Sam Cole
@samleecole.bsky.social
journalist / co-founder @404media.co
signal: sam.404
complain about the paywall catch a block
signal: sam.404
complain about the paywall catch a block
Pinned
Sam Cole
@samleecole.bsky.social
· Aug 22
404 Media at Two Years: How We've Grown, and What's Next
We're reflecting on the impact our journalism had in year two, how we've grown with your support, and what we aspire to accomplish in year three.
www.404media.co
it's been two wild years, and we can't wait to keep rocking into year three www.404media.co/two-years-40...
Reposted by Sam Cole
> An account called “Ivanka News” is based in Nigeria, “RedPilledNurse” is from Europe, “MAGA Nadine” is in Morocco, “Native American Soul” is in Bangladesh, and “Barron Trump News” is based in Macedonia,
From @404media.co
From @404media.co
November 25, 2025 at 8:02 PM
> An account called “Ivanka News” is based in Nigeria, “RedPilledNurse” is from Europe, “MAGA Nadine” is in Morocco, “Native American Soul” is in Bangladesh, and “Barron Trump News” is based in Macedonia,
From @404media.co
From @404media.co
SAD lamp seasonal Garp for you
November 25, 2025 at 3:44 PM
SAD lamp seasonal Garp for you
close enough welcome back 2014 twitter
November 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM
close enough welcome back 2014 twitter
a statement from admin
November 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM
a statement from admin
Calliope sees your response and has noted it
November 25, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Calliope sees your response and has noted it
Garp thanks you anyway
November 25, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Garp thanks you anyway
the honor system applies don't worry
November 25, 2025 at 3:18 PM
the honor system applies don't worry
reply or quote this with a screenshot of the end of the survey and I'll send you a photo of one of my cats. they're very cute, it's worth it www.404media.co/please-pleas...
Please, please do our reader survey
It'll take just a minute and help 404 Media figure out how to grow sustainably.
www.404media.co
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
reply or quote this with a screenshot of the end of the survey and I'll send you a photo of one of my cats. they're very cute, it's worth it www.404media.co/please-pleas...
Reposted by Sam Cole
Was an honor to have @hypervisible.blacksky.app on our podcast to talk about spying on ourselves, spying on each other, Flock, Ring, food delivery robots, and general surveillance culture:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kBg...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kBg...
How Big Tech Has Convinced Us to Surveil Ourselves and Each Other
YouTube video by 404 Media
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Was an honor to have @hypervisible.blacksky.app on our podcast to talk about spying on ourselves, spying on each other, Flock, Ring, food delivery robots, and general surveillance culture:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kBg...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kBg...
Reposted by Sam Cole
For @404media.co this morning: a group of immigrant rights organizers are helping people use Fortnite to practice what to do if they encounter ICE agents in the wild. And I got to see it.
www.404media.co/ice-defense-...
www.404media.co/ice-defense-...
Inside an ICE Defense Training on Fortnite
A group of immigrant rights organizers are helping people use Fortnite to practice what to do if they encounter ICE agents in the wild.
www.404media.co
November 24, 2025 at 3:13 PM
For @404media.co this morning: a group of immigrant rights organizers are helping people use Fortnite to practice what to do if they encounter ICE agents in the wild. And I got to see it.
www.404media.co/ice-defense-...
www.404media.co/ice-defense-...
Reposted by Sam Cole
my favorite part has to be when grok asserts that elon musk is in better shape than LeBron James
November 20, 2025 at 10:29 PM
my favorite part has to be when grok asserts that elon musk is in better shape than LeBron James
Grok is saying Elon got an offer to do Playgirl Magazine, and he did it. he did a full spread for Playgirl Magazine. I mean spread man, he pulled his butt apart and stuff. he was totally nude. I mean you probably didn't hear about it because he went under the name Mi www.404media.co/elon-musk-co...
Elon Musk Could 'Drink Piss Better Than Any Human in History,' Grok Says
Grok has been reprogrammed to say Musk is better than everyone at everything, including blowjobs, piss drinking, playing quarterback, conquering Europe, etc.
www.404media.co
November 20, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Grok is saying Elon got an offer to do Playgirl Magazine, and he did it. he did a full spread for Playgirl Magazine. I mean spread man, he pulled his butt apart and stuff. he was totally nude. I mean you probably didn't hear about it because he went under the name Mi www.404media.co/elon-musk-co...
Reposted by Sam Cole
An AI chatbot roleplay and image generator platform left cloud storage containers of nearly two million of images and videos exposed, including photos and full names of women from social media. @evystadium.bsky.social has more.
Full scoop by @samleecole.bsky.social
www.404media.co/ai-porn-secr...
Full scoop by @samleecole.bsky.social
www.404media.co/ai-porn-secr...
November 20, 2025 at 4:12 PM
An AI chatbot roleplay and image generator platform left cloud storage containers of nearly two million of images and videos exposed, including photos and full names of women from social media. @evystadium.bsky.social has more.
Full scoop by @samleecole.bsky.social
www.404media.co/ai-porn-secr...
Full scoop by @samleecole.bsky.social
www.404media.co/ai-porn-secr...
and as @goaskalex.com said: "Criminal background checks will not stop potential predators from using the platform, it will only harm individuals who are already at higher risk... I'd like to know more about what they're searching for with these background checks.” www.404media.co/onlyfans-bac...
November 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
and as @goaskalex.com said: "Criminal background checks will not stop potential predators from using the platform, it will only harm individuals who are already at higher risk... I'd like to know more about what they're searching for with these background checks.” www.404media.co/onlyfans-bac...
as @jessicastarling.bsky.social put it: “It’s dangerous for anyone, but it's especially dangerous for us because we're more vulnerable anyway. Especially when you're online, you're hypervisible." www.404media.co/onlyfans-bac...
![“It’s dangerous for anyone, but it's especially dangerous for us [adult creators] because we're more vulnerable anyway. Especially when you're online, you're hypervisible,” Starling said. “It doesn't protect anyone except OnlyFans themselves, the company.”
OnlyFans became the household name in independent porn because of the work of its adult content creators. Starling mentioned that because the platform has dominated the market, it’s difficult to just go to another platform if creators don’t want to be subjected to background checks. “We're put in a position where we have very limited power," they said. "So when a platform decides to do something like this, we’re kind of screwed, right?”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:pt47oe625rv5cnrkgvntwbiq/bafkreidlkm5nlic2wtcbvrxqygoinex22nzbctsdv4dsv642xw2sgphkk4@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 4:14 PM
as @jessicastarling.bsky.social put it: “It’s dangerous for anyone, but it's especially dangerous for us because we're more vulnerable anyway. Especially when you're online, you're hypervisible." www.404media.co/onlyfans-bac...
if you can't tell I super hate these companies as a concept
November 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
if you can't tell I super hate these companies as a concept
even if you put all of that aside (somehow?!) there's the fact that background checkers, like everything that touches PII, are vulnerable to hacks and leaks. remember the "mother of all breaches?" that was a background checker. add to this the targeting of sex workers www.ibm.com/think/news/n...
National Public Data breach publishes private data of 2.9B U.S. citizens | IBM
A data breach from the background check business National Public Data may be one of the largest data breaches of all time.
www.ibm.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:12 PM
even if you put all of that aside (somehow?!) there's the fact that background checkers, like everything that touches PII, are vulnerable to hacks and leaks. remember the "mother of all breaches?" that was a background checker. add to this the targeting of sex workers www.ibm.com/think/news/n...
... it doesn't matter, bc these services are sued constantly by people who claim they've been framed for things they didn't do. Checkr and the companies it's acquired have been sued hundreds of times for erroneous record claims. I wrote about this a few years ago: archive.is/WYkUg
‘Consumers Get Screwed’: Airbnb’s and Uber’s Background-Check Company Keeps Getting Sued
A widely used background check company has been sued numerous times for mishandling criminal records and including false information on its reports.
www.vice.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:09 PM
... it doesn't matter, bc these services are sued constantly by people who claim they've been framed for things they didn't do. Checkr and the companies it's acquired have been sued hundreds of times for erroneous record claims. I wrote about this a few years ago: archive.is/WYkUg
in-person sex work is highly criminalized in the US. some people choose to transition from escorting to online work because traditional workplaces ALSO do background checks and won't hire people with a record. it's not clear if OF will exclude people with specific levels of offense, but.....
November 20, 2025 at 4:05 PM
in-person sex work is highly criminalized in the US. some people choose to transition from escorting to online work because traditional workplaces ALSO do background checks and won't hire people with a record. it's not clear if OF will exclude people with specific levels of offense, but.....