Author | Lightnews

Reposted by Ryan Singel

Lex Roman @lexroman.com · 14h

Re: media layoffs—Liz and I added this to the calendar today for anyone considering going independent. We also want to invite those who are already independent to share their experiences.

luma.com/lcbckl7j

Is indie journalism right for me? An interactive session for recently laid off journalists · Luma

THIS EVENT IS A GATHERING FOR RECENTLY LAID OFF JOURNALISTS AND CURRENT CREATOR JOURNALISTS/WORKER-OWNERS OF NEWSROOMS. Is indie journalism right for me? Let's…

luma.com

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Rick Porter @rickporter.bsky.social · 3d

Straight up “papers please” harassment of people doing their jobs and assault and brutalizing of people who tied to intervene. Abolish DHS.

On Halloween, ‘state-sponsored terror’ in Chicago and the north suburbs

Despite pleas from Gov. JB Pritzker to pause federal immigration enforcement operations while children celebrate Halloween, Border Patrol agents tore through Chicago and the suburbs.

www.chicagotribune.com

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 3d

My dog trick or treats every day.

Dresses up as a tiny wookie.

Works all the time.

You should try it too

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John E Bartley, III K7AAY (D) @503bartley.bsky.social · 3d

ISPs no longer required to protect your data, says FCC: VPNs likely to become more popular arstechnica.com/tech-policy/... #ISP #internet #security #FCC

FCC to rescind ruling that said ISPs are required to secure their networks

FCC chair to rely on ISPs’ voluntary commitments instead of Biden-era ruling.

arstechnica.com

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 3d

But they are still required to make their networks wiretappable using govt set standards

So vital it's got to be FBI/NSA/Cop accessible. But not vital enough to be secure or have consumer protections, like privacy protections or net neutrality

Brendan Carr loves kissing Trump & telecom dirty ass

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 3d

I don't know your video needs, but it's likely doable.

As for too expensive, for anyone with 10K+ subs, Ghost (Pro) hosting is insanely cheap vs 10% of yr income

$241 or $366 a month for 75K subscribers & unlimited emails?

As for network effects, I'm *doubtful*. Lots of low quality followers /= $

Ghost Pro pricing page showing $241 or $366/month for 75,000 subscribers

Reposted by Ryan Singel

Luke Plunkett @lukeplunkett.com · 5d

its been a pretty quiet few weeks at aftermath, myself especially. sometimes only 1-2 blogs a week.

man, i wonder if theres a reason for that. maybe ive been working on something for our 2nd birthday that i get to show off next week. hrm i wonder.

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Zander Furnas @alexanderfurnas.com · 3d

three-hops theory was tenuous (read: unconstitutional imo) when it applied to collecting electronic communications data and surveillance.

it is BEYOND FUCKED as a justification for killing

Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 4d

This three-hops theory is especially insane. Even if you assume each person is connected to only 100 other people, there are 1m people within three hops of every suspected drug trafficker—and remember that even *known* drug traffickers aren’t legitimate targets. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/u...

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AndreaaaHHhHHHHh!! Grimes @andreagrimes.com · 4d

I've been offline all afternoon but this happened while I was out and HOLY BALLS i am once again overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and generosity of the Flytrap community

The Flytrap @theflytrapmedia.com · 4d

In a wild turn of events, we've had SEVEN people subscribe to the Big Chungus tier at $1000 each. This is so amazing and way more than we expected! If we could get FIVE more Big Chungus subscribers, that'll cover our freelance writers budget for the whole of next year.

The Flytrap

Feminist cultural criticism against the algorithm

the-flytrap.ghost.io

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 4d

I don't need a reminder that it was a good and frankly easy decision for @outpost.pub to turn down building Tucker Carlson's website, but that fascist keeps reminding me any way

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Kelly J. Baker (she/her) @kellyjbaker.bsky.social · 4d

I subscribed, so what about y'all?

The Flytrap @theflytrapmedia.com · 4d

WE'VE HIT 50 SUBSCRIPTIONS TODAY! We need 30 more to hit our daily goal of 80 subscriptions. Lemme see your wallet, can you afford a subscription at 15% off? 👀

the-flytrap.ghost.io/chomp

The Flytrap

Feminist cultural criticism against the algorithm

the-flytrap.ghost.io

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 4d

Good review. Putting the book on the to read list.

FYI, Substack is likely largely funded by Saudi money.

Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 4d

Wish I was in Chicago for this. Weds nights were amazing in that tiny club

Philip Montoro @pmontoro.bsky.social · 4d

The Empty Bottle Jazz & Improvised Music Series—a key driver of Chicago's ongoing creative-music renaissance—ended 20 years ago. But on Saturday it returns to celebrate a new live box set with performances by Joe McPhee, Ken Vandermark, Dorothy Carlos, and more!

chicagoreader.com/music/gossip...

The Bottle gets a free (jazz) refill - Chicago Reader

The Empty Bottle Jazz & Improvised Music Series ended 20 years ago, but it returns for one night to roll out a new retrospective box set.

chicagoreader.com

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 4d

You can import your list but you have to throw away all your subscriptions of people paying an account you own and start again from $0 revenue and convince them to pay someone else.

This is literally the dumbest thing anyone with real subscription income could do.

Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 4d

Writers moving to Patreon THROW away all of that income and subscriptions.

Then on Patreon, people pay PATREON, not the writer.

You can't move the subscriptions.

That's the money.

Great you can export a list but then you have to ask them to pay again.

Patreon is a roach motel that owns the subs

Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 4d

The big difference is not exporting emails, it's whether you can move your subscriptions.

On Substack (with a big asterisk about recent changes), subscribers paid the writer. You can move ALL those subs to another fullment service (Ghost. Beehiiv) seamlessly. Your income doesn't change.

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Liz Fong-Jones (方禮真) @lizthegrey.com · 5d

Project Nimbus was full of ethical landmines that Google stepped directly on. www.972mag.com/project-nimb...

Inside Israel’s deal with Google and Amazon

To secure Project Nimbus, the tech giants agreed to disregard their own terms of service and tip Israel off if a foreign court demands its data.

www.972mag.com

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 5d

Maybe on hiring? Outpost.pub is a bootstrapped no VC funded member services co-op so budget is tight.

But email me at [email protected]

Outpost

Outpost is a member-services co-op that supercharges Ghost-powered newsletters and publications with smart tech.

Outpost.pub

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 5d

And by talking I meant talking about bundles.

Plus we need more cross pollination in the indie world generally.

Keep boosting the co-ops! This is the future we need.

And it's hard because launching from zero revenue with multiple people ain't easy

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Adrienne @adrienneleigh.bsky.social · 5d

Like i ADORE @defector.com , & i shill for them so much on social media that at one point they comped me a year's sub. I adore @flaminghydra.com and @aftermath.site and @404media.co too, & i want them all to succeed SO BADLY because we need worker-owned journalism in this moment & they're all great.

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 5d

I love them all too. My company Outpost gets to work with many of these great co-op upstarts. Hell Gate, Hearing Things, 404, 51st, Coyote Media, Range, and more are coming

I want there to be so many of them, and I wish the journalism support complex wasn't so dismissive and would fund them more

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 5d

Yeah, sorry the first comment came off too sharp.

Absolutely!

I was talking just today with one of the sites you mentioned.

Plotting is happening!!

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 5d

Just to be clear, yes, the idea is great!

I work with a lot of the publishers you are thinking of

They want it too but they also want to do it right, maintaining independence and owning their relationship with subscribers

It'd be swell if any of the journalism funders in the world listened to you

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 5d

Folks are working on it. But this is easier said than done because each of those publishers *own* the payment relationship with their subscribers. That's so important. That's why Patreon sux

Bundles make that *hard*. Bundles make renewals hard.

The will is there. Getting it right just isn't simple

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Ryan Singel @ryansingel.bsky.social · 5d

People moving newsletters to Patreon are:

1) ripping up every DIRECT contract they have with their subscribers
2) inviting those people to go to Patreon
3) Asking your former subs to make a contract with Patreon instead

One of the dumbest media biz moves ever. And media is full of dumb moves

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