Starling Centre
@starlingcentre.bsky.social
The Starling Centre for Just Technologies and Just Societies I Ethics & Tech I Data Justice I Right to Repair I Anti-Technofascist I Public Education
starlingcentre.ca
starlingcentre.ca
Only four more days until @oddletters.bsky.social comes to @westernu.ca to speak @westernufims.bsky.social on the right wing history of venture capital!
Register here: uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Only four more days until @oddletters.bsky.social comes to @westernu.ca to speak @westernufims.bsky.social on the right wing history of venture capital!
Register here: uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
January 12, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Only four more days until @oddletters.bsky.social comes to @westernu.ca to speak @westernufims.bsky.social on the right wing history of venture capital!
Register here: uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Only four more days until @oddletters.bsky.social comes to @westernu.ca to speak @westernufims.bsky.social on the right wing history of venture capital!
Register here: uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Reposted by Starling Centre
if you will be in london, ontario next week, i will also be in london, ontario next week!
We're delighted to announce that we're co-hosting M.R. Sauter @oddletters.bsky.social, who will speak @westernu.ca next week on the right wing origins of venture capital. If you're interested in the the political economy of innovation, financial law, & democratic governance -- this one's for you!
January 8, 2026 at 5:33 PM
if you will be in london, ontario next week, i will also be in london, ontario next week!
We're delighted to announce that we're co-hosting M.R. Sauter @oddletters.bsky.social, who will speak @westernu.ca next week on the right wing origins of venture capital. If you're interested in the the political economy of innovation, financial law, & democratic governance -- this one's for you!
January 8, 2026 at 3:53 PM
We're delighted to announce that we're co-hosting M.R. Sauter @oddletters.bsky.social, who will speak @westernu.ca next week on the right wing origins of venture capital. If you're interested in the the political economy of innovation, financial law, & democratic governance -- this one's for you!
Reposted by Starling Centre
AI companies are playing a game wherein these computer programs are presented to the public as autonomous individuals capable of issuing a meaningful apology. The machine is just a machine. Human beings owe the apology for building the machine irresponsibly and unleashing it on the world.
so x dot com’s ai generated CSAM and they admitted it may violate US law and … i haven’t seen in anyone in power say much at all or call to stop using the platform
January 2, 2026 at 1:23 AM
AI companies are playing a game wherein these computer programs are presented to the public as autonomous individuals capable of issuing a meaningful apology. The machine is just a machine. Human beings owe the apology for building the machine irresponsibly and unleashing it on the world.
The only New Year's Eve countdown that matters!
🕛 At midnight, new creative works enter the public domain in the US.
🎙️ In the latest Future Knowledge podcast, James Boyle (The Public Domain) explains why the public domain matters & how digital enclosures are quietly fencing it off.
🎧 Listen now ➡️ futureknowledge.transistor.fm/episodes/the...
🎙️ In the latest Future Knowledge podcast, James Boyle (The Public Domain) explains why the public domain matters & how digital enclosures are quietly fencing it off.
🎧 Listen now ➡️ futureknowledge.transistor.fm/episodes/the...
December 31, 2025 at 2:44 PM
The only New Year's Eve countdown that matters!
(Re)introducing the "Homework Machine," a 1981 poem by Shel Silverstein that turned out to be strikingly prescient about AI
December 31, 2025 at 2:31 AM
(Re)introducing the "Homework Machine," a 1981 poem by Shel Silverstein that turned out to be strikingly prescient about AI
"...universities are not tech companies. Our role is to foster critical thinking, not to follow industry trends uncritically"
www.ru.nl/en/research/...
www.ru.nl/en/research/...
‘Opposing the inevitability of AI at universities is possible and necessary’ | Radboud University
Since the widespread release of ChatGPT in December of 2022, AI has taken over much of the world by storm – including academia. Most of this happened with very little pushback, despite a myriad of iss...
www.ru.nl
December 29, 2025 at 2:48 PM
"...universities are not tech companies. Our role is to foster critical thinking, not to follow industry trends uncritically"
www.ru.nl/en/research/...
www.ru.nl/en/research/...
The AI Bubble in a nutshell: WSJ installed an AI-powered vending machine in their office and journalists, via Slack, convinced it to start ordering and giving away anything and everything, including a PS5, wine, cigarettes, and a live fish.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/anth...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/anth...
We Let AI Run Our Office Vending Machine. It Lost Hundreds of Dollars.
An AI agent ran a snack operation in the WSJ newsroom. It gave away a free PlayStation, ordered a live fish—and taught us lessons about the future of AI.
www.wsj.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:27 PM
The AI Bubble in a nutshell: WSJ installed an AI-powered vending machine in their office and journalists, via Slack, convinced it to start ordering and giving away anything and everything, including a PS5, wine, cigarettes, and a live fish.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/anth...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/anth...
Reposted by Starling Centre
Increasingly, I've been interested in understanding the ideas and beliefs that have shaped Silicon Valley and its technologies. "Engagement" is one of them. Far from merely a base economic impulse, the concept did--and continues to do--important ideological work for the high-tech industry
New article out from me and Angèle Christin in the Annals of the AAPSS! In "The Politics of Engagement in Platform Governance," we unpack and historicize the concept of "social media engagement," an idea that has dominated debate over platform politics in recent years.
doi.org/10.1177/0002...
doi.org/10.1177/0002...
The Politics of Engagement in Platform Governance - Becca Lewis, Angèle Christin, 2024
In recent years, the concept of user engagement has dominated debate over the governance of online platforms, and critics use the term to assign crass commercia...
doi.org
December 17, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Increasingly, I've been interested in understanding the ideas and beliefs that have shaped Silicon Valley and its technologies. "Engagement" is one of them. Far from merely a base economic impulse, the concept did--and continues to do--important ideological work for the high-tech industry
Reposted by Starling Centre
Planning your week? Add this #booktalk to your list! 📖
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN explores how we can protect the “commons of the mind” & why it’s as vital as intellectual property.
📆 Thurs Dec 18
🕙 10 AM – 11 AM PT
📍 Online
🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/1839697527...
@dukelaw.bsky.social @mollysvh.bsky.social
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN explores how we can protect the “commons of the mind” & why it’s as vital as intellectual property.
📆 Thurs Dec 18
🕙 10 AM – 11 AM PT
📍 Online
🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/1839697527...
@dukelaw.bsky.social @mollysvh.bsky.social
December 15, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Planning your week? Add this #booktalk to your list! 📖
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN explores how we can protect the “commons of the mind” & why it’s as vital as intellectual property.
📆 Thurs Dec 18
🕙 10 AM – 11 AM PT
📍 Online
🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/1839697527...
@dukelaw.bsky.social @mollysvh.bsky.social
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN explores how we can protect the “commons of the mind” & why it’s as vital as intellectual property.
📆 Thurs Dec 18
🕙 10 AM – 11 AM PT
📍 Online
🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/1839697527...
@dukelaw.bsky.social @mollysvh.bsky.social
Reposted by Starling Centre
The University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public is looking to bring on new postdoctoral scholars to join our research community starting in 2026-2027. Come collaborate w/ our amazing, interdisciplinary team working to understand & help people navigate our complex information ecosystem!
We're currently accepting applications to hire up to two @cip.uw.edu postdoctoral scholars to join our team in Seattle. The priority deadline to apply is January 15, 2026.
For the position description, salary range, qualifications and application process, click here: apply.interfolio.com/177901
For the position description, salary range, qualifications and application process, click here: apply.interfolio.com/177901
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
December 17, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public is looking to bring on new postdoctoral scholars to join our research community starting in 2026-2027. Come collaborate w/ our amazing, interdisciplinary team working to understand & help people navigate our complex information ecosystem!
Enshittification has reached academia.
Grading and googling hallucinated citations, as one does nowadays, and now that LLMs have been around for a while, I've discovered new horrors: hallucinated journals are now appearing in Google Scholar with dozens of citations bc so many people are citing these fake things
December 16, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Enshittification has reached academia.
Reposted by Starling Centre
Reposted by Starling Centre
Analysis: New supersized data centers sprouting across the country are starting to transform landscapes and communities, sparking debates about what our energy systems and environment can sustain.
Analysis | Supersized data centers are coming. See how they will transform America.
These AI campuses consume more power than major U.S. cities. Their footprints are measured in miles, not feet.
wapo.st
December 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Analysis: New supersized data centers sprouting across the country are starting to transform landscapes and communities, sparking debates about what our energy systems and environment can sustain.
This is so well done. Hilarious, if it weren't so devastating.
“1,705,947 seconds meditated. Together we’re making no difference."
oilwell.app
“1,705,947 seconds meditated. Together we’re making no difference."
oilwell.app
Oilwell - Meditate through the meltdown
A wellness app to help you embrace climate chaos, created by Edelman, Oil and Gas PR. From Smog Breathing Exercises, to Lifeless Rock Visualizations, to Wildfire ASMR.
oilwell.app
December 15, 2025 at 7:46 PM
This is so well done. Hilarious, if it weren't so devastating.
“1,705,947 seconds meditated. Together we’re making no difference."
oilwell.app
“1,705,947 seconds meditated. Together we’re making no difference."
oilwell.app
Reposted by Starling Centre
Okay #AcademicSky, #HistorySky, etc:
There's a lot of chatter abt how we're moving forward with assignments in the "Age of AI." Especially for those of us in writing disciplines.
I also want to hear what YOU'RE doing. Let's create a master resource thread-list here!
There's a lot of chatter abt how we're moving forward with assignments in the "Age of AI." Especially for those of us in writing disciplines.
I also want to hear what YOU'RE doing. Let's create a master resource thread-list here!
December 8, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Okay #AcademicSky, #HistorySky, etc:
There's a lot of chatter abt how we're moving forward with assignments in the "Age of AI." Especially for those of us in writing disciplines.
I also want to hear what YOU'RE doing. Let's create a master resource thread-list here!
There's a lot of chatter abt how we're moving forward with assignments in the "Age of AI." Especially for those of us in writing disciplines.
I also want to hear what YOU'RE doing. Let's create a master resource thread-list here!
Australia has banned under-16s from major social platforms in a world-first move to curb algorithmic harm. Can blunt restrictions really fix a system designed for addiction?
lfpress.com/opinion/colu...
lfpress.com/opinion/colu...
Given: Australia's bold experiment to keep young people safe online
After months of anticipation and debate, Australia’s social media ban for youth is now in force
lfpress.com
December 14, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Australia has banned under-16s from major social platforms in a world-first move to curb algorithmic harm. Can blunt restrictions really fix a system designed for addiction?
lfpress.com/opinion/colu...
lfpress.com/opinion/colu...
Reposted by Starling Centre
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
December 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
The war on disinformation is being dismantled on purpose. This piece from @theverge.com shows how fact-checking and accountability are reframed as “censorship,” then systematically targeted until the guardrails crack. A must read.
www.theverge.com/features/839...
www.theverge.com/features/839...
The disinformation wars are here
How Joe Biden’s administration caved to the right in the battle for truth.
www.theverge.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:38 AM
The war on disinformation is being dismantled on purpose. This piece from @theverge.com shows how fact-checking and accountability are reframed as “censorship,” then systematically targeted until the guardrails crack. A must read.
www.theverge.com/features/839...
www.theverge.com/features/839...