Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Matt Abrams

@mattabrams.org

1K followers 4.1K following 240 posts

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattabrams Advisor, Investor, Co-Founder, Board Member cursed (and blessed) with curiosity and a drive to #leaveitbetter Focused on intersection of quality information, deliberative dialogue (citizens’ assemblies), and trust

www.linkedin.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Matt Abrams @mattabrams.org · Feb 1

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc... @anneapplebaum.bsky.social

A constant reminder..."Illegitimi non carborundum"

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · Aug 11

A core use case for bots’ emotional resonance with the user is psychological addiction.

Human interaction is often messy and emotionally painful.

Bot interaction, if coded properly, can feel less painful—even soothing—to the user, making it addictive.

Addiction is profitable.

J.M. Berger @jmberger.com · Aug 10

Berger's three laws of chatbotics:

1) The bot should never express emotions.

2) The bot should never praise the user.

3) The bot should never say it understands the user's mental state.

There's no use case for these things, and they're obviously problematic.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/t...

Chatbots Can Go Into a Delusional Spiral. Here’s How It Happens.

www.nytimes.com

2 31 110

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · Aug 6

If anyone is curious about the current list of search terms being used by right wing activist organizations to harass university professors, here's a public records request I received today from Mike Howell of the Heritage Foundation. Not intimidating or meant to curtail by my speech at all, right?

Email from the "PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE" to Kate Starbird asking for all emails from Jan 1 2021 through July 30 2025 with any of the following keywords:
"diversity and inclusion"
"DEIA"
"DEI"
"Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging"
"DEIB"
"gender identity"
"racial preference"
"ESG"
"organizational equity"
"intersectionality"
"anti-racism"
"critical race theory"
"LGBTQ+"
"transgender"
"cisgender"
"gender ideology"
"white privilege"
"privilege walk"
"cultural humility"
"equity audit"
"restorative justice"
"racial equity"
"implicit bias"
"microaggressions"
"inclusive pedagogy"
"identity-based oppression"
"systems of oppression"
"queer"
"non-binary"
"sexuality"
“Trump”
“fascist”

160 1.6K 3.2K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

NBC News @nbcnews.com · Jun 17

An Afghan man who worked as a translator for the U.S. military during the war was detained by ICE after showing up for a hearing inside of a federal courthouse in San Diego, his attorney says. He fears that if he returns to Afghanistan, he would be tortured or even killed, @nbcsandiego.com reports.

840 5.1K 11K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Seth Boo!-ger Trueger @mdaware.org · May 28

watch @celinegounder.com 's fantastic and inspiring HSPH commencement speech here (1:12:24):

youtu.be/RtyLHjoQGUY?...

some great bits captured in @kakape.bsky.social 's thread below too

2 10 40

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · May 19

Responding to the mass cancellation of NSF grants, Fazio (@lkfazio.bsky.social), a researcher who studies misinformation: “What can US researchers do in this situation? One thing is clear: do not surrender to political pressure or abandon crucial research questions.”

Nature @nature.com · May 19

There are ways to keep crucial research going

https://go.nature.com/3GWY3m3

When the government cancels your research grant, here’s what you can do

The mass cancellation of US federal grants marks yet another escalation in political interference in science, but there are ways to keep crucial research going.

go.nature.com

2 150 390

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · May 15

Welp. 2 California NWS offices--covering entire Sacramento/ San Joaquin Valley region & adjacent foothills/mountains--are no longer operating 24/7 due to extreme understaffing & expanding cuts to NOAA/NWS. This is a very big problem! #CAwx #CAfire #CAwater www.washingtonpost.c...

2 58 99

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · May 15

I just created a quick map depicting which portions of the United States are now (as of today) or will imminently be (by early June) without 24/7 local National Weather Service coverage (per Washington Post reporting). #CAwx #CAfire #CAwater #ORwx #AKwx #WYwx #KSwx

Map of local National Weather Service office "areas of responsibility" modified (using polygons with black outlines and red fill) to indicate where recent/expanding cuts to NOAA/NWS have resulting in understaffing so extreme that some offices can not longer operate on a 24/7 basis.

120 1.4K 2.3K

Matt Abrams @mattabrams.org · May 9

Hop on Spread...they have a partnership with @theatlantic.com where articles are un-paywalled - it's AWESOME! joinspread.com/post/3ddd8b6... @sturogers.bsky.social

Spread by Matt Abrams: AI Is Not Your Friend

The Atlantic

joinspread.com

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Mike Masnick @mmasnick.bsky.social · May 9

Oh this absolutely sucks. Carla Hayden was an amazing Librarian of Congress, and a *massive* improvement over her predecessor who was there forever and was terrible.

Senator Martin Heinrich @heinrich.senate.gov · May 9

BREAKING: President Trump just fired our nation's Librarian. My statement here:

President Trump fired our nation’s Librarian, Dr. Carla Hayden, by email at 6:56pm tonight, taking his assault on America’s libraries to a new level.

Over the course of her tenure, Dr. Hayden brought the Library of Congress to the people, with initiatives that reached into rural communities and made the Library accessible to all Americans, in person and online.

While President Trump wants to ban books and tell Americans what to read – or not to read at all, Dr. Hayden has devoted her career to making reading and the pursuit of knowledge available to everyone.

Be like Dr. Hayden.

14 310 1.4K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR) @hcrichardson.bsky.social · May 9

Nooooooo!!!!! She's the best!!!!

sarahkmk.bsky.social @sarahkmk.bsky.social · May 9

apnews.com/article/dona...

President Donald Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden

President Donald Trump has abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden as the White House continues to purge the federal government of those perceived to oppose the president and his agenda.

apnews.com

150 450 2.1K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · May 6

VANCE: We'll have visitors from close to 100 countries. We want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the games. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home, otherwise they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem

AUDIENCE: 🦗😳🦗😳

810 430 1.8K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · May 5

Most of the recordings from the 2025 University of Cambridge Disinformation Summit have been posted on the YouTube page.

www.youtube.com/@cambridgedi...

Cambridge Disinformation Summit

University of Cambridge (UK) Disinformation Summit Purpose: To facilitate interdisciplinary research and policy that: • Advances understanding of how disinformation is deployed to exploit vulnerabl...

www.youtube.com

3 9 21

Matt Abrams @mattabrams.org · May 2

www.centraloregondaily.com/news/local/1... @codaily.bsky.social

10-year China Hat homeless resident asks people to show compassion as evictions begin

Evictions of homeless residents in the China Hat area began Thursday as the area was closed for a wildfire risk mitigation project. Chris Daggett, who lived in the area for

www.centraloregondaily.com

1 3

Reposted by Matt Abrams

News Literacy Project @newslit.org · May 1

A third of Americans surveyed believe at least one false claim spread by Russian media outlets. Why is this a serious problem, & why does it underscore the urgent need for news literacy?

Video: www.tiktok.com/t/ZTjBbL7BV/

#Disinformation #NewsLiteracy

A third of Americans surveyed believe at least one false claim spread by Russian media outlets. Why is this a serious problem & why does it underscore the urgent need for news literacy? #NewsLiteracy ...

TikTok video by News Literacy Project

www.tiktok.com

1 22 40

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Jason Kint @kint.bsky.social · Apr 30

Remarkable exchange, such good work by interview.

FactPost @factpostnews.bsky.social · Apr 30

Host: You could call and get Abrego Garcia back.

Trump: I could

Host: But the Supreme Court has ordered you to facilitate his release.

Trump: I'm not the one making this decision

Host: You're the president!

4 7 26

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · Apr 30

This exchange is so very telling.

Trump repeatedly claims the photoshopped MS-13 on Kilmar Abrego Garcia's knuckles is real, Terry Moran keeps telling him it isn't, prompting Trump to say this:

"I never heard of you. I picked you. You’re not being very nice. He had MS-13 tattooed... Just say yes!"

1.3K 4K 12K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Amanda Carpenter @amandacarpenter.bsky.social · Apr 29

Groups Trump has targeted the most, as of now.

10 41

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Amanda Carpenter @amandacarpenter.bsky.social · Apr 29

100 days, more than 100 targets for retribution.

www.npr.org/2025/04/29/n...

Trump has used government powers to target more than 100 perceived enemies

Through ICE arrests, criminal investigations, firings and executive orders, the president has launched a sweeping campaign of retribution. One judge called his actions "a shocking abuse of power."

www.npr.org

4 41 79

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Amanda Carpenter @amandacarpenter.bsky.social · Apr 30

"In a particularly dark moment, a propaganda-style video of deportees being taken into an El Salvador mega prison and having their heads shaved before being locked up, drew chants of 'USA! USA!' from the crowd."

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Trump defends tariffs, says Americans ‘signed up’ for this in tense ABC interview

President brushes aside slumping approval ratings as he marks 100 days of his second term with campaign-style rally

www.independent.co.uk

23 39 150

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Auschwitz Memorial @auschwitzmemorial.bsky.social · Apr 29

29 April 1913 | A Polish man, Ryszard Klimek, was born in Krakow. A university student.

In #Auschwitz from 24 April 1942.
No. 32520
Shot in the camp on 27 May 1942.

9 75 390

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · Apr 28

Pritzker: The reckoning is here. And now that this culture of timidity is on display, these same do-nothing Democrats want to blame our losses on the defense of Black people, trans kids, and immigrants, instead of on their own lack of guts and gumption.

480 5.4K 20K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · Apr 29

Hey Paul Weiss associates—meet your new pro bono clients. It’s ok, the Skadden associates are getting the coal companies.

390 2.6K 9.8K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

Molly White @molly.wiki · Apr 28

"Even if Wikipedia’s content was biased (it isn’t), even if every editor was actively trying to push an anti-Israel narrative (they aren’t), that would still be protected by the First Amendment."

www.techdirt.com/2025/04/28/g...

Government Actually Threatens Wikipedia’s Editorial Freedom; Self-Proclaimed Free Speech Warriors Suddenly Have Other Plans

When Trump officials want to censor speech, they don’t quite say “we want to censor speech” (after all, they pretend to be the party that “brought free speech back.”) Instead, the…

www.techdirt.com

7 120 480

Reposted by Matt Abrams

The Onion @theonion.com · Apr 28

ICE Agents Wait At Edge Of Delivery Table To Deport Newborn

980 8.8K 38K

Reposted by Matt Abrams

The Globe and Mail @theglobeandmail.com · Apr 28

This election came down to ‘who do you trust?’

But elections are the fun part of politics, while government is the work

www.theglobeandmail.com

4 1 10