#Tag · bonfire.cafe

@TheBreadmonkey@beige.party · 2 weeks ago

Just used Google search for the first time in ages (how bad could it really be) and it said September 2025 hasn't happened yet. 👍

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@TheBreadmonkey

Google gets worse every day.

I guess that's what happens when a company takes investment from #PrinceBonesaw; everyone gets an unwanted state surveillance platform that burns through fossil fuel at prodigious rates.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/google-thiel-stand-out-in-saudi-prince-s-silicon-valley-tour

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/29/saudi-crown-prince-socially-acceptable-war-criminal-enjoys-us-tour-hosted-americas

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-13/google-backs-saudi-ai-fund-as-trump-mbs-tout-new-investments

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/05/13/trump-tech-execs-riyadh/

Describing wasteful energy usage for a loathed product as "opportunity"
https://energydigital.com/news/iea-saudi-googles-ai-problem-this-weeks-top-stories

IEA, Saudi & Google's AI Problem: This Week's Top Stories

This week's top stories include the IEA's new report, Saudi Arabia's AI push, Sundar Pichai's views on AI's energy consumption and nuclear energy robots

Bloomberg.com

Google Backs Saudi AI Fund as Trump, MBS Tout New Investments

Saudi Arabian venture capital firm STV launched a $100 million artificial intelligence fund with backing from Google as part of a package of deals announced during US President Donald Trump’s visit to the kingdom.

Common Dreams

Saudi Crown Prince--'Socially Acceptable War Criminal'--Enjoys US Tour Hosted by America's Elite | Common Dreams

Despite public relations blitz, Saudi monarchy "retains an atrocious human rights record and the situation has only deteriorated since the crown prince was appointed."

Bloomberg.com

Google, Thiel Feature in Saudi Prince's Silicon Valley Tour

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wrapped up a whirlwind tour of technology titans on Friday, part of a three-week U.S. visit focused on economic opportunities to diversify the oil-rich nation.

Dave Lane :flag_tino: 🇳🇿 boosted

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social · 3 weeks ago

@vfrmedia @wdlindsy

Focus on the people funding civil rights rollbacks.

Bradley, Koch, Coors, Scaife Mellon, Seid, Uihlein
https://www.newsweek.com/koch-bros-hide-donations-behind-civil-rights-precedent-477786

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/26/koch-brothers-americans-for-prosperity-rightwing-political-group

https://www.metrojustice.org/7_disturbing_facts_about_the_koch_brothers_relationship_with_race_and_civil_rights

https://www.desmog.com/2024/08/14/project-2025-billionaire-donor-heritage-foundation-donald-trump-jd-vance-charles-koch-peter-coors/

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/leonard-leo-koch-networks-pour-millions-prep-potential-second-trump-ad-rcna144360

https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2022/08/11/koch-network-uses-national-philanthropic-trust-to-conceal-transactions/

https://politicalresearch.org/2021/10/21/sowing-seeds-white-supremacy-through-education

Larry Ellison, Elon Musk, David Sacks, Peter Thiel.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/11/04/chris-buskirk-maga-vance-post-trump/

https://newrepublic.com/article/203337/trump-vance-populism-kleptocracy-oligarch

Putin, #PrinceBonesaw
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-06/saudis-plan-100-billion-ai-powerhouse-to-rival-uae-s-tech-hub

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/saudi-arabia-human-rights-raif-badawi-king-salman

https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/18/politics/video/donald-trump-saudia-arabia-human-rights-crown-prince-journalist-9-11-al-queda-jihadi-jake-tapper-reports-lead

Political Research Associates

Sowing the Seeds of White Supremacy Through Education

School board meetings across the country have seen an influx of parents and community members over the last few months, many there to fight Critical Race Theory (CRT)—something that the majority of primary and secondary schools don’t teach, and a term many Americans hadn’t even heard of until recently.

DeSmog

6 Billionaire Fortunes Bankrolling Project 2025

More than $120 million from a few ultra-wealthy families who have spent years working to promote climate change denial has powered the Heritage Foundation and other groups that created the plan to remake American government.

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social · 3 weeks ago

@vfrmedia @wdlindsy

Focus on the people funding civil rights rollbacks.

Bradley, Koch, Coors, Scaife Mellon, Seid, Uihlein
https://www.newsweek.com/koch-bros-hide-donations-behind-civil-rights-precedent-477786

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/26/koch-brothers-americans-for-prosperity-rightwing-political-group

https://www.metrojustice.org/7_disturbing_facts_about_the_koch_brothers_relationship_with_race_and_civil_rights

https://www.desmog.com/2024/08/14/project-2025-billionaire-donor-heritage-foundation-donald-trump-jd-vance-charles-koch-peter-coors/

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/leonard-leo-koch-networks-pour-millions-prep-potential-second-trump-ad-rcna144360

https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2022/08/11/koch-network-uses-national-philanthropic-trust-to-conceal-transactions/

https://politicalresearch.org/2021/10/21/sowing-seeds-white-supremacy-through-education

Larry Ellison, Elon Musk, David Sacks, Peter Thiel.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/11/04/chris-buskirk-maga-vance-post-trump/

https://newrepublic.com/article/203337/trump-vance-populism-kleptocracy-oligarch

Putin, #PrinceBonesaw
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-06/saudis-plan-100-billion-ai-powerhouse-to-rival-uae-s-tech-hub

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/saudi-arabia-human-rights-raif-badawi-king-salman

https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/18/politics/video/donald-trump-saudia-arabia-human-rights-crown-prince-journalist-9-11-al-queda-jihadi-jake-tapper-reports-lead

Political Research Associates

Sowing the Seeds of White Supremacy Through Education

DeSmog

6 Billionaire Fortunes Bankrolling Project 2025

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social · last month

@gemlog @brewsterkahle @bougiewonderland @electricarchaeo

There's an added advantage.

Trump's fascist movement has the funding of the richest people in the world, not just Putin & #PrinceBonesaw.

Project 2025 is funded by six main dynasties.

Bradley, Koch, Coors, Scaife Mellon, Seid and Uihlein.

The boycott of American alcohol distillery & distribution hits a GOP megadonor like Coors especially hard, just like #TeslaTakedown .

Boycott all GOP donors.

https://coloradonewsline.com/2024/07/25/project-2025-joe-coors/

Alex Akselrod boosted

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social · last month

@GossiTheDog

#TranslatedFromTheRepublican

"How to turn every Windows 11 machine into a zombie botnet or surveillance platform in one easy step."

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-google-hand-dissident-data-to-saudi-arabia-activists-say-2023-7

Does anyone remember agreeing to send their data to petrostate despots as part of their licensing or subscription?

Like many other tech companies accepting #PrinceBonesaw's investment money, these companies are imposing these features on an unwilling user base in turn.

https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/11/critics-scoff-after-microsoft-warns-ai-feature-can-infect-machines-and-pilfer-data/

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsoft-ai-ceo-pushes-back-against-critics-after-recent-windows-ai-backlash-the-fact-that-people-are-unimpressed-is-mindblowing-to-me

Business Insider

Microsoft and Google may have to surrender people's data to Saudi Arabia after signing huge deals there

Saudi Arabia is seeking to be an innovation hub, but activists are warning that tech firms could be complicit in the repression of dissidents.

Randahl Fink

@randahl@mastodon.social · last month

This clip is priceless!

In their constant attempts to intimidate, the Trump regime wants to sue President Obama, but a reporter then asks, if they were not the ones to ensure that presidents have immunity?

Watch the legendary own goal:

https://youtube.com/shorts/QydSSYN42E0?si=muRwIrkH4BlzH87B

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social replied · last month

@randahl

Trump and Koch's corrupt Supreme Court Justices are establishing a body of law, legal interpretations, and precedents that can be turned on Republicans in the next administration.

GOP billionaires forced to reveal how they colluded with Putin & #PrinceBonesaw.

Republican operatives taking plea deals in exchange for their testimony.

Former employees using stolen documents to buy their way out of jail.

Tech billionaires forced to reveal how their data mining is evidence.

Anne Applebaum

@anneapplebaum@journa.host · last month

This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/11/trumps-war-peace/685024/?gift=hVZeG3M9DnxL4CekrWGK3x5H8-x30wTOq6lDtv0xjW4&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social replied · last month

@anneapplebaum

https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-oil-industry-donations

The sudden appearance of this extortion scheme begs the question:

1. Are the megadonors implicated by the Epstein Files involved?

2. Did the recent visit with Trump's fossil fuel co-conspirator #PrinceBonesaw have anything to do with this fossil fuel shakedown?
https://theintercept.com/2025/06/18/trump-oligarchs-billionaires-profits/

These wealthy donors aren't unknowable.

Just look at the attendees at Trump's inaugurations.
https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2025/04/01/musk-trump-tech-oil-oligarchs/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/18/us-oil-gas-industry-wealth-trump

the Guardian

Wealth of US ‘oil-garchs’ went up 15% in nine months as industry figures plan Trump inauguration party

Oil and gas firms have given more than $75m to Trump’s campaign and stand to benefit from his ‘drill, baby drill’ plan

Food & Water Watch

The Tech and Fossil Fuel Oligarchs Behind Musk-Trump’s Chaos

Oligarchs in the Big Tech and fossil fuel industries are pulling strings to amass more wealth and power for themselves.

Common Dreams

Trump to Big Oil Execs: Give Me $1 Billion and I'll Help You Wreck the Planet | Common Dreams

"You won't read a more important story today," said one commentator. "Trump is willing to literally destroy the planet for $1 billion."

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social · last month

@GossiTheDog

#TranslatedFromTheRepublican

"How to turn every Windows 11 machine into a zombie botnet or surveillance platform in one easy step."

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-google-hand-dissident-data-to-saudi-arabia-activists-say-2023-7

Does anyone remember agreeing to send their data to petrostate despots as part of their licensing or subscription?

Like many other tech companies accepting #PrinceBonesaw's investment money, these companies are imposing these features on an unwilling user base in turn.

https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/11/critics-scoff-after-microsoft-warns-ai-feature-can-infect-machines-and-pilfer-data/

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsoft-ai-ceo-pushes-back-against-critics-after-recent-windows-ai-backlash-the-fact-that-people-are-unimpressed-is-mindblowing-to-me

Business Insider

Microsoft and Google may have to surrender people's data to Saudi Arabia after signing huge deals there

Saudi Arabia is seeking to be an innovation hub, but activists are warning that tech firms could be complicit in the repression of dissidents.

Aral Balkan boosted

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social · last month

@anneroth

What did we think would happen after a US tech company accepted investment from a petrostate despot called #PrinceBonesaw?

https://www.vox.com/2018/4/6/17206358/saudi-crown-prince-visit-tech-silicon-valley

https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/saudi-prince-mbs-silicon-valley-east-palo-alto-12799624.php

We have two wannabe despots establishing an international state surveillance platform together.

https://thehill.com/policy/international/5606355-trump-welcomes-saudi-crown-prince/

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social · last month

@anneroth

What did we think would happen after a US tech company accepted investment from a petrostate despot called #PrinceBonesaw?

https://www.vox.com/2018/4/6/17206358/saudi-crown-prince-visit-tech-silicon-valley

https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/saudi-prince-mbs-silicon-valley-east-palo-alto-12799624.php

We have two wannabe despots establishing an international state surveillance platform together.

https://thehill.com/policy/international/5606355-trump-welcomes-saudi-crown-prince/

Stefan Bohacek

@stefan@stefanbohacek.online · last month

EDIT: The Malwarebytes article has been updated:

"After taking a closer look at Google’s documentation and reviewing other reporting, that doesn’t appear to be the case."

This confusion could've been easily avoided if Google was more clear in how they communicate with their users.

ORIGINAL:

PSA to anyone who uses Gmail!

"Reportedly, Google has recently started automatically opting users in to allow Gmail to access all private messages and attachments for training its AI models. This means your emails could be analyzed to improve Google’s AI assistants, like Smart Compose or AI-generated replies. Unless you decide to take action."

https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/11/gmail-is-reading-your-emails-and-attachments-to-train-its-ai-unless-you-turn-it-off

#gmail #AI

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social replied · last month

@stefan

When a company takes investment money from someone known as #PrinceBonesaw, what did we think would happen?

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/google-thiel-stand-out-in-saudi-prince-s-silicon-valley-tour

Heidi Li Feldman

@heidilifeldman@mastodon.social · last month

Usually, I ignore Trump in real time. But his appearance from the WH with MBS of Saudi Arabia is so disturbing, I cannot ignore. Two depraved men, fawning over each other from the seat of executive power in the U.S. I’m sick.

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social replied · last month

@heidilifeldman @gleick

That feeling is getting worse.

#PrinceBonesaw is meeting with Trump to strategize on fossil fuel policy.

How to coerce consumers like the EU to keep buying these toxic products & thwart climate action.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/18/more-than-80-countries-join-call-at-cop30-for-roadmap-to-phasing-out-fossil-fuels

Trump used tariff threats to switch India & the EU to a different supplier.

The Project 2025 donors, Heritage Foundation, plans to dismantle the EU using the same tactics of division & fossil fuel funded fascism.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-18/momentum-builds-at-cop30-for-road-map-from-fossil-fuels

Ars Technica

@arstechnica@mastodon.social · 2 months ago

Google is rolling out conversational shopping—and ads—in AI Mode search
Conversational shopping is Google's first big swing at monetizing AI Mode search.
https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/11/google-rolling-out-conversational-shopping-and-ads-in-ai-mode-search/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social replied · 2 months ago

@arstechnica

https://www.npr.org/2025/11/14/nx-s1-5608188/data-center-ai-space-lizards

https://www.desmog.com/2025/04/22/ai-energy-demand-can-keep-fossil-fuels-alive-tech-backers-promise-worlds-two-biggest-oil-producers/

#TranslatedFromTheRepublican

"The fossil fuel industry burns tons of its toxic products for each of these AI-enabled spyware features.

Keep up the good work Google! The planet is frying.

#PrinceBonesaw is visiting Trump in November and you know how he gets when he's disappointed."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/google-thiel-stand-out-in-saudi-prince-s-silicon-valley-tour

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/jamal-khashoggi/

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/us/politics/jamal-khashoggi-killing-cia-report.html

https://nypost.com/2025/11/13/world-news/widow-of-slain-journalist-demanding-compensation-from-mbs/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/29/mbs-saudi-arabia-big-tech-authoritarian-embrace/

https://www.theenergymix.com/a-trillion-more-barrels-of-oil-new-ai-tool-would-trigger-400-billion-tonnes-of-climate-pollution/

https://www.nytimes.com

Saudi Crown Prince Is Held Responsible for Khashoggi Killing in U.S. Report (Published 2021)

DeSmog

AI Energy Demand Can Keep Fossil Fuels Alive, Tech Backers Promise World’s Two Biggest Oil Producers

An AI-fossil fuel axis is forming in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia as AI advocates pledge an endless need for energy — spelling disaster for the climate.

Dan Gillmor

@dangillmor@mastodon.social · 2 months ago

This guy runs the Windows unit at Microsoft, and he's telling you that the company intends to infiltrate "AI" into every aspect of the operating system.

If you use Windows, this is an injection of a living, self-replicating virus into your digital existence.

Yes I use Linux.

Twitter post: "Today we’re taking the next step in making powerful AI easy and useful on Windows 11. With Copilot and new agentic experiences at the center, every Windows 11 PC becomes an AI PC that empowers you to connect, create, and work in more natural ways. Voice is becoming the next..."

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social replied · 2 months ago

@dangillmor

#TranslatedFromTheRepublican

https://karenattiah.substack.com/p/jamal-khashoggi-the-washington-post

" #PrinceBonesaw wants his energy hogging state surveillance platform, no matter the price."

https://luxurylaunches.com/transport/bill-gates-chartered-saudi-prince-superyacht-06152025.php

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-google-hand-dissident-data-to-saudi-arabia-activists-say-2023-7

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/29/mbs-saudi-arabia-big-tech-authoritarian-embrace/

Reminder: #PrinceBonesaw is very interested in knowing the location of women. So is the GOP.
https://www.businessinsider.com/absher-google-slammed-for-siding-with-saudi-government-app-2019-3

https://www.businessinsider.com/absher-google-refuses-to-remove-saudi-govt-app-that-tracks-women-2019-3

https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-mbs-human-rights-violations-apple-google-app-store-2022-9

And hacking the phones of billionaires
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/01/mohammed-bin-salman-jeff-bezos-hack-could-be-a-ticking-time-bomb

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/01/bezos-hack-amazon-saudi-mbs-whatsapp/605755/

The Atlantic

The Staggering Vulnerability of Global Elites

Anyone can get hacked. But when it happens to the rich and powerful, the stakes can be extraordinarily high.

Business Insider

Saudi Arabians are using a widely available Google and Apple store app to report activists who speak out against the government. Some have received harsh sentences while others are self-censoring.

Kollona Amn is being used to target Saudi human-rights activists and sentence them to years in prison, despite Big Tech's policies against harassment.

Business Insider

Google, siding with Saudi Arabia, refuses to remove widely-criticized government app which lets men track women and control their travel

Google reviewed the app — called Absher — and ruled that it does not violate any agreements, and therefore will remain on Google Play.

Business Insider

'Grotesque': Marco Rubio leads intense criticism of Google for refusing to pull down Saudi government app that lets men track and control women

The app — called Absher — has been the subject of intense protest since INSIDER reported its existence. Google has rejected calls to stop hosting it.

Business Insider

Microsoft and Google may have to surrender people's data to Saudi Arabia after signing huge deals there

Saudi Arabia is seeking to be an innovation hub, but activists are warning that tech firms could be complicit in the repression of dissidents.

Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post, and the Cost of Speaking Out

As Saudi Arabia hosts comedians and courts gamers, the silenced voice of Jamal Khashoggi still echoes.

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦 boosted

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social · 2 months ago

@rysiek

Reminder of which petrostate despot is a Google shareholder... #PrinceBonesaw .
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/07/heres-a-look-at-who.html

The fossil fuel industry wants control of tech, not for a post-oil future, but for a prolonged fossil fuel funded fascist movement.

MBS's intentions aren't benign.
https://www.businessinsider.com/absher-google-refuses-to-remove-saudi-govt-app-that-tracks-women-2019-3

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/google-thiel-stand-out-in-saudi-prince-s-silicon-valley-tour

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-google-hand-dissident-data-to-saudi-arabia-activists-say-2023-7

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦

@rysiek@mstdn.social · 2 months ago

Keep Android Open
https://keepandroidopen.org/

This is important. We already have a basic duopoly in mobile operating systems, now Google is trying to lock down their platform even more. Nobody benefits from this other than Google's shareholders.

Whether you are a device owner, a developer, or a public institution, this affects you and should matter to you.

Everyone can meaningfully help to push back.

:boost_requested:

#FuckGoogle #Android #FOSS #Mobile

Nicole Parsons

@Npars01@mstdn.social replied · 2 months ago

@rysiek

Reminder of which petrostate despot is a Google shareholder... #PrinceBonesaw .
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/07/heres-a-look-at-who.html

The fossil fuel industry wants control of tech, not for a post-oil future, but for a prolonged fossil fuel funded fascist movement.

MBS's intentions aren't benign.
https://www.businessinsider.com/absher-google-refuses-to-remove-saudi-govt-app-that-tracks-women-2019-3

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/google-thiel-stand-out-in-saudi-prince-s-silicon-valley-tour

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-google-hand-dissident-data-to-saudi-arabia-activists-say-2023-7

tante

@tante@tldr.nettime.org · 2 months ago

We keep seeing startups who want to replace something valuable (therapy, counseling, tutoring, artistic expression) with some tech bullshit under the banner of democratization. But why do we need to invest so much in bad tech that doesn't work instead of just giving people access to what they need?

This is a sign for how fucking atrophied our mental muscles are. How limited our space for thinking about how things should be.

You want to democratize "going to therapy"? Make it "free" as in paid by socialized healthcare. You want to democratize "making art"? Give people money and free time to express themselves.

None of these things are meaningfully addressed through tech. It's always about the political struggle to give people what they need and deserve.