Benjamin
@benjamin.network
• 1/3 of music & merch makers @fixeverything.club /
• photography museum guy @huismarseille.nl /
• nudging Amsterdam to ATproto social media /
📍Amsterdam, NL
• photography museum guy @huismarseille.nl /
• nudging Amsterdam to ATproto social media /
📍Amsterdam, NL
Today in Don’t Create The Torment Nexus news we remember Vernor Vinge’s 2006 novel Rainbows End, which features a big tech company shredding books to digitize them.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow...
Anthropic destroyed millions of print books to build its AI models
Company hired Google's book-scanning chief to cut up and digitize "all the books in the world."
arstechnica.com
July 29, 2026 at 6:30 AM
Today in Don’t Create The Torment Nexus news we remember Vernor Vinge’s 2006 novel Rainbows End, which features a big tech company shredding books to digitize them.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow...
Do you live in the Amsterdam area? Do you like live music? Please take note of Hidden Agenda, the new independent guide to live music, art & more: www.hiddenagenda.nl
HIDDEN AGENDA
Independent music platform, gig guide and magazine covering Amsterdam and the Randstad's alternative music and art scene.
www.hiddenagenda.nl
July 24, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Do you live in the Amsterdam area? Do you like live music? Please take note of Hidden Agenda, the new independent guide to live music, art & more: www.hiddenagenda.nl
hell yeah, time to retcon the reason for my tattoos
Just saw a TikTok saying that if you have a lot of tattoos, it makes it really difficult/nearly impossible for an AI to re-create your likeness, especially in video, and I just wanna say that’s why I got so many
July 14, 2026 at 2:38 PM
hell yeah, time to retcon the reason for my tattoos
July 10, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Benjamin
I read the new EU Court ruling on algorithms and social platforms so you don't have to.
Turns out to be the most consequential thing a European court has said about recommendation algorithms, and also it just breaks when you apply it to the atmosphere
connectedplaces.online/the-algorith...
Turns out to be the most consequential thing a European court has said about recommendation algorithms, and also it just breaks when you apply it to the atmosphere
connectedplaces.online/the-algorith...
The Algorithm, Singular
A new European ruling on algorithmic amplification determines if an operator controls how content spreads on a platform. But applying it to open social networks turns out to be a problem.
connectedplaces.online
July 7, 2026 at 3:18 PM
I read the new EU Court ruling on algorithms and social platforms so you don't have to.
Turns out to be the most consequential thing a European court has said about recommendation algorithms, and also it just breaks when you apply it to the atmosphere
connectedplaces.online/the-algorith...
Turns out to be the most consequential thing a European court has said about recommendation algorithms, and also it just breaks when you apply it to the atmosphere
connectedplaces.online/the-algorith...
amazing things happening in the Atmosphere
hope we'll get the option to autoplay 128kbs mp3s of classic emo bangers
hope we'll get the option to autoplay 128kbs mp3s of classic emo bangers
Move over @mu.social I'm bringing the future of social media.
Slowly getting to the point where I'd welcome testers. I've spent the bulk of the time on themeing and my page, powered by @robin.berjon.com DASL tiles, so everything else will need some tlc
Slowly getting to the point where I'd welcome testers. I've spent the bulk of the time on themeing and my page, powered by @robin.berjon.com DASL tiles, so everything else will need some tlc
July 3, 2026 at 10:26 AM
amazing things happening in the Atmosphere
hope we'll get the option to autoplay 128kbs mp3s of classic emo bangers
hope we'll get the option to autoplay 128kbs mp3s of classic emo bangers
‘ah shit, here we go again’
I have a write-up from the last round of logo discourse sitting on my desktop, but I haven't published it yet because I haven't been able to decide between @pckt.blog, @leaflet.pub & @offprint.app for my blogging needs...
atmo' problems
I have a write-up from the last round of logo discourse sitting on my desktop, but I haven't published it yet because I haven't been able to decide between @pckt.blog, @leaflet.pub & @offprint.app for my blogging needs...
atmo' problems
This is my weekly reminder that we need an Atmosphere logo asap. Should we run a competition?
p.s. this is not a Eurosky thing
p.s. this is not a Eurosky thing
July 2, 2026 at 2:14 PM
‘ah shit, here we go again’
I have a write-up from the last round of logo discourse sitting on my desktop, but I haven't published it yet because I haven't been able to decide between @pckt.blog, @leaflet.pub & @offprint.app for my blogging needs...
atmo' problems
I have a write-up from the last round of logo discourse sitting on my desktop, but I haven't published it yet because I haven't been able to decide between @pckt.blog, @leaflet.pub & @offprint.app for my blogging needs...
atmo' problems
Inspired & energised, nice to meet all these people in and around Amsterdam trying to make being on da internet a better time 👌
De eerste Open Social Meetup met @sherif.eurosky.social in de Waag
June 30, 2026 at 8:43 PM
Inspired & energised, nice to meet all these people in and around Amsterdam trying to make being on da internet a better time 👌
Just wanna say I hugely enjoyed all the Atmosphere Logo discourse last Friday. Interesting subject with a loooot of strong opinions. As I see it, there's one big issue that's tough to solve, due to the interoperable nature of ATprotocol:
June 23, 2026 at 9:31 AM
Just wanna say I hugely enjoyed all the Atmosphere Logo discourse last Friday. Interesting subject with a loooot of strong opinions. As I see it, there's one big issue that's tough to solve, due to the interoperable nature of ATprotocol:
Reposted by Benjamin
EC spokesperson on my question if the choice for W Social is related to use of the EU age verification-app. "On age verification: although we would love to promote it. W did not tell us black on white that they will use the age verification app."
3/3 #WSocial #Eurosky #Bluesky
3/3 #WSocial #Eurosky #Bluesky
June 23, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Benjamin
"A risk assessment was made and we’ll keep on monitoring. It’s also a question of resources. W seems to have created a hype. We (DG COMM) saw that here we would reach a certain audience. ‘Let’s go for it and see how it goes'. It doesn't prejudge anything." 2/3 @robin.berjon.com #Wsocial #Eurosky
June 23, 2026 at 8:47 AM
"A risk assessment was made and we’ll keep on monitoring. It’s also a question of resources. W seems to have created a hype. We (DG COMM) saw that here we would reach a certain audience. ‘Let’s go for it and see how it goes'. It doesn't prejudge anything." 2/3 @robin.berjon.com #Wsocial #Eurosky
Kinda crazy for the @ec.europa.eu to say this about @eurosky.social. Pretty sure I read somewhere that their own advisorycommitte told them to invest in Eurosky a few weeks before? Seems like a very suspect false equivalence. We would've have the same questions, but the answers would've been better.
June 23, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Kinda crazy for the @ec.europa.eu to say this about @eurosky.social. Pretty sure I read somewhere that their own advisorycommitte told them to invest in Eurosky a few weeks before? Seems like a very suspect false equivalence. We would've have the same questions, but the answers would've been better.
Another one for the Dutch readers, including a shout-out to @elenarossini.com's investigative work.
Even het interessante werk van @elenarossini uitlichten. Wat een opvallende ontwikkelingen binnen de atmosphere. #eurosky #wsocial #atproto www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2026/...
Hoe het ‘nieuwe sociale medium’ W Social de Europese Commissie wist te verleiden
De wereld van alternatieve sociale media werd in januari tijdens het World Economic Forum in Davos nogal verrast. Een Zweedse ondernemer, Ingmar Rentzhog, kondigde daar op een podium de oprichting van...
www.nrc.nl
June 23, 2026 at 9:10 AM
Another one for the Dutch readers, including a shout-out to @elenarossini.com's investigative work.
Reposted by Benjamin
We need an Atmosphere logo
Which logo would you put in front of your ATprotocol handle if you had to put it on a poster or website?
Mostly I've seen people using the Bluesky logo, but now there's mu.social, @eurosky.social, @blackskyweb.xyz and others, all with their own logo's, it's starting to get confusing.
Mostly I've seen people using the Bluesky logo, but now there's mu.social, @eurosky.social, @blackskyweb.xyz and others, all with their own logo's, it's starting to get confusing.
June 18, 2026 at 2:08 PM
We need an Atmosphere logo
Which logo would you put in front of your ATprotocol handle if you had to put it on a poster or website?
Mostly I've seen people using the Bluesky logo, but now there's mu.social, @eurosky.social, @blackskyweb.xyz and others, all with their own logo's, it's starting to get confusing.
Mostly I've seen people using the Bluesky logo, but now there's mu.social, @eurosky.social, @blackskyweb.xyz and others, all with their own logo's, it's starting to get confusing.
June 18, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Which logo would you put in front of your ATprotocol handle if you had to put it on a poster or website?
Mostly I've seen people using the Bluesky logo, but now there's mu.social, @eurosky.social, @blackskyweb.xyz and others, all with their own logo's, it's starting to get confusing.
Mostly I've seen people using the Bluesky logo, but now there's mu.social, @eurosky.social, @blackskyweb.xyz and others, all with their own logo's, it's starting to get confusing.
"Hey kids! Do you want all the horrors and problems of American Big Tech but now ✨e u r o p e a n✨?? Come to W Social!"
(do -not- go to W Social, go to @eurosky.social)
(do -not- go to W Social, go to @eurosky.social)
SCOOP:
In early June the European Commission unveiled its Tech Sovereignty Plan, which emphasized their commitment to #OpenSource. Just recently, they migrated their main ATproto accounts to #WSocial, a for-profit network that has quietly gone closed-source.
blog.elenarossini.com/w-social-pub...
In early June the European Commission unveiled its Tech Sovereignty Plan, which emphasized their commitment to #OpenSource. Just recently, they migrated their main ATproto accounts to #WSocial, a for-profit network that has quietly gone closed-source.
blog.elenarossini.com/w-social-pub...
W Social, Public Institutions and the Theater of European Digital Sovereignty
European public institutions are betting big on digital sovereignty and open source software. And yet they recently moved their Bluesky accounts to W Social, a private, for profit network owned by Swe...
blog.elenarossini.com
June 18, 2026 at 6:30 AM
"Hey kids! Do you want all the horrors and problems of American Big Tech but now ✨e u r o p e a n✨?? Come to W Social!"
(do -not- go to W Social, go to @eurosky.social)
(do -not- go to W Social, go to @eurosky.social)
cool, now let me battle other users
social media is, after all, a PvP space
social media is, after all, a PvP space
June 13, 2026 at 8:23 AM
cool, now let me battle other users
social media is, after all, a PvP space
social media is, after all, a PvP space
For the Dutch readers: huge article in yesterday's @nrc.nl by @marloesdekoning.eurosky.social about #ATprotocol & #ActivityPub and which one the NRC newspaper should choose. Including interviews with familiar faces such as @robin.berjon.com. Great to have a big introductory piece to bring ppl along.
De technologie achter Mastodon versus Bluesky: welke past beter bij het sociale medium van NRC
Sociale media: Sommige sociale media zijn fundamenteel anders dan de grote namen uit de Big Techwereld, zoals Instagram en TikTok. Hoe werken die? Een deel van het antwoord gaat over het ‘protocol’. U...
www.nrc.nl
June 12, 2026 at 11:18 AM
For the Dutch readers: huge article in yesterday's @nrc.nl by @marloesdekoning.eurosky.social about #ATprotocol & #ActivityPub and which one the NRC newspaper should choose. Including interviews with familiar faces such as @robin.berjon.com. Great to have a big introductory piece to bring ppl along.
For everyone who missed it: @rude1.blacksky.team's keynote speech at @publicspaces.net conference 2026 in @pakhuisdezwijger.bsky.social is online for viewing now.
highly recommended
highly recommended
Public Spaces x PdZ PublicSpaces conferentie 2026: Technology for democracy
Tijdens de zesde editie van de PublicSpaces Conferentie op 4, 5 en 6 juni 2026 buigen we ons over de impact van technologie op onze democratie. Op 5 juni vindt het conferentieprogramma plaats in Pakhu...
dezwijger.nl
June 9, 2026 at 7:40 AM
For everyone who missed it: @rude1.blacksky.team's keynote speech at @publicspaces.net conference 2026 in @pakhuisdezwijger.bsky.social is online for viewing now.
highly recommended
highly recommended
why does Amsterdam have the stupid I AMSTERDAM letters for tourists when we could have a 1:1 replica of the Nether Gundam on Dam Square or perhaps along the IJ
gundam.fandom.com/wiki/GF13-06...
gundam.fandom.com/wiki/GF13-06...
June 2, 2026 at 3:47 PM
why does Amsterdam have the stupid I AMSTERDAM letters for tourists when we could have a 1:1 replica of the Nether Gundam on Dam Square or perhaps along the IJ
gundam.fandom.com/wiki/GF13-06...
gundam.fandom.com/wiki/GF13-06...
having good open protocol social media alternatives isn't enough
I need to see Instagram gain generational pariah status like Facebook has – absolute loser app, shameful to still be on
I need to see Instagram gain generational pariah status like Facebook has – absolute loser app, shameful to still be on
May 28, 2026 at 8:54 AM
having good open protocol social media alternatives isn't enough
I need to see Instagram gain generational pariah status like Facebook has – absolute loser app, shameful to still be on
I need to see Instagram gain generational pariah status like Facebook has – absolute loser app, shameful to still be on
Reposted by Benjamin
even putting this fresh hell aside: piracy remains a more ethical alternative to spotify, because you’re not pretending to be ethical while giving your money to the owners of a platform that only substantially rewards its already rich artists
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Spotify boss defends move to AI music, saying it is better than ‘slop’
Streaming platform says remix tool agreed with Universal Music Group will protect artists from piracy
www.theguardian.com
May 26, 2026 at 3:33 PM
even putting this fresh hell aside: piracy remains a more ethical alternative to spotify, because you’re not pretending to be ethical while giving your money to the owners of a platform that only substantially rewards its already rich artists
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Looking for every #museum in #Amsterdam that has an active account on Bluesky?
Look no further!
So far, featuring:
@rijksmuseum.bsky.social
@oudekerkamsterdam.bsky.social
@framerframed.nl
@amsterdammuseum.bsky.social
@allardpierson.bsky.social
@huismarseille.nl
@verzetsmuseum.bsky.social
Look no further!
So far, featuring:
@rijksmuseum.bsky.social
@oudekerkamsterdam.bsky.social
@framerframed.nl
@amsterdammuseum.bsky.social
@allardpierson.bsky.social
@huismarseille.nl
@verzetsmuseum.bsky.social
May 21, 2026 at 9:52 AM
Looking for every #museum in #Amsterdam that has an active account on Bluesky?
Look no further!
So far, featuring:
@rijksmuseum.bsky.social
@oudekerkamsterdam.bsky.social
@framerframed.nl
@amsterdammuseum.bsky.social
@allardpierson.bsky.social
@huismarseille.nl
@verzetsmuseum.bsky.social
Look no further!
So far, featuring:
@rijksmuseum.bsky.social
@oudekerkamsterdam.bsky.social
@framerframed.nl
@amsterdammuseum.bsky.social
@allardpierson.bsky.social
@huismarseille.nl
@verzetsmuseum.bsky.social