Vincent Denault
@vincentdenault.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, School of Criminology, University of Montreal
Reposted by Vincent Denault
As the film world and people of good taste around the world mourn the sudden death of legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer, President Donald Trump jumped to make the apparent double homicide about himself.
Read: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Read: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
December 15, 2025 at 3:33 PM
As the film world and people of good taste around the world mourn the sudden death of legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer, President Donald Trump jumped to make the apparent double homicide about himself.
Read: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Read: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Vincent Denault
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
Four sources close to the situation claim OpenAI has become hesitant to publish research on the negative impact of AI. The company says it has only expanded the economic research team’s scope.
OpenAI Staffer Quits, Alleging Company’s Economic Research Is Drifting Into AI Advocacy
Four sources close to the situation claim OpenAI has become hesitant to publish research on the negative impact of AI. The company says it has only expanded the economic research team’s scope.
wrd.cm
December 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Four sources close to the situation claim OpenAI has become hesitant to publish research on the negative impact of AI. The company says it has only expanded the economic research team’s scope.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
“All our work is being destroyed.”
The FBI spent a generation relearning how to catch spies. Then came Kash Patel.
The FBI spent a generation relearning how to catch spies. Then came Kash Patel.
The FBI Spent a Generation Relearning How to Catch Spies. Then Came Kash Patel.
As China’s spies grow more aggressive, the FBI is distracted and off-balance.
bit.ly
December 14, 2025 at 7:38 PM
“All our work is being destroyed.”
The FBI spent a generation relearning how to catch spies. Then came Kash Patel.
The FBI spent a generation relearning how to catch spies. Then came Kash Patel.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
The secret airport deportation program denies victims any semblance of due process.
TSA is forwarding names, photos, and flight info to ICE
The secret airport deportation program denies victims any semblance of due process.
www.motherjones.com
December 14, 2025 at 10:18 PM
The secret airport deportation program denies victims any semblance of due process.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
This is embarrassing.
GLASHEEN: Antifa is our primary concern right now. That's the most immediate violent threat we're facing
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
December 12, 2025 at 1:16 AM
This is embarrassing.
Voilà un point de vue qui a le mérite d’être clair.
“I am so bored by AI. One of the things I love about the theatre is AI can’t do it.”
Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻
Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻
December 10, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Voilà un point de vue qui a le mérite d’être clair.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
The John Adams Society began quietly excluding women from membership this semester, former and prospective affiliates told The Crimson. It is now effectively functioning as a single-sex organization.
@abbysgerstein and @JackBReardon report.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
@abbysgerstein and @JackBReardon report.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
‘For the Reinvention of Man’: How a Conservative Debating Society at Harvard Pushed Women From Its Ranks | News | The Harvard Crimson
The John Adams Society began quietly excluding women from membership this semester, former and prospective affiliates told The Crimson. It is now effectively functioning as a single-sex organization.
www.thecrimson.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:41 PM
The John Adams Society began quietly excluding women from membership this semester, former and prospective affiliates told The Crimson. It is now effectively functioning as a single-sex organization.
@abbysgerstein and @JackBReardon report.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
@abbysgerstein and @JackBReardon report.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
Reposted by Vincent Denault
Eugenic euthanasia all over again
We're not supposed to execute people with intellectual disabilities because it violates the 8th amendment. The Supreme Court will hear a case where Alabama argues that Intellectual disability when it comes to death penalty should only be decided only by IQ tests.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Alabama wants to lower the bar for executing disabled people—if SCOTUS lets it
The case law is clear: There's more to intellectual disability than IQ tests. Will Trump's justices care?
www.motherjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Eugenic euthanasia all over again
Reposted by Vincent Denault
This is how you write a headline
Palantir CEO Says Making War Crimes Constitutional Would Be Good for Business
Palantir CEO Says Making War Crimes Constitutional Would Be Good for Business
Alex Karp vows to use his "whole influence" on immigration and defense policy.
gizmodo.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:50 PM
This is how you write a headline
Reposted by Vincent Denault
This is insane. Any material a prof thinks is necessary but isn’t for formal licensing has to get the signoff of the chair, then dean, then provost?
This is an absolutely mockery of academic freedom.
I feel like Texas Tech HAS to lose its accreditation for this, no? It’s preposterous.
This is an absolutely mockery of academic freedom.
I feel like Texas Tech HAS to lose its accreditation for this, no? It’s preposterous.
TX Tech has a flow chat for guidance on what can be taught in the university system. Two things:
1. Very little content seems to be permitted. This is partisan control of the curriculum.
2. I would not enjoy teaching under these conditions, but I really would not want to be a Chair or Dean.
1. Very little content seems to be permitted. This is partisan control of the curriculum.
2. I would not enjoy teaching under these conditions, but I really would not want to be a Chair or Dean.
December 2, 2025 at 2:30 AM
This is insane. Any material a prof thinks is necessary but isn’t for formal licensing has to get the signoff of the chair, then dean, then provost?
This is an absolutely mockery of academic freedom.
I feel like Texas Tech HAS to lose its accreditation for this, no? It’s preposterous.
This is an absolutely mockery of academic freedom.
I feel like Texas Tech HAS to lose its accreditation for this, no? It’s preposterous.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
The Trump administration believes that the rich and powerful should be pardoned for their crimes, even after judges and juries determined their guilt.
But if you’re a non-white guy in a fishing boat, there’s no need for a trial or even an arrest. Murder from above, no questions asked.
But if you’re a non-white guy in a fishing boat, there’s no need for a trial or even an arrest. Murder from above, no questions asked.
When this criminal was jailed, the judge told David Gentile and America: ‘This is a warning to would-be fraudsters that seeking to get rich by taking advantage of investors gets you only a one-way ticket to jail.’ I guess not
November 30, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The Trump administration believes that the rich and powerful should be pardoned for their crimes, even after judges and juries determined their guilt.
But if you’re a non-white guy in a fishing boat, there’s no need for a trial or even an arrest. Murder from above, no questions asked.
But if you’re a non-white guy in a fishing boat, there’s no need for a trial or even an arrest. Murder from above, no questions asked.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
This is murder. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
November 28, 2025 at 6:16 PM
This is murder. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Vincent Denault
Don’t forget that *Trump’s own lawyer’s argument* to the Supreme Court in the immunity case was that the check on the President using his immunity to order criminal acts was that those under him would not follow illegal orders. Now it’s a crime for lawmakers to remind servicemembers of that?
The President doesn't want you standing up and speaking out against him, so he's coming after me to intimidate all of us.
But I won't back down — and neither should you.
But I won't back down — and neither should you.
November 26, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Don’t forget that *Trump’s own lawyer’s argument* to the Supreme Court in the immunity case was that the check on the President using his immunity to order criminal acts was that those under him would not follow illegal orders. Now it’s a crime for lawmakers to remind servicemembers of that?
Reposted by Vincent Denault
"Actually, you harmed us by using our chatbot in a way that made us look bad" is straight out of the abuser's handbook
ChatGPT firm blames boy’s suicide on ‘misuse’ of its technology
OpenAI responds to lawsuit claiming its chatbot encouraged California teenager to kill himself
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:54 PM
"Actually, you harmed us by using our chatbot in a way that made us look bad" is straight out of the abuser's handbook
Reposted by Vincent Denault
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Vincent Denault
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
November 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
Reposted by Vincent Denault
Many have asked for the LLM Survey paper. The release was bungled a bit by PNAS, but it is live now: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
The potential existential threat of large language models to online survey research | PNAS
The advancement of large language models poses a severe, potentially existential threat
to online survey research, a fundamental tool for data coll...
www.pnas.org
November 20, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Many have asked for the LLM Survey paper. The release was bungled a bit by PNAS, but it is live now: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Vincent Denault
From this minister's op-ed: "People wanting to experience God are more likely to meet the Divine trying to shut down the Broadview, Illinois, ICE facility than we ever were in church...God does not live in our houses of worship, but...with those who are bearing the brunt of cruelty in this moment."
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
November 14, 2025 at 9:38 PM
From this minister's op-ed: "People wanting to experience God are more likely to meet the Divine trying to shut down the Broadview, Illinois, ICE facility than we ever were in church...God does not live in our houses of worship, but...with those who are bearing the brunt of cruelty in this moment."
Reposted by Vincent Denault
Through FOIA requests, we found that local police were performing lookups for ICE in Flock's nationwide network of cameras, and that a cop in Texas searched the country for a woman who self-administered an abortion.
ICE Taps into Nationwide AI-Enabled Camera Network, Data Shows
Flock's automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras are in more than 5,000 communities around the U.S. Local police are doing lookups in the nationwide system for ICE.
www.404media.co
November 10, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Through FOIA requests, we found that local police were performing lookups for ICE in Flock's nationwide network of cameras, and that a cop in Texas searched the country for a woman who self-administered an abortion.
They really take us for fools.
New American, Trump-ally, owners of notorious #spyware firm, #NSOGroup, say that they 'want to use NSO’s eavesdropping and surveillance technologies to “achieve a safer world.”' Sure, sure...
www.wsj.com/tech/israeli...
www.wsj.com/tech/israeli...
Israeli Spyware Maker NSO Gets New Owners, Leadership and Seeks to Mend Reputation
Investors led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds have taken a controlling stake in the company behind Pegasus, and former Trump official David Friedman has been named executive chairman.
www.wsj.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:52 AM
They really take us for fools.
Reposted by Vincent Denault
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Bien entendu… ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/220...
États-Unis : les Canadiens bientôt tous photographiés à la frontière
Les États-Unis étendent leur programme de reconnaissance faciale à leurs frontières terrestres et maritimes.
ici.radio-canada.ca
October 28, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Bien entendu… ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/220...