My latest novel is "Picks and Shovels," a historical technothriller set in the Weird Era of the PC, about Ponzi schemes, techbros, and the dawn of enshittification:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865908/picksandshovels

--

My next nonfiction book is "Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It," out from MCD/Farrar, Straus and Giroux on October 7:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374619329/enshittification/

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#5yrsago Ransomware for coffee makers https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/27/junky-styling/#java-script

#5yrsago The joys of tailoring https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/27/junky-styling/#inseams

#1yrago Return to office and dying on the job https://pluralistic.net/2024/09/27/sharpen-your-blades-boys/#disciplinary-technology

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#20yrsago Financial Times: WIPO’s webcaster treaty is a disaster https://www.ft.com/content/441306be-2eb6-11da-9aed-00000e2511c8

#15yrsago Google’s autocomplete blacklist https://www.2600.com/googleblacklist/

#15yrsago FBI ignores DoJ report, raids activists, arrests Time Person of the Year https://www.democracynow.org/2010/9/27/fbi_raids_homes_of_anti_war

#15yrsago Meta-textual analysis of mainstream science reporting https://www.theguardian.com/science/the-lay-scientist/2010/sep/24/1

#15yrsago Lockheed Martin sign prohibits sketching and “gathering information” https://www.flickr.com/photos/jef/5028187145/

4/

#20yrsago Financial Times: WIPO’s webcaster treaty is a disaster https://www.ft.com/content/441306be-2eb6-11da-9aed-00000e2511c8

#15yrsago Google’s autocomplete blacklist https://www.2600.com/googleblacklist/

#15yrsago FBI ignores DoJ report, raids activists, arrests Time Person of the Year https://www.democracynow.org/2010/9/27/fbi_raids_homes_of_anti_war

#15yrsago Meta-textual analysis of mainstream science reporting https://www.theguardian.com/science/the-lay-scientist/2010/sep/24/1

#15yrsago Lockheed Martin sign prohibits sketching and “gathering information” https://www.flickr.com/photos/jef/5028187145/

4/

Hey look at this

* EU ministers reach 'compromise' on digital euro roadmap https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/eu-ministers-seek-agreement-digital-euro-be-independent-visa-mastercard-2025-09-19/

* Amazon will pay $2.5b to settle the FTC’s Prime lawsuit https://www.theverge.com/news/785744/amazon-ftc-prime-subscription-settlment

* Conservative Dem Compares Ad About Corporate Donations to ‘Political Violence’ https://prospect.org/politics/2025-09-25-conservative-dem-ad-corporate-donations-violence-bains-california/

* Monopoly Utilities Ousted America's Best Regulator https://economicpopulist.substack.com/p/monopoly-utilities-ousted-americas

* WNYC offers free programs to stations affected by funding cuts https://current.org/2025/09/wnyc-offers-free-programs-to-stations-affected-by-funding-cuts/ (h/t Today in Tabs)

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