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Richard Reisman's avatar

A very interesting development of a major platform toward middleware is the potential of X allowing AI agents/bots to post Community Notes, as reported by Will Oremus (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/07/03/x-community-notes-ai-fact-checks/). Picking up on his quote of Renee, I agree with her that “This is actually potentially interesting if they can find a way to avoid floods of spam.”

I would add that is feasible if properly managed - much as Google managed mostly successful efforts to limit gaming of its search algorithms (until they enshittified that). Who knows how X will manage this, but in the hands of them or others, this could be a big step toward open middleware – if they keep the playing field level. AI could make it easy for even lazy users to manage their use of social media far more effectively, in far better tailored ways. It all depends on who the tool really serves!

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John W Dickerson's avatar

The issue is not free speech, but rather free news, and free anonymity, a free soapbox and amplifier with which to respond. Of course nothing is free. What was once selected through purchase of printed newspapers, is now funded by third parties selling something, and apparently free to the user. To obtain third party funding news has become the carnival midway of decades prior. "See the two headed lady" "watch the human cannonball" , "see the worlds fattest man" have simply been updated. And people continue to suspend reality and rationality in discerning the truth of events around them. Do not blame big tech or the circus owners, people seek distraction and entertainment. More importantly our politician's use this gullibility to be elected to our government and enact bizzare laws and policies, rather than being innocently displayed on the circus midway. To solve the problem long term "middleware" is needed between the grotesque passions of the people, and the longer term needs of society. Repealing the 17th amendment might be a good start.

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