17 Comments
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Heather Moss's avatar

I think name changes should be free upon reaching one's 18th birthday if their birth/adoptive name is misgendered, spelled stupidly, or completely made up. People constantly defend those awful names by saying normal names like Sarah and Eric are the ones that will be made fun of in the future. So if they really believe that, why be mad that a subreddit is talking about their child's yooneek, kre8tyv name? If the parents think those names are so awesome and bulletproof and won't ruin their child's life, then what's the problem?

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Caitlin Dewey's avatar

There is a beautiful irony in people worrying about their kid's online privacy after giving them a really "distinctive" name. Didn't you want them to be the only search result??

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Al's avatar

I raise you, I think changing your name should be free period. Also I recommend more people do it (I don't use my birth name).

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vitajexjexjex's avatar

You were mentioned a few times in the comments section on a Culture Study thread

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Lida Lewis's avatar

Me, too, from Culture Study

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Adam's Notes's avatar

Think I found out about this through Garbage Day or Today in Tabs or something. It was definitely linked somewhere.

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Al's avatar

I'm not new but as a Vermonter hello fellow denizen of totality! It was WILD.

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Caitlin Dewey's avatar

I will not lie ... I cried from excitement

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Al's avatar

I mean same

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Alyssa's avatar

Pretty sure you were linked in Morning Brew (at least I'm 99% sure that's how I found this). Previously how I found deez links as well

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Martin's avatar

I came here from the "curious about everything" newsletter

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Aris G.'s avatar

Spencer Ackerman at Forever Wars also has been writing about Lavender and the broader implication of AI weapons targeting and, not to sound flip (but it’s the only way to stop being totally freaked), but it’s the plot of one of the Avengers or Captain America movies…

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Caitlin Dewey's avatar

yikes!!

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Jennifer S.'s avatar

Today is Tabs linked to you late this week!

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Kay's avatar

i found your newsletter via Arwa Mahdawi’s column in the Guardian

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Conor Hill's avatar

You got linked to from the bluestocking sibstack is how I came on board

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Alice Egan's avatar

Hey Caitlin! Introducing myself b/c you asked.

My bff/sister shared your newsletter with me - I am starting an online course called SaaS Savvy where I teach people how to speak the language of software, cloud computing, & APIs for limitless customer-facing careers in tech.

I started https://saassavvy.substack.com/ last year but found a Substack is as much a full time job as an online course so had to stop for a while ... however, I think you would for sure find some interest overlap in my previous editions!

In my course I teach a TON of internet/computer/software history to provide context to all the technical jargon. I am really enjoying your mix of behind-the-scenes internet topics (deep sea internet cables, SF muni still running on floppy disks, the fact that WiFi means as much as MTV - I need to add that to my course!). And random old school internet stuff. I'm so tired of social media!

Thanks for the fun, inspo, curiosity, and mix of old and new.

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