Ben Werdmuller
benwerd@nos.social
npub183ng...4n09
I lead technology at ProPublica and write speculative fiction. This is a personal account.
Every day, I write about tech, democracy, and society at https://werd.io.
More about me: https://about.werd.io
Google Broke Its Promise to Me. Now ICE Has My Data. 
Ben Werdmuller
Google Broke Its Promise to Me. Now ICE Has My Data.
"Google had already disclosed my data without telling me. There was no opportunity to contest it."
You Own Your Role, We Own The Outcome
Ben Werdmuller
You Own Your Role, We Own The Outcome
"A mantra to clarify ownership while reinforcing shared responsibility." I agree with every word.
FBI Extracts Suspect’s Deleted Signal Messages Saved in iPhone Notification Database
Ben Werdmuller
FBI Extracts Suspect’s Deleted Signal Messages Saved in iPhone Notification Database
An innocuous iPhone notifications setting could put your Signal contacts at risk.
One size fits none: let communities build for themselves 
Ben Werdmuller
One size fits none: let communities build for themselves
How open protocols and agentic development could lead to a whole new generation of social applications.
When the President threatens to commit a genocide
Ben Werdmuller
When the President threatens to commit a genocide
This cannot continue.
"Cognitive surrender" leads AI users to abandon logical thinking, research finds
Ben Werdmuller
"Cognitive surrender" leads AI users to abandon logical thinking, research finds
"Experiments show large majorities uncritically accepting “faulty” AI answers." Increasingly, incentive structures are asking them to.
Notable links: April 3, 2026 
Ben Werdmuller
Notable links: April 3, 2026
A dystopian week, with a glimmer of hope: alternatives are available.
The open web isn't dying. We're killing it
Ben Werdmuller
The open web isn't dying. We're killing it
Julien Genestoux thinks the open web needs netizens. I agree – and in 2026, that's indistinguishable from citizenry.
An AI company set out to fix news deserts. Instead, it copied local journalists’ work
Ben Werdmuller
An AI company set out to fix news deserts. Instead, it copied local journalists’ work
"Nota shut down its news sites after Axios and Poynter found dozens of plagiarized quotes, phrases and photos."
Surf demonstrates the power of the open social web 
Ben Werdmuller
Surf demonstrates the power of the open social web
Flipboard's browser for the open social web is out for web users today.
What Digital Isolation and Censorship Evasion Look Like In Wartime Iran
Ben Werdmuller
What Digital Isolation and Censorship Evasion Look Like In Wartime Iran
"Four weeks into the war, Iran is plummeting toward total digital isolation with its internet blocked and communications heavily restricted and mon...
The Right Is Using AI Content Scanners to Try to Supercharge Book Banning
Ben Werdmuller
The Right Is Using AI Content Scanners to Try to Supercharge Book Banning
"Groups that challenge books have begun using Gemini, ChatGPT, xAI, and other AI tools to try to get books banned." The point is to create a chilli...
An alternate history of social media 
Ben Werdmuller
An alternate history of social media
I joined Rabble on the Revolution.Social podcast.
Building trust in the open at ONA 2026 
Ben Werdmuller
Building trust in the open at ONA 2026
A new white paper about building open communities for news.
Bluesky leans into AI with Attie, an app for building custom feeds
Ben Werdmuller
Bluesky leans into AI with Attie, an app for building custom feeds
Bluesky's new service isn't about AI; it's about accessibility.