Michael Weinberg
@michaelweinberg.org
Exec Dir @nyuengelberg.org, Board Member @oshwassociation.bsky.social, Formerly GC @ Shapeways & many things @publicknowledge.bsky.social
NYC/Berlin
NYC/Berlin
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
Hi, lawyer here! This is not funny. Senators only do this when they're in extreme distress.
February 4, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Hi, lawyer here! This is not funny. Senators only do this when they're in extreme distress.
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
What a Load of Filament 🧵🤖 The Case Against 3D Printer Gun Detection
We covered New York’s proposed 3D printer legislation that would require printers to detect and refuse to print gun parts. @michaelweinberg.org
We covered New York’s proposed 3D printer legislation that would require printers to detect and refuse to print gun parts. @michaelweinberg.org
February 4, 2026 at 3:19 PM
What a Load of Filament 🧵🤖 The Case Against 3D Printer Gun Detection
We covered New York’s proposed 3D printer legislation that would require printers to detect and refuse to print gun parts. @michaelweinberg.org
We covered New York’s proposed 3D printer legislation that would require printers to detect and refuse to print gun parts. @michaelweinberg.org
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
The idea that everyone in the world has to use the same three proprietary American tech platforms otherwise the Internet is "Balkanized" is ridiculous
February 4, 2026 at 1:34 PM
The idea that everyone in the world has to use the same three proprietary American tech platforms otherwise the Internet is "Balkanized" is ridiculous
With @adafruit.com raising the alarm about bills in NY and WA that would require 3D printers to refuse to print gun parts, here is a quick post on the technical problems with this approach (regardless of your thoughts about gun control)
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/02...
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/02...
3D Printers Cannot Effectively Screen for Gun Parts
I put things here so they are on the internet
michaelweinberg.org
February 4, 2026 at 1:32 PM
With @adafruit.com raising the alarm about bills in NY and WA that would require 3D printers to refuse to print gun parts, here is a quick post on the technical problems with this approach (regardless of your thoughts about gun control)
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/02...
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/02...
a company advertising itself as "the largest AI patent holder" may not be conveying the message it intends to convey with that statement
February 4, 2026 at 6:13 AM
a company advertising itself as "the largest AI patent holder" may not be conveying the message it intends to convey with that statement
Prusa is doing bad things with open source hardware these days, but these partnerships are legitimately great (and hard to negotiate)
www.printables.com/article/bord...
www.printables.com/article/bord...
The collection of official Borderlands models on Printables.com for cosplayers just got bigger! And these two detailed rifles, designed for multicolor printing, are exactly the kind of props you’ll want on display in your gaming room. So,are you starting to slice yet? www.printables.com/@Borderlands
February 3, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Prusa is doing bad things with open source hardware these days, but these partnerships are legitimately great (and hard to negotiate)
www.printables.com/article/bord...
www.printables.com/article/bord...
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
In which I look ten minutes into the future and worry about the rise of "prompt worms," which are a type of self-replicating prompt shared by AI agents among other agents
It turns out the AI models themselves don't need to spread to threaten us, just the prompts that tell them to do bad things
It turns out the AI models themselves don't need to spread to threaten us, just the prompts that tell them to do bad things
February 3, 2026 at 4:59 PM
In which I look ten minutes into the future and worry about the rise of "prompt worms," which are a type of self-replicating prompt shared by AI agents among other agents
It turns out the AI models themselves don't need to spread to threaten us, just the prompts that tell them to do bad things
It turns out the AI models themselves don't need to spread to threaten us, just the prompts that tell them to do bad things
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
The IAB proposal would nullify both fair use and the fact/expression dichotomy, which the Supreme Court has said are the "traditional contours of copyright" that ensure First Amendment values are preserved; it would trigger strict scrutiny, and fail.
www.mediapost.com/publication...
www.mediapost.com/publication...
MediaDailyNews: IAB Unveils Draft Bill Aimed At AI Scraping
"If we keep the status quo where AI bots can leverage publisher content at will, the internet will become a shadow of itself," IAB CEO David Cohen said Monday at the group's annual meeting.
www.mediapost.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:05 PM
The IAB proposal would nullify both fair use and the fact/expression dichotomy, which the Supreme Court has said are the "traditional contours of copyright" that ensure First Amendment values are preserved; it would trigger strict scrutiny, and fail.
www.mediapost.com/publication...
www.mediapost.com/publication...
Looks like I get to spend some time (again) explaining why, no matter how well intentioned, the idea of mandating gun part scanners into 3D printers just doesn't make sense
New York Wants to Ctrl+Alt+Delete Your 3D Printer
New York’s budget bill proposes mandatory file-scanning “blocking” software for 3D printers and CNC tools.
#3dprinting #opensource
New York’s budget bill proposes mandatory file-scanning “blocking” software for 3D printers and CNC tools.
#3dprinting #opensource
February 3, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Looks like I get to spend some time (again) explaining why, no matter how well intentioned, the idea of mandating gun part scanners into 3D printers just doesn't make sense
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
A quick note on some things I've been thinking about for a while 🦯👭
medium.com/@leeborg_/a-...
medium.com/@leeborg_/a-...
a gray crip love letter to my cane
Using a cane can be full of contradictions. Any medical device can be viewed as desexualizing and alienating. Suddenly, whoever is walking…
medium.com
February 1, 2026 at 1:05 PM
A quick note on some things I've been thinking about for a while 🦯👭
medium.com/@leeborg_/a-...
medium.com/@leeborg_/a-...
is there a business theory behind hold music that is so garbled and full of artifacts that it sounds like it is being piped through the world's worse wifi connection?
February 2, 2026 at 3:54 PM
is there a business theory behind hold music that is so garbled and full of artifacts that it sounds like it is being piped through the world's worse wifi connection?
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
I hope you’re as excited as I am for the launch of Move Slow and Upgrade on Thursday! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launc...
January 31, 2026 at 2:20 PM
I hope you’re as excited as I am for the launch of Move Slow and Upgrade on Thursday! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launc...
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
Important implication:
"Prusa is free to tell itself that saying “no copying” will stop competitors, and the internet is already full of half-baked partially open licenses.
The real damage comes from conditioning people to think that they need permission to use objects in the public domain."
"Prusa is free to tell itself that saying “no copying” will stop competitors, and the internet is already full of half-baked partially open licenses.
The real damage comes from conditioning people to think that they need permission to use objects in the public domain."
The new @prusa3d.com "Open Community License" isn't just not open (in the sense that it does not meet either the OSI or @oshwassociation.bsky.social open definition), it imagines a world of IP maximalism where copyright extends well beyond its current limits:
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/01...
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/01...
The Prusa Open Community License Embraces IP Maximalism
I put things here so they are on the internet
michaelweinberg.org
January 30, 2026 at 3:43 PM
Important implication:
"Prusa is free to tell itself that saying “no copying” will stop competitors, and the internet is already full of half-baked partially open licenses.
The real damage comes from conditioning people to think that they need permission to use objects in the public domain."
"Prusa is free to tell itself that saying “no copying” will stop competitors, and the internet is already full of half-baked partially open licenses.
The real damage comes from conditioning people to think that they need permission to use objects in the public domain."
The existence of a generative engine optimization industry (even a nascent one trying to get attention by pitching this article) is a reminder that there are plenty of parts of the web that care a lot more getting info to people than getting people to their website
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
How Businesses Are Manipulating ChatGPT Results
You’ve long heard about search engine optimization. Companies are now spending big to feature prominently in the output of AI chatbots. It’s called GEO.
www.wsj.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:53 PM
The existence of a generative engine optimization industry (even a nascent one trying to get attention by pitching this article) is a reminder that there are plenty of parts of the web that care a lot more getting info to people than getting people to their website
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
The new @prusa3d.com "Open Community License" isn't just not open (in the sense that it does not meet either the OSI or @oshwassociation.bsky.social open definition), it imagines a world of IP maximalism where copyright extends well beyond its current limits:
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/01...
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/01...
The Prusa Open Community License Embraces IP Maximalism
I put things here so they are on the internet
michaelweinberg.org
January 30, 2026 at 2:00 PM
The new @prusa3d.com "Open Community License" isn't just not open (in the sense that it does not meet either the OSI or @oshwassociation.bsky.social open definition), it imagines a world of IP maximalism where copyright extends well beyond its current limits:
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/01...
michaelweinberg.org/blog/2026/01...
2026!
Open Hardware Summit!
Berlin!
Be there!
Open Hardware Summit!
Berlin!
Be there!
We are soooo excited to announce that the tickets for the 2026 Open Hardware Summit are officially available! Snag your tickets today and maybe even get yourself an extra cool Summit tee? 👀
ticket.nodeforum.org/OHS26/
ticket.nodeforum.org/OHS26/
January 28, 2026 at 6:24 PM
2026!
Open Hardware Summit!
Berlin!
Be there!
Open Hardware Summit!
Berlin!
Be there!
This is a remarkably clear and clear-eyed explanation of how museums are thinking about their websites as AI changes the shape of their traffic, and what they are doing in response
For those _still_ making websites for museum visitors, this may be of interest …
Great post from Lucie and ACMI folk: Making museums legible for machines (without breaking the human experience) | by Lucie Paterson | Jan, 2026 | ACMI LABS
labs.acmi.net.au/making-museu...
#MuseTech
labs.acmi.net.au/making-museu...
#MuseTech
January 26, 2026 at 10:40 PM
This is a remarkably clear and clear-eyed explanation of how museums are thinking about their websites as AI changes the shape of their traffic, and what they are doing in response
These State of the Pod episodes are incredible windows into what it means to produce a podcast today even if you don't regularly listen to Never Post (although you should also regularly listen to Never Post)
January 15, 2026 at 9:51 PM
These State of the Pod episodes are incredible windows into what it means to produce a podcast today even if you don't regularly listen to Never Post (although you should also regularly listen to Never Post)
I suspect there are very few lessons for GLAM open access collections in this "AI companies pay wikipedia for access" deal. Very few institutions have a collection at a scale that would be worth building the integration for
wikimediafoundation.org/news/2026/01...
wikimediafoundation.org/news/2026/01...
Wikipedia celebrates 25 years of knowledge at its best – Wikimedia Foundation
New video docuseries celebrates the humans who make knowledge on Wikipedia possible; new tech partnerships highlight Wikipedia's value in age of AI.
wikimediafoundation.org
January 15, 2026 at 6:59 PM
I suspect there are very few lessons for GLAM open access collections in this "AI companies pay wikipedia for access" deal. Very few institutions have a collection at a scale that would be worth building the integration for
wikimediafoundation.org/news/2026/01...
wikimediafoundation.org/news/2026/01...
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
Re-posting with elaboration: searches of journalist work product (which is what's alleged here: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...) for evidence of third-party crimes are heavily limited by the Privacy Protection Act. (Rules are similar for "documentary materials") [1/3]
January 14, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Re-posting with elaboration: searches of journalist work product (which is what's alleged here: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...) for evidence of third-party crimes are heavily limited by the Privacy Protection Act. (Rules are similar for "documentary materials") [1/3]
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
On the Policy Podcast, @corbinhiar.bsky.social speculates that companies are half-assing compliance with a patchwork of irreconcilable state privacy laws, and enforcers are letting it slide.
I would put money on that bet. I'd even double down and say that is the nature of data protection laws.
I would put money on that bet. I'd even double down and say that is the nature of data protection laws.
427: More State Tech Policy Than You Can Poke a Stick At
Podcast Episode · Tech Policy Podcast · 01/13/2026 · 53m
podcasts.apple.com
January 13, 2026 at 4:52 PM
On the Policy Podcast, @corbinhiar.bsky.social speculates that companies are half-assing compliance with a patchwork of irreconcilable state privacy laws, and enforcers are letting it slide.
I would put money on that bet. I'd even double down and say that is the nature of data protection laws.
I would put money on that bet. I'd even double down and say that is the nature of data protection laws.
There is a lot to like in this @mozilla.org open source AI post, but:
"For a decade, the assumption has been that data is free to scrape — that the web is a commons to be harvested without asking. That norm is breaking, and not a moment too soon."
made me, um, pause
blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/m...
"For a decade, the assumption has been that data is free to scrape — that the web is a commons to be harvested without asking. That norm is breaking, and not a moment too soon."
made me, um, pause
blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/m...
Owners, not renters: Mozilla's open source AI strategy | The Mozilla Blog
The future of intelligence is being set right now, and the path we’re on leads somewhere I don’t want to go. We’re drifting toward a worl
blog.mozilla.org
January 13, 2026 at 3:10 PM
There is a lot to like in this @mozilla.org open source AI post, but:
"For a decade, the assumption has been that data is free to scrape — that the web is a commons to be harvested without asking. That norm is breaking, and not a moment too soon."
made me, um, pause
blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/m...
"For a decade, the assumption has been that data is free to scrape — that the web is a commons to be harvested without asking. That norm is breaking, and not a moment too soon."
made me, um, pause
blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/m...
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
Curious about what's coming with the Open Healthware Certification? Read all about it right here: oshwa.org/announcement...
January 12, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Curious about what's coming with the Open Healthware Certification? Read all about it right here: oshwa.org/announcement...
What does it mean that the caterer that we are required to use for events at NYU Law is offering a promo code?
January 12, 2026 at 1:21 PM
What does it mean that the caterer that we are required to use for events at NYU Law is offering a promo code?
Reposted by Michael Weinberg
the dynamics around APIs and bringing your own data are suddenly fascinating again in a way they haven’t been in a long time.
One thing I think is gonna really piss off these companies trying to jam AI into everything is that the people who actually *do* like AI are going to want to bring their own and use an API to hook up their harness/inference provider instead of having ones bundled in that only serve the company
January 10, 2026 at 9:59 AM
the dynamics around APIs and bringing your own data are suddenly fascinating again in a way they haven’t been in a long time.