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

I keep catching glimpses of SNL UK. It seems really good - the kind of thing that will be formative for a generation in the same way that stuff like The Day Today was for me. It's not a competition, but the clips I've seen seem funnier for my taste than the original; a little less sanitized.

benwerd 1 month ago

Building with love, and paying for it

Building with love, and paying for it

How do you fund work people don't want to pay for?

benwerd 1 month ago

That terrible Signal exploit has been fixed. We have journalism to thank for it

That terrible Signal exploit has been fixed. We have journalism to thank for it

"Apple’s fix means iPhones should no longer save copies of deleted messages from Signal or other apps, and Apple said the patch also purges alrea...

benwerd 1 month ago

All You Fascists (Bound to Lose)

All You Fascists (Bound to Lose)

A collection of Woody Guthrie covers

benwerd 1 month ago

Sustaining innovation has failed us. It's time to think more radically

Sustaining innovation has failed us. It's time to think more radically

Some innovations create a new future that serves people better. Some sustain the status quo. It's time to think more radically.

benwerd 1 month ago

AI is not a magic wand and it won’t fix your problems

AI is not a magic wand and it won’t fix your problems

Without investment in people, processes, and working conditions, AI becomes merely "a technological smoke screen for deeper institutional decline."

benwerd 1 month ago

The world is not a database

The world is not a database

One of the most important pieces of AI commentary: "software brain" is important to understand if we want to get through this era with our humanity...

benwerd 1 month ago

Notable links: April 24, 2026

Notable links: April 24, 2026

Data and electronic civil rights in wartime; building safer creativity at work.

benwerd 1 month ago

In wartime, megascale data centers may make way for distributed architectures

In wartime, megascale data centers may make way for distributed architectures

"To avoid collateral damage, countries consider ditching giant server hubs for smaller, distributed ones—especially now that military and civilia...

benwerd 1 month ago

XOXO Explore is fitting showcase for a brilliant experiment

XOXO Explore is fitting showcase for a brilliant experiment

XOXO was completely wonderful. This site is a lovely showcase of why.

benwerd 1 month ago

The user-tailored newsroom

The user-tailored newsroom

Newsrooms typically treat publishing as a one-size-fits-all broadcast. What if they tailored their work to a reader's needs and interests?

benwerd 1 month ago

It pays to reward curiosity more than looking smart

It pays to reward curiosity more than looking smart

"Curiosity signals that ideas are welcome, not risky." Modeling it is a crucial part of leading a team.

benwerd 1 month ago

Copyright and DMCA Best Practices for Fediverse Operators

Copyright and DMCA Best Practices for Fediverse Operators

For instance and community operators, "copyright’s “statutory damages” regime allows for massive, unpredictable financial liability. That’s...

benwerd 1 month ago

The Technological Republic, in brief

The Technological Republic, in brief

In which a defense contractor lays its anti-democratic, pro-fascist ideology bare.

benwerd 1 month ago

Notable links: April 17, 2026

Notable links: April 17, 2026

How AI is affecting thinking and distribution – and why relationships are still at the heart of great teams.

benwerd 1 month ago

Google Broke Its Promise to Me. Now ICE Has My Data.

Google Broke Its Promise to Me. Now ICE Has My Data.

"Google had already disclosed my data without telling me. There was no opportunity to contest it."

benwerd 1 month ago

You Own Your Role, We Own The Outcome

You Own Your Role, We Own The Outcome

"A mantra to clarify ownership while reinforcing shared responsibility." I agree with every word.

benwerd 1 month ago

FBI Extracts Suspect’s Deleted Signal Messages Saved in iPhone Notification Database

FBI Extracts Suspect’s Deleted Signal Messages Saved in iPhone Notification Database

An innocuous iPhone notifications setting could put your Signal contacts at risk.

benwerd 1 month ago

Stop Flock

Flock is building a national surveillance network. A protest movement is forming to tear it down.

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.

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