Building pro-social tech isn't anchoring to fears rather than opportunities. It's recognizing a distinct set of opportunities that empower every person in ways that are aligned with their communities rather than centering on the needs and assumptions of a few powerful people. It's real empowerment.

Funding Open Source like public infrastructure

Ben Werdmuller

Funding Open Source like public infrastructure

"Open Source runs much of the world's critical infrastructure. It powers government services, supports national security, and enables everything fr...

"But the “fear of being left behind” argument is particularly dangerous: it suggests that you should pick a technology first and then find problems for it to solve. That’s always backwards." In case you missed it, how I think about AI - in terms of vendors, tech, and power:

Ben Werdmuller

Evaluating AI technology: a CTO's framework

How to think about vendors, technology, and power

Still baffling to me how people asking for basic human rights and civil liberties are painted as far left. They’re normal asks and enjoyed in many other countries. The rhetoric is just designed to stop the conversation; it’s not a serious discussion. Meanwhile if the Overton Window slid any more to the right it would fall off the edge of the world.

Bluesky Is Plotting a Total Takeover of the Social Internet

Ben Werdmuller

Bluesky Is Plotting a Total Takeover of the Social Internet

[Kate Knibbs at WIRED] This is an insightful interview with Bluesky CEO Jay Graber. The headline here overreaches quite a bit, and needlessly desc...

The war on encryption is dangerous

Ben Werdmuller

The war on encryption is dangerous

[Meredith Whittaker in the Financial Times] A great op-ed from Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal on the ludicrous demands by the British gov...

My (New) Daily Blog

Ben Werdmuller

My (New) Daily Blog

[Om Malik] This is an ongoing trend. Om Malik has now moved to sharing on his blog first rather than posting directly to social media: "The inspi...

Being More Like Republicans

Ben Werdmuller

Being More Like Republicans

[A.R. Moxon at The Reframe] An interesting election mortem and post-mortem, from an arguably refreshing perspective: "Here's what I think is goin...

Ev Williams, Twitter and Medium Founder, Unveils New Social App

Ben Werdmuller

Ev Williams, Twitter and Medium Founder, Unveils New Social App

[Erin Griffith at the New York Times] I've been using Mozi for a little while and like it quite a bit: "Mr. Williams views Mozi as an attempt to ...

I’m not a resolutions guy, but this year it’s not even Thanksgiving yet and I’ve got a list. Determined to get through 2025 with intention.

Google must sell Chrome to end search monopoly, says US justice department

Ben Werdmuller

Google must sell Chrome to end search monopoly, says US justice department

[Dan Milmo at The Guardian] The Department of Justice has filed its proposed remedies to Google's illegal monopoly over search services: "The pro...

Bluesky, the Fediverse, and the future of social media

Ben Werdmuller

Bluesky, the Fediverse, and the future of social media

Today's open social networks have a lot to learn from each other.