Meredith Whittaker
@meredithmeredith.bsky.social
President of Signal, Chief Advisor to AI Now Institute
Neither Signal nor any infrastructure provider we rely on has access to the data--thanks to our end-to-end encryption--so neither us nor them can be compelled to hand it over. That's by design.
January 29, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Neither Signal nor any infrastructure provider we rely on has access to the data--thanks to our end-to-end encryption--so neither us nor them can be compelled to hand it over. That's by design.
This is not actually what I said.
What I said is that AI agents, as they're being implemented, particularly at the OS level, threaten the ability of SIgnal and others to provide robust privacy via encryption at the application layer.
More here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ANE...
What I said is that AI agents, as they're being implemented, particularly at the OS level, threaten the ability of SIgnal and others to provide robust privacy via encryption at the application layer.
More here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ANE...
39C3 - AI Agent, AI Spy
YouTube video by media.ccc.de
www.youtube.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:47 PM
This is not actually what I said.
What I said is that AI agents, as they're being implemented, particularly at the OS level, threaten the ability of SIgnal and others to provide robust privacy via encryption at the application layer.
More here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ANE...
What I said is that AI agents, as they're being implemented, particularly at the OS level, threaten the ability of SIgnal and others to provide robust privacy via encryption at the application layer.
More here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ANE...
I hear you, and thanks! The thing is web clients aren't easy to secure.
However, maybe Signal desktop would be useful to you? You need a mobile account to sign up, but can link it to your Desktop Signal version.
However, maybe Signal desktop would be useful to you? You need a mobile account to sign up, but can link it to your Desktop Signal version.
January 28, 2026 at 11:24 AM
I hear you, and thanks! The thing is web clients aren't easy to secure.
However, maybe Signal desktop would be useful to you? You need a mobile account to sign up, but can link it to your Desktop Signal version.
However, maybe Signal desktop would be useful to you? You need a mobile account to sign up, but can link it to your Desktop Signal version.
This is a lie ♥️
January 27, 2026 at 2:24 PM
This is a lie ♥️
That's a really weird definition of irony...
January 26, 2026 at 2:55 PM
That's a really weird definition of irony...
I invite you to consider the assymetrically interconnected nature of our global systems of e.g. trade; capital flows; reserve currencies; where concentrated tech power resides (AI, infrastructure, social media platforms that define our information environment), etc.. Then update your analysis ♥️
January 26, 2026 at 12:33 PM
I invite you to consider the assymetrically interconnected nature of our global systems of e.g. trade; capital flows; reserve currencies; where concentrated tech power resides (AI, infrastructure, social media platforms that define our information environment), etc.. Then update your analysis ♥️
Oh my goodness, thank you for sharing this. I am changing plans now to watch it as soon as possible ♥️
January 26, 2026 at 12:18 PM
Oh my goodness, thank you for sharing this. I am changing plans now to watch it as soon as possible ♥️
Yes! Go for it!
January 26, 2026 at 12:05 PM
Yes! Go for it!
I prefer not being under totalitarianism, personally
January 26, 2026 at 11:54 AM
I prefer not being under totalitarianism, personally
Engaging in mental gymnastics to justify what's convenient but unevidenced, unjust but personally beneficial, 'rewires your neural map' in ways that degrade your overall ability to understand and analyze the world around you, which is a precondition for intelligence and creativity.
January 26, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Engaging in mental gymnastics to justify what's convenient but unevidenced, unjust but personally beneficial, 'rewires your neural map' in ways that degrade your overall ability to understand and analyze the world around you, which is a precondition for intelligence and creativity.
Hey, thanks, and because it appears that the intent of the point re compounding failure didn't come across clearly at least in some corners, I addressed it here. TLDR it's a fundamental tension viz "agency" not an argument that improvements aren't possible
bsky.app/profile/did:...
bsky.app/profile/did:...
Insofar as agency roughly = the ability to act without explicit checkin and consent, across a series of steps to complete a task.
Where the longer the series, the more you compound the inevitable errors made by nondeterministic systems...
Where the longer the series, the more you compound the inevitable errors made by nondeterministic systems...
January 14, 2026 at 12:21 PM
Hey, thanks, and because it appears that the intent of the point re compounding failure didn't come across clearly at least in some corners, I addressed it here. TLDR it's a fundamental tension viz "agency" not an argument that improvements aren't possible
bsky.app/profile/did:...
bsky.app/profile/did:...
& yes, deterministic harnesses & checkins are totally possible. But they're in tension w the broader paradigmatic promise of agency.
Or, an agent that checks in on every step (or, whose behavior is deterministically predefined) becomes less and less "an agent."
Or, an agent that checks in on every step (or, whose behavior is deterministically predefined) becomes less and less "an agent."
January 14, 2026 at 9:53 AM
& yes, deterministic harnesses & checkins are totally possible. But they're in tension w the broader paradigmatic promise of agency.
Or, an agent that checks in on every step (or, whose behavior is deterministically predefined) becomes less and less "an agent."
Or, an agent that checks in on every step (or, whose behavior is deterministically predefined) becomes less and less "an agent."