The latest Public Policy Institute of California poll of 1,578 adult Californians finds that 73% oppose the construction of data centers in their communities. cal.news/4feOTih 📸 Mario Tama
Khari Johnson
@khari.bsky.social
proud dad, snack enthusiast, tech reporter at CalMatters/The Markup, formerly at WIRED and VentureBeat Signal —> kharijohnson.67
Kaiser Permanente nurses who answer advice and triage calls say their duty of care for patients is being increasingly threatened by workplace surveillance. cal.news/4vpKEGK 📸 Chad Surmick
The College Journalism Network at CalMatters investigated how public campuses throughout California were complying with a state law that requires transparency about military equipment. This guide is for student journalists to investigate their own campuses. cal.news/4faihq9 📸 Adriana Heldiz
AB 311 would let insurance companies use telematics — technology installed in vehicles that allows them to transmit information such as location, speed, braking force, swerving and more — when setting rates for drivers who choose to allow themselves to be tracked. cal.news/4wvy6hU 📸 Fred Greaves
In 2024, Kaiser Permanente announced the rollout of Abridge. Described in a press release as “ambient listening technology,” the AI-powered scribe is designed to help clinicians including mental health providers securely capture clinical notes during patient visits. 🎨 Roxsy Lin
California admits using high-risk AI — including systems it failed to report last year State officials have found they are using six high-risk AI-like systems that could affect you or someone you love. One year ago, they reported using zero.
California admits using high-risk AI — including systems it failed to report last year
State officials have found they are using six high-risk AI-like systems that could affect you or someone you love. One year ago, they reported using zero.
cal.news
Important reporting from @khari.bsky.social —its not only the private sector that succumbed to AI irrational exuberance and risk
CalMatters@calmatters.org · 2mo agoCalifornia admits using high-risk AI — including systems it failed to report last year State officials have found they are using six high-risk AI-like systems that could affect you or someone you love. One year ago, they reported using zero.
“Anti diversity stance” there’s a shorter way to say that www.nytimes.com/2026/06/01/u...
Hegseth Strikes Female and Black Navy Officers From Promotion List
nytimes.com
Today!
Alex Hanna@alexhanna.bsky.social · 3mo agoJoin @dairinstitute.bsky.social, @asaskat.bsky.social, and ASA Section on Children and Youth as we host a panel on non-academic careers for sociologists. We’ll be joined with experts from civil society and government who will discuss their career trajectories. May 28, 11 AM PT/2 PM ET on Twitch.
The proposed moratorium on Data Centers is the 8th item on today's agenda; you can watch along here: charlotte.cablecast.tv/internetchan...
Council Meeting - May 26, 2026
Watch Council Meeting - May 26, 2026
charlotte.cablecast.tv
I stand by my statements to @khari.bsky.social and @wendyfry.bsky.social of @calmatters.org and the accuracy of their report.
Edward Hasbrouck@edwardhasbrouck.bsky.social · 3mo agoThese claims by @govpressoffice.gov.ca.gov are false. Feds CAN access SPEXS data with warrant or subpoena to AAMVA, which could include gag order so California won't know or be able to challenge it. AB60 licenses are distinguished by all 9s in place of SSN. papersplease.org/wp/2026/04/2...
Awesome reporting on the covert license plate readers that provide mass surveillance of Californians on public roadways by @khari.bsky.social and @wendyfry.bsky.social More in this EFF letter to Caltrans: www.eff.org/document/coa... calmatters.org/justice/2026...
The hidden surveillance network sending Californians' license plates to Border Patrol
California residents are noticing new license plate readers that appear to be operated by the Border Patrol. Some have had confusing encounters with agents.
calmatters.org
“The dissent I’ve seen is like a whisper. It’s a fear-based culture right now.” Across the industry, workers describe a ‘fear-based culture’ and pressure to ‘fall in line.‘ Read more from @haydenfield.bsky.social: buff.ly/NArp66x
"The pressure campaign on the governor underlines not only how important such protections are to unions but also how much Newsom is expected to resist them." @khari.bsky.social calmatters.org/economy/tech...
Gavin Newsom hesitated on AI. Labor says he must regulate it if he wants the presidency
The governor will need workers and unions in 2028. They are trying to push him to the left on AI — even as business interest push the other way.
calmatters.org
NEW whistleblower disclosure has revealed that ICE Director Todd Lyons gave agents permission to forcibly enter homes—in violation of the Fourth Amendment—in a secret memo distributed in May 2025. trib.al/23sZU1m
I'm looking for witnesses/victims of DHS retaliating against people who were recording their agents (ICE, Border Patrol, FPS, etc.) in Southern California. This is for LA Press Club v. Noem case, but victim does NOT need to be press/journalist. Everyone has right to record. We're fighting for all.
you skim the article about AI summaries killing traffic to news sites and get to the end and see who the editor is mediacopilot.ai/publishers-s...
SCOOP from Douglas Macmillan Medical examiner believes death of man in ICE custody was homicide, recording says www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Medical examiner believes death of man in ICE custody was homicide, recording says
A fellow detainee says he witnessed Geraldo Lunas Campos being choked to death by guards at the ICE detention center in Texas on Jan. 3.
washingtonpost.com
New: meet ELITE, the Palantir app ICE is using to find neighborhoods to raid. Map interface; officers search for immigrants; click person to bring up individual dossier. This is clearest link between what Palantir is building and ICE's activities on the ground yet www.404media.co/elite-the-pa...
‘ELITE’: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid
Internal ICE material and testimony from an official obtained by 404 Media provides the clearest link yet between the technological infrastructure Palantir is building for ICE and the agency’s activit...
404media.co
xAI is now suing Ashley St. Clair in federal court, alleging over $75,000 in damages, saying she violated their terms of service with her lawsuit against them earlier today.
@calmatters.org reporter @khari.bsky.social details California AG Rob Bonta’s inquiry into Elon Musk’s Grok over alleged AI-generated non-consensual explicit imagery and spoke with Psst.org about why laws should add whistleblower protections for employees who work on these systems.
California investigates Elon Musk’s AI company after ‘avalanche’ of complaints about sexual content
Attorney General Rob Bonta will investigate into whether deepfakes from Elon Musk's new AI tool Grok violate California law.
calmatters.org
Common Sense Media and OpenAI, two groups usually at odds with tech regulations, are working together to put an initiative on the California ballot that would help protect kids from AI companion chatbots. @khari.bsky.social got an advance look at the language calmatters.org/economy/tech...
OpenAI, childrens' advocates join forces on initiative to protect kids from chatbots
ChatGPT maker OpenAI and Common Sense Media had rival ballot initiatives to protect kids from chatbots. Today they merged their efforts.
calmatters.org
SPJ strongly condemns the FBI’s execution of a search warrant at the home of Hannah Natanson, a reporter for The Washington Post Congress passed the Privacy Protection Act of 1980 to prevent this. Press freedom isn’t a courtesy — it’s the law. 🔗Read more: bit.ly/4by2IIo
Since 2016, California enacted more AI regulations than any other state. The president's new order against such laws worries state officials. bit.ly/44Xkrox 📝 @khari.bsky.social 📸 Chip Somodevilla, Getty
How might the Trump AI EO affect California? @calmatters.org tech reporter @khari.bsky.social on the possible impact:
Trump’s new order against AI regulation hits California especially hard
Since 2016, California enacted more AI regulations than any other state. The president's new order against such laws worries state officials.
calmatters.org
Tech workers are trying to make change inside tech companies. How do those efforts clash with trends like generative AI adoption and data center expansion? Join us to discuss!
Data & Society@datasociety.bsky.social · 8mo agoTomorrow at 1pm ET: Join us online as @tamigraph.bsky.social discusses the findings of her report with Eliza Pan of @amzn4climate.bsky.social and @khari.bsky.social! 3/3 datasociety.net/events/clima...
DOJ's newest recruitment ad features Judge Dredd, the comic satire about the dangers of lawless policing and authoritarian power
This Harper’s pullout on media consolidation caught my attention from across the concourse. As I wrote last month, this might be in my top ten list of things to make sense of.
