Ben Werdmuller
  • About
  • Book a Call
  • Notable Links
Sign in Subscribe

Ben Werdmuller

Ben Werdmuller

Bluesky is under fire for allowing usernames with racial slurs

A cautionary tale to say the least. The linked PR with slurs removed from a username denylist is rough to see. Real, vulnerable apologies and strong action to correct would go some way, but it might be too late.  #Technology [Link]

17 Jul 2023

Adam Pickets Everything

Adam Conover's activism has been refreshing to see during the writer's strike: not just picketing the studios but educating the public about what a union does and how a strike works at the same time. It's also fun to hear about other entertainers I

17 Jul 2023

The whitening of social media

“To watch the doors that have been opened to so many start to close because of racism in particular is a slap in the face, especially when so many white allies don’t seem to grasp the quieter sides of racism. Racism isn’t always overt and loud. Sometimes it

17 Jul 2023

Life before cellphones: The barely believable after-work activities of young people in 2002

It's probably not too controversial to say that ubiquitous internet has hurt everyone's work-life balance. To see what should be normal life reflected in a "remember when ..." nostalgia piece is jarring. I remember this world!  #Labor [Link]

17 Jul 2023

The opposition to Starmer has to begin now

I'm homesick like crazy, but between the Conservatives and the unabashed Thatcherism of supposed opposition leader Keir Starmer, British politics look pretty bleak. The plan outlined here is one (long-shot) path forward.  #Democracy [Link]

17 Jul 2023

Schools Usually Call Moms

Disappointing but unsurprising data around gender inequality in parenting. I find the fact that schools are more likely to call mothers infuriating, to the point that I've experimented with creating a virtual call center number for both parents to share. #Society [Link]

17 Jul 2023

Twitter Is Dying. Is it Time for News Subscriptions to Follow?

Paywalls are not it - for the news business or for society. I personally think there’s a lot of mileage to be gained from patronage models, which have worked very well for both non-profit and commercial newsrooms - if their journalism really does provide a strong public service. #Media

15 Jul 2023

Readme.Txt: A Memoir, by Chelsea Manning

A vivid, clear-eyed account of a series of lived experiences that nobody should have had to endure. As well as the story of her leaks and their aftermath, Chelsea discusses what it’s like to work in military intelligence in fascinating detail. This memoir is one of those historical documents

14 Jul 2023

Connecting Europe by train: 10 EU pilot services to boost cross-border rail

Europe knows what's up. I wish we could do this in the US - but there are so many obstacles.  #Society [Link]

14 Jul 2023

Hannah

Four decades ago, I was introduced to my sister. She remains the person I most look up to; although she’s technically younger than me, she’s who I want to be when I grow up. A remarkable human being who is a real point of light, not just in

14 Jul 2023

This women-led philanthropy is redirecting climate funding

Directing funding from self-interested billionaire philanthropy to grassroots environmental justice organizations is wonderful to see. They're so much more likely to actually have an impact that will matter. And they need so much more support.  #Climate [Link]

14 Jul 2023

Making it easier to build on the fediverse

I’ve been thinking about how to make it easier to build on the fediverse. Here’s a pitch for an idea I’ve been thinking a lot about: This API service allows anyone to spin up a fediverse back-end with its own custom domain, accessible via a RESTful API

14 Jul 2023
See all
Ben Werdmuller
Mastodon
Bluesky
Threads

Subscribe to new posts

Werd I/O explores the intersection of technology, democracy, and society. It's independently published by Ben Werdmuller, reader-supported, and always free to read.