Karissa Bell
@karissabe.bsky.social
Senior reporter 🗒️ for Engadget, covering social media. Say👋 at [email protected] or on Signal: karissabe.51 DMs open.
Pinned
How an Oregon court became the stage for a $115,000 showdown between Meta and Facebook creators
One Facebook creator has filed dozens of small claims lawsuits against in an attempt to fight the company's "broken" payments system.
www.engadget.com
👋 Here’s one I’ve been working on for a very long time: its about the business of viral Facebook content, Meta’s (often lack of) support for creators, and one man’s creative legal strategy to get the company’s help.
It's kind of incredible how much YouTube content there is that's just tutorials for engagement farming/monetizing accounts on social media. Most of the ones I've seen also heavily rely on gen AI tools for streamlining this too.. it's literally never been easier to make fake content for fake accounts
How to make "monetized USA Accounts" and how to populate them with content is an incredibly popular global YouTube side hustle type of content. Look at this:
November 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
It's kind of incredible how much YouTube content there is that's just tutorials for engagement farming/monetizing accounts on social media. Most of the ones I've seen also heavily rely on gen AI tools for streamlining this too.. it's literally never been easier to make fake content for fake accounts
one thing that anyone who has studied the psychology of conspiracy theories will tell you is that it’s very de-stabilizing when you finally are forced to confront that you were wrong
In her resignation statement, MTG breaks very dramatically with the secret-plan conspiracy theorists about what’s happening in DC.
November 22, 2025 at 1:32 AM
one thing that anyone who has studied the psychology of conspiracy theories will tell you is that it’s very de-stabilizing when you finally are forced to confront that you were wrong
X's handle marketplace is open for business. I discovered that I could request "elonfarts" (a "priority" handle) but not my own name ("karissa" is apparently a "rare handle?). Lots of meme potential here but there are *some strings* attached
X's handle marketplace is open and there are some... interesting names if you're willing to pay
After previewing its plans to open a marketplace to "redistribute" dormant handles last month, X has made the feature available to all Premium+ subscribers on the platform.
www.engadget.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:10 AM
X's handle marketplace is open for business. I discovered that I could request "elonfarts" (a "priority" handle) but not my own name ("karissa" is apparently a "rare handle?). Lots of meme potential here but there are *some strings* attached
the most charitable explanation I can think of for this is that at some point during interview prep he was told to pivot questions about safety to the "opportunity" to improve in other ways, but didn't quite actually figure out how to make that particular mental leap in a coherent way
Oh my god that is the worst possible answer
November 21, 2025 at 9:11 PM
the most charitable explanation I can think of for this is that at some point during interview prep he was told to pivot questions about safety to the "opportunity" to improve in other ways, but didn't quite actually figure out how to make that particular mental leap in a coherent way
Elon now claiming that Grok was "unfortunately manipulated by adversarial prompting" as xAI seems to be nuking the posts that claimed Elon was more fit than LeBron James, smarter than Einstein, etc.
November 20, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Elon now claiming that Grok was "unfortunately manipulated by adversarial prompting" as xAI seems to be nuking the posts that claimed Elon was more fit than LeBron James, smarter than Einstein, etc.
Went to a screening of A24’s Eternity last night and I really enjoyed it! A quirky rom con that was genuinely funny and managed to not feel formulaic in the way so many rom cons do
November 19, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Went to a screening of A24’s Eternity last night and I really enjoyed it! A quirky rom con that was genuinely funny and managed to not feel formulaic in the way so many rom cons do
Reposted by Karissa Bell
I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
Opinion | Jamal Khashoggi: What the Arab world needs most is free expression
The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so citizens can be informed about global events.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
wish Bluesky would expand this .. it kinda feels like an afterthought atm
November 12, 2025 at 10:26 PM
wish Bluesky would expand this .. it kinda feels like an afterthought atm
Reposted by Karissa Bell
Bluesky! Help me find a home for our beautiful, sweet foster kitty Leon. He’s a very chill 1 year old boy who loves attention and is great with other cats. Looking for his forever home now in and around San Francisco.
More info ⬇️
www.adoptapet.com/pet/46272597...
More info ⬇️
www.adoptapet.com/pet/46272597...
November 10, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Bluesky! Help me find a home for our beautiful, sweet foster kitty Leon. He’s a very chill 1 year old boy who loves attention and is great with other cats. Looking for his forever home now in and around San Francisco.
More info ⬇️
www.adoptapet.com/pet/46272597...
More info ⬇️
www.adoptapet.com/pet/46272597...
Bluesky! Help me find a home for our beautiful, sweet foster kitty Leon. He’s a very chill 1 year old boy who loves attention and is great with other cats. Looking for his forever home now in and around San Francisco.
More info ⬇️
www.adoptapet.com/pet/46272597...
More info ⬇️
www.adoptapet.com/pet/46272597...
November 10, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Bluesky! Help me find a home for our beautiful, sweet foster kitty Leon. He’s a very chill 1 year old boy who loves attention and is great with other cats. Looking for his forever home now in and around San Francisco.
More info ⬇️
www.adoptapet.com/pet/46272597...
More info ⬇️
www.adoptapet.com/pet/46272597...
idk sounds suspiciously like a participation trophy 👀
Trump ally Infantino to award first Fifa Peace Prize at World Cup draw in DC
Fifa unveils a new Peace Prize to be awarded at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, citing a mission to honor efforts to end conflict
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:57 AM
idk sounds suspiciously like a participation trophy 👀
As an OG Foursquare fan, I'm reallyyy intrigued by this new project from @dens.nyc ... it also reminds me a bit of the very-much under-appreciated Foursquare app Marsbot which also attempted proactive recommendations (and was low-key one of my fave ways to find places to eat when I was traveling)
The Foursquare founder's new app is an AI-powered 'DJ' for neighborhood updates
Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley has unveiled his latest venture and yes, it's another location-based social app: an AI-powered "DJ" called BeeBot.
www.engadget.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:45 PM
As an OG Foursquare fan, I'm reallyyy intrigued by this new project from @dens.nyc ... it also reminds me a bit of the very-much under-appreciated Foursquare app Marsbot which also attempted proactive recommendations (and was low-key one of my fave ways to find places to eat when I was traveling)
Scientific journals have been inundated by AI slop too (via letters to the editors) ... this article ends with "no one knows what to do" about this but seems like a cursory vetting process would weed out a lot of these? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/s...
The Editor Got a Letter From ‘Dr. B.S.’ So Did a Lot of Other Editors.
www.nytimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Scientific journals have been inundated by AI slop too (via letters to the editors) ... this article ends with "no one knows what to do" about this but seems like a cursory vetting process would weed out a lot of these? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/s...
A good PSA and a reminder we still don't have a national data privacy law
When you book a flight through major travel sites, a data broker owned by U.S. airlines will sell details about your flight—your name, credit card used, and where you’re flying to the government.
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
How to Opt-Out of Airlines Selling Your Travel Data to the Government
The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), owned by major U.S. airlines, collects billions of ticketing records and sells them to the government to be searched without a warrant. I managed to opt-out…
www.404media.co
November 4, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A good PSA and a reminder we still don't have a national data privacy law
The Onion (as usual) doesn't miss
In Memoriam:
Cheney Haunted By People He Didn't Manage To Kill In Iraq War
Cheney Haunted By People He Didn't Manage To Kill In Iraq War
November 4, 2025 at 5:46 PM
The Onion (as usual) doesn't miss
There are so many crazy details in this story, but the one that has made me go "WTF" the most is when Meta's paid support told this creator (who has lived in the UK and Oregon) that his account was demonetized because his bank was based in Malta even though he banks w/ Wells Fargo.
How an Oregon court became the stage for a $115,000 showdown between Meta and Facebook creators
One Facebook creator has filed dozens of small claims lawsuits against in an attempt to fight the company's "broken" payments system.
www.engadget.com
October 31, 2025 at 5:30 PM
There are so many crazy details in this story, but the one that has made me go "WTF" the most is when Meta's paid support told this creator (who has lived in the UK and Oregon) that his account was demonetized because his bank was based in Malta even though he banks w/ Wells Fargo.
👋 Here’s one I’ve been working on for a very long time: its about the business of viral Facebook content, Meta’s (often lack of) support for creators, and one man’s creative legal strategy to get the company’s help.
How an Oregon court became the stage for a $115,000 showdown between Meta and Facebook creators
One Facebook creator has filed dozens of small claims lawsuits against in an attempt to fight the company's "broken" payments system.
www.engadget.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:06 PM
👋 Here’s one I’ve been working on for a very long time: its about the business of viral Facebook content, Meta’s (often lack of) support for creators, and one man’s creative legal strategy to get the company’s help.
not to be cryptic but I got something cooking that I’ve been working on for more than 6 months and it’s sooo close to done.. have so many tabs I’m just waiting to close
October 30, 2025 at 1:28 AM
not to be cryptic but I got something cooking that I’ve been working on for more than 6 months and it’s sooo close to done.. have so many tabs I’m just waiting to close
Unfortunately, I think this is way more common with Substack than a lot of people realize. I recently emailed a creator for a story; I never heard back but a few days later I was suddenly subscribed to her Substack. I've also heard stories of people buying email lists to pump their subs.
. @mikenellis.bsky.social has 1.3 million subscribers. One of the largest accounts on Substack. I know because I get his emails.
But there’s just one problem — I never subscribed.
So I looked into it... and I think what’s going on here is a symptom of something bigger. 🧵
But there’s just one problem — I never subscribed.
So I looked into it... and I think what’s going on here is a symptom of something bigger. 🧵
October 28, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Unfortunately, I think this is way more common with Substack than a lot of people realize. I recently emailed a creator for a story; I never heard back but a few days later I was suddenly subscribed to her Substack. I've also heard stories of people buying email lists to pump their subs.
I feel like Bluesky needs to see this extremely cute slow motion swat “fight” between my resident orange (tabby on the left) and my foster orange (large boi on the right).
These two are still trying to figure out how to be friends and occasionally just smack each other for no reason.
These two are still trying to figure out how to be friends and occasionally just smack each other for no reason.
October 27, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I feel like Bluesky needs to see this extremely cute slow motion swat “fight” between my resident orange (tabby on the left) and my foster orange (large boi on the right).
These two are still trying to figure out how to be friends and occasionally just smack each other for no reason.
These two are still trying to figure out how to be friends and occasionally just smack each other for no reason.
I've reviewed every pair of Meta glasses, I've spent a lot of time wearing them. I always feel weird using the camera in public. I try to avoid it entirely around strangers. But everyone here saying people wearing these "deserve" to be punched in the face are not it. www.404media.co/how-to-disab...
A $60 Mod to Meta’s Ray-Bans Disables Its Privacy-Protecting Recording Light
Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses usually include an LED that lights up when the user is recording other people. One hobbyist is charging a small fee to disable that light, and has a growing list of customers ar...
www.404media.co
October 23, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I've reviewed every pair of Meta glasses, I've spent a lot of time wearing them. I always feel weird using the camera in public. I try to avoid it entirely around strangers. But everyone here saying people wearing these "deserve" to be punched in the face are not it. www.404media.co/how-to-disab...
More on X's plan to sell rare and "inactive" handles, some of which might sell for millions of dollars. It includes some commentary on how there are some similarities to the expired domain marketplace and X's history of swiping user handles even when they aren't inactive
X's handle marketplace will sell some 'rare' usernames for millions of dollars
X is finally following through on its long-rumored plans to sell old user handles, and some of the most sought-after usernames could fetch millions of dollars.
www.engadget.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:59 PM
More on X's plan to sell rare and "inactive" handles, some of which might sell for millions of dollars. It includes some commentary on how there are some similarities to the expired domain marketplace and X's history of swiping user handles even when they aren't inactive
I'm an occasional Waymo rider and have generally liked it a lot, but when I read about stuff like this all I can think about is how many people I know have relied on gig work (flawed as that model is) to stay afloat and how soon even that could disappear.. www.engadget.com/transportati...
Waymo will also drive for DoorDash in Phoenix
Some DoorDash deliveries in Phoenix will be delivered by Waymo as part of a new partnership.
www.engadget.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:14 AM
I'm an occasional Waymo rider and have generally liked it a lot, but when I read about stuff like this all I can think about is how many people I know have relied on gig work (flawed as that model is) to stay afloat and how soon even that could disappear.. www.engadget.com/transportati...
if I had to get one like on this post I’m glad it was from @berkeleyca.gov
we can have a little earthquake in the morning, as a treat
October 17, 2025 at 2:29 AM
if I had to get one like on this post I’m glad it was from @berkeleyca.gov
In 6th grade I got nervous and misspelled "consistent" during my school's spelling bee and I still think about every time I write that word...
October 17, 2025 at 2:10 AM
In 6th grade I got nervous and misspelled "consistent" during my school's spelling bee and I still think about every time I write that word...