[[link removed]]
MEDIA BITS AND BYTES — FEBRUARY 3, 2026
[[link removed]]
February 3, 2026
xxxxxx
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]
_ The net is tightening _
The Future of Journalism Is Now, Barry Deutsch and Jenn Manley Lee
* Don Lemon and Press Freedom
* Trump’s Own Tiktok
* Caution vs Candor
* AI Disinfo vs Democracy
* DHS, ICE, CBP Expanding Surveillance
* Spotify Unfair to Musicians
* Tech Workers Stand Against ICE
* Digital Traps When Filming ICE
* Data Centers are Good for You
* CPB CEO Signs Off
DON LEMON AND PRESS FREEDOM
[[link removed]]
By David S. Bralow, _The Intercept_
Looking at video of the protest, it’s clear that these journalists
weren’t interfering, obstructing, or intimidating in ways that would
violate the FACE Act. Covering a protest — even one inside a church
— isn’t a crime. And asking questions — including difficult ones
— isn’t a violation of religious freedom. These are things all
journalists do, which is precisely what makes this prosecution so
chilling.
TRUMP’S OWN TIKTOK
[[link removed]]
By Derek Seidman, _Truthout_
After years of bipartisan attacks on TikTok and its parent company
ByteDance, which for a time included an effort to potentially ban the
social media app in the U.S., a new U.S. TikTok spinoff has been
announced. The deal puts Trump-aligned tech barons — Oracle’s
Larry Ellison, X’s Elon Musk, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg — in firm
control of virtually all major U.S. social media platforms.
CAUTION VS CANDOR
• THUMB SUCKING IN THE PRESS ROOM
[[link removed]]
By Margaret Sullivan, _American Crisis_
• INDIE MEDIA CUTS THROUGH
[[link removed]]
By Janine Jackson, _FAIR_
AI DISINFO VS DEMOCRACY
[[link removed]]
By David Gilbert, _Wired_
Advances in artificial intelligence are creating a perfect storm for
those seeking to spread disinformation at unprecedented speed and
scale. And it’s virtually impossible to detect.
DHS, ICE, CBP EXPANDING SURVEILLANCE
[[link removed]]
By Jenna Ruddock, _Free Press_
Videos community observers have captured in Minnesota show
agents invoking the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good in early January
as a threat — and photographing ICE observers’ license plates to
add to a “nice little database” of “domestic terrorist[s].” At
the same time, DHS is busy expanding its own sprawling, invasive web
of surveillance.
SPOTIFY UNFAIR TO MUSICIANS
[[link removed]]
_The Tech Buzz_
Over 12,500 artists generated $100K+ in royalties from Spotify in
2025, up from 10,000 in 2024, but artists with fewer than 1,000
streams still get nothing. Spotify promises new AI verification tools
to combat streaming fraud and 'ghost artists' draining the royalty
pool from legitimate creators.
TECH WORKERS STAND AGAINST ICE
• SPEAKING OUT
[[link removed]]
By Shakeel Hashim, _Transformer_
• PRESSURE ON CEOS
[[link removed]]
By Stephen Council_, SFGATE_
DIGITAL TRAPS WHEN FILMING ICE
[[link removed]]
By Nicole M. Bennett, _The Conversation_
What’s changed since Minneapolis became a global reference point for
bystander video in 2020 in the wake of George Floyd’s murder is how
thoroughly camera systems, especially smartphones, are now entangled
with the wider surveillance ecosystem. The same technologies that can
hold the state accountable can also make ordinary people more visible
to the state.
DATA CENTERS ARE GOOD FOR YOU
[[link removed]]
By Julia Shapero and Rachel Frazin, _The Hill_
Rising electricity costs linked to AI infrastructure faces growing
local opposition and increasingly become a political liability. Both
the White House and tech industry appear keen to limit the fallout
from data centers, with initiatives to bring down electricity prices
and recast the sprawling facilities as community players willing to
pay their fair share.
CPB CEO SIGNS OFF
[[link removed]]
By Nick Langan, _Radio World_
Corporation for Public Broadcasting President and CEO Patricia
Harrison delivered her final remarks during the organization’s last
board meeting. Harrison said that following Congress’ rescission of
federal funding for public media, CPB realized it could no longer
operate in the manner the American public has come to expect.
* Don Lemon
[[link removed]]
* Georgia Fort
[[link removed]]
* Justice Department
[[link removed]]
* press freedom
[[link removed]]
* Donald Trump
[[link removed]]
* TikTok
[[link removed]]
* Journalists
[[link removed]]
* independent media
[[link removed]]
* artificial intelligence
[[link removed]]
* disinformation
[[link removed]]
* Immigration and Customs Enforcement
[[link removed]]
* Customs and Border Protection
[[link removed]]
* surveillance
[[link removed]]
* tech workers
[[link removed]]
* bystander video
[[link removed]]
* Data Centers
[[link removed]]
* Corporation for Public Broadcasting
[[link removed]]
* Patricia Harrison
[[link removed]]
* Department of Homeland Security
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]
INTERPRET THE WORLD AND CHANGE IT
Submit via web
[[link removed]]
Submit via email
Frequently asked questions
[[link removed]]
Manage subscription
[[link removed]]
Visit xxxxxx.org
[[link removed]]
Bluesky [[link removed]]
Facebook [[link removed]]
[link removed]
To unsubscribe, click the following link:
[link removed]
