Latest posts
- Pluralistic: Gerontocracy's failure mode (14 Jul 2026)Jul 14, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Gerontocracy's failure mode: Where are the designated survivors? Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: MSFT v MP3; UK industry v schoolkids; Gary Larson v comics sharing; Planned LED obsolescence; PoGo v Black neighborhoods; Gnarlier trolley problems; Royal Society v cryptographic backdoors; Theresa May v climate change; Google v search; Facebook v facts. Upcomi
- Pluralistic: Why aren't AI companies competing directly with their customers? (13 Jul 2026)Jul 13, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Why aren't AI companies competing directly with their customers? Why sell picks and shovels if you've already struck gold? Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Pro-logging Lorax; Anti-DRM picture book; Whose cops did America train? Day on a Device; Theresa May x Fresh Prince; Ratfucking Corbyn supporters; Infosec v W3C DRM; Remix Public Enemy; Hungary's Cold Wa
- Pluralistic: Workplace "flexibility" isn't (11 Jul 2026)Jul 11, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Workplace "flexibility" isn't: What the gig economy calls flexibility is just risk-shifting. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: "Alanya to Alanya"; ToS are the internet's biggest lie; Soviet jokes; Fox rapists v gag orders; GBAO is the future; "Fun Family"; Sacklers get to keep the loot. Upcoming appearances: London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Melbourne, Brighton, Lo
- Pluralistic: "Rights for robots" and the AI slavery fantasy (10 Jul 2026)Jul 10, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links "Rights for robots" and the AI slavery fantasy: When we were robots in Egypt… Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Awkward questions for the entertainment industry; ISP v record label death penalty; Coming out on Splash Mountain; Negative Swiss bond yields; Are We Having Fun Yet? Upcoming appearances: London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Melbourne, Brighton, London, Sout
- Pluralistic: Post-political (09 Jul 2026)Jul 09, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Post-political: What a "leftist" is. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: MSFT x OSCON; Parental spyware; "Resurrection Man"; Brexit do-over petition; Workplace email spying; Record label internet death penalty; News should be cheap, free and chaotic; "Jughead". Upcoming appearances: London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Melbourne, Brighton, London, South Bend. Recent app
- Pluralistic: How US states and international trustbusters can beat Big Tech (07 Jul 2026)Jul 07, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links How US states and international trustbusters can beat Big Tech: Their common enemies are Trump and his tech giants. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Sex work synonyms; Carthedral; French pirates; Suffragette surveillance; Hidden library apartments; "The Meaning of July the Fourth for the Negro" x James Earl Jones; Farage quits; Peak indifference; Self publi
- Pluralistic: CARDiac, syntax coloring, view source and vibe code (03 Jul 2026)Jul 03, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links CARDiac, syntax coloring, view source and vibe code: With great abstraction comes great power comes great responsibility comes great loss of fidelity. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Real elections v reality TV; Copyright troll loses license; Who gets fed housing subsidies? Trump x forced labor. Upcoming appearances: London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Melbourne, B
- Pluralistic: The difference between "today's task" and "accretive work" (02 Jul 2026)Jul 02, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links The difference between "today's task" and "accretive work": Sometimes, "I got it working" is fine, but sometimes it isn't. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Series of tubes; Paralyzed teen beaten bloody by TSA; "Ultra unreal" Chinese lit; London property prices v Brexit; Biden v surprise billing; "Feeding Ghosts." Upcoming appearances: London, Edinburgh, Syd
- Pluralistic: Technocarcinization (01 Jul 2026)Jul 01, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Technocarcinization: Enshittification is the great leveler. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Grampa's backyard Disneyland; Elizabeth Warren on monopolies; Spotify v Apple (antitrust edn); Exxon lobbyist confesses; "When the Sparrow Falls." Upcoming appearances: London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Melbourne, Brighton, London, South Bend. Recent appearances: Where I'v
- Pluralistic: Jo Walton's "Everybody's Perfect" (30 Jun 2026)Jun 30, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Jo Walton's "Everybody's Perfect": A mystical tour-de-force that makes you feel like your mundane life until this point has all been a boring dream. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Corruption; How much (little) are the AI companies making? Upcoming appearances: London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Melbourne, Brighton, London, South Bend. Recent appearances: Where I'
- Pluralistic: Gemini is better than search because Google enshittified search (29 Jun 2026)Jun 29, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Gemini is better than search because Google enshittified search: We're All Trying To Find The Guy Who Did This. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Microsoft antitrust overturned; Scammer carves C64; RIP Jim Baen; GOP rep to constituent's child: "drop dead" (literally); CCTVs jacked for botnet; Olympic profitability lie; Human factors in health infosec; Exfilt
- Pluralistic: Zuckerberg's increasingly bizarre war on whistleblowers (27 Jun 2026)Jun 27, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Zuckerberg's increasingly bizarre war on whistleblowers: Under no circumstances should you rush out and read the book that prompted Mark Zuckerberg to demand $111m and eternal auctorial silence. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Flame warriors; Cryptography and casinos; TSA v dying 95 year old woman's adult diaper; Neoliberalism and Brexit; Beyond solutionis
- Pluralistic: Jailbreaking isn't theft (25 Jun 2026)Jun 25, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Jailbreaking isn't theft: It wasn't progress when they did it, it's not piracy when we do it back to them. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Major AI breakthrough; Disney v Pooh tombstone; Vancouver riot kiss; Farage admits Brexit lies; Protecting the web from its founders; Sanders x Hillary; Surveillance pricing v your dollars. Upcoming appearances: Philade
- Pluralistic: Spying on kids to save kids from spying is very, very stupid (23 Jun 2026)Jun 23, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Spying on kids to save kids from spying is very, very stupid: First they came for the VPNs. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: RIP Darwin's tortoise; ISPs conspire to create copyright jail; Waxy v fair use; Broken Windows is BS; Google is a machine-learning company; "Writing the Other"; Canadian wealth-tax. Upcoming appearances: Toronto, NYC, Philadelphia, Ch
- Pluralistic: Good politics (22 Jun 2026)Jun 22, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Good politics: Just make people's lives better. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: WWII online; Xbox security blunders; Homeless bloggers; Thermal printer racing game; Robbing a bank to get healthcare in jail; Crumb v Trump; "The Blues Brothers"; Bagelheads; Pickpocket training mannequin; Windmill joke; Singularity skepticism; GPU Dieselgate; Peleton bricks t
- Pluralistic: How the Epstein Class recruits (20 Jun 2026)Jun 20, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links How the Epstein Class recruits: Oh wait, THAT'S what this was?! Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: MPAA blasted in WSJ; RFID skimmers; Post-Soviet inventions; "Farthing"; "Dirty, Drunk and Punk"; Dweb v founders' frailty; Tax cheating made simple; Oregon v corporate medicine. Upcoming appearances: Toronto, NYC, Philadelphia, Chicago, London, Edinburgh, Sydney
- Pluralistic: The Big Con (19 Jun 2026)Jun 19, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links The Big Con: Making the pile of shit bigger won't increase the number of ponies underneath it. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: TVA v SETI@Home; Telemarketers v DHS batphones; Matt Stone's MPAA censorship memo; Stonehenge pocket watch; W3C v security research; Congressional mass-shooting response simulator; Dynastic wealth; Gig economy astroturf; Meta publi
- Pluralistic: AI digital sovereignty risk doesn't exist (18 Jun 2026)Jun 18, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links AI digital sovereignty risk doesn't exist: If 'risk + AI = risk – AI', then 'AI = 0'. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Napster x librarians; Flickr API reciprocity; KFC's Mega Jug v diabetes research; Hambone virtuoso; Google fiber x binding arbitration; "The Immortal Choir Holds Every Voice." Upcoming appearances: LA, Menlo Park, Toronto, NYC, Philadelphia
- Pluralistic: The (real) dead economy theory (17 Jun 2026)Jun 17, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links The (real) dead economy theory: Vibes and memestocks, all the way down. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Jim Baen has had a stroke; Blame Apple for iTunes DRM; France v the internet; "Rotters"; 1901 undersea cables; Washington Post wants Trump coverage blackout; Taxes are for the little people; Gamer lifecycle; Ghanian postal song; "What Lies Beneath the Cl
- Pluralistic: AI and amateurism (15 Jun 2026)Jun 15, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links AI and amateurism: When is generative content vernacular? Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Disney characters x clean underwear; Transparent Pontiac; Makers v dog with LED collar; Microsoft buys Linkedin; Legitimate greatness. Upcoming appearances: LA, Menlo Park, Toronto, NYC, Philadelphia, Chicago, Edinburgh, South Bend. Recent appearances: Where I've been
- Pluralistic: Shareholder supremacy and the precog CEO (13 Jun 2026)Jun 13, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Shareholder supremacy and the precog CEO: A bright line test that's totally unfalsifiable. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Msft v Linux geeks; James Joyce scholars v Joyce estate; iPod sweatshops; Pratchett initiates assisted suicide; Lego-making machine made of Lego; Laid off workers v gag clauses; The ACCESS Act. Upcoming appearances: LA, Menlo Park, Tor
- Pluralistic: Google's new remote attestation scheme is every bit as terrible as its old remote attestation scheme (12 Jun 2026)Jun 12, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Google's new remote attestation scheme is every bit as terrible as its old remote attestation scheme: Not even a QR code can produce a kissable pig. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Arrested at Toronto G20; Rule by rentiers; Wrong about the First Amendment; Mounties x Stingrays; (EU) Privacy without monopoly. Upcoming appearances: LA, Menlo Park, Toronto, N
- Pluralistic: The world has moved on (11 Jun 2026)Jun 11, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links The world has moved on: Notes from the enshittocene. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: "Jpod"; Barlow v Glickman; Cyclist v bike lanes; Judge v copyright trolls; "The Uncertain Places"; Thatcher v Palin; NY v Time Warner; Banks v negative interest rates; Keeping the new web decentralized; "Prisoners' Inventions." Upcoming appearances: LA, Menlo Park, Toronto
- Pluralistic: Naomi Kritzer's "Obstetrix" (09 Jun 2026)Jun 09, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Naomi Kritzer's "Obstetrix": When forced birth cultists become forced obstetrics militants. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: DD-WRT; iTunes DRM is illegal; Fingertip magnet; Sony passwords v Gawker passwords; RIAA recants on 3 strikes; Parachute wedding dress; Roald Dahl (jerk); "Level Up"; The rent's too damned high; RIAA v "Search by artist"; "Robopocalyp
- Pluralistic: Criticizing the everything machine (06 Jun 2026)Jun 06, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Criticizing the everything machine: It slices, it dices, it even makes paperclips! Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Parliament v DRM; Colbert's commencement; Counterfeiting x luxury goods; Joule thief; Lean-back media. Upcoming appearances: Kansas City, LA, Menlo Park, Toronto, NYC, Edinburgh, South Bend. Recent appearances: Where I've been. Latest books: Y
- Pluralistic: Refining humanity (05 Jun 2026)Jun 05, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Refining humanity: What our technology is shows us what we're not. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: GNU Radio; France v "follow us on Twitter"; Aaronsw vindicated; Capitalism's crooked refs. Upcoming appearances: Kansas City, LA, Menlo Park, Toronto, NYC, Edinburgh, South Bend. Recent appearances: Where I've been. Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll kee
- Pluralistic: Delusion as a service (04 Jun 2026)Jun 04, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Delusion as a service: Destructive diagnostics. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Gay Days at Disney World; Parametric 3D printable key; Fine against sculpture for "storing bike on public property"; TPP is a wash; Reagan was Trump; Steampunk roadster; "Every Heart a Doorway"; Shoplifters x Tumblr; Amazon v mass arbitration; Driver-owned Uber alternative; Cen
- Pluralistic: The tedious power of storytelling (02 Jun 2026) must-we-pretendJun 02, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links The tedious power of storytelling: "Excitement" is to art as "falsifiablilty" is to science. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Lost Marx Bros musical; USPTO v Drumpf trademark; 3D scans v copyright; Giving worse internet to people with bad credit ratings; Class action over royalty theft; Trusbusting Prime; Trustbusting Google. Upcoming appearances: London, K
- Pluralistic: Molly Crabapple's 'Here Where We Live Is Our Country' (01 Jun 2026)Jun 01, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Molly Crabapple's 'Here Where We Live Is Our Country': An essential book for this moment and for the moments that led to it. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Home chemistry sets in danger; Every pirate wants to be an admiral; Painful computer workarounds; JPEG patent invalidated; UBS whistleblower v USA (x USA); David Foster Wallace x tennis; Who cares abou
- Pluralistic: Carneyism without Carney (30 May 2026)May 30, 2026Cory Doctorow
Today's links Carneyism without Carney: Eh? Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. Object permanence: Replacing pharma patents with bounties; USTR v cheap leukemia meds; Plutocrats x wealth segregation; Anonymous Analytics; Scott Walker sells off donors; Anonymization v metadata; Probably; Amazon warehouse workers are the future of Amazon coders; Warcraft eggs; Brainwashing school; People who do