Ellen Huet
@ellenhuet.bsky.social
the self is an illusion, but — I write features & podcasts about tech for Bloomberg / Businessweek
also writing a book about an alleged sex cult
ellenhuet.com
also writing a book about an alleged sex cult
ellenhuet.com
Reposted by Ellen Huet
Breaking News: Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller who is running for mayor, was detained by ICE agents at an immigration court as he tried to escort a migrant out of the courthouse to prevent his arrest. nyti.ms/4jWkANE
June 17, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Breaking News: Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller who is running for mayor, was detained by ICE agents at an immigration court as he tried to escort a migrant out of the courthouse to prevent his arrest. nyti.ms/4jWkANE
NEW from me: a quick profile of Alexandr Wang, who left his company Scale to become one of Meta's most $$$ expensive hires
with some fun details like
- why his name is missing an e
- how YC thought he "may be arrogant or brilliant"
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
with some fun details like
- why his name is missing an e
- how YC thought he "may be arrogant or brilliant"
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Scale AI’s Wang Brings to Meta Knowledge of What Everyone Else is Doing
Scale AI co-founder Alexandr Wang is such an enthusiastic networker that his former roommate — OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman — once jokingly told him to tone it down a bit.
www.bloomberg.com
June 16, 2025 at 6:50 PM
NEW from me: a quick profile of Alexandr Wang, who left his company Scale to become one of Meta's most $$$ expensive hires
with some fun details like
- why his name is missing an e
- how YC thought he "may be arrogant or brilliant"
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
with some fun details like
- why his name is missing an e
- how YC thought he "may be arrogant or brilliant"
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ellen Huet
“I was born here,” Jason Brian Gavidia shouted as a federal agent twisted his arm & pressed him against a fence outside his auto body shop in a working-class L.A. suburb. “I’m an American, bro!”
Vivid @nytimes.com reporting on the targeting of U.S. citizens of Hispanic descent.
Vivid @nytimes.com reporting on the targeting of U.S. citizens of Hispanic descent.
‘I’m an American, Bro!’: Latinos Report Raids in Which U.S. Citizenship Is Questioned
www.nytimes.com
June 16, 2025 at 6:18 PM
“I was born here,” Jason Brian Gavidia shouted as a federal agent twisted his arm & pressed him against a fence outside his auto body shop in a working-class L.A. suburb. “I’m an American, bro!”
Vivid @nytimes.com reporting on the targeting of U.S. citizens of Hispanic descent.
Vivid @nytimes.com reporting on the targeting of U.S. citizens of Hispanic descent.
NEW: @kateclark.bsky.social and i went deep on the unhinged spying saga between Rippling and Deel for @BW (and this gif!!!)
two of the world's most valuable startups are volleying accusations back and forth
at the center is one alleged spy, who says he smashed his phone w an axe (!)
two of the world's most valuable startups are volleying accusations back and forth
at the center is one alleged spy, who says he smashed his phone w an axe (!)
June 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
NEW: @kateclark.bsky.social and i went deep on the unhinged spying saga between Rippling and Deel for @BW (and this gif!!!)
two of the world's most valuable startups are volleying accusations back and forth
at the center is one alleged spy, who says he smashed his phone w an axe (!)
two of the world's most valuable startups are volleying accusations back and forth
at the center is one alleged spy, who says he smashed his phone w an axe (!)
Reposted by Ellen Huet
Ron Chernow’s new book about Mark Twain is more about disappointment than success
Mark Twain Died Famous, Not Happy
In a new biography, Ron Chernow covers the sadness at the end of Twain’s life.
bloom.bg
April 18, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Ron Chernow’s new book about Mark Twain is more about disappointment than success
NEW @bloomberg.com feature from me on @hf0.bsky.social, the 12-wk live-in startup accelerator that calls itself a "monastery for hackers"
at HF0, founders tune out all distractions and build. the coaching incorporates mindfulness (and cold plunges)
gift link 🎁:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
at HF0, founders tune out all distractions and build. the coaching incorporates mindfulness (and cold plunges)
gift link 🎁:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
The Monastery Where Founders Meditate on Code and Profit
HF0, a live-in program for startup founders in San Francisco, mixes New Agey spirituality with Silicon Valley-esque hypercapitalism.
www.bloomberg.com
April 18, 2025 at 6:58 PM
NEW @bloomberg.com feature from me on @hf0.bsky.social, the 12-wk live-in startup accelerator that calls itself a "monastery for hackers"
at HF0, founders tune out all distractions and build. the coaching incorporates mindfulness (and cold plunges)
gift link 🎁:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
at HF0, founders tune out all distractions and build. the coaching incorporates mindfulness (and cold plunges)
gift link 🎁:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
this is, regrettably, very me www.wsj.com/lifestyle/fo...
The Ford Executive Who Kept Score of Colleagues’ Verbal Flubs
Mike O’Brien kept a meticulous log of mixed metaphors and malaprops uttered in meetings over a decade; ‘too many cooks in the soup’
www.wsj.com
March 27, 2025 at 7:17 PM
this is, regrettably, very me www.wsj.com/lifestyle/fo...
Reposted by Ellen Huet
Kudos to the student journalists at The Tufts Daily, who crashed a last-minute issue of the paper to cover the outrageous arrest and detention of Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk:
issuu.com/tuftsdaily/d...
issuu.com/tuftsdaily/d...
The Tufts Daily - Thursday, March 27, 2025 by The Tufts Daily - Issuu
issuu.com
March 27, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Kudos to the student journalists at The Tufts Daily, who crashed a last-minute issue of the paper to cover the outrageous arrest and detention of Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk:
issuu.com/tuftsdaily/d...
issuu.com/tuftsdaily/d...
a summary: nymag.com/intelligence...
Why Are Visa and Green-Card Holders Being Detained and Deported?
There have been some harrowing reports about foreign nationals detained and deported amid Trump’s immigration crackdown. Here’s what we know.
nymag.com
March 27, 2025 at 6:51 PM
a summary: nymag.com/intelligence...
somehow this is the funniest part of the rippling-deel spy lawsuit to me. of course there's a dogs slack channel, and of course that's a channel you preview but don't join
March 17, 2025 at 9:57 PM
somehow this is the funniest part of the rippling-deel spy lawsuit to me. of course there's a dogs slack channel, and of course that's a channel you preview but don't join
new cult-ish content! i wrote a short explainer about the Zizians for @bloomberg.com's daily tech newsletter
trying to answer: In what ways are the Zizians representative of the rationalist/AI safety/EA world, and in what ways do they deviate?
gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
trying to answer: In what ways are the Zizians representative of the rationalist/AI safety/EA world, and in what ways do they deviate?
gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Violent Cult Has Roots In Silicon Valley Quest to Keep AI Safe
Welcome to Tech In Depth, our revamped daily newsletter with reporting and analysis about the business of tech from Bloomberg’s journalists around the world. Today, Ellen Huet writes about the crosscu...
www.bloomberg.com
March 14, 2025 at 7:25 PM
new cult-ish content! i wrote a short explainer about the Zizians for @bloomberg.com's daily tech newsletter
trying to answer: In what ways are the Zizians representative of the rationalist/AI safety/EA world, and in what ways do they deviate?
gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
trying to answer: In what ways are the Zizians representative of the rationalist/AI safety/EA world, and in what ways do they deviate?
gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
i talked about robot anxiety and why we take it out by vandalizing Waymos with @morgansung.bsky.social for Close All Tabs! podcast podcast podcast. also including @rcalo.bsky.social
KQED podcast on Waymo vandalism, feat. @ellenhuet.bsky.social and me. www.kqed.org/news/1203086...
Waymo Problems | KQED
Self-driving Waymo robotaxis have become a familiar sight in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, but not everyone is happy about that. These “ghost-like” autonomous vehicles have made a lot of ...
www.kqed.org
March 14, 2025 at 7:22 PM
i talked about robot anxiety and why we take it out by vandalizing Waymos with @morgansung.bsky.social for Close All Tabs! podcast podcast podcast. also including @rcalo.bsky.social
a fascinating longread in nymag from @anya1anya.bsky.social about ISTA -- the neo-tantra group that promised sexual healing but faced numerous allegations of sexual abuse
www.thecut.com/article/the-...
www.thecut.com/article/the-...
The Neo-Tantric Sex Group That Promised to Change
ISTA is dedicated to exploring people’s darkest desires. Can it root out abuse?
www.thecut.com
March 10, 2025 at 10:04 PM
a fascinating longread in nymag from @anya1anya.bsky.social about ISTA -- the neo-tantra group that promised sexual healing but faced numerous allegations of sexual abuse
www.thecut.com/article/the-...
www.thecut.com/article/the-...
Reposted by Ellen Huet
Earlier today the LA Times had AI-generated counterpoints to a column from @gustavoarellano.bsky.social. His piece argued that Anaheim, the city he grew up in, should not forget its KKK past.
The AI "well, actually"-ed the KKK. It has since been taken off the piece.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
The AI "well, actually"-ed the KKK. It has since been taken off the piece.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
March 4, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Earlier today the LA Times had AI-generated counterpoints to a column from @gustavoarellano.bsky.social. His piece argued that Anaheim, the city he grew up in, should not forget its KKK past.
The AI "well, actually"-ed the KKK. It has since been taken off the piece.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
The AI "well, actually"-ed the KKK. It has since been taken off the piece.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
NEW: security researchers found what they say appears to be a backdoor into Eight Sleep beds, which could allow company engineers to SSH into any bed
in theory, they could see if you're home or not, if you're sleeping alone or with someone
in today's newsletter for @bloomberg.com
in theory, they could see if you're home or not, if you're sleeping alone or with someone
in today's newsletter for @bloomberg.com
February 21, 2025 at 8:50 PM
NEW: security researchers found what they say appears to be a backdoor into Eight Sleep beds, which could allow company engineers to SSH into any bed
in theory, they could see if you're home or not, if you're sleeping alone or with someone
in today's newsletter for @bloomberg.com
in theory, they could see if you're home or not, if you're sleeping alone or with someone
in today's newsletter for @bloomberg.com
after the ban-unban whiplash, my favorite tiktok culture analyst @carmeldea.bsky.social kept telling our group chat that the tiktok vibes were off. so i turned her thoughts into a newsletter for @bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
TikTok Political Boomerang Gives Users a Queasy Feeling
Welcome to Tech In Depth, our revamped daily newsletter with reporting and analysis about the business of tech from Bloomberg’s journalists around the world. Today, Ellen Huet writes about the strange...
www.bloomberg.com
February 4, 2025 at 7:36 PM
after the ban-unban whiplash, my favorite tiktok culture analyst @carmeldea.bsky.social kept telling our group chat that the tiktok vibes were off. so i turned her thoughts into a newsletter for @bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Reposted by Ellen Huet
I recently finished listening the final episode of the Foundering. I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling by @ellenhuet.bsky.social. If you’re interested in captivating stories about real people and events, I highly recommend checking it out. #bloomberg #openai #samaltman
January 19, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I recently finished listening the final episode of the Foundering. I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling by @ellenhuet.bsky.social. If you’re interested in captivating stories about real people and events, I highly recommend checking it out. #bloomberg #openai #samaltman
genuinely curious if the term "masculine energy" is getting thrown around more in tech/sf circles right now than it was a year or two ago
New: Mark Zuckerberg went on Joe Rogan and lamented the rise of “culturally neutered” companies that have sought to distance themselves from “masculine energy." He says you need that "aggression."
It's...I don't even know. Here's a gift link.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
It's...I don't even know. Here's a gift link.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
January 10, 2025 at 11:05 PM
genuinely curious if the term "masculine energy" is getting thrown around more in tech/sf circles right now than it was a year or two ago
NEW businessweek feature from me, all about ZYN!!!
- how zyn's popularity could put the product at risk
- deep dive into zynfluencer mania (e.g. man in zyn costume on scooter)
- PLUS, in a feat of gonzyn journalism, i try a 6mg zyn and almost barf
gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- how zyn's popularity could put the product at risk
- deep dive into zynfluencer mania (e.g. man in zyn costume on scooter)
- PLUS, in a feat of gonzyn journalism, i try a 6mg zyn and almost barf
gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Zyn’s Online Hype Risks Leading to the Nicotine Pouches’ Downfall
Zyn represents success for Philip Morris’ “smokeless” strategy and also a major challenge: How can the company sell cigarette alternatives that aren’t so tempting it gets in trouble for hooking kids?
www.bloomberg.com
January 3, 2025 at 4:57 PM
NEW businessweek feature from me, all about ZYN!!!
- how zyn's popularity could put the product at risk
- deep dive into zynfluencer mania (e.g. man in zyn costume on scooter)
- PLUS, in a feat of gonzyn journalism, i try a 6mg zyn and almost barf
gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- how zyn's popularity could put the product at risk
- deep dive into zynfluencer mania (e.g. man in zyn costume on scooter)
- PLUS, in a feat of gonzyn journalism, i try a 6mg zyn and almost barf
gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Ellen Huet
Such a pleasure to work on this with @ellenhuet.bsky.social.
She even tried an upper deckie for journalism! 🎁 Gift Link: Zyn’s Online Hype Risks Leading to the Nicotine Pouches’ Downfall www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
She even tried an upper deckie for journalism! 🎁 Gift Link: Zyn’s Online Hype Risks Leading to the Nicotine Pouches’ Downfall www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Zyn’s Online Hype Risks Leading to the Nicotine Pouches’ Downfall
Zyn represents success for Philip Morris’ “smokeless” strategy and also a major challenge: How can the company sell cigarette alternatives that aren’t so tempting it gets in trouble for hooking kids?
www.bloomberg.com
January 3, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Such a pleasure to work on this with @ellenhuet.bsky.social.
She even tried an upper deckie for journalism! 🎁 Gift Link: Zyn’s Online Hype Risks Leading to the Nicotine Pouches’ Downfall www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
She even tried an upper deckie for journalism! 🎁 Gift Link: Zyn’s Online Hype Risks Leading to the Nicotine Pouches’ Downfall www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
excellent @ering.bsky.social piece that gets to the heart of a key question in vc right now www.nytimes.com/2024/12/13/t...
What Is Venture Capital Now Anyway?
The opposing paths taken by two powerful firms — Benchmark and Andreessen Horowitz — embody a profound debate about the future of an industry that funds and fosters American innovation.
www.nytimes.com
December 16, 2024 at 6:56 PM
excellent @ering.bsky.social piece that gets to the heart of a key question in vc right now www.nytimes.com/2024/12/13/t...
Reposted by Ellen Huet
What happens when a mall dies? In my latest newsletter, I visit two of San Francisco's moribund shopping spaces -- the former Twitter building, and the former Westfield mall. What I find is very liminal. buttondown.com/thehypothesi...
December 11, 2024 at 8:26 PM
What happens when a mall dies? In my latest newsletter, I visit two of San Francisco's moribund shopping spaces -- the former Twitter building, and the former Westfield mall. What I find is very liminal. buttondown.com/thehypothesi...
Reposted by Ellen Huet
Luigi Mangione’s mother reported him missing to San Francisco police last month
The alleged shooter had reportedly gone dark with friends and family in recent months
sfstandard.com/2024/12/09/l...
The alleged shooter had reportedly gone dark with friends and family in recent months
sfstandard.com/2024/12/09/l...
Luigi Mangione reported missing to SFPD weeks before shooting
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old identified as a “strong person of interest” in last week’s slaying of a health insurance executive on the streets of Manhattan, was reported missing to San Francisco po...
sfstandard.com
December 10, 2024 at 4:00 AM
Luigi Mangione’s mother reported him missing to San Francisco police last month
The alleged shooter had reportedly gone dark with friends and family in recent months
sfstandard.com/2024/12/09/l...
The alleged shooter had reportedly gone dark with friends and family in recent months
sfstandard.com/2024/12/09/l...
a terrifying investigation everyone should read, from @jackiedavalos.bsky.social and @sooophie.bsky.social
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
How a Billionaire’s ‘Baby Project’ Ensnared Dozens of Women
Disgraced tycoon Greg Lindberg built a network of egg donors and surrogates. Several say he conned them—and that US fertility clinics helped him do it.
www.bloomberg.com
December 6, 2024 at 11:11 PM
a terrifying investigation everyone should read, from @jackiedavalos.bsky.social and @sooophie.bsky.social
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...