@rebheilweil.bsky.social
senior writer @fastcompany | reporting + other words in @fedscoop
@voxdotcom @NBC @fastcompany @nysfocus @WSJ | writing a history of the ISS (spring 2027)
@voxdotcom @NBC @fastcompany @nysfocus @WSJ | writing a history of the ISS (spring 2027)
Pinned
personal news: i'm writing a book! so excited to be working on this
i talked to three deepfake experts about those AI anti-Mamdani videos. here's what they said:
www.fastcompany.com/91446713/tik...
www.fastcompany.com/91446713/tik...
New anti-Mamdani AI videos and the deepfake generation of astroturfing
'In the last election cycle, hiring human influencers to spread a particular message was all the rage. Now, teams don't even need those personalities.'
www.fastcompany.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:48 PM
i talked to three deepfake experts about those AI anti-Mamdani videos. here's what they said:
www.fastcompany.com/91446713/tik...
www.fastcompany.com/91446713/tik...
October 30, 2025 at 2:49 PM
www.fastcompany.com/91429000/art...
"The social media age warped our self-perception, and now the AI era stands to subsume it. "
"The social media age warped our self-perception, and now the AI era stands to subsume it. "
AI abstinence won’t work
A consumer movement against artificial intelligence is misaligned with the business model—and the threat.
www.fastcompany.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
www.fastcompany.com/91429000/art...
"The social media age warped our self-perception, and now the AI era stands to subsume it. "
"The social media age warped our self-perception, and now the AI era stands to subsume it. "
there's always a gold rush for usernames at the birth of a new social platform - my first piece for @fastcompany.com looks at how OpenAI is taking preventive steps to block people from using public figures as Sora usernames -- but only some!
www.fastcompany.com/91423803/sor...
www.fastcompany.com/91423803/sor...
Sora is blocking people from nabbing celebrity and public figure usernames
Donald Trump likes posting deepfakes, but it’s not clear whether politicians will be welcomed to the app.
www.fastcompany.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
there's always a gold rush for usernames at the birth of a new social platform - my first piece for @fastcompany.com looks at how OpenAI is taking preventive steps to block people from using public figures as Sora usernames -- but only some!
www.fastcompany.com/91423803/sor...
www.fastcompany.com/91423803/sor...
Reposted
Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension highlights Nexstar and Sinclair’s vast control over US airwaves, by @maxknoblauch.bsky.social sherwood.news/power/jimmy-...
September 18, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension highlights Nexstar and Sinclair’s vast control over US airwaves, by @maxknoblauch.bsky.social sherwood.news/power/jimmy-...
Reposted
Starlink outage impacted Starshield, its defense communications service via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/starlink-out...
Starlink outage impacted Starshield, its defense communications service
Several civilian federal agencies said they weren’t aware of any effect on operations.
fedscoop.com
July 25, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Starlink outage impacted Starshield, its defense communications service via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/starlink-out...
with @keelyquinlan.bsky.social, we took a look at increasing government use of Starlink
fedscoop.com/starlink-us-...
fedscoop.com/starlink-us-...
As Trump and Elon feud, government demand for Starlink grows
Through direct sales and a constellation of resellers, the U.S. government is increasingly using Starlink.
fedscoop.com
July 21, 2025 at 12:51 PM
with @keelyquinlan.bsky.social, we took a look at increasing government use of Starlink
fedscoop.com/starlink-us-...
fedscoop.com/starlink-us-...
Reposted
My @fedscoop.bsky.social colleagues @madialder.bsky.social and @rebheilweil.bsky.social doing some diligent detective work, identifying a previously unreported GSA-adjacent testing bed for AI chatbots where Grok (who you may also know as MechaHitler) was recently added to the suite of options.
Grok for gov? GitHub shows GSA interest in Elon Musk AI tool
A GSA spokesperson told FedScoop the agency welcomes all American companies who “abide by our terms and conditions."
fedscoop.com
July 11, 2025 at 12:43 PM
My @fedscoop.bsky.social colleagues @madialder.bsky.social and @rebheilweil.bsky.social doing some diligent detective work, identifying a previously unreported GSA-adjacent testing bed for AI chatbots where Grok (who you may also know as MechaHitler) was recently added to the suite of options.
Our latest: GitHub shows that gov coders are trying to access Grok. a spokesperson for GSA told us the agency is interested in welcoming all American companies and models "who abide by our terms and conditions."
fedscoop.com/grok-for-gov...
fedscoop.com/grok-for-gov...
Grok for gov? GitHub shows GSA interest in Elon Musk AI tool
A GSA spokesperson told FedScoop the agency welcomes all American companies who “abide by our terms and conditions."
fedscoop.com
July 11, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Our latest: GitHub shows that gov coders are trying to access Grok. a spokesperson for GSA told us the agency is interested in welcoming all American companies and models "who abide by our terms and conditions."
fedscoop.com/grok-for-gov...
fedscoop.com/grok-for-gov...
digging through some DHS docs, i found reference to privacy documents confirming a CBP project that would use Starlink, from SpaceX
fedscoop.com/customs-and-...
fedscoop.com/customs-and-...
Customs and Border Protection is exploring use of Elon Musk’s Starlink
The agency’s interest in the Musk-owned satellite internet service comes as he continues to earn more government business and exert more control in the Trump administration.
fedscoop.com
February 27, 2025 at 11:53 PM
digging through some DHS docs, i found reference to privacy documents confirming a CBP project that would use Starlink, from SpaceX
fedscoop.com/customs-and-...
fedscoop.com/customs-and-...
Reposted
#CBP has issued internal paperwork to authorize an evaluation of #Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by Elon Musk’s #SpaceX, according to documents identified by FedScoop and a spokesperson for the agency. via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/customs-and-...
Customs and Border Protection is exploring use of Elon Musk’s Starlink
The agency’s interest in the Musk-owned satellite internet service comes as he continues to earn more government business and exert more control in the Trump administration.
fedscoop.com
February 27, 2025 at 5:35 PM
#CBP has issued internal paperwork to authorize an evaluation of #Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by Elon Musk’s #SpaceX, according to documents identified by FedScoop and a spokesperson for the agency. via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/customs-and-...
are you a federal worker? reach out to me on Signal at rebheilweil.59
February 14, 2025 at 5:54 PM
are you a federal worker? reach out to me on Signal at rebheilweil.59
DHS is massively expanding its inventory fo AI use cases, per a new disclosure
fedscoop.com/department-o...
fedscoop.com/department-o...
Department of Homeland Security reveals nearly 160 ways it’s using AI
The agency made public 29 deployed use cases that are safety- or rights-impacting, with another 10 on the way.
fedscoop.com
December 17, 2024 at 6:35 PM
DHS is massively expanding its inventory fo AI use cases, per a new disclosure
fedscoop.com/department-o...
fedscoop.com/department-o...
DHS came up with its own LLM chatbot. It's in a secure environment but built on external tech
fedscoop.com/chatgpt-meet...
fedscoop.com/chatgpt-meet...
ChatGPT, meet DHSChat: Homeland Security has a new AI bot
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the tool would help staffers draft reports, summarize information and develop software, among other tasks.
fedscoop.com
December 17, 2024 at 5:46 PM
DHS came up with its own LLM chatbot. It's in a secure environment but built on external tech
fedscoop.com/chatgpt-meet...
fedscoop.com/chatgpt-meet...
Reposted
The International Federation of Journalists said Tuesday that 104 journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2024, with more than half of them perishing during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
apnews.com/article/jour...
apnews.com/article/jour...
Journalists' rights group says 104 media workers killed this year. Gaza stands out for 2nd year
The International Federation of Journalists says that 104 journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2024, with more than half of them perishing during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza S...
apnews.com
December 10, 2024 at 3:00 PM
The International Federation of Journalists said Tuesday that 104 journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2024, with more than half of them perishing during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
apnews.com/article/jour...
apnews.com/article/jour...
Reposted
CBP is continuing to expand its use of biometric iris recognition at the nation’s borders, a notable move given the somewhat limited use of the technology compared with more widespread applications like fingerprint and facial recognition. via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/customs-and-...
Customs and Border Protection is expanding its use of biometric iris recognition
The agency hopes to use the technology in all of its border apprehensions, according to a source familiar with the program.
fedscoop.com
December 4, 2024 at 1:17 AM
CBP is continuing to expand its use of biometric iris recognition at the nation’s borders, a notable move given the somewhat limited use of the technology compared with more widespread applications like fingerprint and facial recognition. via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/customs-and-...
Reposted
Keep in mind ➡️ Cycling 🚲 is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities(!)👇👇
theconversation.com/cycling-is-t...
theconversation.com/cycling-is-t...
November 23, 2024 at 6:34 AM
Keep in mind ➡️ Cycling 🚲 is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities(!)👇👇
theconversation.com/cycling-is-t...
theconversation.com/cycling-is-t...
personal news: i'm writing a book! so excited to be working on this
November 21, 2024 at 10:43 PM
personal news: i'm writing a book! so excited to be working on this
we were first to report on a new state department-led effort to help detect AI-generated content fedscoop.com/state-depart...
State Department reveals new interagency task force on detecting AI-generated content
More than 20 agencies are currently involved in the effort.
fedscoop.com
November 21, 2024 at 5:17 PM
we were first to report on a new state department-led effort to help detect AI-generated content fedscoop.com/state-depart...
Reposted
#Anthropic, a major developer of large language models, has entered talks with some #federal agencies about a potential sponsorship for a #FedRAMP authorization that would allow the company to sell #AI systems directly to the #government. via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/anthropic-ey...
Anthropic eyes FedRAMP accreditation in quest to sell more AI to government
The AI company is in talks with federal agencies, its head of global affairs said in an interview with FedScoop.
fedscoop.com
November 20, 2024 at 6:07 PM
#Anthropic, a major developer of large language models, has entered talks with some #federal agencies about a potential sponsorship for a #FedRAMP authorization that would allow the company to sell #AI systems directly to the #government. via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/anthropic-ey...
based on docs i obtained and conversations with state department leaders, my colleague and I checked on the Global Engagement Center, an anti-disinformation unit within the State Department that could be eliminated later this year.
fedscoop.com/can-the-glob...
fedscoop.com/can-the-glob...
Can the Global Engagement Center make the case for itself?
Congressional authorization for the State Department’s foreign disinformation branch is expiring, as officials attempt to convince skeptics that its work is vital.
fedscoop.com
November 19, 2024 at 11:24 PM
based on docs i obtained and conversations with state department leaders, my colleague and I checked on the Global Engagement Center, an anti-disinformation unit within the State Department that could be eliminated later this year.
fedscoop.com/can-the-glob...
fedscoop.com/can-the-glob...