Pluralistic: Rage Against the (Algorithmic Management) Machine (25 Sep 2025)

Today's links

Rage Against the (Algorithmic Management) Machine: What unions could (must!) do about app-based work.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Dieselgate for everything; Roca Labs stops gagging, Adventures of a Dwergish Girl; the Batmobile is a copyrighted character.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

The billionaires aren't OK: They're going to give us all Howard Hughes disease.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: KY Republican says the First Amendment protects bribes; Walt Disney's FBI; "The Sapling Cage."
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

The enshittification of solar (and how to stop it): Red-teaming the fossil fuel death cult's next move.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Contrastive reduplication; Happy Birthday is free; What the fuck is a PBM?
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

It's still censorship (even if it doesn't violate the First Amendment): Communications monopolies create single points of failure.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Good emails; Dieselgate DRM; Precursor; London cops mug blogger; RFID crackers; DeGrasse Tyson and Snowden.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

AI psychosis and the warped mirror: When you stare into the LLM…
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: No such thing as shareholder supremacy; Intel's DRM'ed CPU; THIS COMPUTER IS NEVER OBSOLETE.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Conspiratorialism's causal chain: A four-part begat.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Legal threats over HDCP leaks; Print your own TSA luggage keys; "A Natural History of Empty Lots."
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

No such thing as selective censorship resistance: Age verification, or getting rid of Big Tech (pick one).
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Ashley Madison passwords; Vivienne Westwood's tank; Victorious dancing baby; WIPO vs Creative Commons; Leap Manifesto; Tivo no-save; Blu-Ray cracked; MEC sold to private equity; Step Aside, Pops!
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Wallet voting: On the uses and abuses of consumerism.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Microsoft copyright crackdown against Russian dissidents; Corbyn wins Labour leadership; Bill Gates' monopolism; TiVo won't record DRM shows; HDCP leaks; Puking sink; Mr Gotcha v covid.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Reverse centaurs are the answer to the AI paradox: Not what the machine does, but who it does it to.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Themepunks; Data is a liability; Alexa for landlords; Qanon is the Protocols of the Elders of Zio.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Hate the player AND the game: But above all, hate the crooked ump.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Library Tor nodes vs the DHS; Egg-board psyops; Fury Road amputation cosplay; NYPD's dirtiest cop.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.