#X platform privacy concerns
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mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog · 9 months ago
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It Looks Like Elon Musk Finally Made Up His Mind About the Block Button
This seems like his next step toward a ‘freer’ X — but it might just invite more weirdos along for the ride. Apparently, this is his next bold step toward a freer X — freedom for everyone, including the people you wanted to block. Elon Musk’s platform X (you might remember it as Twitter, back when things made sense) has gone and reworked the blocking feature.  Now, when you block someone, they

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therealistjuggernaut · 7 months ago
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cjisracist · 6 days ago
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CJ Is Racist For some time, I have refrained from sharing this out of respect for my friend, who had initially believed that CJ understood the harm he caused in this situation and was willing to take accountability. However, this preceded a series of actions that made it clear his acknowledgment was not sincere, but rather an early indication of a pattern of harmful behavior that would continue to unfold.
I saved these screenshots at the time because I believed the situation was significant and that, eventually, the truth would need to be shared. While CJ has since been involved in a number of concerning behaviors, I believe it is important to highlight that his conduct has also included racism—something that reinforces existing claims of transphobia and prejudiced views toward minority communities.
This incident began when my friend—whom I will refer to as “X”—engaged in a thoughtful conversation in the Alpha General chat with admin Jitterbug. They were discussing cultural erasure in the context of a community debate about renaming an item (now known as the Ancient Elderwood Chest) to better respect Indigenous cultures. X is half Indigenous, and Jitterbug mentioned having Indigenous roots as well. Their discussion focused on the harm of cultural erasure and shared personal perspectives. X mentioned that white guilt often plays a role in how these topics are handled and expressed frustration about how Indigenous cultural expression is frequently censored online, even by those who are part of the culture.
Not long into the conversation, CJ privately messaged X and asked them not to discuss such sensitive topics on the Santae platform. While this request alone might have been understandable—given the nature of the platform and the desire to avoid serious discourse in casual or entertainment-focused spaces—CJ went further. He expressed offense at the topic and proceeded to argue that all races have experienced oppression, stated that he doesn’t “see color,” and claimed Indigenous heritage himself. This exchange left X feeling deeply uncomfortable, and they chose to leave the Santae community.
X later shared this experience with our friend group, of which I am a part. Many of us were shocked and disturbed by CJ’s comments and decided we no longer felt comfortable participating in a game led by someone who expressed such views. One of our friends, “Z,” chose to quit the game entirely and held a raffle for their items. In their farewell message, Z mentioned they were leaving due to “certain things coming to light.”
Unaware of the connection between X and Z, CJ reached out to Z, assuming their departure was related to the incident. In an attempt to discredit X, CJ shared private screenshots of his conversation with X—insisting that X must have selectively shared parts of the exchange. In truth, X had already shared the full conversation with Z. Z was deeply uncomfortable with CJ’s breach of confidentiality and appalled that he would disclose a private exchange with a user in an effort to control the narrative. (I was unable to recover these screenshots. I will post them if I manage to find them).
Z informed our friend group about CJ’s outreach, and X was understandably upset to learn that their private conversation had been shared without consent. Regardless of whether Z had already seen the messages, CJ could not have known that and should never have disclosed a private conversation with a user to anyone outside the staff team.
X decided to reach out to Jitterbug—with whom they had shared a Discord server — so they could express their concern about this breach of privacy. Jitterbug appeared surprised by CJ’s actions and promised to address the issue. X, still upset, warned that they were considering making the incident public. Jitterbug responded by saying that “canceling a site over an opinion is wrong” and that this situation was “a good learning experience for everyone.”
Following this, CJ deleted all messages sent to both X and Z, blocked them, and banned them from the Discord server.
Months later, X reached out to CJ via the site to apologize for threatening to go public and to explain how his behavior had impacted them. CJ appeared receptive, acknowledged the harm, and validated X’s feelings regarding racism. Believing that CJ had taken their concerns seriously and had grown from the experience, X decided to let the matter rest. They explained what had happened to our group and asked that the screenshots not be shared, as they wanted to give CJ the benefit of the doubt and assumed he had simply been uninformed at the time.
Unfortunately, CJ has since demonstrated a continued pattern of harmful behavior, including further instances of discrimination against marginalized groups. While many new issues have understandably taken precedence, I believe this incident is still important to share. It reflects not just a single lapse in judgment, but a broader and ongoing disregard for the well-being of others in the community.
Please respect the privacy of those involved. If you are aware of the identities of X or Z, I kindly ask that you do not reach out to them, regardless if you agree or disagree with how they handled the situation or anything they said. Thank you.
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probablyasocialecologist · 5 months ago
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The rise of the MAGA right in the United States has sparked some startling changes in attitudes towards press freedom and freedom of expression. Although many on the right, including Musk, have styled themselves as valiant defenders of free speech, their actions expose them as opposite: only willing to defend speech they find agreeable, while hostile towards and desperate to clamp down on criticism or opposing views. Musk, for example, has directed that “cisgender” be blocklisted on Twitter as a “slur”, and posts by most accounts that contain the word are automatically hidden from view (unlike posts containing the long list of slurs he has apparently deemed acceptable). He has brought SLAPP lawsuits against critics, including one dismissed by a federal judge as clearly intended to “punish [the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate] for CCDH publications that criticized X Corp. [Twitter] — and perhaps in order to dissuade others who might wish to engage in such criticism.” He spent $44 billion to acquire Twitter, ostensibly over concerns that conservative voices were being unfairly silenced, but really so that he could be the one to dictate which speech was and was not allowed on the platform. Similar attacks on speech are becoming only more common throughout the American right, with president-elect Trump’s longstanding hostility to the media escalating at a rapid clip. In recent months, Trump has suggested he wouldn’t mind if reporters were shot, threatened to jail journalists, editors, and publishers who refuse to reveal confidential sources, threatened to investigate or pull broadcasting licenses for news organizations that reported on him unflatteringly, and filed SLAPP suits of his own against news publications and pollsters. This hostility to information sources outside their control extends far beyond the media. Right-wing groups have launched coordinated campaigns to ban books from schools and libraries, particularly those discussing race, gender, or LGBT topics. They’ve pushed legislation like the “Kids Online Safety Act” that, while framed as protecting children, would require platforms to restrict access to information deemed “harmful” or “inappropriate for minors”, which is likely to include resources for LGBT youth and information about reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare, sexual education, or mental health. And they’ve supported state-level laws requiring internet platforms to implement age restrictions that threaten privacy and are vulnerable to weaponization against content deemed “obscene”. The common thread connecting these efforts is not protecting children or promoting “family values,” but controlling what information people can access.
2 January 2025
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formulakracing · 1 year ago
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public display of affection - s.p.
pairing: fem!reader x sergio pérez
word count: 764
warnings: slight angst, cursing, pda (obv), nothing else really! just some sweet n tender shit
a/n: this was a request from an anon! (i believe)this fic is set during the 2023 azerbaijan grand prix, btw! i hope y'all enjoy some fluffy checo content <3
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"private, not secret."
that was your mantra.
well, more like his mantra.
you could give two shits if the world knew about your romantic relationship with the esteemed formula one driver.
he was the one who was more concerned about it, always ensuring that your identity was concealed from the world. he avoided pressing questions in interviews or debriefs, stating that he simply did not want to respond out of respect for his privacy. he never posted you on his socials, and if he did, it was merely crumbs.
your fingers wrapped around his bicep. the shadow of your stature. your neatly manicured nails resting on his thigh.
of course, you were content with the fact that he at least posted about you. people knew you existed, just not exactly who you were.
although you were okay with it, you were beginning to grow restless. after all, it had been almost two years now, and he would barely even interact with you during race weekends in order to dodge the media or his fellow drivers.
you were well aware that he was not doing this out of secrecy, like he was intentionally trying to hide you from the world or well, someone else. you had those doubts at first, but he swiftly squashed them.
to put it simply, sergio pérez did not want everyone and anyone in his business.
especially in the world of formula one where a single rumor could accumulate into numerous headlines across various social media platforms. where one piece of gossip could buzz around the paddocks for months.
as frustrating as it was, you could only respect his wishes. after all, your relationship had been nothing but peaceful. if he felt that sharing with the world who you were would disturb that peace, then you couldn't blame him.
even if it was a little annoying. even if it did break your heart just a tiny bit that he refused to post one singular picture of you. to just give you a kiss in public. or hold your hand, even.
yet, here you were, pacing in the garage as he soars on the circuit, his car gliding along the track. there were only two laps left in the fifty-one lap spectacle, sergio maintaining his lead.
if he was able to pull this one off, he would be the only driver in history to become a repeat winner of the azerbaijan grand prix, as he won once before in 2021.
even though he was the one behind the wheel, your heart thumps, teeth gnawing at your lower lip, blocky headphones resting on your ears.
the checkered flag waves, your eyes widening, lips parting.
he did it.
he won.
"come on!" hugh shouts, waving fervently, "let's go meet your man!"
you follow the team as they pour of the garage, making their way to that designated sign. that number one. as sergio gets out of the car, he stands on it momentarily, pumping his fists in the air as the team jeers, praising the driver for a phenomenal performance.
as his head swivels, surveying the crowd, you can sense his entire body freeze the moment his eyes lock with yours.
hopping down from the car, he pushes his way through the red bull crew. ripping his helmet off, he tears off the balaclava, nearly panting as he wraps you up in a tight embrace.
hands cup the base of your neck, bringing you in, "come here. i can't fucking do this anymore."
lips crash into yours, the entire world falling away as your lashes flutter, mouth parting so he can have further access. his fingers squeeze, tightening as you loop an arm around his neck.
pulling away, he catches his breath, "i don't give a fuck anymore. okay? i need the world to know who you are. i need them to know that you're mine. i need everyone to know how much i fucking love you."
a giggle bubbles up in your throat as you brush away a few sweaty strands of hair, "was someone thinking about me?"
he nods, adoration glinting in his gaze, "i couldn't stop thinking about you, actually. you were on my mind the entire race."
"but baby," you counter, "you won! you won another grand prix!"
"no win compares to the prize by my side," sergio's head brushes against yours.
"you're my biggest win in life. and by god, i am going to show you off. i'm done hiding you. the world is going to know who my beautiful, amazing, wonderful, funny, girlfriend is. i promise you that."
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disneyprincemuke · 2 years ago
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midnights, 7 * mv1
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the news is out: three time world champion, max verstappen, and his girlfriend of 6 years have been broken up since the singapore weekend.
pairings: max verstappen x fem!reader
warnings: -
notes: wow i took thE longest break from this
(series masterlist)
(prev) // (next)
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max isn’t typically the type to let panic settle in. at least, that’s what he likes to think. he likes to tell people he’s not bothered but outsiders are always quick to catch up with his suppressed emotions. 
alas, his worst fears have come true. news has broken that you’ve been broken up for almost 2 months. 
he has not been able to talk about it with daniel, so he can only imagine how things will break down in austin. 
he hopes that it’s not actually that big of a deal. plenty of other drivers have gotten themselves in messier breakups — the post doesn’t seem to touch on any speculations about how yours had come about. he can only bank on the hope that journalists are empathetic enough not to bring you up. 
but you’ve been very involved in his career and the cameras on the paddocks. they never missed the chance to have you speak into a mic or have a private conversation with you. 
pictures snapped of you together are never posted, but would be directly sent to either of you to truly encompass the privacy of your relationship. the respect shared between you and everyone on the paddocks was treasured, which is probably why your presence had been notable after you abruptly disappeared. 
he sinks into his couch, phone in hand as he stares at the pictures that sparked up speculations. it’s a low-quality picture of you leaving the red bull home, head down as your hair shied you away from the camera. the second picture is of him coming out of the building, hair dishevelled as he stood with his arms folded over his chest.
“what do i do?” max mumbles, his finger swiping over the screen again and again, staring at the two pictures. as if it would change the course of things if he did it enough. “do i talk to her?”
“i don’t know, man,” daniel sighs, his face in the far corner of max’s screen. “i mean, the best you can do is to wait it out, right?”
“rumours could spread,” charles mutters, looking away briefly with his eyes widened. “if i were you, i’d want to do some damage control. but that’s probably just me.”
max sits back, staring at the empty half of his hotel bed. your absence is always noted when he’s all alone and he's too awake for his own good, once having the luxury of your company and bright smile making him feel giddy.
the difference between this breakup and all of charles' is that there is no controversy in this one. as far as he's concerned, this is all speculation from photos that are now circulating the internet and your obvious absence on race weekends.
nobody can even really confirm if it's true unless you or max say something. for now, they're just rumours. right?
unless you've started speaking to people, and gossip platforms. but you wouldn't do any of that, or at least that's what he's telling himself. but from what he can dig out of the grave in his brain, there was nothing that happened between you that can be twisted.
but what does he know?
he can only keep praying to the fact that you'll keep it as private as you usually do.
his phone is buzzing endlessly, his other friends sending him texts as the news shocks them as much as the world. lando is asking him if he's holding up fine, martin is expressing how he feels for max, and his own mother asking him why he hadn't told her earlier.
only victoria's message will be getting an answer. after all, she's the first person that found out.
"should i talk to her?" max thinks out loud, maximising the facetime call to get a good look at his friends' reactions. "she never does well with things like this, what if people are bothering her?"
charles' picture is overtaken by alexandra's face, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. "you wanna talk to her?"
max shrugs. "i don't know. maybe?"
"would that be the best choice though?" daniel tilts his head. behind him, heidi is approaching cautiously with a small smile. "babe, what do you think?"
heidi shrugs as daniel's camera slowly turns to her. "my opinion is probably not - it's been two months. and judging by the comments that i read, i don't think there's much disrespect that has to be told off publicly."
alexandra nods as charles slowly comes back into the frame next to her. "it's up to you, max. as of right now, it doesn't seem that serious."
max sighs again, this time louder as he feels everything coming down on him. he drops his head back and stares at the ceiling. "i don't know, you guys," he sighs again loudly. "i just want to know if she's alright."
"maybe not now, mate," charles answers sympathetically, frowning at him through the camera.
"just wait it out. it could die down quicker than you think," daniel says hopefully.
max nods, now suddenly feeling disinterest in their conversation. he only craves to be by himself now. "alright, i'll catch you guys in a bit," his eyes turn to the cats sleeping peacefully on the cat tree, "i've got to feed the cats."
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taglist: @merchelsea @leclercdream @labelledejourr @laneyspaulding19 @lpab @graciewrote @hollie911 @thatsojasminesworld @mycenterfold @princessria127 @ironmaiden1313 @dl-yum @crlsummer @brekkers-whore @minkyungseokie @honethatty12 @barelytolerabled @vellicora @lokigoeschoki @avg-golden-retriever
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winchesterwild78 · 5 months ago
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Second Take pt 3
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Master List
Characters: Jensen x Reader, Karl Urban, Eric Kripke, other characters from the set of The Boys
Warnings: Angst, mention of divorce, soft smut (nothing too graphic
yet 😉)
A/N: Jensen and Reader are together and share a vulnerable moment. They decide to keep their relationship a secret for now. Before filming starts, the reader gets ready to fly back to Texas with Jensen. Jensen and Danneel decide to tell the kids. 
This is a work of fiction and does not depict real life. 
Reblogs, comments and likes are appreciated. 
Please don’t take my work and use it as your own or on any other platform. 
Minors DNI 18+
The next few days Jensen and I worked on mending our relationship. We made the decision to keep our relationship private for now. We didn’t want any problems for Danneel, Jensen or the kids, especially the kids. 
Since we hadn’t started filming yet, Jensen was flying back to Texas so he and Danneel could tell the kids about the divorce. I could tell he was nervous. 
I pulled him close to me and wrapped my arms around his waist, “Babe, it’s going to be okay. I’m sure there will be tears and lots of questions, but with you and D as a united front on this, they will be okay. 
I looked up at him and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Come home with me.” I looked up at him with shock in my eyes, “What?” “Come home with me, back to Texas. I’m staying in a hotel and you and I can spend time together. It would mean so much to me to have you there. I’ll get you your own room so it doesn’t raise suspicion. You can visit Moose too. I know he and Gen would love to see you.”
“Can I think about it? I really don’t want to cause problems or make D uncomfortable.” He smirked. “What’s so funny, Ackles?” His lips ghosted mine, “You are. You are the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. You being concerned about D proves my point.” He placed a soft kiss on my lips but pulled away before it got too heavy. 
We decided to wait to have sex. We didn’t put a time frame on it, but we knew we didn’t want to rush it. It was damn near impossible to resist him and he knew it. 
The night before he was leaving Jensen and I were spending a quiet evening at my place. We ordered some food and we were going to hang out and watch a movie. At least that was the plan. 
We ordered the food and were getting comfortable on the couch. When Jensen’s phone rang. It was a FaceTime call from Danneel. 
“Sorry babe, I need to take this.” I nodded and stood up to give him some privacy. 
I walked in the kitchen as he answered, it was JJ. 
“Hey JJ. How are you, baby?” She sniffled, “Daddy are you coming home?” 
“Yes baby, why? I’ll be home tomorrow.” She looked at Jensen and got quiet. “Baby, it’s okay. What happened?” “Uncle Gino came over cause mommy was crying and I heard them talking about you and mommy told Uncle Gino you had a girlfriend and you weren’t coming home.” 
Jensen’s jaw clenched and he ran his fingers through his hair. I stood leaning against the counter in shock. I couldn’t believe she’d do that. 
“Baby I promise I’ll be home tomorrow. We have some things to talk about, but I promise I will be there. Where’s your mama?”
JJ sighed and smiled a little bit at him. “She’s downstairs with Uncle Gino. I took her phone to call you.” “It’s okay baby girl. Can you take the phone to mommy? I want to talk to her.” “Okay, Daddy. I love you.” “I love you too, baby.” 
My heart clenched in my chest. Being with Jensen is so easy and it’s sometimes easy to forget he has children and a life outside our little bubble. 
“Hey Jensen.” I could hear her. “Danneel, I thought we agreed to tell the kids together and before we told anyone else?” 
“We did. I haven’t told the kids anything.” “No, but you told Gino and JJ heard you. You told him I had a girlfriend?! What the hell D?!” 
I couldn’t see them, but I knew Jensen was mad. “Well it’s the truth. You do have a girlfriend.” “D don’t do that. Don’t act like you don’t have a boyfriend yourself. Yeah, I know all about him and how he’s been coming over for a few months after I leave and the kids go to sleep or school.” 
“How did you know?!” “Cameras, D.” 
She gasped, “Jens, I can explain.” 
The doorbell rang and I walked to open the door. As I walked past I saw Jensen hold his hand up, “Stop Danneel. I don’t care about your boyfriend, but you’re not going to turn yourself into the victim here. We are moving forward with the divorce, we are telling our children together and we will coexist peacefully regardless of who we have in our lives. Our children deserve that.”
“I’ll talk to JJ and try to explain what I can. When are you getting in tomorrow?” 
Jensen let out a sigh, “My plane lands about 9 in the morning. I’ll go check into the hotel and head to the house.” 
“Jens, why are you staying in a hotel?” “D I think it would be best if I didn’t stay at the house.” 
“Jensen, don’t be like that. I think you should stay here for the sake of the kids. We’re about to tell them their parents are splitting up. You don’t think that’s going to be hard on them?”
Jensen ran his hand down his face and sighed, “I know it’s going to be hard on them, hell it’s hard on me, I just don’t want them to be confused if I’m still staying at the house.” 
“Jens, stay in the guestroom. They are going to need both of us.” “Fine, I’ll stay at home.”
I gasped softly in the kitchen when I heard him. I was planning on going with him, but now was it worth me going if he was staying with her? 
My heart clenched in my chest and the familiar feeling of jealousy started to creep in my mind. He loves me. He wants to be with me. They are done, but they have a history together. She’s the mother of his children. She’s beautiful.
Tears pricked my eyes. I was worried and didn’t know how to tell him. 
I heard him groan as he stood and I heard his heavy steps coming towards the kitchen. 
I quickly wiped my eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. My back to the door as Jensen came into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me flush to his chest.
Jensen moved my hair away from my neck and placed a soft kiss to my pulse point. “Hey, sorry about that.” “It’s fine. Is JJ okay?” “Yeah, she heard D telling Gino about the divorce.”
I nodded, “I’m glad she’s okay.” My voice came out smaller than I wanted it to. Jensen picked up on it and turned me to face him. I lowered my head, a lump formed in my throat.
He tilted my chin up, “Hey, talk to me. What’s wrong baby?” I took in a shaky breath and let it out. “I don’t think I’m going to go with you. I’d just be in the way.” 
Jensen’s brows furrowed, “What? No, you wouldn’t be. D and I will tell the kids and then we will figure out what to do from there.” “I heard you, Jensen. You’re staying at the house. If you’re with the kids I don’t want to take time away from them. I know I could go visit Jared and Gen, but I can’t stay there with them all day and all night. You need to focus on your children, not me. I love you Jensen, I can’t keep you from taking care of them. You go and I’ll stay here.” 
Jensen’s face fell. “I understand, but I really want you to be there. I know I’m staying at the house, but I would still come to the hotel and be with you.” I scoffed. The sad and angry feeling in my chest grew. 
Jensen looked at me, “What? Why did you scoff?” Jensen’s eyes searching mine for answers. 
“I don’t think this is a good idea. I feel like a dirty secret. I know we agreed to keep our relationship between us for now, but you were mine first. You should have married me, those children should be mine! Damnit Jensen, she’s taken everything from me and now I can’t even be with you. I have to stay in a hotel room and wait for you to return to me like I’m a cheap whore. I’m worth more than that. I DESERVE more than that. I would never do anything to hurt your children. They didn’t ask to be born and they deserve so much. I just want to feel like I’m worthy of your time and love too.”
The tears I had been holding started to fall heavy and fast. My chest heaving. The anger and hurt from the past 13 years finally boiling over. 
Jensen pulled me tight in his arms and held me. I sobbed into his chest. “Baby you’re not a dirty secret, and you’re right I should be married to you, but I’m not. I made a choice all those years ago, but baby I’m making one now and it’s you. It will always be you. You’re not a cheap whore, you’re the love of my life, my soulmate, my home. I never stopped loving you and I never will. If you don’t want to go home with me I understand. I want you to go, but it’s your choice.” 
He gently wiped the tears away and kissed my forehead. My breath hitched as I held him tighter. 
“Jensen, I think you should go. I need some space. Some time to think and I can’t do that with you here.” A lump formed in my throat and my heart broke. 
Jensen pulled back a little and looked in my eyes. His green eyes filled with hurt and sadness, “Y/N, please don’t push me away. We can figure this out, but only if we do it together.” 
I shook my head, “I know, but I need time Jensen.” He nodded, “I understand. I love you, Y/N. Call me when you’re ready to talk.” He placed a soft kiss on my lips, grabbed his stuff and left. 
I stood in the spot I was in frozen and couldn’t move. The familiar feeling of him leaving all those years again was filling my heart and soul. 
I pulled out my phone, ready to call anyone who would listen when I heard a knock on the door. 
I walked over, opened the door and gasped, “Jensen?!” He stepped in, dropped his bag and pulled me to him, crashing his lips on mine. 
When he pulled away he cupped my face, “I made the mistake of not fighting for you all those years ago and I’m not going to do it again. I love you and you’re in my life for the rest of it. I don’t care who sees us or what anyone has to say about it. I’m going to tell the kids tomorrow with Danneel about the divorce and then I’m coming back to the hotel to be with you. If the kids want to come they can, but I’m not letting you go again. I’m not letting us go again. I love you, Y/N Y/L/N. Now and forever.” 
I stood in stunned silence. The pain I was feeling started to heal a little. He was choosing me, choosing us and damn it felt good. I kissed him softly. “What about Danneel?” “I’ll tell her it’s not a good idea for me to stay there and offer to let the kids come to the hotel if they want to. I don’t want them to be confused about me staying there after we tell them we are splitting up. I’ll look for a place in Texas so the kids can have a place when I come home. Better yet, we should look for a place in Texas. A place for us and the kids. What do you say? Let’s find a place in Texas and move in together.” 
I looked stunned, “Jens, this is all happening so fast. Let’s slow down a bit. You find a place in Texas, and if and when I decide to move it with you I will just move into your place. I can help you find a place if you want.”
He nodded, “Okay, I understand. I just don’t want to waste any more time when it comes to our relationship.” I placed my hands on his chest, “We aren’t wasting time, we are learning how to be together again. As long as we’re together it doesn’t matter if we live under the same roof or not. I think we shouldn’t live together until your divorce is final.” 
Jensen agreed. “Will you at least still come to Texas with me tomorrow?” “Yes, Jensen. I’d love to.”
He smiled, pulled me close and kissed me. The kiss deepened quickly. Before either of us could process what was happening we were laying on the bed making out. 
My heart hammered in my chest, our eyes dark with lust. Jensen’s lips ghosted mine, “Do you want to stop?” I took a deep breath, “No. I’m ready, Jensen.”
Jensen’s hands slowly removed my clothes and then his. Goosebumps erupted on my skin due to the chilly air and the anticipation. 
His lips ghosting over my body and making my breath catch in my throat. “Do you want more, baby?” I moaned and nodded. “Use your words sweetheart.” “Yes, Jensen. Please make love to me. Take me now.” 
Jensen’s body hovered over mine as he finally took me. I grabbed the sheets and gasped as he filled and stretched me with every inch he had to offer. 
I had forgotten how amazing he felt. Our bodies moved in perfect sync and the sounds that filled my bedroom were like silent prayers to heaven. About an hour later Jensen was laying on his back and I was on his chest. His fingers drew delicate patterns on my skin. 
“That was incredible, Y/N. God I missed you.” “Yes it was, Jensen. I missed you too. I’m sorry about earlier. I guess I haven’t really dealt with the pain of the past.” 
“Shh, no, don’t apologize. You have every right to still be angry. I’m glad you were able to get some of that out. I’m sure you’re still holding on to some more. I just hope one day you will be able to get it out.” 
“Honestly the only thing I’m still holding on to is the loss of our baby. When you left I figured if I had our baby at least I’d still have a piece of you, of our love with me. Then I lost the baby and I just felt so alone. I lost the love of my life, and our baby and it hurt so much.” 
His thumb rubbed softly over my cheek, “I am still so sorry you went through that alone. If I knew I would have been by your side. Maybe eventually we could try again. Have a baby of our own, if it’s something you’d want.”
“You’d want another child? You have three already.” “I do, and they are amazing, but I don’t have any with you and I’d love to have at least one with you.” 
I smiled softly, “We can talk about it. Just not right now. We need to sleep. We have an early flight. I love you, Jensen. Good night.” 
“I love you too, Y/N. Good night.” 
He kissed my lips and the two of us relaxed against each other and drifted off to sleep. 
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mariacallous · 1 month ago
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Content warning: This piece includes descriptions of eating disorders and self-harm that may be triggering to some readers.
Soon after E turned 16, she started seeing TikToks that urged her to lose weight. People in the “SkinnyTok” community called them “harsh motivation.”
Some girls printed out photos of underweight models and taped them to their fridge doors. Others shared mantras to stop eating like: “You don’t need a treat, you're not a dog.”
The phrase that stuck with E the most was “Your stomach isn’t growling, it’s applauding.” For around two months, she said she restricted calories to a dangerously low amount, because “that’s what they told me to do.”
“It felt so comforting and motivating to see those videos,” says E, who doesn’t want her name used due to privacy concerns. “There are so many accounts like these, which made me think ‘Oh yeah, this is normal’.”
It’s easy to find TikToks like the ones E described—but the platform is far from being an outlier. “SkinnyTok” is a genre of videos about weight loss, ranging from “harsh motivation” to food diaries showing what women eat to stay “lean.” It has been compared to “pro-anorexia” and “pro-eating disorder” communities that have thrived for over a decade on platforms like Tumblr. More recently, on X, pro-eating disorder groups have attracted hundreds of thousands of members through algorithmic recommendation. The groups proliferated after Elon Musk bought the platform in 2022, and users say they have flourished due to lack of moderation. TikTok says it has cracked down on these types of posts, saying pro-eating disorder content is banned on its platform and that it has taken other steps to mitigate the issue. But experts tell WIRED that both social media and the widespread nature of GLP-1 weight loss drugs (which are often advertised on the platforms) can be triggering, not only to people who are in recovery from eating disorders, but to people who have never struggled with them before.
Now, some creators are releasing videos that poke fun at the absurdity of eating disorder content in an effort to dissuade others from buying into it. But experts say it’s a fine line between using humor to debunk and punching down.
One of the first results when searching “SkinnyTok” is a slideshow set to thumping electronic music and a young woman screaming “Control yourself!” The pictures in the slideshow feature the faceless bodies and hands of thin, young white women, as well as bowls of sliced carrots and blood oranges. Superimposed over the images are some of the same weight loss mantras E recalls. It has more than a quarter of a million views. According to TikTok’s tools for advertisers, videos with the “SkinnyTok” hashtag have been viewed over 53 million times in the past week. The advice ranges from the benign, like loading up on protein at the beginning of the day, to promoting extreme calories deficits and other forms of disordered eating in pursuit of thinness. Some women show “before” pictures and talk about how they lost dozens of pounds.
A 2021 survey of 273 women who used TikTok found that 64 percent had been “exposed to disordered eating content” on the “For You” page of the platform. TikTok has since added a feature to show eating disorder recovery resources to users who search terms associated with them, including “SkinnyTok.” The resources do not appear when searching for “harsh motivation,” which directs users to “harsh food motivation” and “harsh body motivation.” The platform also said it adjusted its algorithm to interrupt repetitive patterns of videos about weight loss.
In a statement to WIRED, TikTok says the 2021 survey “has significant limitations, does not reflect the experience of our community, and was conducted three years ago. We continually enhance our platform and policies to promote a positive and safe experience, and regularly consult with experts, remove content that violate our policies, and provide access to supportive resources.” TikTok also removed one video WIRED flagged that promoted skipping meals and drinking water instead.
But four practitioners tell WIRED patients in eating disorder recovery still bring up TikTok and “SkinnyTok” trends. Dr. Lauren Breithaupt, a Harvard Medical School clinical psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist who specializes in eating disorders, says “patients are reporting specific TikTok and Instagram trends that amplify their anxiety or trigger disordered behaviors.”
“Today’s adolescents don’t need to seek out pro-eating disorder content,” she adds. “It finds them.”
Eating disorders have the second-highest mortality rate of any mental health-related disorder. They have been on the rise worldwide for decades, doubling in the general population from 2000 to 2018. Then, between 2018 and 2022, health visits for eating disorders doubled in the US for kids and teenagers. In addition to the growing role of social media, weight loss drugs like Ozempic have become more accessible and popular. They have also been linked to eating disorders, with practitioners reporting that some patients are developing them after they begin taking GLP-1 drugs.
Breithaupt said there’s not one singular cause for an eating disorder, which involves biological, social, and psychological factors.
“But are there certain individuals where this overwhelming amount of content could lead to more disordered eating or down that path? Yes,” she says, adding that once someone engages with that content, the algorithms ensure that they see more.
E’s body image problems started when she was 12, but got worse because of social media. She says she first got on the internet to find ways to lose weight and found 15-minute workouts to do in the days leading up to wearing a swimsuit. “They would promote very underweight girls and make it seem like they were the ‘normal’ body. When I realized I don’t look like that, it made me feel bad,” E says.
Registered dietician Michelle Pillepich says SkinnyTok videos are often presented as if they’re promoting good health, but they’re actually regressive.
“It’s packaged in this message of ‘This is just to feel good, just to help you feel confident,’ but is selling and promoting weight stigma and bringing us back to the message of ‘thin makes you happy and you have to be skinny to be healthy,’” she says. “I thought we knew that thinness and health are not equal, but that’s really the message being sent again.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, at the height of TikTok’s popularity, Pillepich started posting her own TikTok videos. Some of them “took off and got a lot of traction,” and she has almost 15,000 followers now. She sees the platform as an opportunity to share information about nutrition and eating disorders.
In early April, Pillepich posted a video asking viewers to “tell me the craziest most unhinged thing you did to motivate yourself to recover from an ED or disordered eating. I don’t mean ‘for my family.’ I mean the wildest thoughts that helped you eat when you really didn’t want to.” Nearly five million people watched and over 14,000 left comments. Some of the most-liked ones are, “a nail tech told me that she was going to start charging me extra cause ‘making gastric acid nails cute is hard,’” and, “For a while I imagined the ED thoughts being said by Trump so I wouldn’t wanna listen to them.”
“I am finding it very hopeful,” Pillepich says. “People do want to recover, they do want to feel better in their relationship with food.”
Around the same time Pillepich posted her video, E came across a creator named Stephen Imeh who she says was “unglamorizing” eating disorders with his blunt TikToks.
One of Imeh’s popular videos shows pictures of burgers, donuts, and other dishes as a retort to the idea that “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” His content regularly gets hundreds of thousands to millions of views.
Imeh, 19, a Houston-based college student, was initially drawn to a social media trend called “looksmaxxing,” where men and boys strive to improve their facial appearance down to the shape of their nose, jawline, eyes, and hairline. “Looksmaxxing” promotes tongue exercises, sucking in your cheeks, getting plastic surgery and disordered eating.
After posting a “looksmaxxing” video, Imeh, who is Black, says he received racist comments, including ones telling him to “just be white.” Upon realizing that the community was “toxic and racist,” Imeh pivoted to anti-looksmaxxing content and then stumbled on “SkinnyTok” and pro-eating disorder communities on X.
“It’s way easier to find SkinnyTok, eating disorder TikTok, than recovery,” Imeh said. “I went for a different approach, telling them the side effects and what could happen if you’re not eating.”
Imeh’s videos mention more extreme potential health outcomes of eating disorders, like organ failure and hair loss. But he also sometimes mocks the messaging found in pro-eating disorder communities. In one TikTok, he’s eating with a text overlay that says “none of your friends are gonna be jealous that your Ed made you look like a skeleton baby pick up the fork.”
Imeh says he’s not trolling, but stating “literal facts” that he doesn’t sugarcoat. “One thing I noticed in Gen Z, especially my generation, is that they will only stop doing something if they’re embarrassed by it,” he says.
“I got a lot of people emailing me and DMing me like ‘Stephen you’ve helped me so much with my eating disorder.’” He has over 70,000 followers, many of whom began following him after he took on eating disorder communities.
Pillepich says she can see a modern, “chronically online” approach working to redirect attention and ideally get people who need it into recovery.
“Leading with nuance doesn’t get people’s attention. It does have to be more extreme, more funny, whatever it is,” Pillepich said. “If that gets someone to the first step of seeing a dietician, a therapist, working on the deeper issues, then that’s great, too.”
Breithaupt said that content that is too judgmental or makes people with eating disorders feel ashamed could make them less likely to get help. “The most effective anti-ED content tends to validate the pain beneath the disorder while still rejecting the behaviors,” she says.
“When content creators use humor or mockery to push back against pro-ED culture, there’s a real risk that viewers—especially those actively struggling—won’t just see the disorder being criticized, they’ll feel like they are being mocked.”
E said that TikTok content like Imeh’s helped her realize how “stupid” SkinnyTok was. She said she has started watching eating disorder recovery content, instead. But the algorithm still shows her “harsh motivation” for weight loss in addition to recovery videos.
In late 2024, TikTok banned a controversial weight loss influencer whose content glorified extreme thinness. E thinks TikTok should ban more of “SkinnyTok,” although pro-eating disorder communities have historically migrated to other platforms when that happens.
Eating disorder recovery practitioners say that posting anti-”SkinnyTok” videos on the same platform is likely helpful, but that it’s only a first step.
“What I work with most people on is limiting social media,” Breithaupt said. “Doing something else rather than engaging in social media is more helpful toward recovery, even if you’re watching recovery-oriented videos.”
The National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline provides support, resources and information about treatment options at 1-866-662-1235, Monday through Friday. You can also text “ALLIANCE” to 741741 if you are experiencing a crisis to be contacted by a trained volunteer. More information about eating disorders, including other free and low-cost support options, can be found on the National Eating Disorder Association’s website.
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darkskinwomen · 8 months ago
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With Gabrielle Union, The Guardian, and others leaving X In the wake of these exits, more users are engaging in debates about the role of AI in society, politics, and the future of online platforms. Are you still using X (formally known as Twitter)?
In a significant shift for the social media landscape, actress Gabrielle Union, the renowned British newspaper The Guardian and others have announced their departure from X (formerly Twitter), citing ethical and creative concerns with the platform’s recent changes. This move has sparked intense discussion about the direction X is heading and the implications for its users.
Gabrielle Union’s Exit
Union declared the “end of an era” in a heartfelt message, sharing her decision to leave the platform due to its new terms of service and a perceived loss of integrity in its environment. She emphasized her commitment to spaces that value inclusivity and authenticity, directing her followers to connect with her on other platforms like Instagram, Threads, and TikTok. Her announcement resonated deeply with many of her fans, raising questions about X’s ability to retain users who prioritize ethical engagement.
The Guardian’s Stand
The Guardian also left X, criticizing the platform’s declining standards in content moderation and user safety. The newspaper stated that it no longer finds X to be a safe and trustworthy place for meaningful journalism and audience interaction. This decision aligns with concerns about the platform’s new terms, which give X permission to use user-generated content for AI training, potentially infringing on creative and personal rights.
Concerns About AI and Content Ownership
X’s new terms of service, which took effect on November 15, allow the company to use user data—including photos and creative content—for training AI models. This change has sparked backlash among artists, creators, and privacy advocates. Many users worry that their work and personal information might be exploited, with little recourse given X’s legal stipulations favoring Texas courts. These policies have fueled broader debates about the ethics of AI and the rights of users in digital spaces.
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beardedmrbean · 2 months ago
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California's handling of sensitive health information is under scrutiny following a report that data entered by residents on the state's health insurance marketplace was shared with LinkedIn.
Covered California, which runs the state's marketplace, coveredca.com, shared sensitive personal data with LinkedIn, a subsidiary of Microsoft, through embedded tracking tools on the website, nonprofit news organization The Markup reported on Monday.
Covered California confirmed the data transmission in a news release later that day, saying "some sensitive data was inadvertently collected by the tags, including first names, the last four digits of Social Security numbers, and other sensitive health information like pregnancy status."
It added that all advertising-related tags on the website had been turned off as a "precautionary measure," and that it would review the extent of the data shared.
Representative Kevin Kiley, the Democrat from California has called for an investigation. "This is incredibly disturbing," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Newsweek contacted Representative Kiley via social media and email, as well as the press offices of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and California Governor Gavin Newsom via email outside of regular working hours on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Concerns over personal data have grown in recent months after it emerged the government's Department of Government Efficiencyworked to gain access to the Social Security Administration's data systems, which hold sensitive personal data about approximately 70 million Americans.
California's sharing of sensitive data with LinkedIn will likely raise similar concerns about threats to Americans' privacy.
What To Know
Trackers on coveredca.com, which was created under the Affordable Care Act, captured users' answers to questions about blindness, pregnancy, high prescription use, gender identity and experiences with domestic abuse, The Markup reported.
The data was then transmitted to LinkedIn using Insight Tag, which uses code to track how visitors interact with websites.
Covered California said in a statement that it "leverages LinkedIn's advertising platform tools to understand consumer behavior;" however, LinkedIn notes on its website that Insight Tag "should not be installed on web pages that collect or contain Sensitive Data."
The LinkedIn campaign trackers began in February 2024 and were removed "due to a marketing agency transition" in early April, Covered California told CalMatters.
Covered California had more than 60 trackers on its site, compared to the average on other government sites of three, CalMatters reported.
What People Are Saying
Covered California said in a news release on Monday: "Covered California is reviewing its entire website and information security and privacy protocols to ensure that no analytics tools are impermissibly collecting or sharing sensitive consumer information. The LinkedIn Insight tags are no longer active and, as a precautionary measure, all active advertising-related tags across the CoveredCA.com website have been turned off.
"Covered California is committed to safeguarding the confidential information and privacy of its consumers. The organization will share additional findings from this investigation as they become available."
California Representative Kevin Kiley, wrote on X: "California's Obamacare website tracked users' personal health information—such as pregnancy and prescription drug use—and sent it to LinkedIn for a 'marketing campaign.' We are asking Secretary Kennedy to investigate for HIPAA violations."
What Happens Next
The Department of Health and Human Services has yet to respond publicly to Kiley's call for an investigation.
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arminsumi · 2 years ago
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lady-of-tearshed · 1 year ago
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A melody through hell
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Ruhn Danaan x OC!Lyrie
Ruhn Danaan week 2024
@cadiawrites @ruhnweek
Day four: Inspired by
Summary: This fic takes place in Ruhn's early life, when his father first starts to torture him. Ruhn troubled soul encounters a sweet and bubbly creature, who happens to know just how to ease his pain.
Inspired by: Seven, by Taylor Swift
Warnings: Mention of parental abuse, mention of scars, mention of burnt skin, mental distress
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Ruhn ran, and ran. Tears streamed down his cheeks as his bare feet hit the streets of Lunathion. He had crossed the river gate already, his heart thumping so hard in his chest that it numbed his troubled mind. He halted at the edge of Istros river, kneeling at the edge of the canal, the shadow of the bridge above it giving him some sort of privacy. Not that this part of the city was very crowded, especially not at this time of the night. His shadows wrapped around his scorched arms, as if trying to comfort him. His Fae healing was struggling to restore his burnt skin. It would’ve been healed by now, if he had made the drop. But he hadn’t, yet. Maybe his father would stop torturing him once he’ll make the drop. Maybe
 Maybe he would be proud of him once he’ll make the drop.
His tears caused his reflection to ripple, distorting his face like a mirror of how troubled and distressed his soul looked like from within. His shoulder quivered as he sobbed and hiccuped. He hated himself for crumbling down the way he did. He was weak. So very weak. The words his father used to describe him as he bruised the skin of his arms echoed through the crowned prince. He wasn’t worthy of this title. He would never be. “You should sink them in the water.” A breezy voice reached his pointy ears, almost falling face first into the river, but long fingers quickly pushed his shoulder back, making him fall back on his butt. He stared, wide-eyed, at the red-haired head peeking from the water.
She chuckled, placing a hand on her chest as she did so. She took a deep breath, then moved closer to the edge of the canal. She placed her hands on the platform Ruhn was standing on, her big blue eyes sinking into his. “You should sink them in the water,” She repeated, “Your arms, I mean.”. Ruhn breath hitched as she carefully took his hands in hers, her eyes scanning him for any sign of rejection. He didn't. He nodded slowly, letting the Mer sink his arms in the canal, his chest leaned just above the surface.
He hissed at the feeling of the cold water on his arms, but he forced himself to keep them there. The Mer was lovingly caressing his hands under the water, her lips in a tight line with compassion. “I'm Lyrie.” Her voice was light, soft, comforting
 Lyrie
 The name fitted her well, her voice sounded like a melody to his ear, just like a soft lullaby played by a lyre. “Ruhn.” He sniffled, the tears on his cheeks had now dried. The female had seemed to heal his aching heart already, only by her kindness and tender eyes.
○‱○‱○‱○‱○
Their friendship bloomed with the passing time, it grew stronger with each visit of the Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae. Lyrie had been an anchor for Ruhn whenever his father tortured him. The thought of her sweet presence whenever he needed it made it easier for him to endure it all. Now, he has a friend. A friend
 The thought of it made his heart flutter. “Ruhn? Is something wrong?” Ruhn hadn’t realized his hands had stopped braiding the Mer ginger hair, his thought had consumed him once more. He smiled softly at his friend, her head had peaked over her shoulder slightly, her eyes staring at him in concern. He chuckled, pushing her chin back to straighten her head. “No. Everything is right whenever I’m with you.”
Ruhn could’ve sworn he noticed the Mer ears turn pink, his were too, probably. He kept his fingers moving through her hair, carefully braiding her long hair. He was himself surprised by his sudden confession, but everything he said was true. Every moment passed with Lyrie felt
 right. He felt like he belonged here, like they belonged together. She was the solace in the mess of his life. “You know,” She whispered, “I think your house is haunted. Maybe that’s why your dad is always mad
 Maybe he’s possessed or something.” Ruhn couldn’t help the snort that came from him. She spun around, waves splashing all around her. Ruhn tried to keep hold of the strand of hair he was braiding, but it fell into the river. He tsked his tongue, but the female kept talking. “You know, I think you should come live with me,” Her hands gesture beneath the water, sending droplets with each movement, ”I’m sure there’s enough space for the both of us in my cave.”.
Ruhn sighed, raising the edge of his pants to dip his feet in the water. His eyes were shining with adoration for Lyrie, he grinned, keeping silent as she kept going excitedly. “And we could be pirates! Well, you could be, and I’d protect your boat- our boat from the undersea creatures!” He swishes his feet in the water, before nodding slowly. “Yeah. Maybe.” She smiled, swimming closer to the edge of the canal, resting her wet chin on Ruhn’s knee, her braid half done floating on the water surface. She took his hand in hers, placing a cold shell in his palm. “Here. This gives me strength. It’s yours now.” Ruhn’s eyes filled with water as he nodded, smiling. His throat was too tight to thank her, but she understood his silence more than anyone could. He clung the shiny shell in the palm of his hand, he wouldn’t be sad anymore, he wouldn’t be scared. Because whatever he would have to face, Lyrie would always be waiting for him in the Istros river, and she would make everything okay.
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Taglist: @mybestfriendmademe
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linnitheo · 10 months ago
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Against All Odds (Part 2)
Lewis Hamilton x Y/N
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Y/N’s POV
You couldn’t believe what you were reading. Lewis Hamilton had just asked if you wanted to meet up before he left for his next race. You stared at your phone, rereading the message multiple times to make sure you hadn’t imagined it. This was beyond surreal.
After a moment of internal panic and excitement, you typed back a quick response: “I’d love to! Let me know when and where.”
Your hands trembled as you hit send. What would you even talk about? How were you going to handle this without completely embarrassing yourself? Despite the anxiety bubbling inside, there was also a part of you that felt
 calm. Lewis didn’t seem like someone who would judge you, and after the kindness he’d shown in his previous message, you had no doubt that this wasn’t just a pity invite. He genuinely seemed interested in getting to know you.
A few minutes later, your phone buzzed again. “How about tonight? There’s a little place by the Thames that’s quiet. I could use the escape.”
You agreed, heart pounding in your chest. Tonight. You were going to meet Lewis Hamilton in person, one-on-one. The thought made you dizzy, but you quickly pulled yourself together. You had a few hours to get ready, and you were determined to make the most of this unexpected opportunity.
Lewis’ POV
Lewis sat back on the couch, glancing at his phone after sending the message. He wasn’t sure why he had reached out again. Maybe it was the way you had looked at him—like you saw the man behind the racing suit, behind the fame. There was something refreshing about that. Something he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
As he stared out of the window of his London hotel room, the city’s skyline illuminated in the distance, he felt a strange sense of anticipation. This wasn’t like meeting fans at events or signing autographs. It was something more personal. He wondered what you would be like in a quieter setting, away from the noise of the crowd and the cameras.
Part of him felt guilty for dragging you into his world. He had seen the backlash you were getting online. People assumed things about you, about your motives. He hated that side of fame—the assumptions, the cruelty, the lack of privacy. He didn’t want you to get hurt just because you’d had a chance encounter with him.
But something told him this was worth pursuing, even if it was just for one night of normalcy.
Y/N’s POV
Later that evening, you arrived at the spot Lewis had mentioned—a quaint little cafĂ© near the river. The warm lights from inside cast a soft glow across the cobblestone street, and you could hear the faint sounds of jazz music playing in the background. You spotted Lewis at a corner table by the window, dressed casually in a black hoodie and a cap pulled low over his face. He looked completely different from the man on the racetrack, but there was no mistaking him.
As you approached, he looked up and smiled, standing to greet you. “Hey, you made it,” he said warmly, pulling out a chair for you.
“I almost didn’t believe it was real,” you admitted with a laugh, sitting down. “I feel like I’m in a dream.”
He chuckled. “It’s real, I promise. How have you been holding up? I saw some of the stuff online. I hope it hasn’t been too much.”
You appreciated the concern in his voice. “It’s
 been a lot. But I’m okay. I didn’t expect any of this to happen.”
Lewis leaned back in his chair, looking out at the river. “I get it. I’m sorry you got pulled into it. People can be harsh when they don’t know the full story.”
There was a moment of silence as the two of you took in the peaceful surroundings. It felt strange, being here with him like this, but at the same time, it felt right. The conversation flowed easily, moving from the chaos of race weekends to more personal topics. You talked about your life, your job, your love for racing, and how you had admired Lewis for years—not just for his skills on the track, but for the way he used his platform to speak out on important issues.
Lewis listened intently, nodding along as you spoke. When it was his turn, he shared stories from his early career, about the pressure he had faced as the first Black driver in F1, about the sacrifices he had made along the way. He opened up in a way you hadn’t expected, and it made you realize that beneath the fame and success, he was just a person trying to navigate life like everyone else.
As the night went on, you both seemed to forget about the world outside. The hours slipped by unnoticed until the café was nearly empty, the soft hum of the city outside the only reminder that time was passing.
But just as you were about to suggest leaving, Lewis’ phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen, his expression hardening slightly.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice taking on a serious tone. “Something’s come up.”
You watched as he quickly typed out a response, his face a mask of concentration. You couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. You had been having such a great time, and now reality was crashing back in.
“It’s okay,” you said, trying to hide your disappointment. “I understand.”
But Lewis shook his head. “It’s not what you think. There’s some drama back at the team—something about the media running with a story about us.” He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “I thought we’d get away from all of that tonight.”
Your heart sank. “What kind of story?”
“Apparently, someone caught wind of us meeting up tonight. They’re spinning it into something more than it is. They’re saying you’re just using me for attention.” His voice was tight with frustration.
Your chest tightened. Of course, the media would twist things. You had prepared yourself for that, but hearing it from Lewis made it feel more real, more damaging.
“I didn’t mean to cause any trouble,” you said quietly, feeling a weight settle over you. “Maybe it’s better if we don’t—”
“No.” Lewis cut you off, his eyes locking with yours. “This isn’t your fault, and I don’t care what they say. I wanted to meet you, and I’m glad I did. I’m just
 tired of all of this. The scrutiny. The constant judgment.”
You were about to respond when the door of the café suddenly swung open, and a man with a camera stepped inside. His eyes locked onto you and Lewis, and before you could react, the flash went off.
Lewis was on his feet in an instant, his hand gripping your arm protectively. “We need to go. Now.”
You barely had time to process what was happening before he was leading you out the back door, into the cool night air. Your heart raced as you followed him down a narrow alley, the sound of footsteps behind you growing fainter as you turned the corner.
When you finally stopped, Lewis turned to face you, his expression a mixture of frustration and apology. “I’m so sorry about this. I didn’t think anyone would find us here.”
“It’s not your fault,” you said, your voice steady despite the adrenaline still pumping through you. “I knew this could happen.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I just didn’t want to drag you into this mess.”
You smiled softly, taking a step closer to him. “I’m not scared, Lewis. I’m here because I want to be.”
For a moment, he just looked at you, his eyes searching yours as if trying to find something he hadn’t realized he was missing. Then, before you could react, he closed the distance between you, his lips brushing against yours in a soft, hesitant kiss.
When he pulled back, his eyes were filled with uncertainty, as if he wasn’t sure what to expect. But you smiled, your heart pounding in your chest for an entirely different reason now.
“I’m glad I met you too,” you whispered.
And for the first time that night, the chaos of the world around you seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you, standing together against all odds.
To be continued

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tzifron · 8 months ago
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A new Federal Trade Commission staff report that examines the data collection and use practices of major social media and video streaming services shows they engaged in vast surveillance of consumers in order to monetize their personal information while failing to adequately protect users online, especially children and teens.
The staff reportis based on responses to 6(b) orders issued in December 2020 to nine companies including some of the largest social media and video streaming services: Amazon.com, Inc., which owns the gaming platform Twitch; Facebook, Inc. (now Meta Platforms, Inc.); YouTube LLC; Twitter, Inc. (now X Corp.); Snap Inc.; ByteDance Ltd., which owns the video-sharing platform TikTok; Discord Inc.; Reddit, Inc.; and WhatsApp Inc.
[...]
“The report lays out how social media and video streaming companies harvest an enormous amount of Americans’ personal data and monetize it to the tune of billions of dollars a year,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “While lucrative for the companies, these surveillance practices can endanger people’s privacy, threaten their freedoms, and expose them to a host of harms, from identity theft to stalking. Several firms’ failure to adequately protect kids and teens online is especially troubling. The Report’s findings are timely, particularly as state and federal policymakers consider legislation to protect people from abusive data practices.”
The report found that the companies collected and could indefinitely retain troves of data, including information from data brokers, and about both users and non-users of their platforms. The staff report further highlights that many companies engaged in broad data sharing that raises serious concerns regarding the adequacy of the companies’ data handling controls and oversight. In particular, the staff report noted that the companies’ data collection, minimization and retention practices were “woefully inadequate.” In addition, the staff report found that some companies did not delete all user data in response to user deletion requests.
The staff report also found that the business models of many of the companies incentivized mass collection of user data to monetize, especially through targeted advertising, which accounts for most of their revenue. It further noted that those incentives were in tension with user privacy, and therefore posed risks to users’ privacy. Notably, the report found that some companies deployed privacy-invasive tracking technologies, such as pixels, to facilitate advertising to users based on preferences and interests.
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angeloftheodd · 9 months ago
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Be careful if you’re on Twitter / X: Soon, unless your profile is completely locked or private, your tweets will remain viewable to the users on your block list. Blocked accounts can’t engage with your content, but they *can* still see it. This is concerning if you’re a user who gets a lot of threats or harassment, as it removes a boundary that adds a level of protection for one’s privacy.
Elon Musk is a hypercapitalist who claims to be an anarchist. When people talk about bootlicking, he is the corporate boot that gets licked the most. OF COURSE his fascist-appropriated version of “anarchy” totally excludes crucial concepts like consent and freedom of association.
Removing the block option from a platform is a violation of both consent AND freedom of association. Elon is ignoring users’ consent by forcing us to forfeit our privacy and grant online access to people we don’t want in our lives. It’s peak capitalist/misogynist entitlement.
Elon removing the block option on a platform full of Red Pill rhetoric and far-right users in general is VERY intentional and VERY dangerous. I’m pretty sure he wants “certain people” (including me) to feel so unsafe there, it makes us leave/self-select out of there.
Elon is determined to destroy Twitter, or at least the X-marked shell that’s left of it. That, or he wants to create an audience that’s way more aligned with his interests. Meanwhile, it was the diversity of voices and discussions that made the platform successful in the first place. Old Twitter literally had something or someone for pretty much everyone. Now, people who genuinely believe that women shouldn’t vote are all over my timeline, all while the actual content I consume is diametrically opposed to that. Go figure.
No matter how much worse he makes the platform, his apologist fan boys double down harder and try to claim he’s making the site better. I have stopped blocking the many, many bots that now plague my follower count. I guess that was a smart/energy-saving move, because Elon changing/removing the block option altogether makes that a far more fruitless endeavor than it ever has been. There will be more bots than human users there at this rate, if that isn’t the case already.
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mariacallous · 11 months ago
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The social media company X is closing its San Francisco office “over the next few weeks,” according to an internal email sent out by CEO Linda Yaccarino earlier today. “This is an important decision that impacts many of you, but it is the right one for our company in the long term,” Yaccarino wrote in the email, first reported by The New York Times.
Employees in San Francisco reportedly will be moved to new locations in the Bay Area, “including the existing office in San Jose and a new engineering focused shared space with [xAI, Musk’s AI startup] in Palo Alto,” the note said. The company’s executive team is said to be working on “transportation options” for staff. X did not respond to WIRED's request for comment.
The official announcement comes a few weeks after Musk said in a post on X that he planned to move X and SpaceX headquarters to Texas. X would move to Austin, specifically, Musk said at the time. Bloomberg reported earlier this year that X had already been staffing up a trust and safety team for X based in Austin.
While the state of Texas is known to be more business-friendly than California—it has one of the lowest tax burdens in the US—Musk’s publicly stated reasoning for the move to Texas was more ideological than financial. He said at the time that the “final straw” was a new California law that aims to protect the privacy of transgender children, which he perceived to be “attacking both families and companies.” He also said that he’s “had enough of dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building.”
The latest update from Yaccarino suggests it’s the San Francisco office, specifically, that is the thorn in X’s side. And it’s an about-face for Musk, who tweeted a year ago that, despite incentives to move out of San Francisco, X would not move its HQ out of the city. “You only know who your real friends are when the chips are down,” he waxed poetically on X. “San Francisco, beautiful San Francisco, though others forsake you, we will always be your friend.”
The shuttering of the X office marks the end of an era for the company formerly known as Twitter, and for the historic Mid-Market neighborhood that in the 2010s managed to lure in burgeoning tech companies like Twitter, Uber, Spotify, and Square.
Twitter’s earliest offices were in SoMa, or the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco, until 2011, when then mayor Ed Lee instituted a controversial tax break for tech companies. The ruling erased the 1.5 percent payroll tax for companies that moved into certain Mid-Market buildings. Twitter jumped at the opportunity.
The company was considered an anchor tenant in a densely populated neighborhood marked by homelessness and open drug use. Suddenly an airy, high-end food market, a Blue Bottle Coffee shop, and tech workers with MacBooks and overpriced sneakers dotted Market Street, alongside people in various states of distress camped out in front of still-vacant storefronts.
The end results of Lee’s tax breaks and revitalization plans for the neighborhood are a topic of debate, and the pandemic has been a hugely complicating factor, with reports suggesting that San Francisco’s office spaces are more than a third vacant on average.
Musk, now famously, carried a sink into the Twitter offices just after he closed the deal to buy the platform in October 2022, tweeting, “Let that sink in!” After changing the company name to X in summer 2023, Musk erected a giant, blinking X atop the offices, only to be compelled to take it down days later when the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection received dozens of complaints about the flashing lights and concerns about the sign’s structural safety.
X also was allegedly a poor tenant in the Musk era: Its landlord, SRI Nine Market Square, in early 2023 filed a suit against X for more than $3 million in unpaid rent. SRI Nine Market sought to extend Twitter’s line of credit to $10 million as an assurance that future rent would be paid. Other vendors also have sued X for failing to pay its bills.
But in January of this year, SRI Nine Market dropped the case, Reuters reported. It’s unclear why. SRI Nine Market did not respond to an inquiry on the current state of X’s lease and whether the company would be breaking said lease by vacating its office space in the coming weeks.
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