Ben Werdmuller - Nostr Hypermedia

The Fediverse is not a product. It's time to get real about marketing

If projects are going to convince people to try alternatives to Big Tech, they need to do a much better job of explaining why they're better for pe...

benwerd 18 hours ago

To reach your big goal, you need to sell where you're heading next

Ben Werdmuller

To reach your big goal, you need to sell where you're heading next

"You need to sell Point C: the concrete, vivid destination you will take yourself, your team, and your company to over the next twelve to twenty-fo...

benwerd yesterday

When the AI boom subsides, the data centers will remain. What we do now matters

Ben Werdmuller

When the AI boom subsides, the data centers will remain. What we do now matters

Data centers are the new factories. How we think about the precedents they set matters.

benwerd yesterday

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.

benwerd 3 days ago

The Pope used his first encyclical to warn about tech centralization

Ben Werdmuller

The Pope used his first encyclical to warn about tech centralization

"When such power is concentrated in the hands of a few, it tends to become opaque and evade public oversight, [giving] rise to new dependencies, ex...

benwerd 6 days ago

Affordances for me, but not for thee

Ben Werdmuller

Affordances for me, but not for thee

For years, people have tried hard to get websites to build accessibility affordances. Now developers are willingly building them for AI.

benwerd 1 week ago

Like sunrise over a sink

Ben Werdmuller

Like sunrise over a sink

It appears that the winner of a short story prize was generated with AI. But how was it selected?

benwerd 1 week ago

Why micropayments can't save news

Ben Werdmuller

Why micropayments can't save news

Why an ephemeral model can't fund relationship-based work

benwerd 1 week ago

A quarter of a century of open educational technology

Ben Werdmuller

A quarter of a century of open educational technology

Every day for 25 years, Stephen Downes has written about edtech, informing an entire industry.

benwerd 1 week ago

Notable links: May 15, 2026

Ben Werdmuller

Notable links: May 15, 2026

What happens after the feed? And how can publishers remain independent?

benwerd 2 weeks ago

52 actionable posts about building a culture of innovation

Ben Werdmuller

52 actionable posts about building a culture of innovation

One year of consistent posts is nothing to sneeze at. But when each one is genuinely useful, actionable, and insightful, that's another level of ac...

benwerd 2 weeks ago

AI may be the new gatekeepers, but human connection is more needed than ever

Ben Werdmuller

AI may be the new gatekeepers, but human connection is more needed than ever

"What comes next, after the algorithmic social feed that’s defined our digital social lives for the last decade?" I believe this very useful pres...

benwerd 2 weeks ago

Bridging feels seamless. Behind the scenes, it's a technical marvel

Ben Werdmuller

Bridging feels seamless. Behind the scenes, it's a technical marvel

"When you all give us your hard-earned money, we feel a deep responsibility to use it as well, and as efficiently, as possible." A responsibility A...

benwerd 2 weeks ago

To maintain their independence, publishers are fleeing Substack

Ben Werdmuller

To maintain their independence, publishers are fleeing Substack

"Substack faced talent drain in 2024 linked to its platforming of Nazi newsletters, but now it’s not just the platform’s stance on hate speech ...

benwerd 3 weeks ago

"ProPublica identified 79 children across the country who have been harmed by tear gas or pepper spray as immigration officers dramatically stepped up their use during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown."

ProPublica

Kids Are Being Harmed by Tear Gas, Pepper Spray Under Trump. There Could Be Long-Term Consequences.

In several cities, judges have chastised federal immigration officers, saying they used excessive force. One former DHS leader called ProPublica’...

benwerd 3 weeks ago

There is, and I do not say this lightly, a *lot* going on 😅

benwerd 3 weeks ago

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that, strictly speaking, this isn't journalism's fault.

Nieman Lab

People are stressed out by most news that isn’t local news, according to a new study

The way people of different age groups in the United States get their news is different, but no matter how old they are, everyone is pretty stresse...

benwerd 3 weeks ago

Looking at this new design again. The design team, Gretel, Alley, and our amazing web publishing engineers knocked it out of the park.

ProPublica

A New Look for ProPublica

We’ve updated our logo, typefaces and homepage design. Here’s what changed and why.

benwerd 3 weeks ago

"Sebastian Gorka accused a ProPublica reporter of writing a “putrid piece of hackery” about him. Here’s how basic beat reporting led to a broader story about the state of the U.S. counterterrorism mission at a critical moment."

ProPublica

I Reached Out to the White House Counterterrorism Czar for Comment. He Lashed Out on X.

Sebastian Gorka accused a ProPublica reporter of writing a “putrid piece of hackery” about him. Here’s how basic beat reporting led to a broa...

benwerd 3 weeks ago

This is different to what I normally post about, but my cousin Sarah Dessen's book Change of Plans is out today. She writes beautiful YA coming of age novels. They've made me cry. If you have a teen (or other YA-lover) in your house, they might love this. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Change-of-Plans/Sarah-Dessen/9798347108770