thanks @danmcd for pointing me to this excellent TechDirt piece from Mike Masnick that sort of captures my thoughts here:

Why Techdirt Is Now A Democracy Blog (Whether We Like It Or Not)

"While political reporters are still doing their view-from-nowhere “Democrats say this, Republicans say that” dance, tech and legal journalists have been watching an unfortunately recognizable plan unfold — a playbook we’re all too familiar with. We’ve seen how technology can be wielded to consolidate power, how institutional guardrails can be circumvented through technical and legal workarounds, and how smoke and mirrors claims about “innovation” can mask old-fashioned power grabs. It’s a playbook we watched Musk perfect at Twitter, and now we’re seeing it deployed on a national scale.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had a few people reach out about our coverage these days. Most have been very supportive of what we’ve been covering (in fact, people have been strongly encouraging us to keep it up), but a few asked questions regarding what Techdirt is focused on these days, and how much we were leaning into covering “politics.”

When the very institutions that made American innovation possible are being systematically dismantled, it’s not a “political” story anymore. It’s a story about whether the environment that enabled all the other stories we cover will continue to exist.

We’ve always covered the intersection of technology, innovation, and policy (27+ years and counting). Sometimes that meant writing about patents or copyright, sometimes about content moderation, sometimes about privacy. But what happens when the fundamental systems that make all of those conversations possible start breaking down? When the people dismantling those systems aren’t even pretending to replace them with something better?

But there’s more to it than that..."

https://www.techdirt.com/2025/03/04/why-techdirt-is-now-a-democracy-blog-whether-we-like-it-or-not/

@briankrebs those who say they don't care about politics are those who benefit from the status quo. It is the height of privilege to "not care”.

Thank you for writing about it, and recognizing that it's all intertwined.

@briankrebs

You've shared that @mmasnick piece on TechDirt already, right?

@briankrebs
Have you seen this

https://youtube.com/shorts/gLmL5BVe1nA?si=lKLUpNR816o6d-1L

@briankrebs This seems to be a common issue on (US) tech blogs nowadays. E.g. https://www.techdirt.com/2025/03/04/why-techdirt-is-now-a-democracy-blog-whether-we-like-it-or-not/

I am really glad you keep writing about the important stuff. And the abolishment of democracy and the rule of law in the USA is very(!) important. Far more so than any analysis of a new ransomeware group somewhere or details of a new wave of malware.

Thank you for your political coverage. Especially because you may reach readers who normally wouldn’t read about this.

@briankrebs 1/2

I used to be as neutral in my career and tech as possible. For years I found it distasteful to discuss politics on LinkedIn, etc and would not do it

When I accepted the role of CIO for a State Elections Board, a requirement was I had to sign an agreement to remain 100% politically neutral to hold the position. It was an easy thing to do as I've never belonged to a party and my personal societal views actually encompass some highly conservative as well as highly liberal beliefs

@briankrebs I've liked reading your stuff for many years (yours and Bruce Schneier's would be the last security blogs I'd give up if I had to). I like it even even more now. Thanks. Persist. Because

That which is unsustainable tends in the end to be unsustained.

@briankrebs

I'm fully on board. Just stay out of sports!

😉

@briankrebs Those people are fools.

I've followed your reporting for maybe a decade now, and it has always been important and valuable and very well written. It continues to be all of those things as you necessarily shift to cover the catastrophic happenings in the US these days.

Thank you.

@briankrebs
@Em0nM4stodon

See, these folks that disdain discussion of politics so vehemently...

ARE THE BIGGEST REASON WE'RE WHERE WE ARE TODAY!!

Their complacence/indifference/ignorance has allowed the current political fiasco to occur.

So, my considered response is, FUCK 'EM!!

🤦‍♀️🤷🫏🤡🖕

@briankrebs Speaking as an platform security specialist: anyone who doesn't understand that what's going on in Washington right now is a security breach has no business calling themselves “cybersecurity” anything.

Keep right on doing what you're doing, you are making my life a lot more livable!

@briankrebs You sound a lot like one of my heroes the late Christopher Hitchens.

When asked why he was always talking about politics and religion, he replied that the Parties of God had left him no choice, if he wanted to live in a modern civilized world.

@briankrebs I'd love the fucking confidence and privilege to demand someone else not focus on politics, let alone myself.

I live in poverty.

Either I get engaged in politics, or I become a criminal.

It's as simple as that

@briankrebs The steam engine was political too.

The printing press was political too.

The way we run the world is always political.