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
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...
the CEO of OnlyFans posted earlier this month on LinkedIn that the platform is partnering with Checkr to check criminal records of new creators, as part of the onboarding process www.404media.co/onlyfans-bac...
OnlyFans Will Start Checking Criminal Records. Creators Say That's a Terrible Idea
OnlyFans CEO Keily Blair announced on LinkedIn that the platform partnered with Checkr to
www.404media.co
November 20, 2025 at 3:50 PM
the CEO of OnlyFans posted earlier this month on LinkedIn that the platform is partnering with Checkr to check criminal records of new creators, as part of the onboarding process www.404media.co/onlyfans-bac...
Reposted by Sam Cole
In an hour we will be doing our latest FOIA Forum, a live-streamed event where we show you how to pry records from the government. Today will all be about Flock, and how researchers and others found cops tapping the nationwide network for ICE, etc. Stream link here: www.404media.co/our-new-foia...
Our New FOIA Forum! 11/19, 1PM ET
Come learn how researchers and others learned what cops were using Flock's nationwide network of cameras for, including searches for ICE.
www.404media.co
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
In an hour we will be doing our latest FOIA Forum, a live-streamed event where we show you how to pry records from the government. Today will all be about Flock, and how researchers and others found cops tapping the nationwide network for ICE, etc. Stream link here: www.404media.co/our-new-foia...
AI porn generator and ERP chatbot Secret Desires left millions of images and videos exposed in unsecured cloud storage. I took a look and found folders called "faceswap," where people had uploaded tons of stolen content and random photos of women www.404media.co/ai-porn-secr...
Massive Leak Shows Erotic Chatbot Users Turned Women’s Yearbook Pictures Into AI Porn
Chatbot roleplay and image generator platform SecretDesires.ai left cloud storage containers of nearly two million of images and videos exposed, including photos and full names of women from social me...
www.404media.co
November 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
AI porn generator and ERP chatbot Secret Desires left millions of images and videos exposed in unsecured cloud storage. I took a look and found folders called "faceswap," where people had uploaded tons of stolen content and random photos of women www.404media.co/ai-porn-secr...
Reposted by Sam Cole
After 404 Media's months-long reporting and pressure from lawmakers, the data broker owned by the U.S.’s major airlines will now shut down a program in which it sold access to hundreds of millions of flight records to the government and let agencies track peoples’ movements without a warrant.
November 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
After 404 Media's months-long reporting and pressure from lawmakers, the data broker owned by the U.S.’s major airlines will now shut down a program in which it sold access to hundreds of millions of flight records to the government and let agencies track peoples’ movements without a warrant.
a bounty hunt program for retired cops, what could go wrong www.404media.co/contractor-p...
Contractor Paying Random People $300 to Physically Track Immigrants for ICE
“The more I listened to it, the more I’m like, something doesn’t sound right,” a person who was briefed on the pilot plans told 404 Media.
www.404media.co
November 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM
a bounty hunt program for retired cops, what could go wrong www.404media.co/contractor-p...
some of you have never hit the notes app crazy style during a breakup and it shows
November 17, 2025 at 3:12 PM
some of you have never hit the notes app crazy style during a breakup and it shows
license plate data merged with credit header data, marriage records, vehicle ownership, and voter registrations, in one app for ICE agents. oh and it sends push notifications when someone they're seeking is nearby.
🆒: www.404media.co/this-app-let...
🆒: www.404media.co/this-app-let...
This App Lets ICE Track Vehicles and Owners Across the Country
Material viewed by 404 Media shows data giant Thomson Reuters enriches license plate data with marriage, voter, and ownership records. The tool can predict where a car may be in the future.
www.404media.co
November 17, 2025 at 2:45 PM
license plate data merged with credit header data, marriage records, vehicle ownership, and voter registrations, in one app for ICE agents. oh and it sends push notifications when someone they're seeking is nearby.
🆒: www.404media.co/this-app-let...
🆒: www.404media.co/this-app-let...
Reposted by Sam Cole
Bruce has approved new 404 Media merch
November 13, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Bruce has approved new 404 Media merch
everything about this is infuriating. a girl is traumatized and expelled; a boy faces a criminal record and custody. and the adults couldn't even be bothered to look at the images themselves www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
November 13, 2025 at 2:25 PM
everything about this is infuriating. a girl is traumatized and expelled; a boy faces a criminal record and custody. and the adults couldn't even be bothered to look at the images themselves www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
“Providing tech services to supercharge ICE operations while blocking tools that support accountability of ICE officers is entirely backwards." - @kateruane.bsky.social www.404media.co/google-has-c...
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable gr...
www.404media.co
November 13, 2025 at 2:16 PM
“Providing tech services to supercharge ICE operations while blocking tools that support accountability of ICE officers is entirely backwards." - @kateruane.bsky.social www.404media.co/google-has-c...
jason's posts do not represent the opinions or, especially, the business operations of 404 media
i want to buy this paper cup factory more than anything. 404 media is diversifying into paper cup manufacturing. if you want to invest in the paper cup factory and help me run it pls inquire
www.facebook.com/marketplace/...
www.facebook.com/marketplace/...
November 12, 2025 at 10:51 PM
jason's posts do not represent the opinions or, especially, the business operations of 404 media
Reposted by Sam Cole
Most of this was previously outlined by APAC’s codes of conduct and bill of rights, created by performers over a decade ago. Glad big studios are catching up! It’s good for industry, and the public to see.
Wish it covered AI, tags/marketing, individualized health agency...Curious what others think.
Wish it covered AI, tags/marketing, individualized health agency...Curious what others think.
cool news: some of the biggest porn companies got together to lay out a "code of conduct" for studios, agents, third parties, everyone on set: www.404media.co/adult-studio...
Major Porn Studios Join Forces to Establish Industry ‘Code of Conduct’
The newly-formed, first of its kind Adult Studio Alliance is founded by major porn companies including Aylo, Dorcel, ERIKALUST, Gamma Entertainment, Mile High Media and Ricky’s Room, and establishes a...
www.404media.co
November 12, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Most of this was previously outlined by APAC’s codes of conduct and bill of rights, created by performers over a decade ago. Glad big studios are catching up! It’s good for industry, and the public to see.
Wish it covered AI, tags/marketing, individualized health agency...Curious what others think.
Wish it covered AI, tags/marketing, individualized health agency...Curious what others think.
Reposted by Sam Cole
My point is this person is obsessively shuffling through AI slop genres, spamming tons of stuff til they find something that works and that they can monetize. The thing "that works" are horrifying videos of an AI-generated mother screaming for her baby as ICE hauls her away
November 12, 2025 at 5:56 PM
My point is this person is obsessively shuffling through AI slop genres, spamming tons of stuff til they find something that works and that they can monetize. The thing "that works" are horrifying videos of an AI-generated mother screaming for her baby as ICE hauls her away
Reposted by Sam Cole
OpenAI's "guardrails" for copyright infringement are falling for the oldest trick in the book. OpenAI will never stop Sora from doing copyright infringement because the AI generator was built with stolen content. www.404media.co/openai-cant-...
OpenAI Can’t Fix Sora’s Copyright Infringement Problem Because It Was Built With Stolen Content
OpenAI’s guardrails against copyright infringement are falling for the oldest trick in the book.
www.404media.co
November 12, 2025 at 3:46 PM
OpenAI's "guardrails" for copyright infringement are falling for the oldest trick in the book. OpenAI will never stop Sora from doing copyright infringement because the AI generator was built with stolen content. www.404media.co/openai-cant-...
Reposted by Sam Cole
New: A judge in Washington has ruled images from Flock surveillance cameras are public records and that anyone can request them. Highlights the pervasiveness of this tech and just how much surveillance is being done. Very notable ruling
www.404media.co/judge-rules-...
www.404media.co/judge-rules-...
Judge Rules Flock Surveillance Images Are Public Records That Can Be Requested By Anyone
A Washington judge said images taken by Flock cameras are "not exempt from disclosure" in public record requests.
www.404media.co
November 12, 2025 at 3:22 PM
New: A judge in Washington has ruled images from Flock surveillance cameras are public records and that anyone can request them. Highlights the pervasiveness of this tech and just how much surveillance is being done. Very notable ruling
www.404media.co/judge-rules-...
www.404media.co/judge-rules-...
cool news: some of the biggest porn companies got together to lay out a "code of conduct" for studios, agents, third parties, everyone on set: www.404media.co/adult-studio...
Major Porn Studios Join Forces to Establish Industry ‘Code of Conduct’
The newly-formed, first of its kind Adult Studio Alliance is founded by major porn companies including Aylo, Dorcel, ERIKALUST, Gamma Entertainment, Mile High Media and Ricky’s Room, and establishes a...
www.404media.co
November 12, 2025 at 3:20 PM
cool news: some of the biggest porn companies got together to lay out a "code of conduct" for studios, agents, third parties, everyone on set: www.404media.co/adult-studio...