M Berk
@mberk.bsky.social
Ethics. Political theory. Product management. Cat pics. Privacy. Consultant. I teach stuff. Flawed mortal, fumbling toward enlightenment.
created July 1, 2023
670 followers 403 following 908 posts
view profile on Bluesky Posts
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Trying to opt out of data sharing/sales in the Uber app. It sends me to a website to log in (despite being logged into the app). In order to log in, I have to give permission to share my data with 3rd parties who may message me. #privacy
Moby Dick (@mobydickatsea.bsky.social) reposted
one most perilous and long voyage ended, only begins a second; and a second ended, only begins a third, and so on, for ever and for aye
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reposted
I used to measure my life in coffee spoons and book marginalia. Now I measure it in 2FA tokens.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Came across this American Philosophical Association office notes in which they came out against the practice of holding job interviews in hotel rooms (“bedrooms”) during annual conferences, and hoped it would be enough to change the habit. Woof. www.jstor.org/stable/27645...
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
This is also how disability insurance and law works.
Purplepingers ☭ (@purplepingers.bsky.social) reposted
Somehow not the most insane term I’ve seen in a residential lease.
Karl (sad trombone noise enthusiast) (@brainnotonyet.bsky.social) reposted
This has flown under the radar with everything else going on but ice now is using the single most powerful surveillance tool ever created inside the United States against its own citizens. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Welp, I’m “decided to take my graduation dates off of my LinkedIn profile” years old.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Bring back mp3s
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Also: bsky.app/profile/aida...
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
I’m rolling. Have seen this so many times, but it is exactly what I needed today. 💥
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
I watch an episode of Get Smart at least once a week.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Sarah Silverman had a whole TV show on this called “I Love America.” Gavin Newsom runs a podcast to talk to right-leaning politicians & influencers - at least 1 goal of which is to draw their fans for conversation. I’ve seen a lot of town halls from D politicians in the last 6 months. I can go on.
Anna Holmes (@annabookwriter.bsky.social) reposted
No draw. Only pet.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Sorry, can’t make the meeting, my cat is extra cuddly and I’m gonna stick with him
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
When will we vote? Will I be drunk by then?
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
One proposes having a better budget methodology, but cannot provide a specific suggestion. And this needed to be raised during the past month when the proposed budget was being debated and workshopped anyway.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Forty minutes in, and two people vehemently disagree with the proposed budget, but cannot seem to make an actual specific proposal as to what to do.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Very tempted to live tweet my annual HOA meeting. It’s small minded people fighting to the death about such important matters as … whether a future mailbox replacement should be budgeted for. The behind scenes maneuvering is VICIOUS. Two people have said “if he’s on the Board, I’m out.” AMA.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
“You are not compelled to form any opinion about this matter before you, nor to disturb your peace of mind at all. Things in themselves have no power to extort a verdict from you.” —Marcus Aurelius
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Thank you, that's helpful!
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
@chronotope.aramzs.xyz Hey Aram, can you explain what it means (and doesn't mean) when GPC inspector flags a site as "valid GPC spec not found"? For example, does it mean the site doesn't respect GPC, or that the attempt to respect GPC is poorly implemented, or...?
Grandiloquent Word of the Day (@grandiloquentwords.bsky.social) reposted
Excogitate [eks-KOJ-it-ayt] (v.) - To think out; to construct, frame, or develop in thought; to contrive, devise. Used in a sentence: “The unusual situation required a creative solution, so I sat down to excogitate until a sufficiently workable solution presented itself.”
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Ha, I got blocked. Tiny little things strike the nerves of some. Moral Puritanism isn’t attractive in any form it takes.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Just booked a flight today. Feels great.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Let’s not do purity tests for car ownership and the details of everyday life. There are lots of ways to exist and be a good person without worrying about whether you’re meeting the ridiculous “moral” expectations of every random blow.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
“The American Soybean Association warned in an August 19 letter to President Trump that “China has contracted with Brazil to meet future months’ needs to avoid purchasing any soybeans from the United States.””
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
📌
Oakland Privacy (@oaklandprivacy.bsky.social) reposted
Oakland police tried to encrypt radio feeds this week, ending decades of public scanner access, but a technical glitch delayed the move. Dozens of East Bay agencies plan to follow. Critics call it a blow to transparency and accountability. http://archive.today... #police #oakland #surveillance
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
“Each year between January and April, a blob of cold water rises from the depths of the Gulf of Panama to the surface, playing an essential role in supporting marine life in the region. But this year, it never arrived.”
Aram Zucker-Scharff (@chronotope.aramzs.xyz) reposted
Not following GPC signals? State AGs are coming for you. cppa.ca.gov/announcement...
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Bring it on. I am so dismayed about how few sites follow privacy laws - even ones that have been in place for 5 years. No easy way to report to CPPA. Sites dismiss inquiries. Huge retailers and small sites alike.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
As an independent contractor who is currently negotiating a new contract with a customer, and finds their insurance requirements shocking (7 types, obscenely high limits), this does not bode well for my cost reduction.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Fascinated that - Watching The Good Place seems to make me sharper, more intellectually incisive and quick - Watching Bridgerton seems to make me duller, slower, and a little stuporific What shows make you smarter? Need new material.
Whitney Merrill (@wbm312.bsky.social) reposted
The timing of this new Banksy is impeccable given the way SCOTUS ruled today.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
A privacy policy at the point of very sensitive login data collection would be helpful. It’s unnerving to enter login/password info without knowing who controls it and who has access to what’s behind the login.
Riana (@riana.bsky.social) reposted
BREAKING: A Utah federal judge just approved the proposed stipulated order. That is, the government has now officially ordered Aylo to scan all uploaded files for CSAM & NCII. That means Aylo is an agent of the government under the 4th Amendment. Criminal defense attorneys, start your engines.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
CVS AI is making phone calls to me about my health, or health plan, or something that I won’t be responding to. I am the grumpy grandparent who is pissed off that technology is moving to fast, except my only ask is “for the love of god respect my privacy.”
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
This thread is delicious
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Just found batteries that expired in 2005. I think I have a problem.
Eleanor Courtemanche (@ecourtem.bsky.social) reposted
I’m going to fix the timeline by posting more pictures of fat pumpkins
Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner.bsky.social) reposted
I can tell you, looking at the proposed plans, as someone who uses the exchange, this is going to be a cliff for many. They will forgo health insurance because they will not be able to afford it. Period.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
“‘This isn’t one political party or the other. It’s a culmination of everyone working together to silence these women and protect Jeffrey Epstein and his cabal,’” [Marjorie Taylor] Greene said at the news conference.”
Al Yankovic (@alyankovic.bsky.social) reposted
RIP Mark Volman, founding member of The Turtles and one half of Flo & Eddie (pictured here - Mark is on the left, Howard Kaylan on the right). I was fortunate enough to do some of my very first live performances as an opening act for Flo & Eddie in 1983 at the Bottom Line in NYC.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
LabCorp now requiring arbitration, and giving up right to jury trial/court, without an ability to opt out. And it's buried among 3 legalistic documents that they want one-click approval to. It is very tiring to be someone who cares about doing the right thing, doing it well, and doing it for all.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
This is good
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Social media is such emotional and mental whiplash. 1st post —> snort/chortle over hilarious political snark 2nd post —> face falls reading about 15 dead from Ebola
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
I’m giggling at “Clodflare.” 😬
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Each of these shows is amazing and I’m devastated by their cancellation. Seems the least the platform could do is make them know to a potential audience.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
There’s this weird phenomenon where I don’t know about an amazing show until after it’s been canceled for low viewership. Are platforms that bad at identifying content I’ll love? Examples - KAOS - The Residence Also, Wheel of Time canceled after low views on S3, and I didn’t know S3 was released.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Much devastation and suffering. *Thousands* of villages.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
📌
ivy (@askylitocean.bsky.social) reposted
Omar Wasow (@owasow.bsky.social) reposted
“Texas Democrats lost. But they drew attention to Republicans’ efforts to put their thumb on the scale, and demonstrated a valuable tactic for galvanizing their beleaguered party. They lost, but they lost loudly. Losing loudly has been a crucial feature of successful political movements.” Gift:
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Bless you for talking sense
Meredith Farkas (@librarianmer.bsky.social) reposted
No no no no. As a former social worker, I can't properly express how much I hate this. Even beyond the "automating inequality" of it all, writing case notes is an important way to reflect on a session/meeting with a client and helps you make better decisions in how you work with them in the future.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
As a visitor to the UK many years ago, it took me a think to figure out what this sign meant.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
From the resigning director: “This is a five-alarm fire. If people don’t act now, ideology will fully consume science.” It’s up to us.
Walt Whitman (@skeetsofgrass.bsky.social) reposted
I think I could turn and live awhile with the animals .... they are so placid and self-contained,
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Has anyone ever heard Al Yankovich do a perfect parody song without changing a single word? youtu.be/Z2qAnm9xJNo?...
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Whenever I wonder if I was ever loved, I look at baby pics and all doubt is removed. Only a kid who was profoundly adored could grin like this. #Loveyoumomanddad
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
I’m dog sitting for 36 hours starting tomorrow, and the most upsetting thing is that it’s not starting NOW. I am scheduled to pick up the pup at 930 am tomorrow, and that’s a lifetime away. I need this dog. And I need to see how my own bully-slash-coward cat handles the challenge.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Fork me. As an ethicist who studied (as we all do) meta ethics, and who worked AT Meta on tech ethics, my worlds are all kinds of confused. Also, fuck Meta.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Just saw a reference to Woot.com and that’s a whole part of the early internet I had forgotten. It still exists!
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Best guess: his corporate overlords are looking for new government contracts with their crappy AI, robotics, etc. He’s doing this to gain their support for is 2028 bid.
evacide (@evacide.bsky.social) reposted
If you are building a product with a feature that had previously been scrapped because of "ethical concerns" and the company has suddenly decided to just shrug and do it anyway, you are building the Torment Nexus and you should fucking stop.
Matt Seybold (@mattseybold.bsky.social) reposted
If you teach in Canvas, by default, your counterparties to this user agreement are not just Instructure, but OpenAi, it's lead VC funder, Dragoneer Investment, & KKR, one of the five biggest private equity firms in the world.
Amy Westervelt (@amywestervelt.bsky.social) reposted
It's a rare feat to make something terrifying and sad somehow also really beautiful to read, and I think @roycerk2.bsky.social managed it here in his latest for @drilledmedia.bsky.social drilled.media/news/algal-b...
derek guy (@dieworkwear.bsky.social) reposted
Japan Post just announced they will no longer deliver mail to the United States, joining Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy, France, and Sweden.
Alt National Park Service (@altnps.bsky.social) reposted
On this day in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act, officially creating the National Park Service to protect and preserve America’s natural wonders and historic treasures “for the enjoyment of this and future generations.”
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
America doesn’t do group projects well.
Bill Grueskin (@bgrueskin.bsky.social) reposted
Your occasional reminder -- as arrivals on student visas decrease 28% -- that tuition from foreign students counts as an export, which means that every rejected student visa is going to contribute to the US trade deficit. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
This leads nowhere good www.nbcnewyork.com/news/nationa...
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
I used to measure my life in coffee spoons and book marginalia. Now I measure it in 2FA tokens.
John Scalzi (@scalzi.com) reposted
This feels like a spot of good news www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
This theme of finding new places is going to be big. I already work so hard to cultivate a little niche of the social media verse that brings me joy. Knowing that it can, and probably will, be taken away, is a face punch. So many wonderful and smart people I want to keep hearing from, and no way.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Hey, fellow independent consultants. Have any of you been asked to accept payment for your services through Corpay, and if so, how did it go? #consulting #corpay
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
📌
NPR (@npr.org) reposted
The logistics of health care can be frustrating. If you have a bureaucratic horror story or need help with a tough question, reach out to Health Care Helpline from NPR and KFF Health News.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Was worried about that, but thought there might be diff rules for some accounts (eg, biz). But mostly it’s just a mental map. LMK if you want a support. I know some groups that have self hosted on MatterMost. But in a giant irony, I opted out because the group admins wanted a copy of my passport.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
I’ve found a service, TelePaws, that does virtual consults and prescriptions. They just need you to hold up your little bug to verify he exists. I’ve had good experiences! Maybe they can cover you.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Ah, welcome back 1997. I keep imagining a Google doc where all the nice/smart/funny people are invited to comment. Google has taken over this space in my brain.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
I want to start forming a contingency plan for where people go when this happens. Like, where do I find my family after an emergency (gathering point), but for great people on socials.
Randy Lubin (@randylubin.com) reposted
Hey - we covered this in Trust & Safety Tycoon! Would you make a different decision? Play here: trustandsafety.fun
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
A friend who is now at Microsoft Ads ran a check to see if any of my old documents were still there, and came across an Online Add Strategy I wrote in 2008. I must have been a babe in the woods. Would love to see it again.
John Scott-Railton (@jsrailton.bsky.social) reposted
UK government asks everybody to stop using VPNs. "everybody who's out there thinking of using VPNs...verifying your age keeps a child safe...So let's just not try and find a way around. Just prove your age." - UK government
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
Now powered by Meta AI
JewInACanoe.bsky.social 🎗️ (@jewinacanoe.bsky.social) reposted
7:30am: egg white omelette with mushrooms 10am: apple 12pm: cut up fruit with yogurt 3pm: banana 6pm: grilled chicken with salad (light dressing) 8pm: frozen yogurt 830pm: 2 cookies 845pm: 4 cookies 850pm: 8 cookies 9pm: bag of Doritos 930pm: Big Mac and fries
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
A tale as old as time, TBH, and infinitely more frustrating for its utter predictability. A lot of my work is trying to support execs to bring some rigor of thought/purpose to the standard run-in-20-directions-at-once, change-minds-frequently, and be-surprised-at-perpetual-failure way of working.
William Shakespeare (@shakespeare.lol) reposted
you know him
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
You won today.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Did you get it? We need to know.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
I can’t get over this. Google has 6M paying customers after more than a decade growing their business. Most of the subscriptions are corporate. This investor is counting on over 250x the paying customer base or Google. Good luck seeing those returns in your lifetime. 😬
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
OMG. Someone teach this guy about assumptions. “The investor argues that the math for investing at the $500B valuation is straightforward: Hypothetically, if ChatGPT hits 2B users & monetizes at $5 per user per month-"half the rate of things like Google or Facebook"-that's $120B in annual revenue.”
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
The simplest, cheapest thing Apple could do to add value is add a little “make a sound” feature so that I can find my freaking remote for the 10th time before noon.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Only one! But I’m about to onboard a new client and will have to use a MSFT login for them, so it sounds like I have some fun to look forward to. 😬 Today I clicked YES to install Authenticator. The system went into a self-referential doom spiral, crashed, and the auth failed. Alas.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social)
In which the Microsoft Authenticator app asks me to get the Microsoft Authenticator app. After asking me mockingly for the 9000th time whether I want to stay signed in. After the 3rd 2FA cycle. Microsoft saps my energy so hard.
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
Yep yep yep
M Berk (@mberk.bsky.social) reply parent
All that in 4 whole days. People are now flocking.