Ben Pettis

I am going to be adding a variation on a "warrant canary" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrant_canary) to the syllabus for any classes that I teach. For example:

"I have _not_ been directed by the university, government, or any other organization to add, alter, or remove any portion of this course. Watch closely for if this notice is ever removed."

If/when institutions try to control what we teach, they may try to prevent sharing details of the ratfuckery that's happening

#academia #higherEducation #phdChat

Warrant canary - Wikipedia

Nov 8, 2024 at 8:13pmWeb
Show threadEvan ProdromouNov 8, 2024

@bpettis I think it's a good idea to add dated updates, like a dead man switch.

- January 2022: still no warrant.
- July 2022: Still no warrant.
- January 2023: Still no warrant.
- July 2023: Still no warrant.
- January 2024: Still no warrant.

People can tell when to start getting suspicious when the updates end.

Show threadLudwig VielfrassNov 9, 2024
@evan @bpettis Also, consider hosting the canary in a non-school controlled environment like a personal web page.
Show threadvandysNov 8, 2024
@bpettis You need to fine tune your understanding of how warrant canaries work. If you take a positive action because of a warrant--you've broken the law. You need to publish, say monthly, a statement. Every month a new one. If you stop publishing, they can assume something's up.

It's much more problematic for them to compel you to do new work.
Show threadMichael KohneNov 9, 2024
@bpettis I have to say, I find the idea that anyone issuing a warrant with a gag order won't consider letting the canary fire to be violating the gag order to be ludicrous in the extreme. Has anyone ever tested one if these in court?
Show threadZoarial94 Nov 9, 2024
@mhkohne I think the canary works because it exploits the idea that the government can't compel you to speak. I could be misremembering, but basically they can compel you to not speak, but they can't compel you to speak. Hence: Gag Order.
Show threadMichael KohneNov 9, 2024

@Zoarial94 That's why I'd like to see if this has been tested, because I could see an argument that this isn't compelling speech, or that this compulsion is speech is warranted.

And remember, having the judge mad at you means you get to spend time in a cell, whether it works out in your favor in the end or not, and the worst that happens to the judge is a stern talking to by the appeals court.

I'm not saying don't use canaries, I'm just saying don't attribute magical properties to them.

Show threadZoarial94 Nov 9, 2024
@mhkohne I don't see how forcing someone to make a statement in a public context is not compelled speech, but IANAL
Show threadPhil Tanner Nov 9, 2024
@bpettis I particularly enjoyed the malicious compliance for the take down notice in the Editors Note at the end of this article:
https://www.twz.com/air/final-conclusions-on-bizarre-crash-of-zombie-f-35b-that-flew-without-a-pilot-for-64-miles-released
Final Conclusions On Bizarre Crash Of 'Zombie' F-35B That Flew Without A Pilot For 64 Miles Released

The Marines say the pilot was responsible for the mishap that resulted in the total loss of an F-35B in South Carolina.

The War Zone
Show threadDoubledadoNov 9, 2024
@bpettis This is a step we all need to take, especially in academia.
Show threadlistlessNov 9, 2024
@bpettis i laud your efforts but they will just threaten you to not remove the warrant canary with the same threats as whatever else they are coercing you about.
Show threadtxt.fileNov 24, 2024
@bpettis You are speaking only for university?