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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

Brian Merchant writes, mostly about technology, culture and labor. He&#8217;s the former tech columnist at the LA Times, and the author of <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/?lens=little-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/?lens%3Dlittle-brown&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1708054039723000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ZYJqk866F8lCizxq0W5MD">Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech</a> and the <a href="https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1708054039723000&amp;usg=AOvVaw38SvjFhr3e98pTryqBSmV9">newsletter</a> of the same name.

Brian Merchant

Firemen extinguish a Waymo autonomous vehicle that was set on fire by a crowd in San Francisco. It's a screengrab of news footage.

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Life's Rich Pageant

Torching The Google Car

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Patrick Redford

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: 'Cruise' driverless robot taxis are seen at a parking lot as California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) revokes its self-driving car permit and citing 'unreasonable risk to public safety' in San Francisco, California, USA on October 24, 2023. The self-driving service of 'Cruise', the autonomous vehicle company owned by General Motor, is thought to be a step towards wider commercial deployment of a long-promised autonomous alternative to ride-hailing services such as Uber or Lyft in the US. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

California suspends Cruise autonomous vehicles driving permit in San Francisco

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San Francisco’s Robotaxi Fleet Halved After Horror Crash

Santa Monica, CA - February 21: Passengers ride in an electric Jaguar I-Pace car outfitted with Waymo full self-driving technology in Santa Monica Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Self-driving Waymo cars on the road in Santa Monica

San Francisco Takes First Step Towards The Grim, Autonomous Future Of Transportation

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