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Andy Sellars

@sellars.bsky.social

Public interest tech & media lawyer at albertsellars.law, based in Jamaica Plain, Boston. He/him

506 Posts4793 Follower962 Folgt
Heidi Kitrosser@heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 2d ago

Yes. And I am begging U presidents & trustees to read some of the outstanding work on autocracy (from their own institutions!) that incorporates lessons from other countries. One of the first moves in democratic backsliding: The autocrat captures civil society, including universities.

Jonathan Feingold@jpygold.bsky.social · 2d ago

My lord at this point it’s either incompetence or collusion. any university president who thinks they can “work” with the Trump regime lacks fitness for the job.

Victor Ray@victorerikray.bsky.social · 2d ago

I know “don’t obey in advance” has become a cliche but it is really appropriate when university leaders are ready to sell out higher ed to appease the Trump administration.

Dominique Baker@bakerdphd.bsky.social · 2d ago

So no I'm not surprised by: "the administration’s latest move was developed in partnership with university leaders, primarily the Association of American Universities, which represents dozens of top research institutions including all eight Ivy League colleges." 🎁 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

ProPublica Guild@propublicaguild.org · 5d ago

🚨 WE HAVE A DEAL! After three years, in a major step forward for our members, we have ratified our first contract with @propublica.org’s management. We deeply appreciate everyone who supported us along the way. Here are some of our big wins👇

A graphic poster reads "We have a deal! The ProPublica Guild has reached a deal with ProPublica's management on our first contract and has voted to ratify it. Swipe for the highlights [pointing emoji].
Ben Collins@bencollins.bsky.social · last wk.

TikTok has incredible moderation team. Our InfoWars video about Multiple Horse Theory — the idea that there are many horses in the world and not just one — has been fully deemed misinformation and lost the formal appeals process. Confirmed by Larry Ellison: There is only one horse on Earth.

Bild
Mark Bray@mark-bray.bsky.social · last wk.

Love a good prof slam: “It’s bewildering. It seemed weird and laughable,” Davis said of the indictment. “It felt like the length of the indictment was a cover for how thin it actually was. I’m a professor. I’ve seen people pad out papers when they’ve got nothing to say.”

The professor facing prison in ‘antifa’ case: ‘They want to scare all who oppose ICE’

Erik Davis is accused by the government of a ‘conspiracy’ to obstruct ICE – experts say it’s part of a pattern to criminalize lawful organizing and ruin activists’ lives

theguardian.com

Evan Greer@evangreer.bsky.social · 2w ago

BREAKING: @wired.com (apparently undeterred by James Dolan's bogus lawsuit) reveals that MSG turned off their controversial facial recognition system during Taylor Swift's wedding. MSG has always claimed their use of AI surveillance is for security. It's hard to imagine a higher security event...

For Taylor Swift, Madison Square Garden’s Controversial Cameras Briefly Went Dark

MSG’s sprawling surveillance system can monitor guests down to the second. Its owners made an exception for the pop star’s rehearsal dinner.

wired.com

Sarah T Roberts, PhD@ubiquity75.xyz · 2w ago

A reminder that UC _faculty_ and Faculty Associations — not the universities themselves nor their administrators — are waging this battle in court, demonstrating great bravery and moral clarity.

White House admits it used keywords to kill billions worth of California research grants

Federal agencies that terminated more than a thousand research grants at the University of California last year admitted that they used keywords related to diversity, gender, vaccine hesitancy and COV...

apnews.com

Adam Klasfeld@klasfeldreports.com · 2w ago

“Even the Mafia says families are off limits.” Freedom of the Press Foundation’s Seth Stern pulls no punches on reports that Trump DOJ subpoenaed NYT reporters’ relatives.

“Even the Mafia says families are off limits. It’s gross that the administration — in its never-ending effort to harass and intimidate reporters who reveal its incompetence — is going after the communications of journalists’ relatives. The administration’s own guidelines say pursuing journalists is a last resort. But instead, it’s looking for any excuse to snoop on reporters and their relatives, because this has nothing to do with national security and everything to do with chilling journalism. They’re even seeking records from months before the report they claim they’re investigating.The Times’ reporting actually bolstered national security by ensuring that Trump and those who travel with him, including journalists, aren’t flying on an unsafe plane to serve the president’s personal vanity. Trump’s hangers-on should be sending the Times thank- you cards, not subpoenas.”
Andy Sellars@sellars.bsky.social · 3w ago

We have an opinion in @thecoalition.bsky.social v. Rubio! The State Department's policy of targeting misinfo, disinfo, and trust and safety researchers and advocates for visa denials and revocations is stayed pending resolution of the action. Opinion here: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

.Order AND Memorandum & Opinion – #54 in COALITION FOR INDEPENDENT TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH v. RUBIO (D.D.C., 1:26-cv-00815) – CourtListener.com

MEMORANDUM OPINION re [53] Order on Motion for Protective Order and Motion for Stay and Preliminary Injunction. Signed by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on July 14, 2026. (lcjeb4)

storage.courtlistener.com

N Sims@copyrightlibn.bsky.social · 3w ago

Filed my comment on the fed OMB proposal the would undo a TON of federal grantmaking, including well beyond research. Here's a particularly personal excerpt: I love helping researchers; I don't want MORE grant complexity to help them with.

On a more personal level, I'm an attorney and I consult regularly with researchers funded through federal grants. They take painstaking care to make the most effective and efficient use of grant funds, because the vast majority of researchers are primarily motivated by desires to improve knowledge for the benefit of the world. They already struggle with the complex requirements of federal grants in ways that take time from their research - including meeting with me! I would indeed like to have less of this kind of work, because it would mean researchers have more time to focus on their actual research! This proposal increases the complexity of grantmaking processes, decreases the long-term reliability of federal grants, and creates more administrative and political barriers to using grant funds for basic research activities like attending conferences. It will slow scientific progress and encourage global research benefits to accrue outside the United States.
Pine Tree Activism@pinetreeactivism.org · 3w ago

============= BREAKING NEWS 8:30AM "A person was killed. ICE was involved. State Police and the Department of Public Safety are now on scene to gather details and would expect the FBI to investigate as well. These are the details that I have at this time." Ryan Fecteau, Maine Speaker of the House.

Person killed in shooting involving ICE in Biddeford, officials say

Police closed part of busy Pool Street in Biddeford on Monday morning and there was a significant police presence.

wmtw.com

Meredith Rose@mrose.ink · last mo.

FIFA employee: oh hey u guys are back early Memo Ochoa: Azteca's haunted FIFA employee: what? Ochoa: *loading a pistol and getting back on the pitch* Azteca's haunted

onekade@onekade.bsky.social · last mo.

What’s the math on trading a 30 y.o. man who is one of the best two way players in the league, who got you a chip, who is never hurt, who led your shitty team to second place in the east on the strength of his work ethic, leadership and intelligence for a 36 year old man who is always hurt??

The trade ends the 36-year-old George’s up-and-down two-season tenure in Philly, which included just one playoff series win (coincidentally, an upset against Boston), a series of knee injuries and a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. Conversely, Brown did little but win in Boston.
Dan Kennedy@dankennedy.net · last mo.

Last night's bench-clearing brawl started when Cade Cavalli shouted at Willson Contreras, "Sit down, boy." Not sure how many people, including the umps, knew that in the moment. But now that they do, Cavalli should be suspended for the rest of the year. www.boston.com/sports/bosto...

Watch: Red Sox, Nationals brawl after Willson Contreras charges mound

Red Sox first baseman went after Washington righty Cade Cavalli on Tuesday, sparking a brawl at Fenway Park.

boston.com