#Preventing Unauthorized Access

[gagande]

Purecode reviews | Preventing Unauthorized Access

Automatically redirecting users away from protected content they are not authorized to view, back to a login page or public section of the app.

[dailyfinancial]

Did You Know? Your WhatsApp Could Be Accessed from Multiple Devices

“Worried about unauthorized access to your WhatsApp? Learn how to check for suspicious activity, log out from all devices, and secure your account with our 2023 guide. Protect your privacy with expert tips on WhatsApp security, two-step verification, and more. Stay safe online!” With over 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging platforms. However, its widespread…

[the-psudo]

Trump got absolutely dumpstered in court in the last few days.

His and Elon's program to pay people to retire early has been halted by a temporary restraining order issued by District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. of the US District Court, District of Massachusetts in American Federation of Government Employees et al v. Charles Ezell (acting Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management). This temporary order only lasts until they have a hearing on Monday to determine whether this program is constitutional.

13 state attorneys general sued to prevent Elon from accessing personal data about government employees and citizen clients of their agencies, leading to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in the case Alliance for Retired Americans v. Scott Bessent (Trump's Secretary of the Treasury) ordering the Department of Justice to ensure no unauthorized persons, including Elon and his team, have access to the Labor Department's database of information on tax filings, employment, and the like.

Two separate judges have ruled that Trump's executive order trying to eliminate birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge John Coughenour of the western Washington district, a REAGAN appointee (!), said, "It has become ever more apparent that to our president the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain." The other judge, US District Judge Deborah Boardman of Maryland, ruled that the executive order cannot be implemented until she has had a chance to rule on the merits of the case.

US District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth in DC paused Trump’s restrictions on transgender women being incarcerated in women’s prisons and federal prisons providing gender-affirming medical treatment, after inmates (!) sued to block the policy.

US District Judge Loren L. Alikhan of DC broadly blocked the Trump administration’s memo halting almost all federal assistance.

That's six rulings scrapping five of Trump's major policy operations in the past four days (Feb 3rd through the 6th, 2025).

That's news worth celebrating!

[forensicfield]

How to Protect Your Computer from Unauthorized Access?

Today, we live our lives online and on gadgets that are connected to the internet. We use the internet to do research, shop, bank, do assignments, play games, and connect with loved ones through social media. Because of this, our gadgets are filled with a

Continue reading How to Protect Your Computer from Unauthorized Access?

[purplepirate123]

Time for Citizens to Hit Elon with a Privacy Act Violation

Email Template

To: privacy@treasury.gov

Subject Line: Civil Liberties Complaint

Hello,

I am making a civil liberties complaint under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a. It has been brought to my attention that Elon Musk and his associates, under the guise of a directive of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) (an IT office in the White House), have acquired access to Treasury Department Records in Systems of Records as defined in the Act. As an individual covered by the Act, I believe that there may be records about me in these Treasury Department systems, and I am concerned for the following reasons:

Elon Musk is not an elected official.

Even if Musk were an elected official, the System of Records Notices (SORNs) governing the Treasury Department Privacy Act systems do not allow for disclosure to Musk and his associates per the Routine Uses.

Disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive personally identifiable information (SPII) to Musk and his associates would be an unauthorized disclosure and therefore breach of information.

The Treasury Department must (1) quickly investigate what Privacy Act records that Musk and his associates have unlawfully accessed, (2) reveal to the public what unauthorized disclosures were made, (3) stop further access, (4) force any files acquired by Musk and his associates to be returned and/or permanently destroyed, and (5) seek criminal penalties against Musk and his associates for violations of the Act.

Sincerely,

[INSERT NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION]

Privacy Act of 1974

The spirit of this law is rooted in presidential drama and corruption. It was passed as a direct result of the Watergate Scandal which uncovered the federal government’s scheme of illegally investigating and maintaining records about individuals. So in an effort to provide transparency to the public and an assurance that the government would not misuse records about us all, the Privacy Act of 1974 was born.

Multiple unions have now filed a lawsuit against the Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service under the Privacy Act as well as other privacy laws. They are seeking a civil remedy in the form of a restraining order to prevent DOGE from accessing records. But the Act also allows for criminal penalties to be assessed. The two that could apply to Musk and his associates include:

“Any person who knowingly and willfully requests or obtains any record concerning an individual from an agency under false pretenses shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more than $5,000.” 5 U.S.C. § 552a(i)(3).”

“Any officer or employee of any agency who willfully maintains a system of records without meeting the notice requirements of subsection (e)(4) of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more than $5,000.” 5 U.S.C. § 552a(i)(2).”

The first applies to Musk accessing Privacy Act records from the Treasury Department under false pretenses of carrying out official government duties.

The second could apply if Musk creates a system of records in the DOGE office without complying with the law. For example, if he began using his IT office role to create records about individuals in the government or who receive government assistance, that would be a violation. It is very likely we will need to demand an investigation into DOGE and what they have on US citizens, too.

Email the Treasury Department today with the template up above. We deserve to have our privacy protected, and some loser who isn’t even from this country shouldn’t be allowed to stomp all over our rights.

ELON MUSK IS STAGING A COUP AT THE US TREASURY!!! He has not right to be there, no authorization for what he's doing, no oversight. AND THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS INSTEAD FOCUSING ON DICKFACE'S INSANE GAZA COMMENTS.

Write emails. Call your senators. ALSO, TODAY, MARCH. Every Us capital city in every state. And if you can get to DC or are in DC, hit the streets.

[fatalroyale]

i guess so? i havent been as scientific about keeping track of it as i have been for my other projects, but it feels like its been pretty random! there *was* some weirdness the other day where futurekat apparently got to sneak a peek at my real teeth, but i dont know if that’s new or has been a thing this whole time and i just didnt know it @~@

IF YOU REALLY CAN'T REMEMBER, DOES THAT MEAN IT'S STAYED AT A BASELINE BADNESS? I'M GUESSING IT'D STICK OUT MORE TO YOU IF IT'D GOTTEN WORSE IN ANY WAY SINCE. WHICH.. STILL ISN'T GOOD, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT IN ANY IMMEDIATE DANGER OF DECLINE, AT LEAST WE KNOW IT'S NOT 'TERMINAL' RIGHT NOW.

[fanfictionlibrary01]

AO3 Data Scraped for AI Training Dataset

What is happening, and what you can do. Check for potential edits with additions at the end of the post!

What is happening? What do we know?

A user going by "nyuuzyou" on the HuggingFace platform uploaded a dataset a few days ago - containing scraped content from AO3. HuggingFace is a very popular platform and widely used for sharing machine learning and AI models/datasets. The scraped dataset includes fics, fanart, and other fanworks - all taken without permission and intended for use in training gen AI models. You can find more information in this Reddit post.

This dataset is one of several compiled from various websites—at least seven in total. While two datasets have been removed, the AO3 one was only disabled on HuggingFace. This means that it’s not downloadable at the moment but still visible. It may also return if takedown efforts end up being challenged/reversed by that user.

Key Details

Scope: On AO3, all content with work IDs between 1 and 63,200,000 has been targeted. The work ID is the number at the end of a work's URL — for example, in https://archiveofourown.org/works/12345678, 12345678 is the work ID. You can find it by simply opening the work and checking the URL in your browser’s address bar. So, if your work falls in that range and is publicly accessible (i.e., not locked and open to everyone, including guests), it’s mostly likely included in the dataset. This dataset is currently disabled on HuggingFace, but that doesn't mean it's gone. It's only a temporary takedown as of now.

Takedown notices have been issued, but this user has also uploaded the dataset to other sites after backlash and partial removal.

There are talks in the discussion forums of potentially moving this dataset to Telegram, torrents, and/or other private channels.

HuggingFace AO3 dataset page

Other distributed sites listed here (as per a Reddit comment)

Currently deleted from ModelScope

What can you do?

Should the dataset return again and you see that your work was affected: file your own DMCA or copyright takedown notice. The uploader, in their own words, "has not agreed to take down the entire repo. At this time, the scraper has agreed with taking down art from the person who owns the copyright. That means each of you will need to request a takedown."

Instructions and a sample CSV template to list your work IDs for removal are provided in this guide. You can find more details in this announcement by PaperDemon.

Lock your works! It would limit visibility to registered users only, and is a very good step to prevent scraping or unauthorized use. To lock all your works on AO3, go to “My Works,” click “Edit Works,” and select all. Then click “Edit” and check the box labeled “Only show to registered users.” Scroll down and click “Update All Works” to apply the change.

⚠️ | Final Notes:

This user has so far shown no signs of stopping and is continuing to redistribute the data across multiple sites, even after numerous takedown requests (read more here). So, we can only recommend to be cautious and beware, lock your works, feel free to make use of takedown notices if you're unfortunately affected, and spread the word to fellow creators.

Follow up on this and get the latest updated in the Fanfic Communities Network (FCN) Discord Server!

If you have more information regarding this - e.g. if works from other sites are affected too - please reach out to us in the FCN!!

Edit (2025-04-26):

The user who has scraped the works has, upon request by another person, posted a way to convert ao3 json to markdown:

https://huggingface.co/datasets/nyuuzyou/archiveofourown/discussions/170

https://gist.github.com/nyuuzyou/b2f83669ad80a22e435728245ebcdf9f

This shows us that nyuuzyou continues to show no signs of taking down the scraped works.

Edit (2025-04-28):

A user warned that even archive-locked AO3 fics were included in a scraped dataset (most likely taken while the scraper was logged in, before they were banned or switched to public-only access). Some public works were missed as well:

https://huggingface.co/datasets/nyuuzyou/archiveofourown/discussions/213#680fcdb76d9e022324a70cf1

Edit (2025-05-03):

Hey everybody, this is a bit late, but the AO3 dataset has been permanently removed from HuggingFace: https://huggingface.co/datasets/nyuuzyou/archiveofourown. While this unfortunately doesn’t prevent it from being shared elsewhere (like torrents) nor does it guarantee any deletion of past downloads and whatnot, having it taken down from a major platform like HF is still a significant step forward. (There is more info about other sites on PaperDemon.)

So please don’t be disheartened—every action counts, and this shows that pushing back and filing DMCAs and copyright notices as appropriate does make a difference. We’ll certainly keep an eye out for more info and post updates here, but thank you again to everyone who helped report, spread the word, or supported the effort. Keep reading, keep writing. ♥️

[typewritingyip]

The Arcturus Missions

Part Forty Eight - Conversation

Part Forty Seven

TW: Mention of Homophobia/Homophobic Tones

———

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was an official United States military policy, issued in December 1993 and put into effect in February of 1994. It was a policy designed to “prevent” discrimination against closeted homosexual or bisexual service members of the varying branches, while barring openly homosexual civilians from service.

This act prevented any non-heterosexual person from discussing or disclosing their sexual orientation or any same-sex relationships, while serving in the United States armed forces. If such discussions were had or disclosed or actions were taken by the service member, they would be separated from the military service.

The only time this was prevented is if the conduct was to avoid service or if it was deemed in the best interest of the military. 

For the term, don’t ask, it was a section of the act specifically depicting the policy that superiors not initiate investigations for a service member without witnessing the banned behaviors. If evidence was deemed credibly however, it could be perused. The term became expendaed after multiple unauthorized investigations took place, turning into “don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue, and don’t harass.” Which of course was just as effective.

It wasn’t until July of 2011 that the policy was repealed by the then president, secretary of defense, and chairmen of the joint chiefs of staff. Though the legal challenges started in the early 2000’s, the actual legislation to repeal DADT was enacted in December of 2010. 

DADT ended in September of 2011. 

Even with DADT repealed, there were further standing issues with the standing Defense of Marriage act, which meant that although same-sex partners were no longer banned, their marriages would not be recognized by the military or federal government. 

They would not have access to the same benefits as heterosexual couples, whether health care, military pay, family separation allowance, and basic allowance for housing if they had dependents. 

It wasn’t until 2013 that it was replaced with the Respect for Marriage Act, which went into regulation in June of 2013. Wither further arguments at the state and federal level continuing into 2015. 

Arcturus One launched July 10th of 2013.

—

It had been hours, long and painful hours of strategizing, which was far from his strong suit. Instinct, working with instinct was his normal but being in the room with basically the leaders of their planet was far from instinctual to him. 

Even when he was in the military, he hadn’t risen through the ranks, or even tried to. Before all this Arcturus mess, he wasn’t a leader of people. Far from it. Being a hunter class had been as solo as it could get, no observer in his ear and no mission control in his interface. Even when he became a striker, he usually cut his audio to them. 

Fighting on pure instinct was what he always did and working that into the plan was at least helpful, “It’s reckless,” “It’s how the humans seem to operate Optimus, just leave them to their business. They’ll listen to orders when they are thought out.” Megatron’s voice had a strange tone that almost made Hound grin.

He was desperate for water when they finally left the office, sighing as he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and grabbing his water pouch to drink from. Taking several gulps before sighing, the suit's hand resting in front of his face as if blocking out the light thankfully. He could see eyes on him though.

Taking one more drink, he sighs slowly, “Raj’, just cause my eyes are closed doesn’t mean I can’t tell you’re there.” The near choking sound almost made him laugh, almost, “Hound, you realize how terrifying that is, right?” That made him smile, setting down the water pouch, he lets his arm hang when he opens his eyes.

They land on where Mirage appears, invisible one moment to in front of him the next, smiling stupidly at him. It made his skin crawl in an unfamiliar way, not dissimilar to how his so-called field felt to him.

“How’d the meeting go?” And that sinking feeling was back, shrugging some, Hound turned and started toward the exit. Mirage fell in next to him, walking by his side. Shaking his head a bit, Hound sighs again, “About as good as it could have, I think Breakdown is going to be moved to another unit, work under Joan.” Mirage chuckled.

To be fair, it was an inside joke among the humans, mostly. But Mirage, Prowl, and Bluestreak had heard it too many times to not know. 

Nodding his head, Mirage shrugged, “I guess Knockout made his voice heard. Doesn’t want to be near you or have Breakdown near you either.” Wincing, Hound sighed, “God, you threaten a guy's life once, huh?” Snorting with laughter, Mirage covers his mouth and shakes his head, “Hound, when did you get so funny?” Smiling a bit, he shrugs and starts walking, “Always have been, there have just been translation errors.” Mirage quickly catches up, his hand finding its familiar resting spot on his back, “Hey, where are we going?” Sighing a bit, Hound shrugs, “Probably home.” With a glance, his visor brightens slightly.

Mirage was smiling softly, walking with him, “So that I can get repainted before we ship back out.” He turns away, continuing through the halls.

Headquarters was still quiet, though there was evidence of people having passed through in the hours since arriving. Everything having seemed to be cleared or brushed off, new scuffs on the floor from people walking and the light shifted through the windows without reflecting on the previously shined surfaces. 

“It might be a bit before we go off world, since yesterday, but I will say it will be a relief to see you in green again.” Mirage’s voice was soft and it made Hound shudder slightly, shifting a bit, chuckling weakly, “Yeah, I know I look like the dead walking.” Shaking his head a bit, Mirage shifts his grip slightly as they step into the sunshine, “It’s not about that. You look plenty alive now, with or without the paint, but I like the green.” His throat tightened.

Glancing around, nearly desperately, the line from earlier was gone and it was the perfect distraction, “Where did the people go?” Frowning slightly, he hardly glanced at Mirage, “The ones from the attack.” Humming, Mirage looks over and nods slightly, “They’ve all probably been moved to a new building already, it doesn’t take long to move that many mecha, it was probably under fifty.” Nodding slowly, Hound’s hands flex uncomfortably.

Tightening his fists, he sighs slowly, “So, your kind’s population is truly that small?” Chuckling, Mirage shrugs, “We are certainly more than fifty, but not very many. We lost a fair bit during the war but our people were never many. Not like what your kind seems to have, right now the city's population stands around seven thousand or so.” Nodding slowly, Hound sighed deeply, “For a city so large, the population is so small.” 

Chuckling a bit, Mirage shakes his head, “One of us takes up a lot of space, I’m surprised that the five of you can stand to fit into your hab.” He nearly came to a full stop, the apartment was huge, but if he were actually the size of his suit, it would still be pretty comfortable, “Uh, well, it’s more space than we’d usually have on Earth. By a lot.” Mirage smiles and looks at him before slowing.

His hand flexed slightly on Hound’s back, “How many people live on your planet again?” Sighing, Hound looks at the sky briefly, “Somewhere between five and six billion, I think.” It was always such a weird thing, watching the color drain from Cybertronian’s faces, like when humans would go pale.

”And you’ve lost a billion in thirty years?” Nodding again, Hound sighs, “We can’t save everyone, those who aren’t pilots are a lot more fragile, breakable.” He didn’t know how else to describe it, his throat tightening slightly. Mirage hummed, looking down, “We lost under a hundred thousand in nearly a million years. Now we stand at just thirty-five thousand strong and haven’t had more than fifteen unnatural deaths in a thousand years of peace.” Hound stared.

Struggling for words, he gulps slightly, “Wow.” Sighing, Mirage nods a bit, “Yeah, a staggering difference there, huh?” With a hum, Hound turned down the street towards the apartment.

They walked in silence for the next few minutes, until they came up on a bench, “Let’s sit out here for a bit, I think your apartment would be a bit claustrophobic.” He wanted to argue, to mention how tired he was, even the pain that Sunny was going to help him with but slowly they sat. 

Iacon moved by easily, other people walking around, some driving, as if the city hadn’t been attacked the day before. As if he hadn’t just heard that their shields for the city had some sort of fault, as if Prowl and Soundwave were showering through alien information to know what was happening. 

Sitting back, Hound closes his eyes and sighs slowly. Mirage shifts his weight next to him, resting a hand on his knee, the knee of his suit. Gulping, Hound opens his eyes and looks over, “I actually wanted to talk to you before you disappeared again.” His heart sank.

—

Jazz and Breakdown were the last ones up and they both woke up to the smell of fresh paint wafting in under the door, disturbing them both enough to wake them up.

Sunny was still out of his suit, but was working on his brother's mech, while Sideswipe was eating in the greenhouse. Helmet on and an oxygen mask covering his face, he was spraying carefully. It was a tool kit he’d brought with him, but the paint was from Cybertron, its makeup was rather odd. 

Not really thicker than any paint from Earth, but it was odd, the layer was more opaque than typical auto body paint from Earth but the color was nearly perfect. A stunning hot rod cherry red. It shined brighter than the paint back home would, as if he were applying the top coat with it. This would buff to a near painful shine. 

Setting down the sprayer, he wipes his hands on his pants with a grin, each piece disconnected from the suit with the engineered ease and they were taking the paint like sand would absorb water. Smiling, he steps back to admire it, the paint didn’t have any of that glitter in it either, though there were apparently ones you could buy with it but he was glad that Bluestreak knew him well enough to not get that.

Most of the paints and waxes had been bought by Blue for him, though some of them he’d chosen. When he’d learned about waxes, he’d bought several while using his suit to scan them for general structure. He’d returned a few rather quickly after smelling them though. 

Sighing, he steps back to admire the work when the door to the bathroom opens behind him, “Oh god, it reeks of paint in here.” Turning, Sunny grinned at Jazz, and Jazz laughed, “You know, you look nuts with that stuff covering your head.” Nodding a bit, he lifts his sprayer with a wicked grin, “It’s for my protection, so I don’t die from inhaling this crap.” Nodding a bit, Jazz crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

”Are you working on just your brother's suit right now?” Shaking his head a bit, he turns and hefts one of the sections of plating, “Nope, I’m doing all the red detail work. I’m trying to figure out all our numbers, since I don’t have a stencil.” He shoves the piece upright and holds it for Jazz to see.

With a smile, Jazz tilts his head slightly, “You really think we still need that? It’s not like the public needs to identify the suit or even the pilot in the suit anymore.” Shrugging a bit, Sunny shifts it back down carefully, “I don’t know. I’ve always put the numbers back on peoples suits. If you don’t want it, I can sand it back down.” Stepping away from the pieces, he tilts his head a bit.

Jazz moved over and sighed slowly, “Keep em’. We’re still human in there.” Smiling and nodding, he looks over, “You think the others will still want theirs too?” Jazz rubs a hand over his implants, sighing deeply, “I think we’re all too beat to have to think about it.” His heart clenched painfully, nodding a bit. 

Walking back over to pick up the paint sprayer, he holds it carefully in his hands, “The last time a building fell on me was the day my mom died. Caused my dad to die too.” His voice shook lightly and he gripped the sprayer, “Sides was at school but he always took it really hard, that’s why I’m trying to get his done first. Uh, I always felt more at home in the suit than not.” Jazz slowly nodded.

He took a step closer, “And?” Sighing shakily, Sunny nodded a bit, “It was ten years ago this year that it happened. I just… I didn’t realize how much it wouldn’t faze me.” His voice grew quieter, “I mean, yeah, my fucking parents died and I was reliving that trauma today but do you want to know what was the worst part of all of this?” He turned to Jazz, who nodded and his voice caught in his throat.

How do you even go about describing it?

”Sunny,” Sighing again, he nodded, “The worst part of yesterday was how freaked out I was when Blue wasn’t there, watching my back. I never realized till then that I have literally never fought these things alone. Not like you, not like Hound. I’ve always had someone there, then with only one of my bracers,” He gulps for air desperately, “I felt helpless. Useless. And was stuck in a repeating loop of it all.” Carefully, Jazz’s hand rested on his shoulder.

Jazz took a breath, “Welcome to the realization.” Blinking slowly, he shook his head a bit, “What realization?” Smiling a bit, Jazz shrugged, “That your human. Even in a giant robotic suit, you're human at the core of it.” Jazz’s finger gabbed into his chest, “Not everything can be solved by being in a big suit. Having a giant robot at your back who’d lay down their life for you is one of the most relieving things there is out here but we’re not on Earth, this isn’t our home turf. Yet, we still throw ourselves at everything that comes for us and them, but we’re human.” His smile was relieving. 

Nodding slowly, Sunny takes a slow breath and shifts his hold on the paint sprayer, “How’d you figure that out?” Jazz shrugged a bit and turned toward the door, “When Prowl found out I was organic, it’s cause I was almost in the crash, I was dying and he saved me. Only one who could have.” Opening the door, he glances back, “Not everything can be solved by being in a suit Sunny, having someone you trust at your back isn’t a weakness until you let it be.” The door swished shut behind him.

Sighing slowly, Sunny moves over and picks up the canister of white paint next, detaching the red paint canister. His hands shook lightly.

Of course he was human, but maybe since coming here he’d tried to forget that. 

—

Mirage was smiling, softly, stupidly at him. 

God, this was probably the weirdest his life had ever gotten. Meeting with the leaders of a free society and having one of the most stunning things in the universe smiling at him like this wasn’t painfully awkward. 

Clearing his throat a bit, he tried to smile, brightening his visor slightly, “I wasn’t planning on disappearing. So, what do you want to talk about?” Shifting a bit, he leans back against the bench. Mirage nodded slightly and cleared his throat, trying to maintain his smile.

”You saved my life yesterday.” Trying not to roll his eyes, Hound moved to get up, “I was doing what I do,” Mirage grabbed his arm and pulled him back to the bench, “No Hound, listen.” Slowly sitting back down, he sighed and nodded a bit.

Keeping hold on his arm, Mirage nodded and still held his soft smile, “You saved my life, you found me in the rubble and dug me out even when no one else would have been able to see me. Not even Jazz and I thought he was the freakiest person for the longest time, cause he nearly always knew I was there. You always know.” Carefully, Hound rested his hand over Mirage’s.

Nodding a bit, he shrugged a bit, “Yeah, well, I’m sure I could find you just about anywhere.” His tone was flat, honest, and Mirage grinned, “Exactly. You can find me anywhere, when no one else can.” He stopped and took a breath, “When I was down in the under-layer, I could hardly think straight. My mind was wandering in every direction but it kept coming back to you.” 

Wherever this was heading, Hound didn’t think it was anywhere good as his heart clenched painfully, “Mirage,” “Hound, you’ve worked your way into my spark without even realizing it.” Blue hands took his grey and held them, “You can find me across a battlefield even when I’m invisible, you find me and you protect me without a second thought.” Mirage’s smile was bright, blinding and made Hound’s heart ache. 

“You’ve saved me just as many times as I’ve saved you in the incredibly short time we’ve known each other.” Hound’s throat tightened again, shifting his hands in Mirage’s hold which tightened.

“I’ve survived a million years of war, the fall of my caste and kind, and haven’t realized that all I have wanted in this life is for someone to see me when no one else could.” Hound tried to pull away, even as his heart thudded against his ribs, “Mirage, I’m only human.” And Mirage smiled, nodding, “I know.”

His hands held tightly to Hound, even as Hound pinged anyone in the apartment desperately, “That’s what you humans seem to do, just find us and work yourselves into our sparks. You might be stupid and reckless to a fault, but you’re brave and willing to lay down your already short life for so many.” Mirage’s fingers brushed over the back of his hands.

The back of his suits hands. 

Finally able to pull back when he got a ping, he stood, “Let’s go inside, talk inside, everyone should be asleep or just, yeah.” He nodded, almost offering a hand but instead standing slightly stiffly. Nodding slowly, Mirage stands and follows him into the building.

The elevator ride was one of the most awkward in his life, both of them shifting around like two teenagers trying to figure out how to speak. Hell, it’s how he felt right now. 

Stepping out of the elevator, they walked to the apartment in silence until Hound unlocked the door and stepped inside.

No one was in the living room, all the doors to other spaces were closed, gulping slightly as he steps forward to let Mirage in. 

“Alright,” His voice was tight and his hands were shaking lightly, “Say what you’re going to say here.” The door closes behind Mirage and he steps back slightly away from the mech.

Mirage frowned a bit, “Hound, are you alright?” Shaking his head a bit, he sighs shakily, “Honestly? No, because right now you sound like a love struck idiot trying to confess and that’s terrifying.” Mirage smiled a bit and shrugged, “Yeah well, that’s what I sound like in that situation.” Shaking his head again, Hound starts to pace.

”God,” He takes a breath and looks to Mirage, “What you feel for me is barely legal on Earth, Mirage. Me being a part of the military makes all of this conversation illegal.” The soft look on Mirage’s face vanished, his face turning hard, “Damn your world.” And he marched over and took hold of Hound’s face.

The face of his suit.

Holding his face, Mirage stared at him, trying to stare into his soul, “Hound, being a pilot does not mean you should not be allowed to love.” His heart was in his throat, “It’s, it’s not love that is specifically illegal Mirage. Not even love for pilots, but love between those deemed the same sex. Talking about it.” Blinking at him, Mirage frowned a bit.

He even tilted his head like Hound usually did, “That didn’t translate.” Groaning, Hound pulled away, desperate for space and started to pace, “Love between people with the same build, similar frame, one between mechs or femmes, not one of each.” Mirage chuckled slightly, shaking his head a bit, “There aren’t enough femmes for that to ever work here.”

Everything in him screamed to try and put his head through the wall, “Yeah, well on Earth were pretty evenly split.” His hands were shaking again, struggling to breathe before he started to strap his oxygen mask on, “Mirage, you can’t love me.” And Mirage stared.

Shifting forward, Mirage lightly took his arm, “Why? Why not? Because your government has deemed it wrong? Because your kind seems to have some sort of strict guidelines for love?” “Because you don’t know anything about me!” Hound shook his arm off.

“I’m not gay!” His throat tightened with the fear, with the hint of a lie, the lie he’d had to uphold for years. Hiding his bi-sexuality.

Trying to stop pacing, his hands clenching at his sides briefly, “I was married before Mirage, you know this. I was married to Sarah for years, I loved her Mirage,” Jabbing at his own chest, he closes his eyes and brings his fists to his eyes gasping painfully, “I loved her so damn much and being a pilot, being me, pushed her away.” Mirage moved over slowly before resting a hand on his shoulder.

”I love you for who you are. For your past, for your future. You say I don’t know anything about you, but I know how much you care. I see your life and everything you do because of the person you are.” Shoving him off, Hound stumbled back, he was crying.

Grasping at his helmet, he struggles, “I, I am not what you think I am Mirage. God, you think I am like you.” He could feel it building to the tip of his tongue, then he got a ping from Jazz, the reassurance he needed to end this.

Mirage smiled a bit, “I think your fantastic, your kind are certainly more resilient,” He paused as Hound stills his suit and pulled the connector from his implants, hitting the cockpit opening button with his fist. It was dizzying, the sudden disconnection, pulling his microphone in front of his face and adjusting the speaker slightly.

Standing uneasily, he stepped forward and threw his arms wide, “Ta-fucking-da.” Mirage stared, blinking, eyes widening as Hound pulled himself from his suit. Using the magnets in his assistance suit to pull himself to his suits shoulder, “This is me.” And he did the stupidest thing ever, tearing off his helmet and oxygen mask.

Revealing his organic face, hair, eyes, all of it. His disheveled appearance, eyes red from crying, breath heavy. Pausing for a moment, he pulls his helmet back on and adjusts the microphone, “I actually need this to understand you.” Mirage was still staring.

Gulping slightly, he patted the suit awkwardly, “My suit is what I pilot. What we pilot are our suits. They were built to fight Quintessons, we were just… reformatted to control them.” Mirage stepped forward carefully, “So, so, you're a techno-organic?” He paused and shrugged weakly, “I guess.” 

Nodding quickly, Mirage still stared, looking around, “Are, are you all this, small?” His face burned, “No, I am just short.” They both chuckled weakly.

Hound shifted a bit before sitting down, “My suit,” he patted the platting under his hand, “Is just an extension of me, now. This is just me if I were bigger.” Mirage stepped forward again and tilted his head slightly, “So, this is what I didn’t know. Is that your organic? Am I missing anything?” His mouth was dry and he shook his head a bit.

”No, I, I don’t think so. This,” He gestured to himself then to his suit, “Is me.” Mirage nodded, “What is it like, in the suit?” He nearly tripped over the word, “It’s just, me. If I were big and made of metal. I can feel some of my plating as if it were my skin, I see through its cameras like my eyes, it’s not typical for how I see and feel things.” He chuckled weakly and brushed a hand over his implants.

Still fighting back more tears, he struggled, “I’m organic Mirage, I’m small and my life expectancy is shit. Being in love with you is a crime back on Earth for me and I don’t think you love this,” he gestured to himself, “You love who you thought I was.” His eyes burned as he held back tears.

Mirage stepped forward and his hands rested on the space on the back of his suit, “You said it yourself, the suit is just a further extension of who you are. And I like who you are. You see me.” And Mirage blinked out, though Hound’s glance didn’t waver from his eyes, “Even when no one else can. Isn’t that what matters? Sure, this is weird, but we wouldn’t be the first to make it work and I doubt we’d be the last.” Mirage reappeared and extended a hand.

This was a mistake, a dire mistake, but Hound stepped forward shakily. 

Carefully, almost too carefully, Hound stepped into his hold, lightly grasping at Mirage’s fingers before pushing the visor on his helmet up. That horrific buzzing. feeling returned and was joined by a strong one, “You see me Hound and now I see you. Call it even?” 

Gently, Mirage helped him back to his cockpit and he shuffled in. Taking back up the connector, wincing slightly as it snaps into place. 

Mirage felt the slight bit of pain rip through his field before so much of the worry in it washed away.

Closing his cockpit, his visor lit back up and he stared back at Mirage. While Mirage stared back, tilting his head in a way Hound knew was terribly familiar, “You’re you both in and out of the suit. So, are you going to accept how I feel? How I know you feel or continue to be worried about it?” Rolling his eyes a bit, Hound shook his head.

”You’re ridiculous. Even after all that—?” Mirage brought his hands down his arms and held his hands carefully, “Especially after all that. Hound, I love you, let that be enough. You're you and I love who you are, even if I still have a lot to discover.” He squeezed Hound’s hands and Hound squeezed back, even as his heart raced. 

Stepping forward, Hound tilted his head back slightly, “It’s going to take time, this isn’t normal for me. Plus, there is a war out there.” Mirage nodded, smiling, “That’s fair, you’ve got other pilots to think of.” He nodded a bit.

If the elevator had been awkward, this was painfully so.

Moving one hand from his hold, Mirage slid it to cover the gap in his armor, like he’d been doing for ages, “Hound, no one here will judge you for this. None of us care about organic gender roles or the rules they seem to place for so called moral reasons. Someday, we’ll explain our own concept of gender.” Chuckling lightly, he shook his head, “Other kinds of being are so strict about that slag, we fought a million years so we didn’t have to be.” His fingers brushed over the still colorless plating of Hound’s armor absently. 

Nodding slowly, Hound sighed and pulled Mirage closed, closing his eyes, “I do care for you Mirage, more than I have for anyone in a very long time.” Mirage’s arms wrapped around him, his own eyes closing.

They stood like that for a long moment, fields buzzing to a calm before Mirage glanced around, “No wonder you all live in this one space though, being so tiny.” Scoffing, Hound shook his head, “You are now walking on thin ice.” And Mirage laughed.

One of the doors behind him whooshed open and Mirage let out a nervous chuckle, “Oh, there are others.” Resting his forehead against Mirage’s shoulder, Hound groaned. There was never a moment of quiet here. 

———

A/N

This chapter took so long lmao, but I honestly think that it might be the longest chapter yet? Is 4.8k the longest? I don’t know… I also can’t believe how close we are to part fifty. Like, that is insane to me.

Also, disclosure.. I am a straight woman writing this, but I try to write romance just as.. romance. So, please let me know if I’m doing anything wrong, please.

With everything that has happened in like the last two weeks, writing has been such a stress relief. Nothing bad has happened but it’s been hectic.

So let me know what you think of the development, I’ve been sort of planning this scene for a little while and I’ve struggled to find the right place for it. But yeah, it’s fun.

TAGS

@lunarlei68 @whirlywhirlygig @loop-hole-319 @pixillandjester @alek-the-witch @not-a-moose-in-disguise @goddessofwind8water @neurologicalglitch @dersereblogger @pixel-transformers @mrcrayonofdoom @wireplaces @twilightfreefaller @original-blog-name-2 @devilangel657 @robbin-u @miniartistme @starwold @tea-enthusiasm @valeexpris606 @celticdoggo @bird599 @agentsquirrelsgotrobots @aquaioart @thatwandercat @artdagz @seisha974 @halenhusky309 @leethepiper @cat-cassette @sirassban @cosmique-oddity @garbageenthusiast @xervias @azulabutterfly @fryseem @spring-mc @echo-circuit @aghostsnail @wooblewooble @ask-glory-haddock-and-others @nonsscrapheap @magichats @iminahole247 @omgflyingderpywhale @thetrexartist @naaaafam @elegantmantaray @emichusai @waterlilykitty @diabolichare @ham4ponyo @osqindaxend @sunnyvibesanddoodles @ratatatata248 @ijustneedausernaneplease4444444 @sprook-children @fooolisher 

And once again thank you to @Keferon for this amazing AU

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Cleantech has an enshittification problem

On July 14, I'm giving the closing keynote for the fifteenth HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH, in QUEENS, NY. Happy Bastille Day! On July 20, I'm appearing in CHICAGO at Exile in Bookville.

EVs won't save the planet. Ultimately, the material bill for billions of individual vehicles and the unavoidable geometry of more cars-more traffic-more roads-greater distances-more cars dictate that the future of our cities and planet requires public transit – lots of it.

But no matter how much public transit we install, there's always going to be some personal vehicles on the road, and not just bikes, ebikes and scooters. Between deliveries, accessibility, and stubbornly low-density regions, there's going to be a lot of cars, vans and trucks on the road for the foreseeable future, and these should be electric.

Beyond that irreducible minimum of personal vehicles, there's the fact that individuals can't install their own public transit system; in places that lack the political will or means to create working transit, EVs are a way for people to significantly reduce their personal emissions.

In policy circles, EV adoption is treated as a logistical and financial issue, so governments have focused on making EVs affordable and increasing the density of charging stations. As an EV owner, I can affirm that affordability and logistics were important concerns when we were shopping for a car.

But there's a third EV problem that is almost entirely off policy radar: enshittification.

An EV is a rolling computer in a fancy case with a squishy person inside of it. While this can sound scary, there are lots of cool implications for this. For example, your EV could download your local power company's tariff schedule and preferentially charge itself when the rates are lowest; they could also coordinate with the utility to reduce charging when loads are peaking. You can start them with your phone. Your repair technician can run extensive remote diagnostics on them and help you solve many problems from the road. New features can be delivered over the air.

That's just for starters, but there's so much more in the future. After all, the signal virtue of a digital computer is its flexibility. The only computer we know how to make is the Turing complete, universal, Von Neumann machine, which can run every valid program. If a feature is computationally tractable – from automated parallel parking to advanced collision prevention – it can run on a car.

The problem is that this digital flexibility presents a moral hazard to EV manufacturers. EVs are designed to make any kind of unauthorized, owner-selected modification into an IP rights violation ("IP" in this case is "any law that lets me control the conduct of my customers or competitors"):

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

EVs are also designed so that the manufacturer can unilaterally exert control over them or alter their operation. EVs – even more than conventional vehicles – are designed to be remotely killswitched in order to help manufacturers and dealers pressure people into paying their car notes on time:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

Manufacturers can reach into your car and change how much of your battery you can access:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/edison-not-tesla/#demon-haunted-world

They can lock your car and have it send its location to a repo man, then greet him by blinking its lights, honking its horn, and pulling out of its parking space:

https://tiremeetsroad.com/2021/03/18/tesla-allegedly-remotely-unlocks-model-3-owners-car-uses-smart-summon-to-help-repo-agent/

And of course, they can detect when you've asked independent mechanic to service your car and then punish you by degrading its functionality:

https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2024/06/26/two-of-eight-claims-in-tesla-anti-trust-lawsuit-will-move-forward/

This is "twiddling" – unilaterally and irreversibly altering the functionality of a product or service, secure in the knowledge that IP law will prevent anyone from twiddling back by restoring the gadget to a preferred configuration:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

The thing is, for an EV, twiddling is the best case scenario. As bad as it is for the company that made your EV to change how it works whenever they feel like picking your pocket, that's infinitely preferable to the manufacturer going bankrupt and bricking your car.

That's what just happened to owners of Fisker EVs, cars that cost $40-70k. Cars are long-term purchases. An EV should last 12-20 years, or even longer if you pay to swap the battery pack. Fisker was founded in 2016 and shipped its first Ocean SUV in 2023. The company is now bankrupt:

https://insideevs.com/news/723669/fisker-inc-bankruptcy-chapter-11-official/

Fisker called its vehicles "software-based cars" and they weren't kidding. Without continuous software updates and server access, those Fisker Ocean SUVs are turning into bricks. What's more, the company designed the car from the ground up to make any kind of independent service and support into a felony, by wrapping the whole thing in overlapping layers of IP. That means that no one can step in with a module that jailbreaks the Fisker and drops in an alternative firmware that will keep the fleet rolling.

This is the third EV risk – not just finance, not just charger infrastructure, but the possibility that any whizzy, cool new EV company will go bust and brick your $70k cleantech investment, irreversibly transforming your car into 5,500 lb worth of e-waste.

This confers a huge advantage onto the big automakers like VW, Kia, Ford, etc. Tesla gets a pass, too, because it achieved critical mass before people started to wise up to the risk of twiddling and bricking. If you're making a serious investment in a product you expect to use for 20 years, are you really gonna buy it from a two-year old startup with six months' capital in the bank?

The incumbency advantage here means that the big automakers won't have any reason to sink a lot of money into R&D, because they won't have to worry about hungry startups with cool new ideas eating their lunches. They can maintain the cozy cartel that has seen cars stagnate for decades, with the majority of "innovation" taking the form of shitty, extractive and ill-starred ideas like touchscreen controls and an accelerator pedal that you have to rent by the month:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/23/23474969/mercedes-car-subscription-faster-acceleration-feature-price

Put that way, it's clear that this isn't an EV problem, it's a cleantech problem. Cleantech has all the problems of EVs: it requires a large capital expenditure, it will be "smart," and it is expected to last for decades. That's rooftop solar, heat-pumps, smart thermostat sensor arrays, and home storage batteries.

And just as with EVs, policymakers have focused on infrastructure and affordability without paying any attention to the enshittification risks. Your rooftop solar will likely be controlled via a Solaredge box – a terrible technology that stops working if it can't reach the internet for a protracted period (that's right, your home solar stops working if the grid fails!).

I found this out the hard way during the covid lockdowns, when Solaredge terminated its 3G cellular contract and notified me that I would have to replace the modem in my system or it would stop working. This was at the height of the supply-chain crisis and there was a long waiting list for any replacement modems, with wifi cards (that used your home internet rather than a cellular connection) completely sold out for most of a year.

There are good reasons to connect rooftop solar arrays to the internet – it's not just so that Solaredge can enshittify my service. Solar arrays that coordinate with the grid can make it much easier and safer to manage a grid that was designed for centralized power production and is being retrofitted for distributed generation, one roof at a time.

But when the imperatives of extraction and efficiency go to war, extraction always wins. After all, the Solaredge system is already in place and solar installers are largely ignorant of, and indifferent to, the reasons that a homeowner might want to directly control and monitor their system via local controls that don't roundtrip through the cloud.

Somewhere in the hindbrain of any prospective solar purchaser is the experience with bricked and enshittified "smart" gadgets, and the knowledge that anything they buy from a cool startup with lots of great ideas for improving production, monitoring, and/or costs poses the risk of having your 20 year investment bricked after just a few years – and, thanks to the extractive imperative, no one will be able to step in and restore your ex-solar array to good working order.

I make the majority of my living from books, which means that my pay is very "lumpy" – I get large sums when I publish a book and very little in between. For many years, I've used these payments to make big purchases, rather than financing them over long periods where I can't predict my income. We've used my book payments to put in solar, then an induction stove, then a battery. We used one to buy out the lease on our EV. And just a month ago, we used the money from my upcoming Enshittification book to put in a heat pump (with enough left over to pay for a pair of long-overdue cataract surgeries, scheduled for the fall).

When we started shopping for heat pumps, it was clear that this was a very exciting sector. First of all, heat pumps are kind of magic, so efficient and effective it's almost surreal. But beyond the basic tech – which has been around since the late 1940s – there is a vast ferment of cool digital features coming from exciting and innovative startups.

By nature, I'm the kid of person who likes these digital features. I started out as a computer programmer, and while I haven't written production code since the previous millennium, I've been in and around the tech industry for my whole adult life. But when it came time to buy a heat-pump – an investment that I expected to last for 20 years or more – there was no way I was going to buy one of these cool new digitally enhanced pumps, no matter how much the reviewers loved them. Sure, they'd work well, but it's precisely because I'm so knowledgeable about high tech that I could see that they would fail very, very badly.

You may think EVs are bullshit, and they are – though there will always be room for some personal vehicles, and it's better for people in transit deserts to drive EVs than gas-guzzlers. You may think rooftop solar is a dead-end and be all-in on utility scale solar (I think we need both, especially given the grid-disrupting extreme climate events on our horizon). But there's still a wide range of cleantech – induction tops, heat pumps, smart thermostats – that are capital intensive, have a long duty cycle, and have good reasons to be digitized and networked.

Take home storage batteries: your utility can push its rate card to your battery every time they change their prices, and your battery can use that information to decide when to let your house tap into the grid, and when to switch over to powering your home with the solar you've stored up during the day. This is a very old and proven pattern in tech: the old Fidonet BBS network used a version of this, with each BBS timing its calls to other nodes to coincide with the cheapest long-distance rates, so that messages for distant systems could be passed on:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FidoNet

Cleantech is a very dynamic sector, even if its triumphs are largely unheralded. There's a quiet revolution underway in generation, storage and transmission of renewable power, and a complimentary revolution in power-consumption in vehicles and homes:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/12/s-curve/#anything-that-cant-go-on-forever-eventually-stops

But cleantech is too important to leave to the incumbents, who are addicted to enshittification and planned obsolescence. These giant, financialized firms lack the discipline and culture to make products that have the features – and cost savings – to make them appealing to the very wide range of buyers who must transition as soon as possible, for the sake of the very planet.

It's not enough for our policymakers to focus on financing and infrastructure barriers to cleantech adoption. We also need a policy-level response to enshittification.

Ideally, every cleantech device would be designed so that it was impossible to enshittify – which would also make it impossible to brick:

Based on free software (best), or with source code escrowed with a trustee who must release the code if the company enters administration (distant second-best);

All patents in a royalty-free patent-pool (best); or in a trust that will release them into a royalty-free pool if the company enters administration (distant second-best);

No parts-pairing or other DRM permitted (best); or with parts-pairing utilities available to all parties on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis (distant second-best);

All diagnostic and error codes in the public domain, with all codes in the clear within the device (best); or with decoding utilities available on demand to all comers on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis (distant second-best).

There's an obvious business objection to this: it will reduce investment in innovative cleantech because investors will perceive these restrictions as limits on the expected profits of their portfolio companies. It's true: these measures are designed to prevent rent-extraction and other enshittificatory practices by cleantech companies, and to the extent that investors are counting on enshittification rents, this might prevent them from investing.

But that has to be balanced against the way that a general prohibition on enshittificatory practices will inspire consumer confidence in innovative and novel cleantech products, because buyers will know that their investments will be protected over the whole expected lifespan of the product, even if the startup goes bust (nearly every startup goes bust). These measures mean that a company with a cool product will have a much larger customer-base to sell to. Those additional sales more than offset the loss of expected revenue from cheating and screwing your customers by twiddling them to death.

There's also an obvious legal objection to this: creating these policies will require a huge amount of action from Congress and the executive branch, a whole whack of new rules and laws to make them happen, and each will attract court-challenges.

That's also true, though it shouldn't stop us from trying to get legal reforms. As a matter of public policy, it's terrible and fucked up that companies can enshittify the things we buy and leave us with no remedy.

However, we don't have to wait for legal reform to make this work. We can take a shortcut with procurement – the things governments buy with public money. The feds, the states and localities buy a lot of cleantech: for public facilities, for public housing, for public use. Prudent public policy dictates that governments should refuse to buy any tech unless it is designed to be enshittification-resistant.

This is an old and honorable tradition in policymaking. Lincoln insisted that the rifles he bought for the Union Army come with interoperable tooling and ammo, for obvious reasons. No one wants to be the Commander in Chief who shows up on the battlefield and says, "Sorry, boys, war's postponed, our sole supplier decided to stop making ammunition."

By creating a market for enshittification-proof cleantech, governments can ensure that the public always has the option of buying an EV that can't be bricked even if the maker goes bust, a heat-pump whose digital features can be replaced or maintained by a third party of your choosing, a solar controller that coordinates with the grid in ways that serve their owners – not the manufacturers' shareholders.

We're going to have to change a lot to survive the coming years. Sure, there's a lot of scary ways that things can go wrong, but there's plenty about our world that should change, and plenty of ways those changes could be for the better. It's not enough for policymakers to focus on ensuring that we can afford to buy whatever badly thought-through, extractive tech the biggest companies want to foist on us – we also need a focus on making cleantech fit for purpose, truly smart, reliable and resilient.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/26/unplanned-obsolescence/#better-micetraps

Image: 臺灣古寫真上色 (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raid_on_Kagi_City_1945.jpg

Grendelkhan (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ground_mounted_solar_panels.gk.jpg

CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

[yourreddancer]

He should be arrested for violating our privacy. He was not vetted by congress and has no security clearance.

Contact your state’s attorney general and request help.

Can we ask the ACLU to file a class action suit? Who’s with me?

“Let’s get into the details. Musk’s staffers have been caught plugging external hard drives into federal agency systems and reportedly locking others out of private rooms to perform—who knows what actions. This behavior violates key cybersecurity laws under FISMA and NIST guidelines, which are designed to protect sensitive federal information. Here’s why this is a serious problem.

Federal systems are strictly regulated, allowing only approved devices to connect. Unauthorized external drives can introduce viruses, ransomware, or other harmful software that may compromise entire networks and disrupt essential operations. This puts system stability and continuity of services at risk, endangering critical infrastructure.

These devices could also be used to steal or damage critical information, including personal data for millions of Americans—such as Social Security recipients and taxpayers. Unauthorized access creates significant vulnerabilities, exposing sensitive data to the risk of cyberattacks. Such attacks could cripple vital services and compromise the privacy and safety of millions of people.

Additionally, federal agencies have strict access controls to prevent unauthorized data manipulation or theft. When unauthorized devices are connected, these protections are bypassed, allowing unauthorized users to potentially alter or extract sensitive data. This undermines system integrity and opens the door to both internal and external threats.

External drives also often lack essential security features, such as encryption and antivirus scanning, making them vulnerable to cybercriminal exploitation. These security gaps further increase the risk of data breaches and system compromise, which can have far-reaching consequences.

Federal systems handle trillions of dollars in payments and manage personal data for millions of U.S. citizens. By bypassing cybersecurity laws and protocols, Musk’s staffers are putting these systems—and the public—at serious risk. This activity is illegal, reckless, and unacceptable. Immediate oversight and intervention are necessary to stop these violations!” ~ A N P S

[herkonular]

TORONATA - DEVASA+

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[fearfulfertility]

CONFIDENTIAL LOGISTICS REPORT

DRC, Planning & Evaluation Office, Logistics & Infrastructure Division

Date: [REDACTED]

To: Director [REDACTED]

From: Administrator [REDACTED], Logistics & Infrastructure Division

Subject: Facility Expansion: New Paternity Compound Construction

Executive Summary

This report outlines the ongoing expansion of DRC-operated paternity compounds across several strategic locations nationwide. In response to increasing insemination rates and projected surrogacy demands, we have begun constructing new high-capacity compounds to accommodate more surrogates. These expansions will enable the DRC to streamline the conscription process, optimize surrogacy cycles, and ensure our ability to meet the population sustainability targets outlined for the next fiscal period.

The new compounds focus on enhanced security, specialized medical equipment, and increased surrogacy capacity.

I. Facility Expansion Overview

Strategic Locations and Site Selection

To ensure regional coverage and minimize travel time to detain and inseminated surrogates, the DRC has approved the construction of [REDACTED] new paternity compounds in FEMA Zones 4, 6, 7, and 8. These facilities will be situated in [REDACTED] areas, selected for their proximity to population centers, existing transport infrastructure, and relative isolation, ensuring operational security.

Zone 4: Atlanta, GA

Zone 6: Houston, TX

Zone 7: Omaha, NE

Zone 8: Denver, CO

Each compound is designed to accommodate [REDACTED] surrogates at any given time, with the ability to scale up to [REDACTED] in emergencies. Construction is scheduled for completion within the next [REDACTED] months, with the first inspections set to begin by [REDACTED] this year.

Paternity Compound Design Features:

High-Capacity Paternity Wards: Each compound contains specialized wards designed to manage surrogates carrying up to sedecatuplets (16), with private rooms for those at risk of premature labor.

Enhanced Monitoring Systems: Advanced surveillance and biometric monitoring ensure constant oversight and swift response to emergencies.

Security Enhancements: Reinforced containment protocols, secure access points, and patrol routes have been established to prevent unauthorized access and ensure surrogate compliance.

II. Specialized Equipment and Medical Support

Given the unique demands and expectations placed on surrogates, each paternity compound will be equipped with advanced medical infrastructure to ensure the safety and effective management of extreme weight gain, reduced mobility, and increased risks of organ stress.

Key Equipment and Infrastructure:

Reinforced Support Beds: Traditional hospital beds have proven insufficient for surrogates carrying high multiples, whose pregnancies can lead to total weight gains exceeding 200 lbs. Each ward will feature reinforced, adjustable support beds capable of accommodating extreme weights. These beds will be equipped with pressure-relief systems to minimize discomfort and reduce the risk of bedsores for near-immobile surrogates.

“I hate that I’m here! But… all I have is this bed! I can’t move, I can’t breathe half the time, but at least I have a fucking memory foam mattress!” - Surrogate S118-176-J, 27 days pregnant with decatuplets (10)

Automated Feeding & Hydration Systems: Automated systems will ensure continuous nutrition and hydration to support surrogates with reduced mobility. Given the caloric intake requirements for such pregnancies, these systems will monitor and adjust fluid and nutrient delivery, reducing the need for frequent staff intervention.

“I’m basically just a machine now, aren’t I? They hook me up, pump me full of these stupid protein shakes, and keep me breathing so I can keep carrying these bowling ball-sized kids. It’s disgusting!” - Surrogate S117-138-N, 18 days pregnant with quattuordecatuplets (14)

Custom Mobility Aids: Custom-designed lift systems and mobility aids will be integrated into each ward to facilitate the movement of surrogates. These devices will allow for safe repositioning, transfers to specialized birthing chairs, and support during transport.

“I don’t know how they expect us to move with this much weight on us. Even standing feels like my legs are going to snap. Those lifts? They’re humiliating... but without them, I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed at all.” - Surrogate S120-494-P, 30 days into a sedecatuplets (16) pregnancy

Advanced Fetal Monitoring: Each compound will have real-time ultrasound and biometric monitoring stations to track fetal development. Given the accelerated gestational period, these systems will continuously update fetal positioning, size, and viability, enabling rapid response to complications.

"It’s terrifying. Knowing how big they are, how many there are… they’re not coming out normal. When I finally pop them all out, they’ll get better care than I ever did!" - Surrogate S119-667-N, 22 days pregnant with hendecatuplets (14)

Dedicated Obstetrics & Neonatal Care Units: Immediate neonatal care is essential, and each compound will include state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to support newborns. Advanced incubators and respiratory support systems will ensure the survival of even the most premature babies.

"They always tell me how important it is to ensure the babies survive, even if I don’t. I get it, I do… but knowing there’s a whole team of people ready to take over the second I’m gone? It’s like they’ve already decided how this ends." - Surrogate S117-856-M, 8 days pregnant with tridecatuplets (13)

Pain Management and Sedation Systems: Surrogates will experience extreme discomfort and physical strain. Each paternity ward will be equipped with integrated IV pain management systems, allowing for both localized and systemic pain relief. Sedation protocols can be initiated remotely if a surrogate's distress becomes vocal, ensuring they can not incite civil disorder.

“I’m so big I can’t even see my dick, which is now buried under all these babies and fat. I’d be lying if I said the meds didn't help to blitz me out of my mind... a caring them I'm a gigantic incubator now.” - Surrogate S119-461-L, 11 days pregnant with dodecatuplets (12)

Future Equipment Developments: Research teams are exploring next-generation mobility aids, including exoskeleton support harnesses, to provide mobility assistance for late-term surrogates. These innovations aim to improve surrogate survival to deliver full-term pregnancies. Once available, prototypes will be tested in select compounds.

III. Expansion Strategy: Future Projections and Scaling

Projected Surrogacy Demand: With the increase in insemination rates, each compound is expected to handle up to [REDACTED] inseminations per month once fully operational. This translates to a need for approximately [REDACTED] newborns annually to meet population sustainability targets. Our current projections indicate that these numbers are achievable.

IV. Conclusion and Recommendations

The successful construction and operation of these new paternity compounds are critical to effectively maintaining the DRC’s ability to enforce surrogacy mandates. Our specialized equipment and infrastructure improvements will ensure we meet demands while preserving control over our surrogate.

Report submitted by: Administrator [REDACTED], Logistics & Infrastructure Division

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To: Administrator [REDACTED], Logistics & Infrastructure Division

From: Director [REDACTED], DRC

Subject: RE: Facility Expansion: New Paternity Compound Construction

Dear Mr. [REDACTED],

I’ve reviewed the latest progress report on the new Paternity Compounds, and I must commend your team on the impressive strides made thus far, even with the ambitious timeline we’ve set.

I have been particularly interested in the improvements to our birthing suites. As you are well aware, managing multiple pregnancies presents unique challenges.

We are entering a critical phase. I want to emphasize that these upcoming births will set a precedent for all future operations. The successful use of these new facilities will allow us to demonstrate that our methods ensure the next generation's survival and that we can handle the demands without sacrificing efficiency or outcomes.

I look forward to seeing the first results when the initial surrogates reach full term and the birthing suites are fully operational.

Keep up the excellent work, and do not hesitate to reach out if additional resources or support are needed to ensure success.

Regards, Director [REDACTED]

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Click Here to return to DRC Report Archives

[goldenhickeyss]

Someone stole Jungkook’s HYBE shares while he was enlisting :(

Back in January 2024, someone made a securities account in his name, transferred 33.5K shares, and even sold 500 of them. They also tried to move his money. The court ruled in Jungkook’s favor, but the culprit is still unknown.

In February 2025, the Seoul Western District Court ruled in Jungkook’s favor, stating that the transfer was unauthorized and ordering the third party to return the shares.

The third party claimed innocent acquisition (a legal principle protecting buyers who unknowingly purchase stolen assets), but the court rejected this, citing a failure to verify ownership.

The third party had initially paid for the shares with 20,000 USDT (Tether cryptocurrency).

The ruling was finalized in March 2025, as the third party withdrew their appeal. The true perpetrator has not been identified, though they had full access to Jungkook’s financial information, suggesting potential involvement from someone close to him.

HYBE and BigHit Music took immediate action, freezing the affected accounts and implementing stricter security measures to prevent further damage.

Honestly... the thought of someone close to him—or within the company—waiting for him to enlist just to steal from him.... is beyond disgusting.

Sadly, in this life, being kind and trusting comes with the risk of some people taking advantage of you… and Jungkook has a heart as big as a whole galaxy…

My baby 😭 ... PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS!!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Maanvi Singh at The Guardian:

The Trump administration is trying to end a cornerstone immigration policy that requires the government to provide basic rights and protections to child immigrants in its custody. The protections, which are drawn from a 1997 consent decree known as the Flores Settlement Agreement, limit the amount of time children can be detained by immigration officials. It also requires the government to provide children in its custody with adequate food, water and clean clothes. The administration’s move to terminate the Flores agreement was long anticipated. In a court motion filed Thursday, the justice department argued that the Flores agreement should be “completely” terminated, claiming it has incentivized unauthorized border crossings and “prevented the federal government from effectively detaining and removing families”. Donald Trump also tried to end these protections during his first term, making very similar arguments. The move to end protections follows a slew of actions by the Trump administration that target children, including restarting the practice of locking up children along with their parents in family detention. Immigration advocacy groups have alleged in a class-action lawsuit filed earlier this month that unaccompanied children are languishing in government facilities after the administration unveiled policies making it exceedingly difficult for family members in the US to take custody of them. The president and lawmakers have also sought to cut off unaccompanied children’s access to legal services and make it harder for families in detention to seek legal aid. “Eviscerating the rudimentary protections that these children have is unconscionable,” said Mishan Wroe, senior attorney at the National Center for Youth Law. “At this very moment, babies and toddlers are being detained in family detention, and children all over the country are being detained and separated from their families unnecessarily.”

The effort to suspend the Flores agreement “bears the Trump administration’s hallmark disregard for the rule of law – and for the wellbeing of toddlers who have done no wrong”, said Faisal al-Juburi of the Texas-based legal non-profit Raices. “This administration would rather enrich private prison contractors with the $45bn earmarked for immigrant detention facilities in the House’s depraved spending bill than to uphold basic humanitarian protections for babies.” The Trump administration in 2019 asked a judge to dissolve the Flores Settlement Agreement, but its motion was struck down. During the Biden administration, a federal judge agreed to partially lift oversight protections at the Department of Health and Human Services, but the agreement is still in place at the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencies.

The Trump Regime seeks an end to the Flores Settlement that they tried to end in the 1st term. The Flores Settlement provides basic rights and protections for child immigrants while in custody.

[dearyanderenewspaper]

🗞️ YanCorp Park: The Ultimate Retreat for Your Darling! 🎡

Where Fun Meets Control—Because True Love Always Watches!

For Yanderes seeking the perfect balance between supervision and entertainment, YanCorp Park is the premier destination designed exclusively for Darling safety, socialization, and structured recreation.

Part amusement park, part secure retreat, this state-of-the-art facility offers a fully controlled experience, ensuring your Darling enjoys fresh air, social interaction, and entertainment—all under strict observation.

🏰 A Perfectly Controlled Paradise!

YanCorp Park is no ordinary theme park. Here, every Darling is: ✔ Closely monitored by expertly trained ex-Yandere handlers. ✔ Assigned their own private room in the secure underground residential area. ✔ Required to wear a GPS collar at all times for tracking and safety. ✔ Given scheduled socialization opportunities— but only within approved guidelines.

🏷 Armband System – Customize Your Darling’s Experience!

💙 The Blue Armband – Limits access to select attractions based on Yandere-approved preferences. Ensure your Darling only experiences what you allow! Default: ✔ Restrict high-speed or high-thrill rides. ✔ Prevent access to "overstimulating" attractions. ✔ Designate safe zones and activity areas. Custom: ✔ Setup any restrictions you need!

💚 The Green Armband ($200 Upgrade) – Grants your Darling nighttime park access, allowing them to explore after dark under strict supervision. Includes low-lit rides, exclusive lounges, and a tranquil, controlled atmosphere.

🍿 Food & Snack Control: Only What You Approve!

A well-fed Darling is a happy Darling, but only if they’re eating what you decide. ✔ Pre-select meals and snacks delivered directly to their private room. ✔ Set strict dietary restrictions to ensure they only consume what you approve. ✔ Monitor eating habits through scheduled reports via the Yandex App.

📹 Live Surveillance & Remote Monitoring for Yanderes!

Even when you’re not there, you’ll always be watching. 🎥 24/7 Live Feed Access – View your Darling anytime, from anywhere, from the camera on their collar! 📍 GPS Tracking – Know their exact location in the park at all times. 🔔 Instant Alerts – Receive notifications for unauthorized behaviors. 📝 Playback History - Review all of your darling’s activities, to make sure they’re always under your protection!

🏆 Reward System for Well-Behaved Darlings!

To encourage obedience, YanCorp Park features an Affection Points System[APS]. Darlings who demonstrate good behavior (following curfews, obeying handlers, maintaining a sweet disposition) can earn exclusive rewards, such as: ✔ Extra supervised chat time in WhisperCage. ✔ A limited selection of pre-approved books or music. ✔ A brief, monitored video message from their Yandere. ✔ Temporary relaxation of movement restrictions (with proper approval).

For Yanderes, this reinforcement system ensures desired behaviors become second nature.

🎭 Special Events & Seasonal Activities

YanCorp Park offers exclusive, fully monitored events tailored to keep Darlings engaged while ensuring absolute security: 🎃 Darling’s Delight Halloween Night – A masked ball where Darlings can socialize—within their designated areas. 🎄 Winter Wonderland Week – The park transforms into a snowy paradise, complete with Yandere-approved pre-selected gifts. 💘 Valentine’s Darling Gala – A romantic-themed event featuring love letters… exclusively from their Yandere.

🛏 Long-Term Stay Options [Only offered in NA Locations]

For Yanderes who aren’t quite ready to take their Darling home, YanCorp Park offers long-term Darling accommodations in our underground residential area.

💰 Affordable Payment Plans Available – Set up automatic monthly payments and never worry about Darling upkeep again!

🗞️ YAN CORP PARK: A DARLING’S PARADISE OR A YANDERE’S BEST INVESTMENT?

For those seeking a secure, structured way to supervise their Darling, YanCorp Park offers the ultimate peace of mind. With a fully enclosed amusement park, lush nature trails, and a secured underground housing area, your Darling gets just enough freedom to remain happy—without the risks of unsupervised exposure.

🔒 The Highest Level of Security

✔ Strict entry & exit protocols – Only verified Yanderes may retrieve their Darling. ✔ Round-the-clock monitoring – Every interaction is observed and recorded. ✔ Ex-Yandere security staff – Highly trained, highly devoted, and always watching.

Whether you need a structured getaway, a monitored social experience, or a long-term housing solution, YanCorp Park is the gold standard in Darling care and control.

📍 Reservations Now Open! Secure your Darling’s stay today at www.YanCorpPark.love

[saywhat-politics]

Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee are demanding answers after they say President Donald Trump gave Elon Musk's staff access to sensitive and classified government information

WASHINGTON -- Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee are demanding answers after they say President Donald Trump gave billionaire Elon Musk and his staff access to sensitive data and classified secrets as part of their work to overhaul the federal government.

The lawmakers on Wednesday wrote to Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff, and asked what security precautions had been taken to prevent unauthorized leaks of information by staff at the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. Trump tapped Musk to run the taskforce, which has quickly gotten to work dismantling whole agencies of the federal government.

As part of that effort, Musk and his staff have gained access to computer systems that the senators say contain potentially sensitive medical and financial information about millions of Americans as well as federal payroll information, classified documents, information from foreign intelligence partners and the identities of undercover agents and intelligence sources.

In the letter, the senators warned that national security and the personal privacy of Americans could be at risk if the information is mishandled — intentionally or through negligence. They ask whether Musk's team has met with U.S. intelligence officials to discuss how to reduce the chances of the data being misused and what steps to take to protect classified information, such as the identities of CIA informants or the actions of overseas intelligence operatives.

Such information would be highly valuable to the spy agencies of Russia, China, Iran and other nations, and its loss could put lives at risk while undermining efforts to prevent terrorism and other threats to the U.S., the senators wrote.