What I’m Reading - 2/9/25

The writing continues in France

Feb 09, 2025

I’m having so much fun and getting a lot done. After four days, I’ve written 20,000 words and the first drafts for 2011-2020. I keep thinking of things that I need to add, but the goal right now is to get something down on paper. I’m feeling the momentum, so even though I was going to take today off, I’m feeling the energy to punch through.

The Relais de Camont is perfect. Before coming, I worried that I would get bored or lonely, the bed would be uncomfortable, or the shower would be subpar. That’s not been the case at all. Kate is aroundbut leaves me be most of the time. She’s taken me to the market twice - one of my favorite parts is Chica, the dog, and Terre, the cat, who come by from time to time to say hello.

Despite a lovely writing desk in my room, I’ve taken to writing in the kitchen by the stove. I’ve been posting reels and pictures on my Instagram if you need some French country escapism.

This has been another tough week for many people in the foreign aid and disinformation community. On Monday, Facebook will inform people of layoffs. If I can help anyone, please let me know. If you are wondering how your skills might work in another field, this is an excellent post about how international development work transfers to trust and safety.

If you aren’t affected but don’t know what to say to those who have been, my friend Mary Katherine Ham lost her husband in 2015 and has three tips for what to say in times of grief - I think this works for job loss, too. They are:

First thing to remember, say *something.* Grief is very uncomfortable. It reminds us of our mortality and people sometimes don’t know how to be near it, but it’s good to push through that discomfort so you can be a friend who is there. You’re not reminding them of anything they forgot!

1. “How you holding up?” Simple, acknowledges that there’s something going on, doesn’t sound flippant like “How are you?” Which, duh, very bad.

2. Tell them what they’re going through is awful and unfair and unfixable. Counterintuitive maybe, but embracing the suck treats their grief with seriousness. “Hey, this is truly awful and I know my words won’t repair it, but I love you and I’m here to text or talk or pray or watch a movie while we get through this.”

3. “Words fail, but I’m here for you.” A simpler version of the above, but effective. This is the gist of it. Being there is more important than saying the right thing.

I’m here for anyone who needs to chat.

Partnership Post

I haven’t yet started offering ad space in this newsletter and have only done the occasional partnership last year. I hope to change that this year, but I haven’t gotten the chance yet to write a new ethics statement or share more about how I plan to approach that. The folks at the Trust and Safety Summit in the UK asked me to be a media partner to give my readers a discount, and I agreed. It is unpaid, but I am getting recognition in their materials for sharing this information with you.

Europe’s Premier Trust & Safety Summit 2025
25 - 26 March 2025 | Hilton London Syon Park, UK

Join us at the Trust & Safety Summit 2025, where industry leaders will gather to tackle the most pressing challenges in online safety today. This year’s summit is designed to empower Trust & Safety professionals with the tools, insights, and strategies they need to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and manage online harms at scale. Each day is packed with insightful sessions led by top T&S experts from the likes of Ofcom, Roblox, Reddit, Bumble, Spotify, EA, and more incoming.

Get your copy of the agenda here.
Use code 'KATIE20' for 20% off your event pass; register here.

What I’m Reading

Must Read

This week’s must read is an opinion piece by Jennifer Pahlka who started the U.S. Digital Service and is a proponent of making the government more efficient. She writes in the New York Times, “Mr. Musk’s recklessness will not get us there, but neither will the excessive caution and addiction to procedure that Democrats exhibited under President Joe Biden’s leadership.”

AI Developments