Dan Phiffer
@phiffer.org
Web developer at @propublica.org. Sometimes (rarely) mixed up with the Dan Pfeiffer who has a podcast. Lives in Troy, NY. He/him.
More active on Mastodon: https://social.coop/@dphiffer
More active on Mastodon: https://social.coop/@dphiffer
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
We've reached a critical point in our contract fight. Take a look and support us if you can by following, sharing, liking and/or with a signature on our petition! ❤️
1/ After two years of bargaining, @propublica.org management has resisted our proposals to bring transparency and accountability to our disciplinary process.
You can support our union by sharing this post and signing our petition for a fair contract! actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...
You can support our union by sharing this post and signing our petition for a fair contract! actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...
December 15, 2025 at 7:23 PM
We've reached a critical point in our contract fight. Take a look and support us if you can by following, sharing, liking and/or with a signature on our petition! ❤️
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Thinking about extricating yourself from Big Tech?
A Canadian judge at the International Criminal Court, arrived at her home in The Hague and called out “Alexa”.
“Alexa was dead. She wouldn’t talk to me.”
ICC judges have been forcibly removed from most digital services, credit cards, and banks.
A Canadian judge at the International Criminal Court, arrived at her home in The Hague and called out “Alexa”.
“Alexa was dead. She wouldn’t talk to me.”
ICC judges have been forcibly removed from most digital services, credit cards, and banks.
‘It’s surreal’: US sanctions lock International Criminal Court judge out of daily life
Canadian judge Kimberly Prost is unable to use credit cards, transfer money or book everyday services in what she calls an attack on the independence of the judiciary
www.irishtimes.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Thinking about extricating yourself from Big Tech?
A Canadian judge at the International Criminal Court, arrived at her home in The Hague and called out “Alexa”.
“Alexa was dead. She wouldn’t talk to me.”
ICC judges have been forcibly removed from most digital services, credit cards, and banks.
A Canadian judge at the International Criminal Court, arrived at her home in The Hague and called out “Alexa”.
“Alexa was dead. She wouldn’t talk to me.”
ICC judges have been forcibly removed from most digital services, credit cards, and banks.
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
as of this week it has officially been 18 years since an anonymous user uploaded this bizarre image of an opossum cornered in a baby grand piano to Wikimedia Commons
December 15, 2025 at 2:45 AM
as of this week it has officially been 18 years since an anonymous user uploaded this bizarre image of an opossum cornered in a baby grand piano to Wikimedia Commons
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
In late 2020 a Chinese man called Guan Heng travelled to Xinjiang with our BuzzFeed map of detention facilities to provide ground truth for our work - he provided the first corroborating evidence for many sites.
He escaped to the US - then ICE detained him.
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
He escaped to the US - then ICE detained him.
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
ICE Holding Chinese Man Who Documented Uyghur Camps
Heng Guan is awaiting an immigration hearing on Monday that could lead to his removal from the U.S. and ultimately land him back in China, according to his lawyer and a New York-based activist group.
www.wsj.com
December 13, 2025 at 3:17 PM
In late 2020 a Chinese man called Guan Heng travelled to Xinjiang with our BuzzFeed map of detention facilities to provide ground truth for our work - he provided the first corroborating evidence for many sites.
He escaped to the US - then ICE detained him.
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
He escaped to the US - then ICE detained him.
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
i have been radicalized into agreeing with the car speed governor idea michael expressed at the top of this thread more or less entirely on the basis of the totally garbage responses to it. everyone who complains should also lose 1mph per complaint.
It is not a "surveillance state" for your car to know that the speed limit is 25 miles per hour.
December 14, 2025 at 12:12 AM
i have been radicalized into agreeing with the car speed governor idea michael expressed at the top of this thread more or less entirely on the basis of the totally garbage responses to it. everyone who complains should also lose 1mph per complaint.
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
ICE snatched a human rights hero.
Guan Heng risked his life to capture video of Uyghur concentration camps. After escaping to the U.S., Guan was in hiding for years, not knowing his work had been crucial to substantiating China's mass detention practices.
On Monday, he has an asylum hearing in NY.
Guan Heng risked his life to capture video of Uyghur concentration camps. After escaping to the U.S., Guan was in hiding for years, not knowing his work had been crucial to substantiating China's mass detention practices.
On Monday, he has an asylum hearing in NY.
Our ex-BuzzFeed team has provided a testimonial to the immigration court about the value of Guan's work and his incredible bravery. I hope that this man - who I am in absolute awe of - is granted the asylum he needs and deserves. You can read more here: hrichina.substack.com/p/man-who-fi...
Man who filmed Uyghur concentration camps now fights for his own freedom in the United States
In 2020, Guan Heng embarked on a risky mission to prove the existence of concentration camp facilities used to imprison Uyghurs. Now, he faces the threat of deportation back to China, where he would f...
hrichina.substack.com
December 14, 2025 at 2:29 AM
ICE snatched a human rights hero.
Guan Heng risked his life to capture video of Uyghur concentration camps. After escaping to the U.S., Guan was in hiding for years, not knowing his work had been crucial to substantiating China's mass detention practices.
On Monday, he has an asylum hearing in NY.
Guan Heng risked his life to capture video of Uyghur concentration camps. After escaping to the U.S., Guan was in hiding for years, not knowing his work had been crucial to substantiating China's mass detention practices.
On Monday, he has an asylum hearing in NY.
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
I was honored to stand alongside Mahmoud Khalil, who was wrongfully detained, to introduce my Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act.
He and the thousands of immigrants in detention or who have been detained deserve better from this country.
He and the thousands of immigrants in detention or who have been detained deserve better from this country.
December 7, 2025 at 4:56 PM
I was honored to stand alongside Mahmoud Khalil, who was wrongfully detained, to introduce my Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act.
He and the thousands of immigrants in detention or who have been detained deserve better from this country.
He and the thousands of immigrants in detention or who have been detained deserve better from this country.
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
the people of this great republic yearn for locomotive transport
Amtrak reports Mardi Gras service among most successful ever https://mynbc15.com/news/local/amtrak-provides-boost-to-mobile-businesses
Amtrak's Mardi Gras service boosts Mobile tourism with higher than expected ridership
Amtrak says the new Mardi Gras service that connects Mobile to New Orleans is one of the most successful services ever launched and it's on track to double the
mynbc15.com
December 12, 2025 at 8:44 PM
the people of this great republic yearn for locomotive transport
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Doom studio id Software unionizes to secure AI protections, benefits: "We see the direction the industry is headed"
aftermath.site/id-software-un...
aftermath.site/id-software-un...
December 12, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Doom studio id Software unionizes to secure AI protections, benefits: "We see the direction the industry is headed"
aftermath.site/id-software-un...
aftermath.site/id-software-un...
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
100% agree. Ironically, this is the only version of "broken windows" that actually makes any sense, because it has to do with the individual behavior of one person going from getting away with small crimes to getting away with big crimes, instead of being some vague theory about general contagion.
My hottest take is that letting cops park in red zones for mundane errands and coffee breaks; I think “you can break the law at your discretion as a job perk” is the small domino that ends in the large domino of “shooting protesters in the face with rubber bullets”
It must be wild to get to abuse the public then pay for it with the public's money
December 12, 2025 at 6:14 AM
100% agree. Ironically, this is the only version of "broken windows" that actually makes any sense, because it has to do with the individual behavior of one person going from getting away with small crimes to getting away with big crimes, instead of being some vague theory about general contagion.
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
We're looking for a mission-driven director of product engineering for our product team at @propublica.org. Our journalists investigate abuses of trust and power in the public interest. This is a way to make a difference. (Must be US-based.) job-boards.greenhouse.io/propublica/j...
Director, Product Engineering
New York City, United States; Remote, United States
job-boards.greenhouse.io
December 12, 2025 at 2:41 PM
We're looking for a mission-driven director of product engineering for our product team at @propublica.org. Our journalists investigate abuses of trust and power in the public interest. This is a way to make a difference. (Must be US-based.) job-boards.greenhouse.io/propublica/j...
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
I have been informed that Abrego walked in and out of his ICE check-in this morning with no issues.
December 12, 2025 at 2:20 PM
I have been informed that Abrego walked in and out of his ICE check-in this morning with no issues.
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
So, yes, this is horrifying. But there are two things the article does not address:
1. Back in the day, English teachers got two prep hours, not just one. The thinking then was that they had twice as much student writing to go through and grade and it took twice as much time (more, really).
1. Back in the day, English teachers got two prep hours, not just one. The thinking then was that they had twice as much student writing to go through and grade and it took twice as much time (more, really).
The most important story of 2025 that we're not talking about enough (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/u...
Kids Rarely Read Whole Books Anymore. Even in English Class.
www.nytimes.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:20 PM
So, yes, this is horrifying. But there are two things the article does not address:
1. Back in the day, English teachers got two prep hours, not just one. The thinking then was that they had twice as much student writing to go through and grade and it took twice as much time (more, really).
1. Back in the day, English teachers got two prep hours, not just one. The thinking then was that they had twice as much student writing to go through and grade and it took twice as much time (more, really).
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
“The fight for Kilmar has always been about due process. It is one of the pillars that this great country was founded on. A pillar that actually DOES make America great. We fight for this due process every day for our members”
America’s unions celebrate the long-awaited release of SMART union member Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Welcome home, brother.
Welcome home, brother.
Federal judge orders release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration detention — General President Coleman responds - SMART Union
General President Coleman responded to a federal judge ordering Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release from immigration detention.
www.smart-union.org
December 12, 2025 at 1:04 PM
“The fight for Kilmar has always been about due process. It is one of the pillars that this great country was founded on. A pillar that actually DOES make America great. We fight for this due process every day for our members”
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
In this volatile, threatened journalism industry, ProPublica is one of the few places that does months-long investigations. In this case, @gingerthompson.bsky.social spent five YEARS reporting this story. When you donate, this is what you're making possible: projects.propublica.org/albany-georg...
Sick in a Hospital Town: As Phoebe Memorial Grew, the Health of Albany, Georgia, Declined
The five-part series, “Sick in a Hospital Town,” pursues one question: Why are people in Albany so sick when its most powerful institution is a hospital?
projects.propublica.org
December 9, 2025 at 4:29 PM
In this volatile, threatened journalism industry, ProPublica is one of the few places that does months-long investigations. In this case, @gingerthompson.bsky.social spent five YEARS reporting this story. When you donate, this is what you're making possible: projects.propublica.org/albany-georg...
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
“The request came from the Center for American Rights (CAR), a nonprofit law firm that has played a prominent role in the news-distortion investigations spearheaded by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.”
After NPR and PBS defunding, FCC receives call to take away station licenses
NPR and PBS stations targeted by group involved in Carr’s news-distortion probes.
arstechnica.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:47 PM
“The request came from the Center for American Rights (CAR), a nonprofit law firm that has played a prominent role in the news-distortion investigations spearheaded by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.”
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Ryan Coogler explains why he declined the invitation to join the Academy www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/m...
December 10, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Ryan Coogler explains why he declined the invitation to join the Academy www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/m...
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
There's no meaningfully good reason to do this from a security perspective. This is all about the administration punishing speech they don't like. Once it gets rolling, regular citizens are next. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/t...
U.S. Plans to Scrutinize Foreign Tourists’ Social Media History
www.nytimes.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:30 PM
There's no meaningfully good reason to do this from a security perspective. This is all about the administration punishing speech they don't like. Once it gets rolling, regular citizens are next. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/t...
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Requiring temporary visitors to surrender five years of social media to the U.S. sends the message that the American commitment to free speech is pretense. This simply is not the behavior of a country confident in its freedoms.
It's a threat to free speech around the world and must be opposed.
It's a threat to free speech around the world and must be opposed.
Foreign tourists could be required to disclose 5 years of social media histories under Trump administration plan
The Customs and Border Protection proposal would apply even to countries that don't require visas to enter.
www.nbcnews.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Requiring temporary visitors to surrender five years of social media to the U.S. sends the message that the American commitment to free speech is pretense. This simply is not the behavior of a country confident in its freedoms.
It's a threat to free speech around the world and must be opposed.
It's a threat to free speech around the world and must be opposed.
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Wow: Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention (named for Holocaust survivor Raphael Lemkin, who coined term "genocide") calls Clinton's remarks "genocide denial."
"Young people in the US are not stupid or gullible. They simply reject genocide – something the Secretary might consider doing as well."
"Young people in the US are not stupid or gullible. They simply reject genocide – something the Secretary might consider doing as well."
![Statement on Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Genocide Denial at the Israel Hayom Summit
December 9, 2025
The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security feels called to point out that former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s recent remarks at the Israel Hayom Summit on 2 December amount to outright genocide denial.
During her remarks, the Secretary correctly noted that the recent deterioration of Israel’s standing among U.S. voters is not a “Republican versus Democrat kind of divide” but rather a generational one. Nevertheless, she incorrectly diagnosed the reasons for the shift as a matter purely of optics, stating that “Israel [has] the worst PR of any group” and accusing social media, particularly TikTok, of presenting “pure propaganda” that American youth are uncritically ingesting.
Secretary Clinton’s framing is not at all an accurate reflection of why Americans are growing more critical of Israel. Young Americans of all political stripes have not fallen prey to propaganda, though that is always a legitimate concern. Rather, they have consumed two years of videos depicting Israel’s genocide against Palestinians that have been uploaded by Palestinian journalists, ordinary people trying to survive in Gaza, IDF soldiers, and ordinary Israelis themselves. There has been no convincing refutation of the sheer amount of raw evidence of genocide coming out of Palestine. Young people in the U.S. are not stupid or gullible. They simply reject genocide – something the Secretary might consider doing as well.
Secretary Clinton appears not to be bothered by the reality of genocidal violence – in fact, she did not mention anything about it. Her concern is, rather, in her words, “the narrative” – the fact that these crimes are no longer hidden and are now being live-streamed and documented in real time, making it harder for her and others to control it. TikTok cannot be blamed for the fact that many members of Gen Z understand that Israel is …](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:pwsjq3xnal6auzgeqho4ecw7/bafkreiafbjju65esvo6htynkkl6or6muv4qqhwo5fghkkbyvclgnxxmchy@jpeg)
December 9, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Wow: Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention (named for Holocaust survivor Raphael Lemkin, who coined term "genocide") calls Clinton's remarks "genocide denial."
"Young people in the US are not stupid or gullible. They simply reject genocide – something the Secretary might consider doing as well."
"Young people in the US are not stupid or gullible. They simply reject genocide – something the Secretary might consider doing as well."
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Check out Part 3 of @gingerthompson.bsky.social's exceptional series Sick in a Hospital Town:
Poor Grades, Poor Outcomes
Phoebe Putney paid an exorbitant sum to acquire its rival hospital. Its debt increased and patients suffer. w/ Doris Burke
Poor Grades, Poor Outcomes
Phoebe Putney paid an exorbitant sum to acquire its rival hospital. Its debt increased and patients suffer. w/ Doris Burke
Sick in a Hospital Town, Part 3: Poor Grades, Poor Outcomes
Phoebe paid an exorbitant sum to acquire its crosstown rival and became Albany’s only hospital. But as the company’s debt increased, patients suffered.
projects.propublica.org
December 9, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Check out Part 3 of @gingerthompson.bsky.social's exceptional series Sick in a Hospital Town:
Poor Grades, Poor Outcomes
Phoebe Putney paid an exorbitant sum to acquire its rival hospital. Its debt increased and patients suffer. w/ Doris Burke
Poor Grades, Poor Outcomes
Phoebe Putney paid an exorbitant sum to acquire its rival hospital. Its debt increased and patients suffer. w/ Doris Burke
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Community health centers were created to be medical safety nets for people who struggle to afford primary care.
But we found that several are suing patients and garnishing their paychecks – which experts say contradicts their mission.
www.propublica.org/article/fede...
But we found that several are suing patients and garnishing their paychecks – which experts say contradicts their mission.
www.propublica.org/article/fede...
These Health Centers Are Supposed to Make Care Affordable. One Has Sued Patients for as Little as $59 in Unpaid Bills.
Federally funded community health centers receive grants in exchange for serving patients regardless of their ability to pay. But ProPublica found at least five across the country garnishing patients’...
www.propublica.org
December 9, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Community health centers were created to be medical safety nets for people who struggle to afford primary care.
But we found that several are suing patients and garnishing their paychecks – which experts say contradicts their mission.
www.propublica.org/article/fede...
But we found that several are suing patients and garnishing their paychecks – which experts say contradicts their mission.
www.propublica.org/article/fede...
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Pretty infuriating: King Gizzard quit Spotify over ethical concerns -- and now Spotify is letting AI knockoffs of its music (with all the lyrics copied verbatim) proliferate on its platform
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
King Gizzard Pulled Their Music From Spotify in Protest, and Now Spotify Is Hosting AI Knockoffs of Their Songs
An impersonator appears to be using generative AI to poorly clone rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's iconic sound on Spotify.
futurism.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Pretty infuriating: King Gizzard quit Spotify over ethical concerns -- and now Spotify is letting AI knockoffs of its music (with all the lyrics copied verbatim) proliferate on its platform
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
Today, we had an all-day bargaining session with @propublica.org management. Unfortunately, they did not bring a counter proposal on AI or agree to any of the guardrails we've proposed.
It's simple — @propublica.org workers should not be replaced by artificial intelligence. Our contract proposal specifically says that generative artificial intelligence ("GAI") should not be used to replace employees. Management struck out this entire section in their response to our proposal.
December 8, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Today, we had an all-day bargaining session with @propublica.org management. Unfortunately, they did not bring a counter proposal on AI or agree to any of the guardrails we've proposed.
Reposted by Dan Phiffer
So...my undergrad thesis student is doing a quality analysis of studies found in meta-analyses. She identified a few and we contacted the authors to request their effect sizes and other variables for the studies in their papers.
Here's what happened:
scientiapsychiatrica.com/index.php/Sc...
Here's what happened:
scientiapsychiatrica.com/index.php/Sc...
The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis | Scientia Psychiatrica
Introduction: The proliferation of social media has raised significant concerns about its potential effects on the mental health of adolescents. This meta-analysis aims to provide a comprehensive asse...
scientiapsychiatrica.com
December 7, 2025 at 11:11 PM
So...my undergrad thesis student is doing a quality analysis of studies found in meta-analyses. She identified a few and we contacted the authors to request their effect sizes and other variables for the studies in their papers.
Here's what happened:
scientiapsychiatrica.com/index.php/Sc...
Here's what happened:
scientiapsychiatrica.com/index.php/Sc...