Doc Searls

On stories and war: doc.searls.com/2026/03/01/war…

If you're bothered by prices just for you, based on surveillance, you should dig this talk next week: doc.searls.com/2026/02/12/bec…

We have AI agents (kind of) forming their own social media network. There are AI-generated videos everywhere, including the news. We hear of privacy breaches daily, each more sophisticated as fewer human engineers are writing code. Bottom line: we urgently need a workable framework for delegation authority, one that ensures people and the businesses they represent can verifiably assert control over AI agents. I’m calling for unity among tech builders, industry and civil society on this. Let’s fix this! Whenever we mention this “Proof of Control” concept, we hear resounding support – not just because people fear the worst if AI gets out of control, but also, more positively, because they know a safe, privacy-preserving approach to data is necessary if agentic AI is to deliver on its sweeping innovation promises. That’s why H2H and @AAI_Society are excited – and just a little daunted – to launch HUMAN-AUTHORIZED: THE SUMMIT ON HUMAN AGENCY. Occurring one day before the annual The @linuxfoundation Member Summit on Feb. 23 in Napa Valley, it is the first step in getting everyone to the table on this vital mission.  (In the first comment, you’ll find the press release that went out today.) In socializing this, many people have shared learnings from decades of work trying to resolve thorny problems of identity, privacy and decentralized trust. They’ve reminded me, for example, of the difficult trade-off between robust privacy and open-source standards, and of the challenges in translating human law concepts such as “fiduciary responsibility” to autonomous, machine-learning bots. We are grateful for this input and humbly acknowledge that we definitely do not have anywhere near all the answers. What I DO know is that this framework must arise out of a multi-stakeholder, consensus-building exercise that's done to serve the interests of all humanity. We need tech companies, enterprises, financial institutions, standards bodies, educators, civic organizations and policymakers to all contribute to this process. So, if you fit the bill, please apply to join the curated audience. Supported by @affinidi, @Google, @FaceTecInc and @midnightfdn and in partnership with @lfdecentralized, the event not only boasts a star-studded speaker lineup but also offers attendees a chance to experiment with cutting-edge tools for privately managing their data, social relationships and AI agent instructions. The analogy I keep landing on is that we're witnessing the evolution of a new, digital species, one that operates very differently from ours. We humans must figure out how to safely coexist with it before WE become the next extinction event. @cshirky @baratunde @mdennedy_ @programmer @ScottStornetta @glenngore @drummondreed @triciawang @danielabarbosa @ReedAlbergotti @jeffwilser @BenChristensen_ @shyamnagarajan @WSeltzer @DSearls @brianbehlendorf

Yes! And much more. Dig it.

Big thing going down in London on the 28th. See you there or in a zoom square: doc.searls.com/2026/01/20/now…

Some advice: doc.searls.com/2026/01/16/how…

Here is a short video that condenses my hour-long talk on MyTerms at Indiana University: youtube.com/watch?v=O2B76m… Does a pretty good job.

Had fun writing this one: doc.searls.com/2025/12/30/on-…

@SpaceX @ASI_spazio Is it rescheduled for today? We’re on the beach in Santa Barbara, ready to watch.

Falcon 9 is vertical at pad 4E in California ahead of today’s launch of the @ASI_Spazio COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation mission. Teams are keeping an eye on winds ahead of liftoff at 6:09 p.m. PT → spacex.com/launches/cosmo…

I'm giving a talk on Tuesday about a totally important new standard, @IEEE P7012, better known as #MyTerms More at doc.searls.com/2025/11/14/myt… HT @Ostrom_Workshop @hamiltonlugar @BKCHarvard (where it began) @customercommons @projectvrm @IUBloomington

A belated obituary of sorts, with bonus facts: doc.searls.com/2025/09/09/rem…

@FirewallDragons Thanks! Email me at first name at last name dot com.

@dsearls ... would love to bring you on the show to discuss this.

I've said this myself: the wrong people are writing the privacy policies. And the policy elements should be standardized to avoid euphemistic loopholes. Sadly, I don't see this happening without regulations. But I love the idea. doc.searls.com/2022/10/11/p70…

Is it just me, or are Facebook and Threads down?

Want to blow up cookie notices and overturn the whole surveillance fecosystem? MyTerms is the way. I make the case here: doc.searls.com/2025/08/14/the…

#Overheard: "The answer to 'Go fork yourself' is twins."

Did we just have a earthquake in Manhattan?

This post is about how The Cluetrain Manifesto and The Intention Economy both come true. Business opportunitie will be massive, when they customers finally take the lead. Which they can, now that they have a way to set their own terms of engagement: projectvrm.org/2025/07/15/the…

We’re back! A brand new #podcast episode is out today, and more will come! I hope you will join @dsearls and @katherined, as there is much for us to discuss in our new digital world, especially at the intersection of AI, security, and personal agency. reality2cast.com/158

@ktumulty @mattbai There is also this: projectvrm.org/2025/02/12/a-s…

CVS was so worried about shoplifting that it stole its own soul -- @mattbai wapo.st/46ujaXD

@BillSimmons And they did. Shall we call Halliburton "Lightning" for what he does (now against the Thunder) with almost no time left?

Golden State had 36 turnovers in Game 3 of the 1975 Finals and won by 8. You can do this Indy!