Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · 15d

Declaring a *political philosophy* as a *terrorist organization* is equal parts unconstitutional, stupidity, and laughably absurd. The fact that the political philosophy in question is literally "anti-fascism" begs the question: www.whitehouse.gov/presidential... Read it for yourself!

Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization

Section 1. Antifa as a Terrorist Threat. Antifa is a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States

www.whitehouse.gov

Reposted by Sascha Meinrath

Evan Greer @evangreer.bsky.social · 16d

is this a bird meme: THE RIGHT, LITERALLY ANYTHING THEY DON'T LIKE, "IS THIS ANTIFA?"

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · 18d

Had a great time talking about the nuances of free spee, the importance of Section 230, and the dangerous path we are on:

Luis Miranda @realluismiranda.bsky.social · 19d

CENSORED: 2 CenterD special guests this week: @saschameinrath.bsky.social on how Section 230 may be impacted by a renewed focus on radicalization/hate speech online. Then ex Vice FM Carlos Ruiz-Hernandez on U.S. troops being deployed in Panama. Full episode:
centerd.substack.com/p/censored-w...

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · 21d

So let's be clear -- the US government's official communications agency is actively censoring a comedy show. When we talk about the dangers of government censorship, *this* is what it looks like:

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...

ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Off Air for Charlie Kirk Comments After F.C.C. Pressure

www.nytimes.com

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · 29d

Looking forward to celebrating 15 years of the Open Technology Institute this afternoon starting at 1pm ET -- we'll have an all-star cast! Streaming at:

www.newamerica.org/oti/events/o...

I'll be on stage for the directors' panel at 3:45pm ET -- tune in for our take on the past & future of OTI!

Open Technology Institute at 15

Join New America to celebrate the Open Technology Institute’s 15 years of impact and reimagine the next 15 years of tech policy.

www.newamerica.org

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · 29d

Trump orders unconstitutional removal of a peace vigil that has operated continuously since 1981 by making up the excuse that it is a "hazard to those visiting the White House and the surrounding areas." apnews.com/article/whit... At what point is it acceptable to talk about traitorous action?

A decades-long peace vigil outside the White House is dismantled after Trump's order

Officials removed a peace vigil that stood outside the White House for more than four decades after Trump ordered it to be taken down as part of the clearing of homeless encampments.

apnews.com

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Sep 9

Anyone hearing about a super-secret "Best and Final Offer" procurement process whereby NTIA is over-ruling States and requiring them to lower their costs for various broadband infrastructure builds (all without public disclosure -- which is illegal)... anyone else hearing this?

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Sep 8

Hey look: Starlink slowed down (to the point of not being able to provide broadband speeds) during burning man -- an important and timely cautionary tale for all those states looking to deploy the service without proper capacity analysis and engineering due diligence: www.ookla.com/articles/sta...

Starlink Slows Down during Burning Man | Ookla®

www.ookla.com

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Sep 8

Hey look: Starlink slowed down (to the point of not being able to provide broadband speeds) during burning man -- an important and timely cautionary tale for all those states looking to deploy the service without proper capacity analysis and engineering due diligence: www.ookla.com/articles/sta...

Starlink Slows Down during Burning Man | Ookla®

www.ookla.com

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Aug 20

ICE's descent into concentration camp tactics: reason.com/2025/08/15/t... This crisis, metastasizing under Trump, has roots in the Biden admin. Building solidarity across the political spectrum, to hold accountable violators of civil liberty from across the political spectrum, is critical!

The human rights crisis in ICE detention centers

Reports of human rights abuses are piling up as the number of people in immigrant detention reaches all-time highs.

reason.com

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Aug 15

A New Broadband Boondoggle:

The Trump Administration's broadband strategy requires us to overlook a fundamental paradox:

1. Starlink is now considered "broadband";
2. Starlink already serves the areas it's requesting funding for;
3. By definition, this is overbuilding an already-served area.

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Aug 15

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Aug 14

This is happening right now: unknown federal agents are setting up checkpoints in our nation's capital, pulling people from their cars, and arresting them.

Jen Bendery @jbendery.bsky.social · Aug 14

Situation on 14th St and W St. NW, with federal agents -- no specific agency identified -- pulling cars over for checks. They arrested a Black woman in this car.

BIG crowd of people shouting at police.

"Fuck you!"

"What is wrong with you!"

"You don't need to terrorize people like this!"

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jul 23

I think you're doing a better job representin' than I am! ;)

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jul 23

More follow-up on our analysis of Starlink capacity limits (and their profound implications/warning for NTIA's BEAD program -- Starlink may not be able to meet federal mandated minimum broadband speeds without substantial due diligence):

communitynetworks.org/content/new-...

New Research: Starlink Unlikely to Meet BEAD Speed Needs At Scale | Welcome to Community Networks

Four leading broadband deployment scholars release new analysis today that may help state broadband offices evaluate “the capacities and saturation limits of the Starlink satellite infrastructure.” Th...

communitynetworks.org

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jul 22

Great follow-up analysis by @waldo.net

Waldo Jaquith @waldo.net · Jul 21

Starlink's connection speeds drop below the federal definition of "broadband" at a density of ~7 customers per square mile, according to recent research. The more the customers in an area, the slower everybody's connections get. Data shows that 83% of US Starlink customers get sub-broadband speeds.

thexlab.org

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jul 22

Spot on, @waldo.net What our analysis underscores is that Starlink's throughput capacity is a regional commons, that an oversubscription of that regional commons will detrimentally impact *everyone*, and that the capacity is actually surprisingly low... creating a very likely connectivity tragedy.

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jul 21

"Elon Musk’s Starlink internet works great if hardly anyone uses it" www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

NTIA's $42.45 billion broadband funding program is heading for a train wreck if it doesn't change course. The US *desperately* needs a coherent National Broadband Strategy.

Analysis | Elon Musk’s Starlink internet works great if hardly anyone uses it

A new analysis digs into the irony of satellite internet: The more popular it becomes, the worse speeds and reliability tend to get.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jul 9

It's hard to imagine a more deafening silence than the non-cacophony from advertisers on X -- my question to those corporations, "How do you justify supporting the company that created MechaHitler?" Surely, we can agree to boycott the company that created a pro-Nazi MechaHitler? #boycottmechahitler

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jul 1

Today's *overwhelming* vote to remove the federal ban on protecting consumers from AI abuses shows 2 things:

1. The general public overwhelming supports consumer protections to rein in nefarious AI;

2. How dangerous lobbying by tech conglomerates has become.

See: www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jun 23

I mean, the courts have issued so many contradictory rulings re: due process that we are going to need a court ruling to understand what the hell they're thinking...

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jun 9

NTIA's new rules for distributing $42+ billion in broadband funding are a reverse auction. www.ntia.gov/sites/defaul... Reverse auctions were used for the Rural Digital Opportunities Fund, resulting in over 1/3rd of the entire program being in default. www.benton.org/blog/new-dat... #fail

www.ntia.gov

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Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · Jun 3

“All Trump had to do is not do anything,” he says. “BEAD would have brought him huge positive kudos from all different constituencies, and he chose—for whatever reason—to screw up the win.” Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory: progressive.org/latest/trump...

Trump Wants to Keep America Digitally Divided

By threatening to defund Digital Equity Act programs, Trump has declared war on a program that benefitted many of his own supporters.

progressive.org

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · May 28

So proud of the work that Philly Community Wireless has been spearheading to bridge the digital divide: billypenn.com/2025/05/23/p...

Philly’s ‘Power Up Tour’ gives devices to those most in need

The city’s new initiative will give away 500 laptops to families, a necessity in a time of limited device and internet access.

billypenn.com

Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · May 21

Why the Charter/Cox merger is lunacy: Everyone should review Fig. 5 on Pg 8 of the FCC's "Internet Access Services" report: docs.fcc.gov/public/attac... The FCC's analysis of broadband market concentration shows HHIs are through the roof (6-8K) [anything > 2000-2500 is highly concentrated].

docs.fcc.gov