Commentary on links that caught my attention around the web.
AI
"When such power is concentrated in the hands of a few, it tends to become opaque and evade public oversight, [giving] rise to new dependencies, exclusions, manipulations and inequalities."
AI
For years, people have tried hard to get websites to build accessibility affordances. Now developers are willingly building them for AI.
AI
It appears that the winner of a short story prize was generated with AI. But how was it selected?
Education
Every day for 25 years, Stephen Downes has written about edtech, informing an entire industry.
Notable links
What happens after the feed? And how can publishers remain independent?
Business
One year of consistent posts is nothing to sneeze at. But when each one is genuinely useful, actionable, and insightful, that's another level of achievement.
Media
"What comes next, after the algorithmic social feed that’s defined our digital social lives for the last decade?" I believe this very useful presentation will be referred back to for years to come.
Technology
"When you all give us your hard-earned money, we feel a deep responsibility to use it as well, and as efficiently, as possible." A responsibility A New Social lives up to in spades.
Media
"Substack faced talent drain in 2024 linked to its platforming of Nazi newsletters, but now it’s not just the platform’s stance on hate speech that’s driving away creators."
Media
"If there were a dictator of the internet who intentionally set out to destroy your ability to get accurate information, the result would look a lot like what’s already on your screen. But why?"
Technology
WordPress is the most popular publishing platform in the world. It wants you to publish and be heard - and that means supporting conversation.
Technology
It's "the biggest student data privacy disaster in history" - even though the core platform is open source.