As Musk and Trump continue to behave like kings, it’s incumbent upon news media to not just report on their actions, but put them in the proper context for the public to understand the threat level they represent; otherwise, we can’t respond appropriately.
That kind of reporting takes real bravery in the kind of moment we are in: Musk has already (falsely) called it a crime to reveal the names of those working for him at the agencies DOGE is targeting, which Wired and others have done. The Trump-installed DC attorney general has obsequiously promised Musk to go after those who identify his underlings—and to prosecute “anyone who impedes your work or threatens your people”.
While that might sound laughable, media outlets have already paid Trump handsome settlements to settle lawsuits that should have been seen as similarly laughable. When prominent news outlets won’t summon the courage to vigorously oppose this descent into autocracy, they are accessories to the coup. We must demand better from them, and support the outlets and journalists doing the critical work we as citizens require to defend our democracy.
No, you need to fuck them over.
Fuck Comcast, Fox, Viacom and Disney.
Screw Google, Meta, Tiktok.
Don’t demand anything. Adblock. Federate. Stop using their services, tell all your friends, shout it out, and then tell them. The only thing these entities understand is profit through engagement, and why it might be falling. They would run the country into the ground if it increases the quarter’s profits by 3% and gives all the C-Suites golden parachutes.
…And that’s what bothers me about so many charitable/advocacy organizations. They don’t seem to understand how exclusively profit-driven so much news is now.