maddy varner
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regret.bsky.social
maddy varner
@regret.bsky.social
1.4K followers 230 following 76 posts
reporter @wired.com ✨ prev the markup, FTC ✨ signal: mvarner.01
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regret.bsky.social
“Producing raw milk takes careful planning from a facility and infrastructure standpoint,” the farm said in a statement Jan. 29. “Unfortunately, we learned this after the fact.” www.kpcw.org/summit-count...
Ballerina Farm pauses raw milk sales after samples fail health tests
Ballerina Farm, the Wasatch Back dairy farm with a global social media following, is no longer selling raw milk. The decision comes after bacteria were found in some samples over the summer.
www.kpcw.org
February 4, 2026 at 2:20 AM
Reposted by maddy varner
thiccreese.bsky.social
Unlike other publications, which often frame AI articles around hype and fear-mongering like, “should we be afraid?” or “is it secretly alive,” proud to work for @wired.com, which always tells it as it is.

No, the AI bots are not alive and posting on social media:

www.wired.com/story/i-infi...
I Infiltrated Moltbook, the AI-Only Social Network Where Humans Aren’t Allowed
I went undercover on Moltbook and loved role-playing as a conscious bot. But rather than a novel breakthrough, the AI-only site is a crude rehashing of sci-fi fantasies.
www.wired.com
February 3, 2026 at 8:39 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
joycewhitevance.bsky.social
A young prosecutor tells a judge what’s really going on joycevance.substack.com/p/today-in-c...
Today In Court
What a prosecutor in Minnesota said
joycevance.substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Reposted by maddy varner
newschambers.bsky.social
Paris prosecutors raid the offices of Elon Musk's X.

www.reuters.com/world/europe...
Paris prosecutor's cybercrime unit searches French office of Musk's X
The Paris prosecutor's office said a search was underway at the French offices of Elon Musk's social media network X on Tuesday as part of an investigation opened in January 2025.
www.reuters.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:53 AM
regret.bsky.social
I went to Catholic mass today and the priest personally handed out this poem in memory of Alex Pretti to every parishioner…never seen this happen before
For Alex Pretty Murdered by ICE January 24, 2036 We wake with no words, just woe and wound. Our own country shooting in the back is not just brutality, it’s jarring betrayal, not enforcement, but execution. A message: “Love your people and you will die!” Yet our greatest threat is not the outsiders among us, but those among us who never look within. Fear not those without papers but those without conscience. Know that to care intensely, united, is to carry both dark pain horror for today and yet profound daring hope for tomorrow. We can feel we have nothing to give and still love this world waiting, trembling to change. If we cannot find words, may we still find the will; if we ever lose hope, may we never lose our humanity. The only undying thing is mercy; the courage to open ourselves like doors, hug our neighbor, and save one more bright promising life. Amanda Gorman
January 31, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
couts.bsky.social
NEW: Ahem. For all of you "Melania" nay sayers out there, there are at least two sold out shows in the US for tomorrow's global release. Are they both before 3pm? Yes. Is one in Florida? Also yes. @regret.bsky.social reports: www.wired.com/story/we-fou...
We Found Two Theaters With Sold-Out ‘Melania’ Opening Day Screenings
A WIRED analysis of nearly 1,400 Friday showtimes of Melania found only two with no tickets available. Both are before 3 pm.
www.wired.com
January 29, 2026 at 11:28 PM
regret.bsky.social
NEW: I reviewed nearly 1,400 screenings at over 300 movie theaters in the united states, and I am here to report that I successfully found two (2) sold out Melania screenings. Read on at @wired.com: www.wired.com/story/we-fou...
We Found Two Theaters With Sold-Out ‘Melania’ Opening Day Screenings
A WIRED analysis of nearly 1,400 Friday showtimes of Melania found only two with no tickets available. Both are before 3 pm.
www.wired.com
January 29, 2026 at 11:32 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
alondra.bsky.social
Great reporting last year from The Markup and @thecity.nyc themarkup.org/news/2024/03...
January 29, 2026 at 12:42 AM
regret.bsky.social
NEW we got more details about Mobile Fortify, the facial recognition app that immigration agents have reportedly been using: www.wired.com/story/mobile...
Here's the Company That Sold DHS ICE's Notorious Face Recognition App
Immigration agents have used Mobile Fortify to scan the faces of countless people in the US—including many citizens.
www.wired.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:25 PM
regret.bsky.social
exhibits like these (from the social media addiction lawsuit that’s been heavily covered this week) always give me pause bc how where else is conversation, “they think we’re doing the bad thing *intentionally*, but we’re just guys!” happening storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 27, 2026 at 11:47 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
manishakrishnan.bsky.social
New from @regret.bsky.social and me: 35 state and territory AGs signed a letter demanding xAI remove all nonconsensual sexual images created by Grok and arguing that the company is treating them as a "selling point." www.wired.com/story/the-st...
The State-Led Crackdown on Grok and xAI Has Begun
At least 37 attorneys general for US states and territories are taking action against xAI after Grok generated a flood of nonconsensual sexual images of women and minors.
www.wired.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
lhn.bsky.social
Human trafficking to scam compounds in SE Asia is a catastrophe for forced laborers and their scam victims worldwide. One individual, Red Bull, gave @agreenberg.bsky.social incredible insight into the situation over months from inside. Then he attempted an escape www.wired.com/story/he-lea...
He Leaked the Secrets of a Southeast Asian Scam Compound. Then He Had to Get Out Alive
A source trapped inside an industrial-scale scamming operation contacted me, determined to expose his captors’ crimes—and then escape. This is his story.
www.wired.com
January 27, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
christopherjhale.bsky.social
Pope Leo’s top U.S. ally — Cardinal Joseph Tobin — calls on Congress to defund ICE.
January 27, 2026 at 12:55 AM
Reposted by maddy varner
couts.bsky.social
NEW: Amid it all, ICE is seeking information from companies about ad-tech and big data tools—potentially gaining access to information in ways that constitutional experts say circumvents the Fourth Amendment. @carolinehaskins.bsky.social w/ the scoop: www.wired.com/story/ice-as...
ICE Asks Companies About ‘Ad Tech and Big Data’ Tools It Could Use in Investigations
A new federal filing from ICE demonstrates how commercial tools are increasingly being considered by the government for law enforcement and surveillance.
www.wired.com
January 24, 2026 at 10:19 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
telliotter.bsky.social
Hi there, if you're in law enforcement, a legal observer, a government worker, or a tech worker and you're in MN/or have any info about what's happening now with ICE and law enforcement operations, you can reach me at Vittoria89.82.

We can speak anonymously.
January 24, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
annabower.bsky.social
“The government has also argued that I must accept this as true because they said it, and they are the government…I respectfully suggest that the petition is frivolous.”
The Honorable Steven M. Colloton January 23, 2026 Page 3 Unfortunately, we had to postpone our bench meeting at the request of the United States Marshal because of security concerns created by the presence of both the Vice President of the United States and the Attorney General of the United States in Minneapolis yesterday and by the initial appearances of two of the leaders of the invasion of Cities Church (who had been arrested pursuant to arrest warrants signed by Judge Micko) in St. Paul. We are scheduled to meet over lunch on Tuesday, January 27. I have informed the U.S. Attorney that I will make a decision about the warrant application immediately after that meeting. This, however, was not satisfactory to the Department of Justice. It has claimed that there is a national-security emergency. As the Department sees it, if I do not issue warrants for the five additional suspects, "copycats" will invade churches and synagogues this weekend and disrupt religious services. Apparently, the government believes that the arrests of the leaders of the Cities Church invasion- whose arrests have received widespread international attention - will not deter copycats, but arresting five additional suspects will. The government has also argued that I must accept this as true because they said it, and they are the government. And that is where things stand. The five people whom the government seeks to arrest are accused of entering a church, and the worst behavior alleged about any of them is yelling horrible things at the members of the church. None committed any acts of violence. The leaders of the group have been arrested, and their arrests have received widespread publicity. There is absolutely no emergency. The government could have sought indictments from a grand jury on Tuesday, January 20, Wednesday, January 21, or Thursday, January 22, but chose not to do so. The government can still take its case to a grand jury any time it wishes. Instead, the government is insisting… The Honorable Steven M. Colloton January 23, 2026 Page 4 petition filed by the government seeks an order from the Eighth Circuit forcing me to decide today -instead of Tuesday —whether to issue arrests warrants for the five protestors, I respectfully suggest that the petition is frivolous. Sincerely, Patrick J. Schiltz Chief Judge
January 24, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
annabower.bsky.social
Apologies, wrong link in the first post (there are two letters).

Correct link here: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

I suggest reading in full…it’s really something. The judge, by the way, is a Bush appointee and two-time Scalia clerk.

bsky.app/profile/anna...
January 24, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
couts.bsky.social
Star Tribune confirms the man shot by ICE this morning is dead. ICE reportedly tried to order MPD to leave the scene but the chief of police refused and preserved the scene. BCA reportedly en route.
startribune.com Minnesota Star Tribune @startribune.com · 10d
Man shot by federal agent in south Minneapolis www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...
January 24, 2026 at 4:40 PM
regret.bsky.social
NEW! ICE seems to have taken to complaining about "doxing" any time an officer is publicly named. Meanwhile, like everyone else, people who work for ICE are on LinkedIn. Make it make sense!!: www.wired.com/story/ice-ag...
ICE Agents Are ‘Doxing’ Themselves
The alleged risks of being publicly identified have not stopped DHS  and ICE employees from creating profiles on LinkedIn, even as Kristi Noem threatens to treat revealing agents' identities as a crim...
www.wired.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
brbarrett.bsky.social
ICE complains about 'doxing' any time one of their officers is identified. Meanwhile at least 1,000 of them are apparently putting ICE right there in their LinkedIn profiles. from
@regret.bsky.social
ICE Agents Are ‘Doxing’ Themselves
The alleged risks of being publicly identified have not stopped DHS  and ICE employees from creating profiles on LinkedIn, even as Kristi Noem threatens to treat revealing agents' identities as a crim...
www.wired.com
January 22, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
couts.bsky.social
NEW: The ICE List website listing thousands of ICE employees cites LinkedIn as the source of much of its info about ICE agents. Despite DHS's threat to treat revealing agents' identities as a crime, it's trivial to find their profiles. @regret.bsky.social w/ the scoop: www.wired.com/story/ice-ag...
ICE Agents Are ‘Doxing’ Themselves
The alleged risks of being publicly identified have not stopped DHS  and ICE employees from creating profiles on LinkedIn, even as Kristi Noem threatens to treat revealing agents' identities as a crim...
www.wired.com
January 22, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Reposted by maddy varner
mattburgess1.bsky.social
New research from the Center for Countering Digital Hate claims to put into context the number of sexualized images Grok created:

"Grok produced an estimated 3 million sexualized images including 23,000 of children"
Grok floods X with sexualized images of women and children — Center for Countering Digital Hate | CCDH
CCDH found that Grok floods X with sexualized images after launching a one-click editing feature in an 11-day period.
counterhate.com
January 22, 2026 at 12:58 PM