pluralistic-net

Cryptocurrency's "not your keys, not your wallet" ethos leaves holders vulnerable to violent physical attacks and irreversible theft, while public ledgers make de-anonymization easier over time. Unlike cryptography, which supports privacy and political organizing, crypto replaces regulated banks with unregulated platforms, creating extreme personal danger without traditional protections.

Doctorow argues that AI investment is fueled by a billionaire fantasy of a world without people—workers, migrants, artists, and friends—who resist serving their priorities. This solipsistic drive aims to replace humans with obedient chatbots and agents, reducing the rest of humanity to a surplus "unnecessariat" dependent on automation owners.

Unlike the early web, which workers eagerly adopted and forced onto bosses, today's AI requires bosses to force usage onto reluctant workers and young people. Doctorow argues AI has "dogshit unit economics," becoming less profitable per user, the opposite of the web's trajectory.

Ad-tech companies lie to users and advertisers alike, defrauding both. Examples include carmakers falsely claiming genetic or sexual data, and Cox Media's debunked "Active Listening" product. The article argues that even paying customers are still treated as the product in the surveillance industry.

Doctorow argues that "voting with your wallet" is not real politics, as individual consumption choices favor the wealthy and cannot drive systemic change. He contrasts shopping with effective boycotts like the Montgomery bus boycott, which succeeded through organized solidarity, not isolated purchases. Politics requires collective action and community, while shopping alone undermines those bonds.

Cory Doctorow argues that "age verification" online does not truly exist and only amounts to attributing all internet traffic to identified persons, creating massive privacy and security risks. He warns that such policies are easily bypassed by kids using VPNs, leading lawmakers to then propose bans on VPNs—a predictable escalation he says experts warned about from the start.

Cory Doctorow argues America's power is not the same as durability, and Trump's second term has caused a rapid collapse of US global influence. The US tech industry's dominance relied on American hegemony, now crumbling due to tariffs and de-dollarization. A post-American internet is emerging as countries reject US tech demands.

Polling shows over 80% of Americans support age limits for Congress, and strong bipartisan majorities back term and age limits for the presidency and Supreme Court. The piece argues that incumbency and seniority systems allow unfit politicians to cling to power, making hard limits necessary to end permanent gerontocracy.

Cory Doctorow launches a Kickstarter for his book "The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI," arguing the AI bubble is a pump-and-dump scheme whose key question is who the technology serves. He offers DRM-free audiobooks, ebooks and print copies, since Amazon's Audible refuses to carry his work without restrictive digital rights management.

Doctorow argues the ruling class is drawn to AI due to solipsism: powerful people see others as statistical artifacts. He links projects like DOGE to the fantasy of replacing bureaucrats and workers with chatbots, ignoring that statecraft involves irreducible political trade-offs no AI can solve.

Doctorow applies Donella Meadows' systems thinking to argue fascists succeed by shifting the paradigm to distrust of self-rule. Countering them requires the opposite paradigm shift: convincing everyone they are capable of self-governance and that no authority should be unchecked.

Cory Doctorow critiques the 2024 Democratic campaign strategy of promising nothing would fundamentally change, arguing this alienated voters and helped Trump win. He contends bold, tangible proposals are needed to mobilize millions, not just opposition to Trumpism.

Trump cannot fix the cost-of-living crisis without angering the oligarchs who back him. His administration settled the Agri Stats antitrust case in a way that lets the price-fixing consultancy profit further. Democratic state AGs could still block the deal under the Tunney Act.

Cory Doctorow reviews Lee Lai's graphic novel "Cannon," about a queer Chinese-Canadian chef in Montreal struggling with a toxic boss, ailing grandfather, and fracturing friendships. Doctorow praises the book's subtle storytelling and virtuosic use of the graphic novel form.

Cory Doctorow argues that while the AI bubble will leave behind useful residue (GPUs, data centers, skilled workers), bubbles are fundamentally harmful because they transfer wealth from ordinary savers to fraudsters. With 35% of the S&P 500 tied to AI firms, the bubble's pop could wipe out millions of retirement savings.

Cory Doctorow argues that capitalists hate true capitalism, preferring monopolies and binding arbitration to eliminate risk and choice. He highlights conservative lawyer Ashley Keller, who uses mass arbitration to fight corporate fraud, likening such lawyers to vultures that clean up junk fees and wage theft.

An international anti-Trump coalition is forming among three groups: digital rights activists, investors eyeing Big Tech's profits, and national security hawks. Together they are building a post-American internet and world, united against Trump's policies despite deep internal disagreements.

Doctorow argues Trump's Iran war is accelerating "demand destruction"—permanent shifts from fossil fuels to renewables. The world is rapidly transitioning to clean energy, driven by climate activists, economic actors, and national security hawks. Despite Trump's fossil fuel push, coal fell below a third of global energy in 2025 as solar and wind overtook it.

Cory Doctorow proposes a Democratic "Nuremberg Caucus" to prepare indictments against Trump officials, unwind corrupt mergers, pack the Supreme Court, and offer bounties for ICE whistleblowers, aiming to energize voters by promising real accountability after Trump leaves office.

Maryland's new anti-surveillance pricing bill is heavily criticized as full of loopholes: it only covers groceries, allows "consent" waivers, exempts loyalty cards and subscriptions, and bars private lawsuits. Critics say the law was weakened by lobbyists and may reduce existing consumer protections.

Vicky Osterweil's "The Extended Universe" argues that Disney killed movies and took over the world, using reviews of a dozen Disney films to show how the company promotes capitalism, American imperialism, and intellectual property ideology.

Cory Doctorow expands the concept of "enshittification" beyond digital platforms, defining it as a deliberate strategy to reduce others' choices and exploit lock-in for personal gain. He applies this framework to labor laws, marriage, politics, and AI. Doctorow also argues that high switching costs, market concentration, and regulatory capture are key preconditions for enshittification.

Ada Palmer's "Inventing the Renaissance" is a historiography examining how the idea of the Renaissance has been shaped over centuries. It blends her historical expertise with a live-action role-playing game that teaches students about historical forces and human agency, and connects Renaissance censorship to modern free speech debates.

Cory Doctorow released the "enshittification poop emoji" logo under a Creative Commons license, allowing free use for any purpose. The design is available on Wikimedia Commons, Flickr, and the Internet Archive, with official EFF merch proceeds supporting the organization.

Malus.sh uses AI to reimplement open-source code as "legally distinct" software, waiving copyleft and attribution. But AI-generated code isn't copyrightable, landing it in the public domain — not corporate-friendly proprietary software. The author argues the real threat to software commons is existing practices like SaaS and tivoization, not AI reimplementation.

Gig-work nursing platforms evade healthcare staffing regulations by claiming to be "healthcare worker platforms" rather than staffing agencies. These apps use algorithmic management to lower wages, surveil workers, and impose fees that would be illegal for traditional agencies.

Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff's book "Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed" analyzes the ideology surrounding Elon Musk. The authors trace Muskism's roots to apartheid-era South Africa and techno-libertarianism, arguing it seeks to colonize the state for private benefit rather than dismantle it entirely.

The article examines how Trump's policies have inadvertently accelerated global clean energy adoption and technology sovereignty. Examples include Pakistan's rapid solarization from US solar tariffs and countries abandoning US tech platforms after Trump weaponized them against foreign governments.

The article discusses "process knowledge" - the practical expertise workers develop through experience - arguing it's more valuable than intellectual property but often undervalued by management. Examples include a dishwasher's operational insights and a receptionist's workflow knowledge, showing how this collective expertise cannot be bought or controlled like IP.

Cindy Cohn's memoir "Privacy's Defender" chronicles her decades-long career at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, including her pivotal role in the Bernstein case that established code as protected speech. The book details her legal battles for digital rights, privacy protections, and human rights work from encryption fights to post-9/11 surveillance challenges.