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jwz wrote:

Compliance in advance is always the best strategy. Word of advice, maybe also try to be more masculine. See if you can combine that with obsequiousness!

NetBlocks: TikTok has deactivated its own service in the US [...] there are no indications of widespread network level restrictions imposed by internet providers at the present time.

Pictured to the right: TikTok itself as a self-portrait...
https://jwz.org/b/ykgj

Attachments:

• Screenshot

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Biden Administration Quietly Carves TikTok Ban Loophole for Itself, Leaked Document Shows:

"According to the document, the Biden administration has quietly exempted these personnel from the ban “regardless of any potential failure of TikTok to be divested of its foreign PRC [People’s Republic of China] ownership.”"

lol. https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/biden-administration-quietly-carves

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Here's the TikTok video from back in March where I talk about how #Meta could buy #TikTok.

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Could Meta buy TikTok?

Back in March of 2024, I speculated that Meta could buy TikTok with minimal outcry from the general public and without the US government threatening to leverage anti-trust against them.

In such a scenario, a smaller company would buy the Tiktok “brand” and front end. Meta would then have exclusive rights to provide the cloud infrastructure.

On paper, it would look like the smaller company owns ... https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2025/01/18/could-meta-buy-tiktok-back.html

jwz wrote:

Reading List.

After all these years, I am still baffled at how terrible Apple is at syncing. Truly, it is shocking. How are they so bad at this? I have 3 Apple devices right next to each other and the chance that all three of them will have the same...
https://jwz.org/b/ykgh

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• Screenshot

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

TikTok goes dark in the US - POLITICO:

"The possibility of a TikTok return will now lie with Trump, who has promised to broker a deal to save the app and is considering granting it a 90-day extension."

Something tells me Meta is lurking in the shadows. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/18/tiktok-shutdown-before-us-ban-00199167

Reblogged by jwz:

netblocks ("NetBlocks") wrote:

ℹ Note: Social media platform TikTok has deactivated its own service in the US after a ruling by the Supreme Court on Friday upholding a nationwide ban; there are no indications of widespread network level restrictions imposed by internet providers at the present time #TikTokBan

Attachments:

• Screenshot of the TikTok social media platform showing a message that reads 'Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!' with two options to 'Learn more' and Close app underneath

fribbledom ("muesli") wrote:

Can't wait for the next firmware upgrade 🤣

Attachments:

• 5d31f7041b61ab30.png

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2025/01/18/perplexity-ai-submits-bid-to.html

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Perplexity AI submits bid to merge with TikTok | TechCrunch:

"The source also confirmed other details about the bid — that it would create a new entity combining Perplexity, TikTok US, and new equity partners"

Perplexity AI is backed by Jeff Bezos with investments from chief AI scientist for Meta, Yann LeCun. https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/18/perplexity-ai-submits-bid-to-merge-with-tiktok/

Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):

antlerboy ("Benjamin P. Taylor") wrote:

Revealed: Conservative government spent £134m on never-used IT systems for failed Rwanda scheme https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/18/revealed-conservatives-spent-134m-on-never-used-it-systems-for-failed-rwanda-scheme

Racial abuse, physical assaults and no beds: asylum seekers tell of brutal conditions at Manston migrant centre https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/23/racial-abuse-physical-assaults-and-no-beds-asylum-seekers-tell-of-brutal-conditions-at-manston-migrant-centre

Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):

TheSpaceshipper@socel.net ("The Spaceshipper 🚀") wrote:

John Carpenter's Dark Star was released 50 years ago yesterday!

"In the far reaches of space, a small crew, 20 years into their solitary mission, find things beginning to go hilariously wrong."

Attachments:

• Dark Star poster (remote)

Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):

DrOinFLA@lounge.town ("OhSnap!Dragon") wrote:

It's sad.
My students know how to put their laptops / tablets in "Dark Mode", and can use generative AI to write their papers for them, but they are incapable of saving a file to their device in a specific location (such as a folder). They also can't use Microsoft Word or Word for Mac, because they do all word processing in Google Docs (which is completely unsafe, unsecure, and insane, IMO).

fribbledom ("muesli") wrote:

...and less than 24 hours later, the BambuConnect app has been de-obfuscated, including Bambu's private key to sign HTTP requests.

https://hastebin.skyra.pw/pufugimoye.js

So much for their laughable security claims.

jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:

I have built this storyteller service to be relentlessly positive and cheerful. I am just not in the mood for that right now.

Attachments:

• a33adc85817df909.jpeg (remote)

Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):

K3n_5s@infosec.exchange ("Ken N. ⏩Def Con🌻") wrote:

@jerry Who doesn't enjoy spending their evenings warming their hands by the firewall?

Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):

kamalladreams.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gy ("KamallaDreams") wrote:

Anti-Trump demonstrators rallying near the Lincoln Memorial, surrounding the frozen reflecting pool. We need you here. This is wht trump refuses to hold his inauguration in the open air

Attachments:

• 0fe03c26619d9817.mp4 (remote)

Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):

publicnewsfeed ("PublicNews.world Feed") wrote:

Thousands gather in Washington to protest Trump inauguration

Thousands people gather in Washington to protest President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/thousands-gather-in-washington-to-protest-trump-inauguration/

#UnitedStates #UnitedStatesNews #Washington #UnitedStates #News

jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:

Today in History: X-ray machine exhibited for first time, 1896

Reblogged by jwz:

theogrin@chaosfem.tw ("Jennifer Kayla | Theogrin 🦊") wrote:

@amyedge @GottaLaff @WarnerCrocker

There is a certain governmental document from the CIA making the rounds, circa 1944. I'm certain that if more attention is drawn to it, it'll be removed from the website, so I can only suggest everyone save a copy.

https://www.cia.gov/static/5c875f3ec660e092cf893f60b4a288df/SimpleSabotage.pdf

Reblogged by isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:"):

yogthos@social.marxist.network ("Yogthos") wrote:

A giant Soviet telescope looks like a remnant of an older and more advanced civilization.

Its history matches this impression. The Kalyazin RT-64 radio telescope was developed to support communications with robotic missions to Venus and Mars and to prepare for possible manned expeditions to these planets.

The telescope is located near the city of Kalyazin, and still in operation today. Its scientific tasks include deep space communications and astrophysical research.

Attachments:

• picture of a giant radar dish behind a church (remote)
• picture of a giant radar dish behind a forest (remote)

jwz wrote:

The Cringeocracy.

I knew one day I'd have to watch powerful men burn the world down -- I just didn't expect them to be such losers. I knew that one day we might have to watch as capitalism and greed and bigotry led to a world where powerful men,...
https://jwz.org/b/ykgf

Attachments:

• Screenshot

Reblogged by jwz:

tef wrote:

*casually walking up to a monk on fire* you know that's carcenogenic right

Reblogged by jwz:

waltwooton@spartanburg.social ("Walt Wooton") wrote:

#Journalists saw SpaceX's Starship explode with their own eyes, but many of their stories reported that it had "failed, "was damaged,"" or was "lost." SpaceX, of course, called it a "rapid unscheduled disassembly ." Now that the FAA has grounded it, they all are willing to use the "ex" word. Attributions are not needed for things you see. The Sun rose in the east this morning. Fascists are preparing to take over the American government. Now, more than ever, we need #reporting, not #stenography.

Attachments:

• A shower of rocket debris streaks across the sky near the Turks and Caicos Islands. Image from http://room.eu.com. (remote)

Reblogged by jwz:

intransitivelie@beige.party ("Trivial Einstein") wrote:

If Area 51 were real and presidents were told about it, Trump would have tweeted about it during his first term in an attempt to own the libs. Or because he was trying to sell Trump-branded alien meat.

Basically, Occam's Razor pretty much rules out most massive government conspiracies that don't target minorities, but having had four years of Trump, we can say that if any government conspiracy exists it must not be automatically known to the office of the presidency because that dipshit would have just tweeted it out there.

Reblogged by jwz:

sundogplanets ("Prof. Sam Lawler") wrote:

Well, super rude email from an elon bro in my work email inbox, so I guess that interview must be published somewhere

Oh here it is! Yup, I totally stand by the quote the author picked for me. https://www.thestar.com/news/world/united-states/spacex-s-starship-rocket-exploded-again-elon-musk-called-it-entertainment-but-should-we-be/article_89e9d122-d513-11ef-bd3b-db191f8a4e87.html

Reblogged by jwz:

mattblaze@federate.social ("Matt Blaze") wrote:

@sundogplanets "Can't make an omelette without raining dangerous debris down on earth" as the saying goes.

Reblogged by jwz:

pixelfed wrote:

Open Letter to Mark Zuckerberg

Attachments:

• Dear Mark, I hope this finds you well. I noticed something interesting today - it seems Instagram is blocking links to my little open-source project. You know, the one that lets people share photos without harvesting their personal data or forcing algorithmic feeds on them. I have to admit, I'm flattered. Who would've thought a small team of volunteers could build something that would catch your attention? We're just trying to give people a choice in how they share their memories online. No VCs, no surveillance capitalism, just code and community. Remember when Facebook started? It was about connecting people, not maximizing engagement metrics. Our project might be tiny compared to Instagram, but we're staying true to that original spirit of social media - giving people control over their online presence without turning them into products. You could've ignored us. Instead, by blocking our links, you've given us the best endorsement we could ask for. You've confirmed what we've been saying all along - that big tech is more interested in protecting their walled gardens than fostering genuine innovation. Every time you block a link to our platform, you remind people why we built it in the first place. Your action tells them there are alternatives worth exploring, ones that respect their privacy and agency. So thank you, Mark. You've turned our little project into a symbol of resistance against digital monopolies.

Reblogged by slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell"):

mathowie@xoxo.zone ("Matthew Haughey") wrote:

just heard from someone in marketing at a crypto company that since last week's "new commitment to free speech" at Facebook, suddenly all the limitations on crypto advertising at Facebook are totally gone. It's totally free rein now.

Congrats, zuck, now we're at the dawn of a new age of scams. Be sure to tell your parents not to fall for any of them, even when Matt Damon says they should convert their retirement to bitcoin.

fribbledom ("muesli") wrote:

... it ain't no lie, Bambu bye-bye-bye!