Joseph Menn
joemenn.bsky.social
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.
Any journos with something minor on your conscience, this is the exact time to confess. #protip
November 27, 2025 at 3:43 AM
Wait is there room for one more to jump on this burning pyre?
November 27, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Hard to believe. Then again, this play warps time, so I have no idea what time it is at any given point.
godotbroadway.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:10 PM
You know who else loves Thanksgiving? Covid and the flu. Get your shots!
November 25, 2025 at 9:33 PM
The fiercely updated paperback and audiobook versions of Cult of the Dead Cow publish one week from today, six years after the originals. To help out the audio folks, here is the cast of characters that the print readers can flip back to. Clip and save! #hacking #hacktivism #cybersecurity
November 25, 2025 at 7:20 PM
I…
November 25, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Every American should have this in their wallet:
November 25, 2025 at 5:01 PM
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...
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
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
Reposted by Joseph Menn
no one wants to work anymore
November 24, 2025 at 3:56 PM
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
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
AYFKM
November 24, 2025 at 3:57 AM
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
At least it’s not a valid word in Scrabble TM.
November 23, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Reposted by Joseph Menn
I'm having fun on the Internet
November 23, 2025 at 1:08 AM
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
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Keith Kellogg’s daughter posted this
November 22, 2025 at 11:20 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.
November 22, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Reposted by Joseph Menn
Don Jr. and Eric watching the presser between Zohran Mamdani and their dad:
November 21, 2025 at 11:20 PM
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
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.
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