Michael Zimmer
LightNews LightNews
banner
michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer
@michaelzimmer.bsky.social
2.6K followers 420 following 490 posts

Privacy & data ethics scholar. Director of @MUDataEthics.bsky.social at Marquette University. I also curate @ZuckerbergFiles.bsky.social

Videos

Michael Zimmer is a privacy and data ethics scholar. He currently is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Marquette University and Director of the Center for Data, Ethics, and Society. Previously, he was on the faculty at the School of Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and director of the Center for Information Policy Research. Zimmer is on the advisory board of the Future of Privacy Forum, and was on the executive committee of the Association of Internet Researchers from 2009-2016. He was the Microsoft Resident Fellow at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School from 2007-2008. .. more

Computer science 32%
Political science 22%
Posts Replies Media Videos

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 10h
Read this thread.
nome.bsky.social Nome @nome.bsky.social · 16h
I have a friend who said, of Starfleet Academy, that this took them out of it - that seeing a person in a wheelchair in the 32nd century seemed unrealistic, since medicine in Star Trek "should be able to cure whatever was wrong with them."

That's not the case, for any number of possible reasons.
Lines of academy cadets, one in command red seated but at attention while in a wheelchair.

Reposted by Michael Zimmer, Mary James

nome.bsky.social
Nome @nome.bsky.social · 16h
I have a friend who said, of Starfleet Academy, that this took them out of it - that seeing a person in a wheelchair in the 32nd century seemed unrealistic, since medicine in Star Trek "should be able to cure whatever was wrong with them."

That's not the case, for any number of possible reasons.
Lines of academy cadets, one in command red seated but at attention while in a wheelchair.

Reposted by Jason Mittell, Rebecca Solnit, Nandita Sharma , and 16 more

chrismurphyct.bsky.social
Chris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · 17h
Trump nominated a legit white nationalist to a top post at the State Department. I asked him some basic questions about his belief in the “erasure of white culture”. Watch this embarrassing, fumbling answer. Like he has never before been asked to explain his views.

Reposted by Steve Peers, Michael Zimmer, Tom Griffin , and 1 more

dustinvolz.bsky.social
Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · 17h
News: The top-secret whistleblower complaint against Tulsi Gabbard is related to a conversation intercepted last spring in which two foreign nationals discussed Jared Kushner, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter. www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Gabbard Whistleblower Complaint Based on Intercepted Conversation About Jared Kushner
The substance of the conversation, which covered in part issues related to Iran, isn’t known.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Steve Peers, Michael Zimmer

amutepiggy.bsky.social
alexis simpson @amutepiggy.bsky.social · 19h
NUDE ELON MUSK: The invisible clothes I'm wearing are a product of xAthleisure, which will roll out self-dressing outfits within two years at the latest

THE CREDULOUS PRESS: Fully Clothed Tesla Innovator Does It Again

Reposted by John R. Hutchinson, Michael Zimmer

kashhill.bsky.social
Kashmir Hill @kashhill.bsky.social · 21h
I am increasingly scared of flying and this does not help.

The reason the El Paso Airport was closed, my colleagues report, is that federal agents shot a laser into the sky that could take down an airplane.

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/u...

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 1d
For the 2nd year in a row, the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society (AIES) is the same week as as the ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW). @acm-cscw.bsky.social #SHM

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 1d
You’re in for a treat. Enjoy!

Reposted by Rebecca Solnit, Tom Clark, Robert C. Richards , and 4 more

cwnewser.bsky.social
Christopher Wiggins @cwnewser.bsky.social · 1d
A Reuters photographer captured this image of a page from Pam Bondi's "burn book," which she used to counter any questions from Democratic lawmakers during an unhinged hearing today.

It looks like the DOJ monitored members of Congress’s searches of the unredacted Epstein files.

Just wow.

Reposted by Michael Zimmer, Richard M. Carpiano, Aleksandra Urman

404media.co
404 Media @404media.co · 2d
Please... do not do any of this...

@evystadium.bsky.social has more. full story by @jasonkoebler.bsky.social here: www.404media.co/rfk-jrs-nutr...

Reposted by Michael Zimmer

jacoboller.bsky.social
Jacob Oller @jacoboller.bsky.social · 2d
we crunched some numbers www.avclub.com/melania-budg...
Melania's budget could've paid the salaries of every fired Washington Post employee, three times over
An incomplete breakdown of Jeff Bezos' financial priorities, weighing one piece of propaganda (Melania) against 300 journalists.
www.avclub.com

Reposted by Meredith Broussard, Jason Mittell, Amanda Lotz , and 30 more

weratedogs.com
WeRateDogs @weratedogs.com · 2d
we need to talk about that Ring Super Bowl ad

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 4d
*IF* we think AI models are capable of conducting scoping/structured literature reviews, then let’s just do that. But then we should *NOT* pretend clever prompt engineering and formatting the results into a manuscript should be a “publication” in any traditional scholarly sense. #OldManYellsAtCloud

Reposted by Michael Zimmer, Michael D. McDonald, Ann Bartow , and 1 more

hypervisible.blacksky.app
Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 4d
“Researchers from Johns Hopkins, Georgetown and Yale universities recently found that 60 FDA-authorized medical devices using AI were linked to 182 product recalls, according to a research letter published in the JAMA Health Forum in August.”
As AI enters the operating room, reports arise of botched surgeries and misidentified body parts
Medical device makers have been rushing to add AI to their products. While proponents say the new technology will revolutionize medicine, regulators are receiving a rising number of claims of patient ...
www.reuters.com

Reposted by Ashish Arora, Jon Green, Michael Zimmer , and 1 more

yungdreyfusard.bsky.social
Nulukkizdîn Liberation Front @yungdreyfusard.bsky.social · 5d
i forget who made it but it cracks me up lol

Reposted by Michael Zimmer

ruxiecat121.bsky.social
۞ Heather B. ۞ @ruxiecat121.bsky.social · 5d
Back into my binge-watch of #DS9. I'm up to the 2-part Bell Riots episode. It's scary AF just how well they predicted where we'd be... and this was in the 90s. Three decades later and we haven't learned a goddamned thing.

Reposted by Jonathan Wolff, Rosemary A. Joyce, Michael Zimmer , and 6 more

neimanmarxist.bsky.social
Scott Patrick, PhD @neimanmarxist.bsky.social · 6d
This is bleak: Jes Staley, currently CEO of Barclays, reassuring Epstein that popular revolt against financial elites is unlikely because capitalism and pop culture have defanged social movements, leaving people more invested in consumption than justice.

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 6d
Really sad to hear that First Monday is shutting down after 30 years. It was one of the first journals devoted to internet research & fully open access: no fees, no paywalls, and authors retained copyright.

My very first publication was there in 2004. End of an era.

firstmonday.org/ojs/index.ph...
First Monday @ 30 | First Monday
firstmonday.org

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 6d
Was it Scovino? I hope it was Scovino.
axios.com Axios @axios.com · 6d
NEW: Racist video of Obamas removed from Trump social account

A White House official blamed a staffer for erroneously posting the video.
Racist video of Obamas removed from Trump's social account
The post was up on Trump's Truth Social account for about 12 hours.
www.axios.com

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 6d
Working on a little re-branding and re-focusing of the @mudataethics.bsky.social. So far, campus leadership has declined my proposal for the Center for the Butlerian Jihad.

Back to the drawing board.

Reposted by Michael Zimmer

axios.com
Axios @axios.com · 6d
NEW: Racist video of Obamas removed from Trump social account

A White House official blamed a staffer for erroneously posting the video.
Racist video of Obamas removed from Trump's social account
The post was up on Trump's Truth Social account for about 12 hours.
www.axios.com

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 8d
Some real top-notch age verification tech over at DOJ. #click
Screenshot from a US Department of Justice website Age Verification screen that has a question "Are you 18 years of age or older?" and options for Yes or No.

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Silvia Secchi , and 3 more

rmac.bsky.social
Ryan Mac 🙃 @rmac.bsky.social · 8d
That Jeff Bezos's Amazon gave Brett Ratner, someone photographed with Jeffrey Epstein and in the Epstein Files, $75 million to make a doc about Melania Trump, while he chooses to destroy The Washington Post, says about all you need to know.

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 5 more

dell.bsky.social
dell cameron @dell.bsky.social · 8d
I don’t like this
Letter from Senator Ron Wyden: Dear CIA Director Ratcliffe, I write to alert you to a classified letter I sent you earlier today in which I express deep concerns about CIA activities. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Sincerely, Ron Wyden U.S. Senator

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Matthew Bunn, Brigitte Nerlich , and 23 more

alexip718.com
Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 8d
INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.
lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn · 49m I was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I'm devastated. Quote lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn · Jan 25 Waking up without power, heat, or running water. (Again.) But the work here in Kyiv continues. Warming up in the car, writing in pencil — pen ink freezes — by headlamp.

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Dorothy Bishop, Scott L. Greer , and 14 more

azrww.bsky.social
Arizona Right Watch @azrww.bsky.social · 9d
Highlighting the speaker who stood in front of the Surprise mayor and told him to consider what the Mayor of Ohrdruf must’ve thought before he died by suicide: “He might have thought ‘how is this my fault I had no jurisdiction over this’ maybe he said ‘this site was not subject to local zoning.’”

michaelzimmer.bsky.social
Michael Zimmer @michaelzimmer.bsky.social · 10d
Hmmm
www.vktr.com/ai-ethics-la...
'Right-to-Compute' Laws May Be Coming to Your State This Year
Montana passed the first “right-to-compute” law shielding AI from regulation. Now similar bills are spreading.
www.vktr.com

Reposted by Michael Zimmer

robertscotthorton.bsky.social
Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 10d
Healthcare fraud in Minnesota, sensationalized by Trump and Rupert Murdoch, is trivial compared to healthcare fraud in Texas and Florida, which lead the nation in this category. News you'll never see on Rupert Murdoch TV. www.startribune.com/trump-claims...
Trump claims Minnesota lost billions to fraud. The evidence to date isn’t close.
The fraud allegations have been used as a justification for federal immigration enforcement against Minnesota’s Somali population.
www.startribune.com

Reposted by Michael Zimmer, Greg Linden, Jack Stilgoe

rmac.bsky.social
Ryan Mac 🙃 @rmac.bsky.social · 10d
A memo just went out to employees at two of Musk's companies: SpaceX has acquired xAI.

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Tom Clark, Steve Peers , and 5 more

chrisgeidner.bsky.social
Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 10d
BREAKING: Judge Jia Cobb issues a TRO blocking DHS Sec Noem's Jan 8 memo purporting to require 7-day notices by members of Congress to perform oversight visits to immigration detention facilities.

The effect is that congressional oversight visits are allowed on request, as is required by Sec. 527.
Case 1:25-cv-02463-JMC Document 52 Filed 02/02/26 Page 1 of 9 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JOE NEGUSE, in his capacity as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, et al., Plaintiffs, Case No. 25-cv-2463 (JMC) V. U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, et al., Defendants. ORDER Pending before the Court is Plaintiffs' motion for a temporary restraining order, or in the alternative, for a stay under 5 U.S.C. § 705. ECF 49' For the reasons discussed below, the Court GRANTS the motion for a temporary restraining order pending further proceedings on Plaintiffs' request for a Section 705 stay. ORDERED that Defendants are TEMPORARILY ENJOINED from enforcing against the Plaintiffs the oversight visit policy as announced on January 8, 2026, or otherwise requiring any Plaintiff to provide advance notice before conducting oversight visits at any facility operated by or for DHS used to detain or otherwise house aliens; and it is further ORDERED that this Order shall apply to the maximum extent provided for by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(d)(2); and it is further ORDERED that, pursuant to Rule 65(b)(2), this Order shall expire in 14 days, subject to any further order from the Court; and it is further ORDERED that, should Defendants intend to file a supplemental brief in support of their opposition to Plaintiffs' request for a Section 705 stay, they shall have until February 8, 2026, to do so. Plaintiffs shall have until February 11, 2026, to file any additional reply in support of their request for a Section 705 stay. The Court will shortly contact the Parties regarding a hearing. Should the Parties confer and agree on an alternative briefing schedule, they may request alternative dates by submitting a joint status report. SO ORDERED. ЛА М. СОВВ United States District Judge