Ben Werdmuller - Nostr Hypermedia

Ben Werdmuller

benwerd@nos.social

npub183ng...4n09

I lead technology at ProPublica and write speculative fiction. This is a personal account. Every day, I write about tech, democracy, and society at https://werd.io. More about me: https://about.werd.io

benwerd 1 month ago

One size fits none: let communities build for themselves

One size fits none: let communities build for themselves

How open protocols and agentic development could lead to a whole new generation of social applications.

benwerd 1 month ago

The bottleneck shifts to distribution

The bottleneck shifts to distribution

"There is a fixed amount of scarce attention to go around, and too many people want it. The metagame becomes: secure attention by any means necessa...

benwerd 1 month ago

When the President threatens to commit a genocide

When the President threatens to commit a genocide

This cannot continue.

benwerd 1 month ago

"Cognitive surrender" leads AI users to abandon logical thinking, research finds

"Cognitive surrender" leads AI users to abandon logical thinking, research finds

"Experiments show large majorities uncritically accepting “faulty” AI answers." Increasingly, incentive structures are asking them to.

benwerd 2 months ago

Notable links: April 3, 2026

Notable links: April 3, 2026

A dystopian week, with a glimmer of hope: alternatives are available.

benwerd 2 months ago

The open web isn't dying. We're killing it

The open web isn't dying. We're killing it

Julien Genestoux thinks the open web needs netizens. I agree – and in 2026, that's indistinguishable from citizenry.

benwerd 2 months ago

An AI company set out to fix news deserts. Instead, it copied local journalists’ work

An AI company set out to fix news deserts. Instead, it copied local journalists’ work

"Nota shut down its news sites after Axios and Poynter found dozens of plagiarized quotes, phrases and photos."

benwerd 2 months ago

LinkedIn Is Illegally Searching Your Computer

LinkedIn Is Illegally Searching Your Computer

LinkedIn is using invasive techniques to fingerprint your browser. Together with its understanding of your identity and professional history, it ha...

benwerd 2 months ago

Surf demonstrates the power of the open social web

Surf demonstrates the power of the open social web

Flipboard's browser for the open social web is out for web users today.

benwerd 2 months ago

What Digital Isolation and Censorship Evasion Look Like In Wartime Iran

What Digital Isolation and Censorship Evasion Look Like In Wartime Iran

"Four weeks into the war, Iran is plummeting toward total digital isolation with its internet blocked and communications heavily restricted and mon...

benwerd 2 months ago

The Right Is Using AI Content Scanners to Try to Supercharge Book Banning

The Right Is Using AI Content Scanners to Try to Supercharge Book Banning

"Groups that challenge books have begun using Gemini, ChatGPT, xAI, and other AI tools to try to get books banned." The point is to create a chilli...

benwerd 2 months ago

An alternate history of social media

An alternate history of social media

I joined Rabble on the Revolution.Social podcast.

benwerd 2 months ago

Building trust in the open at ONA 2026

Building trust in the open at ONA 2026

A new white paper about building open communities for news.

benwerd 2 months ago

Bluesky leans into AI with Attie, an app for building custom feeds

Bluesky leans into AI with Attie, an app for building custom feeds

Bluesky's new service isn't about AI; it's about accessibility.

benwerd 2 months ago

The DOJ thinks news is contraband

The DOJ thinks news is contraband

By treating source materials as contraband, the DOJ is putting both journalism and democracy at risk.

benwerd 2 months ago

The White House has an app now, and Trump wants you to report people to ICE on it

The White House has an app now, and Trump wants you to report people to ICE on it

Want to report your friends and neighbors for extrajudicial kidnapping? The new White House app wants you to get in touch.

benwerd 2 months ago

Notable links: March 27, 2026

Notable links: March 27, 2026

Progress on the open social web; not so much in the world.

benwerd 2 months ago

Why Knight Foundation Invested in Bluesky

Why Knight Foundation Invested in Bluesky

Newsrooms have been slow to care about the open social web - but one of their most important support organizations is paying attention.

benwerd 2 months ago

Make Space for Every Voice

Make Space for Every Voice

"If you want stronger decisions, make space for every voice." This is a simple technique to do this in your meetings that really works.

benwerd 2 months ago

Meta and YouTube found negligent in landmark social media addiction case

Meta and YouTube found negligent in landmark social media addiction case

The implications of this case could include the effective end of Section 230 protections – and a new wave of attacks on places where people learn...

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