderation or keeping users safe, they've been about control and taxing developers wherever possible
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
i actually do think that tim apple & sundar google could stop a significant portion of all this shit anytime they wanted by simply enforcing against a few big apps the way they do little ones
It's almost like the App and Play Stores have never been about moderation or keeping users safe, they've been about control and taxing developers wherever possible
January 10, 2026 at 12:08 AM
i actually do think that tim apple & sundar google could stop a significant portion of all this shit anytime they wanted by simply enforcing against a few big apps the way they do little ones
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
10 years ago
“Border Patrol agents have deliberately stepped in the path of cars apparently to justify shooting at the drivers and have fired in frustration at people throwing rocks from the Mexican side of the border”
“Border Patrol agents have deliberately stepped in the path of cars apparently to justify shooting at the drivers and have fired in frustration at people throwing rocks from the Mexican side of the border”
January 10, 2026 at 12:12 AM
10 years ago
“Border Patrol agents have deliberately stepped in the path of cars apparently to justify shooting at the drivers and have fired in frustration at people throwing rocks from the Mexican side of the border”
“Border Patrol agents have deliberately stepped in the path of cars apparently to justify shooting at the drivers and have fired in frustration at people throwing rocks from the Mexican side of the border”
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Queer people being able to love freely and without fear makes life better for everyone, including straight people.
January 9, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Queer people being able to love freely and without fear makes life better for everyone, including straight people.
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
US oil giant ExxonMobil tells Trump Venezuela is ‘uninvestable’ ft.trib.al/ZkznmTx
US oil giant ExxonMobil tells Trump Venezuela is ‘uninvestable’
Chief executive Darren Woods pushes back against president’s call to rush back into troubled country
ft.trib.al
January 9, 2026 at 11:53 PM
US oil giant ExxonMobil tells Trump Venezuela is ‘uninvestable’ ft.trib.al/ZkznmTx
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
“Folks have warned for years about the mission creep of surveillance infrastructure systems like (automated license plate readers) and this propensity for them to be abused, and we’re seeing those risks manifest today,” EFF’s @tsnvaa.bsky.social told @pressdemo.bsky.social.
Public safety must-have or threat to civil liberties? Debate over Flock license plate reader cameras has taken hold in North Bay
Flock Safety cameras are now fixtures in the region, and while law enforcement touts their crime fighting boost, the technology has also raised privacy and civil liberties concerns.
www.pressdemocrat.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:42 PM
“Folks have warned for years about the mission creep of surveillance infrastructure systems like (automated license plate readers) and this propensity for them to be abused, and we’re seeing those risks manifest today,” EFF’s @tsnvaa.bsky.social told @pressdemo.bsky.social.
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
is he... y'know... a friend of claude
January 9, 2026 at 8:22 PM
is he... y'know... a friend of claude
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Rep. Luna, who once accused Twitter of "censorship" because no one on her staff explained what Jira is to her, is now asking the DOJ to prosecute a journalist for sharing a link to a university bio page on X (X immediately complied and locked the journalist's account until he deleted the link).
Rep. Luna Threatens Journalist With Prison For Posting… Public University Bio
If you want to understand how far MAGA Republicans have strayed from any actual "free speech" principles, look no further than this: Congress issued a subpoena to Rolling Stone journalist Seth Harp, because he posted on…
If you want to understand how far MAGA Republicans have strayed from any actual "free speech" principles, look no further than this: Congress issued a subpoena to Rolling Stone journalist Seth Harp, because he posted on…
Rep. Luna Threatens Journalist With Prison For Posting… Public University Bio
If you want to understand how far MAGA Republicans have strayed from any actual "free speech" principles, look no further than this: Congress issued a subpoena to Rolling Stone journalist Seth Harp, because he posted on X a publicly available online biography of someone involved in the illegal and unconstitutional kidnapping of Nicolas Maduro. There was no private information shared. There was no “doxxing” in any sense of the word.
www.techdirt.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Rep. Luna, who once accused Twitter of "censorship" because no one on her staff explained what Jira is to her, is now asking the DOJ to prosecute a journalist for sharing a link to a university bio page on X (X immediately complied and locked the journalist's account until he deleted the link).
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
'all politics is Gender except for Race, which is also Gender'
January 8, 2026 at 5:28 PM
'all politics is Gender except for Race, which is also Gender'
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Remember kids, there was a reason pirates always told the boat they were attacking they take hostages: people didn't fight back as hard if they thought they could survive.
This ruling class told two and a half generations that they have nothing to live for and are SHOCKED that we're fighting back
This ruling class told two and a half generations that they have nothing to live for and are SHOCKED that we're fighting back
Really it’s a wild strategy to instill an entire generation with such a level of existential dread that they basically believe their futures are forfeit dead-ends, and then also tell them “if you talk back to us we’re going to kill you”. Almost have to admire the uh, boldness of it all
January 9, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Remember kids, there was a reason pirates always told the boat they were attacking they take hostages: people didn't fight back as hard if they thought they could survive.
This ruling class told two and a half generations that they have nothing to live for and are SHOCKED that we're fighting back
This ruling class told two and a half generations that they have nothing to live for and are SHOCKED that we're fighting back
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Minnesota fights back
January 9, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Minnesota fights back
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
I will immediately do a max contribution to @aoc.bsky.social if she primaries Schumer
This *vocalized* moral clarity is so desperately needed everywhere:
This *vocalized* moral clarity is so desperately needed everywhere:
AOC: “I understand that VP Vance believes shooting a young mother of three in the face three times is an acceptable America that he wants to live in, & I do not — That is a fundamental difference between VP Vance & I — I do not believe the American people should be assassinated in the street”
January 9, 2026 at 7:49 PM
I will immediately do a max contribution to @aoc.bsky.social if she primaries Schumer
This *vocalized* moral clarity is so desperately needed everywhere:
This *vocalized* moral clarity is so desperately needed everywhere:
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
NCOSE, the central group pushing KOSA and other censorship bills, not only is verified on X, but is actively using the CSAM scandal to milk engagement on the platform.
X is currently ignoring age-verification laws in multiple states, but instead of boycotting, they're juicing.
X is currently ignoring age-verification laws in multiple states, but instead of boycotting, they're juicing.
January 9, 2026 at 7:52 PM
NCOSE, the central group pushing KOSA and other censorship bills, not only is verified on X, but is actively using the CSAM scandal to milk engagement on the platform.
X is currently ignoring age-verification laws in multiple states, but instead of boycotting, they're juicing.
X is currently ignoring age-verification laws in multiple states, but instead of boycotting, they're juicing.
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
As a stylized example, AI can extract information from a document but won't analyze every document and extract the info. But it will say it did. It feels a lot like a slacking junior lying to you. Like if your brilliant intern also had severe ADHD and was a pathological liar and the bosses' kid.
January 9, 2026 at 7:23 PM
As a stylized example, AI can extract information from a document but won't analyze every document and extract the info. But it will say it did. It feels a lot like a slacking junior lying to you. Like if your brilliant intern also had severe ADHD and was a pathological liar and the bosses' kid.
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
This is a much much more dangerous situation than a large swath of society having been hoodwinked and confused by false information, and one that we cannot fact-check or visual-forensic our way out of (despite how important it is to still do those things for an evidentiary record of truth).
January 9, 2026 at 7:08 PM
This is a much much more dangerous situation than a large swath of society having been hoodwinked and confused by false information, and one that we cannot fact-check or visual-forensic our way out of (despite how important it is to still do those things for an evidentiary record of truth).
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Here’s a comment for the people who are upset that MN hasn’t charged Jonathan Ross already:
If you just Leeeroy Jenkins this shit you will lose and you will empower fascism and murder.
It is indescribably hard to prosecute cops for murder. It is even hard when the murder is ON VIDEO.
/1
If you just Leeeroy Jenkins this shit you will lose and you will empower fascism and murder.
It is indescribably hard to prosecute cops for murder. It is even hard when the murder is ON VIDEO.
/1
January 9, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Here’s a comment for the people who are upset that MN hasn’t charged Jonathan Ross already:
If you just Leeeroy Jenkins this shit you will lose and you will empower fascism and murder.
It is indescribably hard to prosecute cops for murder. It is even hard when the murder is ON VIDEO.
/1
If you just Leeeroy Jenkins this shit you will lose and you will empower fascism and murder.
It is indescribably hard to prosecute cops for murder. It is even hard when the murder is ON VIDEO.
/1
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Look, I think we have to take them at their word that they think this was exemplary law enforcement behavior
Which is TERRIFYING
Which is TERRIFYING
i just watched this video and the fact that they believe this to be exculpatory is genuinely insane
ah. they all got the memo
xcancel.com/JDVance/stat...
xcancel.com/JDVance/stat...
January 9, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Look, I think we have to take them at their word that they think this was exemplary law enforcement behavior
Which is TERRIFYING
Which is TERRIFYING
Reposted by Erica "digifox" Kovac
Some really thought provoking points here:
"This widespread societal resignation of ‘guess our government communications now happens on a deepfake porn site’ is maddening, but also points to a deeper issue."
"This widespread societal resignation of ‘guess our government communications now happens on a deepfake porn site’ is maddening, but also points to a deeper issue."
X Is a Power Problem, Not a Platform Problem
my analysis of current events
connectedplaces.online/reports/a-po...
my analysis of current events
connectedplaces.online/reports/a-po...
January 9, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Some really thought provoking points here:
"This widespread societal resignation of ‘guess our government communications now happens on a deepfake porn site’ is maddening, but also points to a deeper issue."
"This widespread societal resignation of ‘guess our government communications now happens on a deepfake porn site’ is maddening, but also points to a deeper issue."