Joseph Menn
@joemenn.bsky.social
Washington Post reporter covering hacking, disinformation and what’s left of privacy. Author of books on the Cult of the Dead Cow, organized criminal hacking, and Napster. Pulitzer co-finalist 2024. Signal joemenn.01
Pinned
Just arrived: Advance copies of the first revised edition of Cult of the Dead Cow.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
"This has created a system where it makes financial sense for people from the entire world to specifically target Americans with highly engaging, divisive content. It pays more. "
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
America’s Polarization Has Become the World's Side Hustle
The 'psyops' revealed by X are entirely the fault of the perverse incentives created by social media monetization programs.
www.404media.co
November 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
"This has created a system where it makes financial sense for people from the entire world to specifically target Americans with highly engaging, divisive content. It pays more. "
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
Cybersecurity is bad enough without the clout-chasers and marketers trying to scare everyone. Very glad to see a concerted effort to kill the myths and focus people on what can actually make you safer. www.hacklore.org/letter
The Letter — Stop Hacklore!
www.hacklore.org
November 24, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Cybersecurity is bad enough without the clout-chasers and marketers trying to scare everyone. Very glad to see a concerted effort to kill the myths and focus people on what can actually make you safer. www.hacklore.org/letter
Reposted by Joseph Menn
no one wants to work anymore
November 24, 2025 at 3:56 PM
no one wants to work anymore
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Paul Ingrassia, a lawyer who previously represented Andrew and Tristan Tate before joining the White House, stepped in on their behalf during a federal investigation, saying the seizure of the Tates’ devices was not a good use of time or resources.
The White House Intervened on Behalf of Accused Sex Trafficker Andrew Tate During a Federal Investigation
Federal authorities were chided for seizing electronic devices from Tate and his brother, and told to return them, records and interviews show. Experts said the intervention was highly inappropriate.
www.propublica.org
November 24, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Paul Ingrassia, a lawyer who previously represented Andrew and Tristan Tate before joining the White House, stepped in on their behalf during a federal investigation, saying the seizure of the Tates’ devices was not a good use of time or resources.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
At this point X is like 1950s Vienna, a whole place made up entirely of spies, running ops against other spies, with no non-spy people. Or maybe like a 1971 Black Panthers convention where 3/4 of the attendees are conintelrpo.
November 24, 2025 at 3:50 AM
At this point X is like 1950s Vienna, a whole place made up entirely of spies, running ops against other spies, with no non-spy people. Or maybe like a 1971 Black Panthers convention where 3/4 of the attendees are conintelrpo.
AYFKM
November 24, 2025 at 3:57 AM
AYFKM
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Literally the reason Twitter sucks now is all these foreigners logged on willing to do racism for pennies on the dollar and undercut our home-grown American racists. We need to erect serious trade barriers to protect the integrity of our domestic racism industry and preserve racist jobs.
November 23, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Literally the reason Twitter sucks now is all these foreigners logged on willing to do racism for pennies on the dollar and undercut our home-grown American racists. We need to erect serious trade barriers to protect the integrity of our domestic racism industry and preserve racist jobs.
At least it’s not a valid word in Scrabble TM.
November 23, 2025 at 3:59 AM
At least it’s not a valid word in Scrabble TM.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
I'm having fun on the Internet
@stevanzetti.bsky.social appears to be having fun today.
November 23, 2025 at 1:08 AM
I'm having fun on the Internet
Reposted by Joseph Menn
There are things of public interest - a Cabinet secretary is involved after all - and things that go over a line. A smart friend was pointing out that these allegations would be better handled by a third party reporter. But he didnt do that. He has a personal grudge and wanted to monetize it!
It's essentially text-based revenge porn in places. Clearly intended to humiliate her. Not intended to clear any air.
November 23, 2025 at 3:47 AM
There are things of public interest - a Cabinet secretary is involved after all - and things that go over a line. A smart friend was pointing out that these allegations would be better handled by a third party reporter. But he didnt do that. He has a personal grudge and wanted to monetize it!
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Keith Kellogg’s daughter posted this
November 22, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Keith Kellogg’s daughter posted this
People ask what it’s like to work inside the media meltdown. It used to be like musical chairs. Now it’s the opening scene in Saving Private Ryan.
November 22, 2025 at 6:25 PM
People ask what it’s like to work inside the media meltdown. It used to be like musical chairs. Now it’s the opening scene in Saving Private Ryan.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Don Jr. and Eric watching the presser between Zohran Mamdani and their dad:
November 21, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Don Jr. and Eric watching the presser between Zohran Mamdani and their dad:
Reposted by Joseph Menn
November 21, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Fortunately terrorists rarely carry that kind of cash.
A new program from TSA will charge travelers $18 to pass through airport security if they are not carrying valid identification, such as Real ID or a passport.
TSA to charge $18 fee for travelers without proper ID
New airport kiosks will rely on biometrics to verify passengers who show up without a Real ID or passport.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Fortunately terrorists rarely carry that kind of cash.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
This is going to be THE case study in how aligning a model to be too positive about a brand can backfire.
I say "THE" because I seriously doubt a brand this large will ever screw it up this bad again.
I say "THE" because I seriously doubt a brand this large will ever screw it up this bad again.
whatever the Xai people did to make grok speak more positively about its owner seems to be backfiring
November 20, 2025 at 11:52 PM
This is going to be THE case study in how aligning a model to be too positive about a brand can backfire.
I say "THE" because I seriously doubt a brand this large will ever screw it up this bad again.
I say "THE" because I seriously doubt a brand this large will ever screw it up this bad again.
Good news everyone, bias has been prohibited.
This week, I withdrew from a speaking engagement at a public university because they sent me a list of prohibited “words & concepts.” I will not humor this censorship. It does a disservice to the stories I’m discussing & the audience, who deserve unfettered access to information & conversation.
November 20, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Good news everyone, bias has been prohibited.
Yeah I can see why the symbol for the regime that murdered 11 mln people might be considered divisive by some.
November 20, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Yeah I can see why the symbol for the regime that murdered 11 mln people might be considered divisive by some.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 4:22 AM
For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
In my case, the content from friends is often replaced by awful, unsolicited words and images generated by AI, sometimes with zillions of likes from people who don’t realize that.
Reading the judge's ruling that rejected the Federal Trade Commission's bid to break up Meta, the glum, almost Doctorow-esque picture it paints of Facebook today is really something: "What has replaced content from friends? For the most part, short videos posted by strangers and recommended by AI."
Court Rejects FTC's Bid to Break Up Meta, Finds It's Not a Social Media Monopoly
Judge James E. Boasberg's opinion is hard to read as complimentary of what's become of the Facebook and Instagram experience. But it's a win for Meta nonetheless.
www.pcmag.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:48 PM
In my case, the content from friends is often replaced by awful, unsolicited words and images generated by AI, sometimes with zillions of likes from people who don’t realize that.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Just so it’s clear, Cook would be in prison if he lived in Saudi Arabia
Tim Cook, the head of Apple, is having a nice dinner with MBS, who regularly orders executions, including for tweets.
Apple hosts "a Saudi app that allows men to track the movement of their wives and daughters. In 2019, Mr. Cook said he would investigate the app, but it is still available today."
Apple hosts "a Saudi app that allows men to track the movement of their wives and daughters. In 2019, Mr. Cook said he would investigate the app, but it is still available today."
November 19, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Just so it’s clear, Cook would be in prison if he lived in Saudi Arabia
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Classic #FoxNews head fake. On the homepage (No.2 story at this writing), it’s “defy commands“; on the story itself, it‘s “refuse illegal orders“—which, like it or not, is Commissar Hegseth’s obligation too.
November 19, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Classic #FoxNews head fake. On the homepage (No.2 story at this writing), it’s “defy commands“; on the story itself, it‘s “refuse illegal orders“—which, like it or not, is Commissar Hegseth’s obligation too.
Reposted by Joseph Menn
You can oversee the bloody dismemberment of a Washington Post journalist with a bone saw, and the president of the United States will smile, shake your hand and threaten to pull the license of a news outlet whose reporter asks you a question about it.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
Trump defends Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi killing
The de facto Saudi ruler was branded a pariah in 2018 after the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Now, U.S.-Saudi relations are approaching a high point.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:11 PM
You can oversee the bloody dismemberment of a Washington Post journalist with a bone saw, and the president of the United States will smile, shake your hand and threaten to pull the license of a news outlet whose reporter asks you a question about it.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...