L.A. Fatzinger

Room for Writers

We see a lot of flexing on the internet these days. My tiny hotel room in Vienna was the perfect reminder of what we actually need to be content and…

Sep 25 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

Essay: The Platform at Udine

What an old man at a café in Udine, Italy taught me about grief, reinvention, and insistence on being alive.

Sep 23 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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Algorithms Don’t Care About Your Mental Health: What the TikTok Deal Reveals About Control and Profit

Politicians in the US are packaging the takeover as “safety.” But without accountability and incentive shifts, the system will still profit from our…

Sep 22 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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July 2025

You May Not See This Post on Social Media — Because It’s About Women’s Health

When algorithms mistake women’s bodies for content violations, potentially life-saving medical truth disappears from social media feeds.

Jul 21 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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June 2025

When the innocence of school is lost

There's an innocence at Austrian schools that reminded me of what school was like when I was a kid in Colorado (albeit a long time ago.)

Jun 10 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

May 2025

Live Curious. Or Decline.

A modest manifesto for the last liberty.

May 28 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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April 2025

A Town That Nods: Notes from Karlovy Vary

The small village in western Czech Republic offers each visitor a story. If they pause to notice.

Apr 23 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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February 2025

Another App to Help Limit App Usage? Seriously? - Beating the Algorithm

Also this week: Listening bars are taking off in London, French prosecutors probe X over alleged algorithmic bias, and more.

Feb 13 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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Ethical Tech vs. The ‘Cult of Innovation’: Startups That Refuse To Play the Big Tech Manipulation Game

There are painfully few choices today, but some companies are actually thinking about ethical design and user wellbeing.

Feb 7 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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Teens Spend 25% of Their School Day on Smartphones - Beating the Algorithm

Also this week: Facebook's "Memories" have a downside for survivors of trauma. Majority of teens have lost trust in Big Tech. The Mona Lisa is getting…

Feb 4 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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January 2025

Congress’ New Social Media Bill Won’t Protect Kids—But It Will Protect Big Tech

Bipartisan legislation claims to curb social media’s harm to children, but its loopholes could actually strengthen Big Tech’s grip on young users.

Jan 30 • 

L.A. Fatzinger

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Beating the Algorithm

A weekly briefing designed to help you take back control of your online, social and other connected experiences.

Jan 29 • 

L.A. Fatzinger