Ben Werdmuller
@werd.io
@jskstanford.bsky.social fellow at Stanford. Ex: @propublica.org, @19thnews.org, @medium.com, Matter, Elgg.
I write about tech / media / society at https://werd.io.
I write about tech / media / society at https://werd.io.
Pinned
Ben Werdmuller
@werd.io
· Mar 22
There is no such thing as neutral technology.
I wasn't prepared for the degree that visiting California is like visiting Europe, website-wise. Privacy popups all over the place, as well as notifications that websites are honoring my opt-out requests. Not such a fan of the popups - privacy should be the default - but I like the direction.
September 21, 2026 at 11:26 PM
I wasn't prepared for the degree that visiting California is like visiting Europe, website-wise. Privacy popups all over the place, as well as notifications that websites are honoring my opt-out requests. Not such a fan of the popups - privacy should be the default - but I like the direction.
I've started my JSK Fellowship year at Stanford, rethinking how newsrooms build real relationships with their communities – and putting myself into a more generative space to do it. I'm taking you with me this year, and I'd love to be in conversation as I go. werd.io/seeking-a-ye...
Seeking a "yes, and" space
How the JSK Fellowship is putting me in a more generative culture.
werd.io
September 21, 2026 at 7:11 PM
I've started my JSK Fellowship year at Stanford, rethinking how newsrooms build real relationships with their communities – and putting myself into a more generative space to do it. I'm taking you with me this year, and I'd love to be in conversation as I go. werd.io/seeking-a-ye...
Getting a bunch of vaccinations today. I’m excited to renew my 5G coverage for another year.
September 20, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Getting a bunch of vaccinations today. I’m excited to renew my 5G coverage for another year.
I bought a suit for a wedding next week. A rare event! I think it looks good. Hopefully, like the last suit, it will keep me fancy for the next decade at least.
September 19, 2026 at 12:15 AM
I bought a suit for a wedding next week. A rare event! I think it looks good. Hopefully, like the last suit, it will keep me fancy for the next decade at least.
Reposted by Ben Werdmuller
Speaking Truth to Power is @werd.io's feed of independent and non-profit media, including @propublica.org, @boltsmag.org, @motherjones.com and more.
🏄🏻 surf.social/feed/surf%2F...
🦋 bsky.app/profile/werd...
🏄🏻 surf.social/feed/surf%2F...
🦋 bsky.app/profile/werd...
Speaking Truth to Power by Ben Werdmuller on Surf
Surf - Independent, non-profit media covering the US
surf.social
September 18, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Speaking Truth to Power is @werd.io's feed of independent and non-profit media, including @propublica.org, @boltsmag.org, @motherjones.com and more.
🏄🏻 surf.social/feed/surf%2F...
🦋 bsky.app/profile/werd...
🏄🏻 surf.social/feed/surf%2F...
🦋 bsky.app/profile/werd...
A lot of differences between the Menlo Park parenting groups and the ones in Philly, but in summary, there were precisely zero moms in Philly founding startups to deliver mezze platters to toddlers.
September 18, 2026 at 8:54 PM
A lot of differences between the Menlo Park parenting groups and the ones in Philly, but in summary, there were precisely zero moms in Philly founding startups to deliver mezze platters to toddlers.
It's wild to me that submissions for the next season of Doctor Who are being taken via a web form. I'm not complaining! That seems pretty open to me and I wish I could be a fly on the wall as they sort through the proposals. But also, it's kind of surreal. www.bbc.co.uk/commissionin...
New opportunity: Doctor Who invitation to tender
Deadline for initial submissions: 2 October
www.bbc.co.uk
September 18, 2026 at 7:47 AM
It's wild to me that submissions for the next season of Doctor Who are being taken via a web form. I'm not complaining! That seems pretty open to me and I wish I could be a fly on the wall as they sort through the proposals. But also, it's kind of surreal. www.bbc.co.uk/commissionin...
“How does democracy change when technologies of power change?” The first lecture I’m attending at Stanford is on topic. Privileged to be here. events.stanford.edu/event/consti...
Constitution Day Lecture: Technology and Constitutional Rot
events.stanford.edu
September 18, 2026 at 12:14 AM
“How does democracy change when technologies of power change?” The first lecture I’m attending at Stanford is on topic. Privileged to be here. events.stanford.edu/event/consti...
Reposted by Ben Werdmuller
NEWS! Anil Dash will be keynote speaker at the next FediForum Oct 6-7!
Anil is a technologist, writer and activist advocating for ethical, inclusive tech. He'll talk about lessons learned working on open standards, community and what's to come.
More details & registration:
Anil is a technologist, writer and activist advocating for ethical, inclusive tech. He'll talk about lessons learned working on open standards, community and what's to come.
More details & registration:
FediForum | Next FediForum: 6–7 October 2026. Keynote by Anil Dash!
Registration is open. Propose sessions. Suggest cool demos.
fediforum.org
September 16, 2026 at 5:15 PM
NEWS! Anil Dash will be keynote speaker at the next FediForum Oct 6-7!
Anil is a technologist, writer and activist advocating for ethical, inclusive tech. He'll talk about lessons learned working on open standards, community and what's to come.
More details & registration:
Anil is a technologist, writer and activist advocating for ethical, inclusive tech. He'll talk about lessons learned working on open standards, community and what's to come.
More details & registration:
Beginning to think I should update this to read “there is no such thing as neutrality” (because there isn’t).
There is no such thing as neutral technology.
September 16, 2026 at 11:26 PM
Beginning to think I should update this to read “there is no such thing as neutrality” (because there isn’t).
Reposted by Ben Werdmuller
I don't think people really understand the psychic impact of knowing that multiple times a day every day your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and everyone who could ever have any power over you is being flooded with agitprop designed to make them hate you
September 15, 2026 at 10:48 PM
I don't think people really understand the psychic impact of knowing that multiple times a day every day your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and everyone who could ever have any power over you is being flooded with agitprop designed to make them hate you
When I was first in California, having freshly (and a bit traumatically) ripped up my UK life, I attended a session on news design at the d.School. Boy, was that foreshadowing for the fifteen years that came afterwards. Today I’ll be spending the day there again.
September 15, 2026 at 3:46 PM
When I was first in California, having freshly (and a bit traumatically) ripped up my UK life, I attended a session on news design at the d.School. Boy, was that foreshadowing for the fifteen years that came afterwards. Today I’ll be spending the day there again.
I have skin in this game: I want the UK to rejoin the EU. And if today’s move by Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland helps push British leadership in that direction, well, let’s just say I’m not mad about it.
September 15, 2026 at 12:06 AM
I have skin in this game: I want the UK to rejoin the EU. And if today’s move by Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland helps push British leadership in that direction, well, let’s just say I’m not mad about it.
Rented a house where the bathrooms were renovated between photography and renting and no longer have bathtubs. Child refuses to take showers. Now resorting to a hose and a storage box on the back deck. Needs must.
September 13, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Rented a house where the bathrooms were renovated between photography and renting and no longer have bathtubs. Child refuses to take showers. Now resorting to a hose and a storage box on the back deck. Needs must.
After all these years, 69 Love Songs still hits.
September 13, 2026 at 6:14 AM
After all these years, 69 Love Songs still hits.
Trying to decide which classes to take at Stanford this fall. As a fellow, I don't get credit - it's all about what will add to my skills, knowledge, experience, and soul. I'm considering where my meaningful skills gaps are but also what I love and want to spend time digging into. It's hard!
September 13, 2026 at 12:49 AM
Trying to decide which classes to take at Stanford this fall. As a fellow, I don't get credit - it's all about what will add to my skills, knowledge, experience, and soul. I'm considering where my meaningful skills gaps are but also what I love and want to spend time digging into. It's hard!
Reposted by Ben Werdmuller
Anyone who cares about open government should care deeply about this.
Interior Dept employees are reportedly “routinely” shredding documents and sending disappearing Signal messages, and officials are “terrified of written records.”
We launched an investigation and sent letters demanding DOI follow preservation requirements.
americanoversight.org/interior-doc...
We launched an investigation and sent letters demanding DOI follow preservation requirements.
americanoversight.org/interior-doc...
American Oversight Launches Investigation, Demands Records Preservation at Interior Department Following Allegations of Routine Document Destruction, Signal Use - American Oversight
We sent letters to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the National Archives, and demanded a halt to records shredding and disappearing messages amid allegations of “culture of secrecy.”
americanoversight.org
September 12, 2026 at 9:34 PM
Anyone who cares about open government should care deeply about this.
Reposted by Ben Werdmuller
This is how it’s done
August 27, 2026 at 5:53 PM
This is how it’s done
Today marks two weeks in California for me. The start of the @jskstanford.bsky.social has cemented for me that this is a gift: something I badly needed, and something I feel very lucky to be a part of. Good things will happen this year. And what lovely people to be in fellowship with.
September 11, 2026 at 10:49 PM
Today marks two weeks in California for me. The start of the @jskstanford.bsky.social has cemented for me that this is a gift: something I badly needed, and something I feel very lucky to be a part of. Good things will happen this year. And what lovely people to be in fellowship with.
“It’s true, we really do earnestly believe that AI could sit on a throne of blood on a mountain of skulls in a castle of pain!”
September 11, 2026 at 3:37 PM
“It’s true, we really do earnestly believe that AI could sit on a throne of blood on a mountain of skulls in a castle of pain!”
My core memory of 9/11 is refreshing the news as every site except the Guardian went down. I was at work when it happened; I remember waiting for the bus home and watching the drivers in every car, really looking at their faces, and wondering what would happen now. What would Bush do?
September 11, 2026 at 1:19 PM
My core memory of 9/11 is refreshing the news as every site except the Guardian went down. I was at work when it happened; I remember waiting for the bus home and watching the drivers in every car, really looking at their faces, and wondering what would happen now. What would Bush do?
This thread is worth considering as we all try and contextualize all these AI doomer stories. It’s religion, because of course it is.
due to personal connections I've been aware of the computer-god theology for longer than most people, and I promise you: it's always weirder than you think
"the AI could launch nukes" is entry level, the real fears are like "the AI could control reality to the subatomic level"
"the AI could launch nukes" is entry level, the real fears are like "the AI could control reality to the subatomic level"
I think normal people have a hard time understanding the elite AI doomers for the same reason they can't comprehend Republicans, Scientologists, MAHA, &c. Normal people don't properly account for the information environment in which individuals in those groups/communities/movements live.
September 11, 2026 at 1:01 PM
This thread is worth considering as we all try and contextualize all these AI doomer stories. It’s religion, because of course it is.
A phone with one fold isn't cool. You know what's cool?
September 11, 2026 at 5:05 AM
A phone with one fold isn't cool. You know what's cool?
Publishers are suing AI vendors, accusing them of theft. But are they giving the creators responsible for building their value a fair deal? werd.io/two-more-new...
Two more newsrooms are suing OpenAI. It's complicated.
Publishers are suing AI vendors, accusing them of theft. But are they giving the creators responsible for building their value a fair deal?
werd.io
September 10, 2026 at 10:44 PM
Publishers are suing AI vendors, accusing them of theft. But are they giving the creators responsible for building their value a fair deal? werd.io/two-more-new...