Mark Vanderbeeken
@vanderbeeken.bsky.social
International customer insight, market research and digital innovation expert. And some more.
x.com/vanderbeeken
@vanderbeeken@mastodon.online
vanderbeeken.eu
All posts are personal
x.com/vanderbeeken
@vanderbeeken@mastodon.online
vanderbeeken.eu
All posts are personal
I wrote a short article on the second wave of deliberative democracy
www.linkedin.com/pulse/second...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/second...
The second wave of deliberative democracy, that could become scalable
We are inundated with negative stories about the decline of democracy, the public decision-making system that requires us to come to collectively agreed-upon solutions on what our societies and govern...
www.linkedin.com
November 30, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I wrote a short article on the second wave of deliberative democracy
www.linkedin.com/pulse/second...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/second...
Innovative citizen participation experiments in the news:
- Belgium
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/w...
www.buergerdialog.be/en/
- NL (use transl. engine)
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
www.burgerberaadklimaat.nl
- USA
medium.com/jigsaw/we-th...
wethepeople-250.org
#deliberativedemocracy #citizensassemblies
- Belgium
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/w...
www.buergerdialog.be/en/
- NL (use transl. engine)
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
www.burgerberaadklimaat.nl
- USA
medium.com/jigsaw/we-th...
wethepeople-250.org
#deliberativedemocracy #citizensassemblies
Democracy Is in Trouble. This Region Is Turning to Its People.
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Innovative citizen participation experiments in the news:
- Belgium
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/w...
www.buergerdialog.be/en/
- NL (use transl. engine)
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
www.burgerberaadklimaat.nl
- USA
medium.com/jigsaw/we-th...
wethepeople-250.org
#deliberativedemocracy #citizensassemblies
- Belgium
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/w...
www.buergerdialog.be/en/
- NL (use transl. engine)
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
www.burgerberaadklimaat.nl
- USA
medium.com/jigsaw/we-th...
wethepeople-250.org
#deliberativedemocracy #citizensassemblies
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
Great journalism by New York Times on algorithmic price discrimination ↘️ www.nytimes.com/video/opinio...
Video: Opinion | Goodbye, Price Tags. Hello, Dynamic Pricing.
Shopping has always been a game. And now it’s being rigged against you.
www.nytimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Great journalism by New York Times on algorithmic price discrimination ↘️ www.nytimes.com/video/opinio...
Elisabeth Costa of the Behavioural Insights Team: “One of the joys of human interaction and qualitative research is that people can surprise you — give you new insights on mental models or hidden barriers. You’re unlikely to be surprised by a synthetic participant.”
www.ft.com/content/1298...
www.ft.com/content/1298...
The AI Shift: Is AI about to break polling?
Online surveys are susceptible to bogus respondents and synthetic samples warrant scepticism
www.ft.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Elisabeth Costa of the Behavioural Insights Team: “One of the joys of human interaction and qualitative research is that people can surprise you — give you new insights on mental models or hidden barriers. You’re unlikely to be surprised by a synthetic participant.”
www.ft.com/content/1298...
www.ft.com/content/1298...
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
Can large language models stand in for human participants?
Many social scientists seem to think so, and are already using "silicon samples" in research.
One problem: depending on the analytic decisions made, you can basically get these samples to show any effect you want.
THREAD 🧵
Many social scientists seem to think so, and are already using "silicon samples" in research.
One problem: depending on the analytic decisions made, you can basically get these samples to show any effect you want.
THREAD 🧵
The threat of analytic flexibility in using large language models to simulate human data: A call to attention
Social scientists are now using large language models to create "silicon samples" - synthetic datasets intended to stand in for human respondents, aimed at revolutionising human subjects research. How...
arxiv.org
September 18, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Can large language models stand in for human participants?
Many social scientists seem to think so, and are already using "silicon samples" in research.
One problem: depending on the analytic decisions made, you can basically get these samples to show any effect you want.
THREAD 🧵
Many social scientists seem to think so, and are already using "silicon samples" in research.
One problem: depending on the analytic decisions made, you can basically get these samples to show any effect you want.
THREAD 🧵
Pervasive video recording has real impact (independent of tech and AI).
GenZ and GenAlpha who don't dance at concerts because friends might judge them on IG videos.
People who don't go to political protests as they don't know where videos by sidewalk recorders end up.
@carissaveliz.bsky.social
GenZ and GenAlpha who don't dance at concerts because friends might judge them on IG videos.
People who don't go to political protests as they don't know where videos by sidewalk recorders end up.
@carissaveliz.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Pervasive video recording has real impact (independent of tech and AI).
GenZ and GenAlpha who don't dance at concerts because friends might judge them on IG videos.
People who don't go to political protests as they don't know where videos by sidewalk recorders end up.
@carissaveliz.bsky.social
GenZ and GenAlpha who don't dance at concerts because friends might judge them on IG videos.
People who don't go to political protests as they don't know where videos by sidewalk recorders end up.
@carissaveliz.bsky.social
Published also in English and without paywall.
en.ilsole24ore.com/art/wide-fie...
en.ilsole24ore.com/art/wide-fie...
November 22, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Published also in English and without paywall.
en.ilsole24ore.com/art/wide-fie...
en.ilsole24ore.com/art/wide-fie...
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
Drumrolls, please! I’m thrilled to share the cover for my forthcoming #book from @doubledaybooks.bsky.social
(Penguin Random House), #PROPHECY. This is the best book I’ve written: the boldest, the most innovative, the most personal. I have poured my soul into it like never before. 1/
(Penguin Random House), #PROPHECY. This is the best book I’ve written: the boldest, the most innovative, the most personal. I have poured my soul into it like never before. 1/
November 17, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Drumrolls, please! I’m thrilled to share the cover for my forthcoming #book from @doubledaybooks.bsky.social
(Penguin Random House), #PROPHECY. This is the best book I’ve written: the boldest, the most innovative, the most personal. I have poured my soul into it like never before. 1/
(Penguin Random House), #PROPHECY. This is the best book I’ve written: the boldest, the most innovative, the most personal. I have poured my soul into it like never before. 1/
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
Can I quietly ask we stop talking about what "AI" *could* do in education and identify instead what's actually happening with AI in education? I'll start...
November 15, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Can I quietly ask we stop talking about what "AI" *could* do in education and identify instead what's actually happening with AI in education? I'll start...
"Simplify" - the new buzzword
"The further streamlining of the organisation is expected to lead to a reduction of between 850 to 950 FTEs, to occur in phases throughout 2026."
newsroom.asnbank.nl/en/asn-bank-...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
"The further streamlining of the organisation is expected to lead to a reduction of between 850 to 950 FTEs, to occur in phases throughout 2026."
newsroom.asnbank.nl/en/asn-bank-...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Dutch Banks to Cut Thousands of Jobs Amid Cost Drives, AI Push
Bankers in the Netherlands are facing thousands of cuts as their employers increasingly adopt artificial intelligence and seek to trim costs.
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:11 PM
"Simplify" - the new buzzword
"The further streamlining of the organisation is expected to lead to a reduction of between 850 to 950 FTEs, to occur in phases throughout 2026."
newsroom.asnbank.nl/en/asn-bank-...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
"The further streamlining of the organisation is expected to lead to a reduction of between 850 to 950 FTEs, to occur in phases throughout 2026."
newsroom.asnbank.nl/en/asn-bank-...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
"We live in a simulation* [where] the boundary between private feelings and public discourse has collapsed."
"Nous vivons dans une simulation* [où] la frontière entre les sentiments privés et le discours public s’est effondrée."
*as in Baudrillard's sense of the simulacrum
"Nous vivons dans une simulation* [où] la frontière entre les sentiments privés et le discours public s’est effondrée."
*as in Baudrillard's sense of the simulacrum
How the underground men have rotted our reality to breaking point - and how to fix it.
«Brainrot» : géopolitique de la réalité cassée | Le Grand Continent
Née sur Internet, une société du sous-sol est en train de contaminer le monde. Comment réparer le réel ? Une pièce de doctrine signée Ian Garner.
legrandcontinent.eu
November 14, 2025 at 12:10 PM
"We live in a simulation* [where] the boundary between private feelings and public discourse has collapsed."
"Nous vivons dans une simulation* [où] la frontière entre les sentiments privés et le discours public s’est effondrée."
*as in Baudrillard's sense of the simulacrum
"Nous vivons dans une simulation* [où] la frontière entre les sentiments privés et le discours public s’est effondrée."
*as in Baudrillard's sense of the simulacrum
Why the energy transition is a form of climate denial | Video interview with French historian @Jean-Baptiste Fressoz on @vprotegenlicht.bsky.social.
#energytransition #climatedenial
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UcV...
(English starts at 00:57)
#energytransition #climatedenial
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UcV...
(English starts at 00:57)
Waarom de energietransitie een vorm van klimaatontkenning is | VPRO Tegenlicht
YouTube video by VPRO Tegenlicht
www.youtube.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Why the energy transition is a form of climate denial | Video interview with French historian @Jean-Baptiste Fressoz on @vprotegenlicht.bsky.social.
#energytransition #climatedenial
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UcV...
(English starts at 00:57)
#energytransition #climatedenial
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UcV...
(English starts at 00:57)
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
Hinton has been talking about “maternal instincts” in AI, but that’s a symptom of a larger issue: he worries about AI’s power to persuade us, even as he believes in what it tells him. mail.cyberneticforests.com/thoughts-on-...
Thoughts on Hinton
On Consciousness in Programs
Geoffrey Hinton recently won a Nobel Prize for his work on backpropagation, a foundational piece of research that contributed to the emergence of contemporary artificial ...
mail.cyberneticforests.com
November 2, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Hinton has been talking about “maternal instincts” in AI, but that’s a symptom of a larger issue: he worries about AI’s power to persuade us, even as he believes in what it tells him. mail.cyberneticforests.com/thoughts-on-...
"Europe's Deepening Trap"
The Authoritarian Stack
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
November 2, 2025 at 1:12 PM
"Europe's Deepening Trap"
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
The Authoritarian Stack
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
November 2, 2025 at 8:07 AM
The Authoritarian Stack
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
"What we call AI is not really an innovation"
Recommended interview with @meredithmeredith.bsky.social in @grandcontinent.bsky.social, in particular because of its economic analysis.
[The original English is not available, but Google Translate does a good job.]
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/11/0...
Recommended interview with @meredithmeredith.bsky.social in @grandcontinent.bsky.social, in particular because of its economic analysis.
[The original English is not available, but Google Translate does a good job.]
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/11/0...
Bulle de l'IA : 70 % du cloud est contrôlé par trois entreprises américaines
Aveuglés par les faux miracles de ChatGPT, nous sommes en train d’abdiquer une nouvelle fois devant les seigneurs de la Tech. Pourtant, le modèle économique de l’IA n’a rien de nouveau. Meredith Whi...
legrandcontinent.eu
November 1, 2025 at 7:39 PM
"What we call AI is not really an innovation"
Recommended interview with @meredithmeredith.bsky.social in @grandcontinent.bsky.social, in particular because of its economic analysis.
[The original English is not available, but Google Translate does a good job.]
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/11/0...
Recommended interview with @meredithmeredith.bsky.social in @grandcontinent.bsky.social, in particular because of its economic analysis.
[The original English is not available, but Google Translate does a good job.]
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/11/0...
Digital Tsunami: Big Tech, Big AI & Big Brother (2025)
Film by @fredpeabody.bsky.social w/ @phillipgbhnews.bsky.social on the impacts of digital tech and AI.
Many interviews but most insightful is definitely @rondeibert.bsky.social of @citizenlab.ca
Thx @artefr.bsky.social and @artede.bsky.social
Film by @fredpeabody.bsky.social w/ @phillipgbhnews.bsky.social on the impacts of digital tech and AI.
Many interviews but most insightful is definitely @rondeibert.bsky.social of @citizenlab.ca
Thx @artefr.bsky.social and @artede.bsky.social
Artificial Intelligence: The Digital Tsunami
This documentary film shows the upheavals of the digital revolution - with all its social, psychological and political consequences, as a tsunami of technological change threatens not only our democracies but humanity itself.
This documentary film shows the upheavals of the digital revolution - with all its social, psychological and political consequences, as a tsunami of technological change threatens not only our democracies but humanity itself.
Artificial Intelligence: The Digital Tsunami
What will our world look like with autonomous lethal weapons, generalised facial recognition and wholly convincing deep fakes? This documentary film shows the upheavals of the digital revolution - with all its social, psychological and political consequences, as a tsunami of technological change threatens not only our democracies but humanity itself.
www.youtube.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Digital Tsunami: Big Tech, Big AI & Big Brother (2025)
Film by @fredpeabody.bsky.social w/ @phillipgbhnews.bsky.social on the impacts of digital tech and AI.
Many interviews but most insightful is definitely @rondeibert.bsky.social of @citizenlab.ca
Thx @artefr.bsky.social and @artede.bsky.social
Film by @fredpeabody.bsky.social w/ @phillipgbhnews.bsky.social on the impacts of digital tech and AI.
Many interviews but most insightful is definitely @rondeibert.bsky.social of @citizenlab.ca
Thx @artefr.bsky.social and @artede.bsky.social
"A society that allows its news to be mined and regurgitated without remuneration doesn’t merely impoverish journalists; it starves itself of truth. Freedom of expression is meaningless if there are no reporters left to verify the facts."
by @petervandermeersch.bsky.social in @euractiv.com
by @petervandermeersch.bsky.social in @euractiv.com
October 26, 2025 at 3:44 PM
"A society that allows its news to be mined and regurgitated without remuneration doesn’t merely impoverish journalists; it starves itself of truth. Freedom of expression is meaningless if there are no reporters left to verify the facts."
by @petervandermeersch.bsky.social in @euractiv.com
by @petervandermeersch.bsky.social in @euractiv.com
Computational cognitive scientist Marie Safar Postma interviewed on @vprotegenlicht.bsky.social TV on our brain, consciousness and free will, super chips and AI.
[Interview is in Dutch, but the Youtube translations are fairly good].
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hs3...
[Interview is in Dutch, but the Youtube translations are fairly good].
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hs3...
Openen deze nieuwe superchips de deur voor computers met vrije wil? | VPRO Tegenlicht
YouTube video by VPRO Tegenlicht
www.youtube.com
October 26, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Computational cognitive scientist Marie Safar Postma interviewed on @vprotegenlicht.bsky.social TV on our brain, consciousness and free will, super chips and AI.
[Interview is in Dutch, but the Youtube translations are fairly good].
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hs3...
[Interview is in Dutch, but the Youtube translations are fairly good].
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hs3...
When your AI browser becomes your enemy: The Comet security disaster
venturebeat.com/ai/when-your...
venturebeat.com/ai/when-your...
venturebeat.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:33 AM
When your AI browser becomes your enemy: The Comet security disaster
venturebeat.com/ai/when-your...
venturebeat.com/ai/when-your...
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
As we warned in an @openmarkets.bsky.social report earlier this year, our dependence on a handful of US tech giants for essential cloud infrastructure isn’t just a competition problem, it’s a serious threat to national security & societal stability.
How many more outages before we get the message?
How many more outages before we get the message?
there’s a major AWS outage going on right now that’s taken down Fortnite, Alexa, Snapchat, Perplexity, Roblox, and lots more of the internet. US-EAST-1 is down and impacting a lot of services that rely on AWS www.theverge.com/news/802486/...
Major AWS outage takes down Fortnite, Alexa, Snapchat, and more
A chunk of the internet has been taken offline.
www.theverge.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:31 AM
As we warned in an @openmarkets.bsky.social report earlier this year, our dependence on a handful of US tech giants for essential cloud infrastructure isn’t just a competition problem, it’s a serious threat to national security & societal stability.
How many more outages before we get the message?
How many more outages before we get the message?
"In 15 years, there will only be low-end restaurants and very high-end restaurants inaccessible to tourists."
Bistro Blues: Why The French Are Falling Out Of Love With Their Restaurants
Frustrated by rising prices and inconsistent quality, consumers are turning away from traditional restaurants. From fast food to delivery, delis, and meal kits, alternative dining options have become a staple in their…
Frustrated by rising prices and inconsistent quality, consumers are turning away from traditional restaurants. From fast food to delivery, delis, and meal kits, alternative dining options have become a staple in their…
Bistro Blues: Why The French Are Falling Out Of Love With Their Restaurants
Frustrated by rising prices and inconsistent quality, consumers are turning away from traditional restaurants. From fast food to delivery, delis, and meal kits, alternative dining options have become a staple in their daily lives.
worldcrunch.com
October 18, 2025 at 5:03 PM
"In 15 years, there will only be low-end restaurants and very high-end restaurants inaccessible to tourists."
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors
“With fewer visits to Wikipedia, fewer volunteers may grow and enrich the content, and fewer individual donors may support this work.”
www.404media.co
October 17, 2025 at 1:15 AM
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Reposted by Mark Vanderbeeken
Plug-in hybrids? Not as clean as you might have thought, new research from T+E www.transportenvironment.org/articles/plu...
October 16, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Plug-in hybrids? Not as clean as you might have thought, new research from T+E www.transportenvironment.org/articles/plu...