Ej Dickson

Ej Dickson

@ejdickson.bsky.social

Senior writer at Wired, author of ONE BAD MOTHER, debut essay collection out now. https://www.amazon.com/One-Bad-Mother-Housewives-Momfluencers/dp/1668051117

25.3K followers304 following397 posts

Ej Dickson reposted

Neil Turkewitz
@neilturkewitz.bsky.social

“When you have a cultural fetishization of an abstract notion of free speech, one thing that it does is it disembodies a conversation,” Franks says. “Somehow physical safety becomes oppositional to this supreme value of speech.” 🙏🏼 @maryannefranks.bsky.social @ejdickson.bsky.social

wired.comSexual Assault Is a Free Speech IssueMary Anne Franks has spent years fighting against online abuse. When people are abused with impunity, she says, the message becomes “We do not care about women’s voices.”
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

NEW from me: AI-generated hot girls are stealing comedians’ jokes and getting millions of views — and Instagram says it's totally kosher. I investigated horny AI content farms for @wired.com, and whether you should be worried about robots w/ BBLs stealing your content: www.wired.com/story/ai-gen...

wired.comAI-Generated Hot Girls Are Ripping Off Comedians to Boost Their Horny ContentA network of AI-generated models is using comics’ material to funnel views to their OnlyFans and Fanvue accounts—and there’s not much comedians can do about it.

Ej Dickson reposted

Marisa Kabas
@marisakabas.bsky.social

It was appalling to see the way protesters taunted those mourning the October 7th victims. That is not activism.

Ami Fields-Meyer@fieldsmeyer.com

I was at the October 7 vigil in Union Square. Like many who write and think about defeating political repression, I believe in big coalitions—massive ones. They are our best technology for escaping some very complicated social problems. But we need to agree on the most basic fundamentals. My essay:

amifieldsmeyer.substack.comWhat I Saw in Union SquareA scene of moral collapse at an October 7th vigil in New York City
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

I spoke to three furries — namely, a fox, a wolf, and a bear — who work in aviation. Here's what I learned: 1) Yes, there are a lot of furry airline pilots 2) No, they're not wearing their fursuits in the cockpit or meowing on radio 3) Tommy Tuberville is a butthead www.wired.com/story/furry-...

wired.comFurry Airline Pilots Are Just Minding Their Own Business“We’re furries at home, and we’re airline pilots at work, and these are two separate things,” says one member of the community in response to senator Tommy Tuberville's recent rant.

Ej Dickson reposted

Manisha Krishnan
@manishakrishnan.bsky.social

Senator Tommy Tuberville's unhinged rant about "terrifying" furry pilots did contain one truth—there is a lot of overlap b/n aviation and the furry community. @ejdickson.bsky.social talked to some of them about why that is: www.wired.com/story/furry-...

wired.comFurry Airline Pilots Are Just Minding Their Own Business“We’re furries at home, and we’re airline pilots at work, and these are two separate things,” says one member of the community in response to senator Tommy Tuberville's recent rant.

Ej Dickson reposted

Sandra Upson
@supson.bsky.social

Today at noon ET / 9 am PT I'll be talking about WIRED's special report on tech and gender with two extraordinary women, @laurengoode.bsky.social and @ejdickson.bsky.social. Join us, ask questions - there's so much to dig into. www.wired.com/story/livest...

wired.comSubmit Your Questions: Why Is Silicon Valley Still a Boys’ Club?How are women really faring in Silicon Valley? Submit your questions to our panel and we'll give you the scoop on September 24.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

By the way before people shriek that there are actually 11: theres a weird non specified “Africa” pavilion next to Mexico that I’m surprised hasn’t been subject to cancellation yet, but it’s fair game for counting

Ej Dickson reposted

Leah Feiger
@leahfeiger.bsky.social

I cannot recommend this story from @ejdickson.bsky.social enough - devastating and thorough reporting on a very upsetting corner of the internet:

Ej Dickson@ejdickson.bsky.social

There is a corner of the internet I had never heard of before I started reporting this story. It’s called the “burnerverse”: a network of anon burner accounts ostensibly discussing college sports. But they have another goal: destroying young girls’ lives.🧵: www.wired.com/story/burner...

wired.comA College Girl Was Exploited on Camera. A Network of Anonymous Men Got to WorkMaddie Kowalski is one of countless young women who’ve had their lives destroyed by the burnerverse, a loosely connected online community of sports fans. Now she’s fighting back.

Ej Dickson reposted

Noah Becker
@noahbecker.bsky.social

This is a story about an incredibly brave person whose life has been ruined by some of the worst people humanity has to offer.

Ej Dickson@ejdickson.bsky.social

There is a corner of the internet I had never heard of before I started reporting this story. It’s called the “burnerverse”: a network of anon burner accounts ostensibly discussing college sports. But they have another goal: destroying young girls’ lives.🧵: www.wired.com/story/burner...

wired.comA College Girl Was Exploited on Camera. A Network of Anonymous Men Got to WorkMaddie Kowalski is one of countless young women who’ve had their lives destroyed by the burnerverse, a loosely connected online community of sports fans. Now she’s fighting back.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

There is a corner of the internet I had never heard of before I started reporting this story. It’s called the “burnerverse”: a network of anon burner accounts ostensibly discussing college sports. But they have another goal: destroying young girls’ lives.🧵: www.wired.com/story/burner...

wired.comA College Girl Was Exploited on Camera. A Network of Anonymous Men Got to WorkMaddie Kowalski is one of countless young women who’ve had their lives destroyed by the burnerverse, a loosely connected online community of sports fans. Now she’s fighting back.
View full thread
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

When the adult video was recorded, Maddie was highly intoxicated. She had little memory of it being made, and was in no position to consent. Her life had been ruined by strangers, over a drunken night she could barely remember. She had no idea who, or why they would want to destroy her.

Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

For months, the burners who posted Maddie’s video remained anonymous. They even made a cryptocurrency out of her name, valued at $11k. So she hired a lawyer to unmask them. And what she learned stunned her. Read my investigation for @wired.com, out now: www.wired.com/story/burner...

wired.comA College Girl Was Exploited on Camera. A Network of Anonymous Men Got to WorkMaddie Kowalski is one of countless young women who’ve had their lives destroyed by the burnerverse, a loosely connected online community of sports fans. Now she’s fighting back.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

There is a corner of the internet I had never heard of before I started reporting this story. It’s called the “burnerverse”: a network of anon burner accounts ostensibly discussing college sports. But they have another goal: destroying young girls’ lives.🧵: www.wired.com/story/burner...

wired.comA College Girl Was Exploited on Camera. A Network of Anonymous Men Got to WorkMaddie Kowalski is one of countless young women who’ve had their lives destroyed by the burnerverse, a loosely connected online community of sports fans. Now she’s fighting back.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

I first heard about the BV in Feb 2025, when a girl named Mary Kate Cornett trended on X for a false rumor about her sex life. The story was amplified by Barstool and ESPN, despite her being 19 and just a random college girl. I thought it was just a one-off. Then it happened again. And again.

Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

Last November, it happened again. Maddie Kowalski, a 19 yo UF student, went viral when her nonconsensual intimate images (NCII) were posted on X. Within hours, millions of people had seen it. Anons relentlessly harassed her. She was so humiliated she tried to jump from a fifth-floor window.

Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

I wrote about the real reason why so many women believe the conspiracy theories about Patrick Clancy. It has nothing to do with women being crazy. It has EVERYTHING to do with moms feeling totally abandoned by their husbands. And they are absolutely justified. www.wired.com/story/the-pa...

wired.comThe Patrick Clancy Conspiracy Theories Are Rooted in the Harsh Realities of MotherhoodLindsay Clancy’s defense argues she killed her three kids because of postpartum psychosis. But armchair detectives, including many fed-up mothers, are laying blame with her ex-husband.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

NEW from me: I talked to Peter Pan Girl, aka Toni, the TikToker accused of stalking Peter Pan at Disneyland. "I do think people know that Peter and I have a special friendship," she says. "[But] I know I'm not doing anything wrong." Full story at @wired.com: www.wired.com/story/viral-...

wired.comViral Disneyland Content Creator Defends Her ‘Special Friendship’ With Peter PanDisney superfan Toni Kulusich has been accused of stalking her favorite character, sparking discourse about boundaries with park actors. She tells WIRED the backlash is unfair.

Ej Dickson reposted

Manisha Krishnan
@manishakrishnan.bsky.social

You may have heard of "Peter Pan Girl"—the Disney influencer accused of stalking her favorite character. She spoke to @ejdickson.bsky.social about why the "hate" won't stop her visits: www.wired.com/story/viral-...

wired.comViral Disneyland Content Creator Defends Her ‘Special Friendship’ With Peter PanDisney superfan Toni Kulusich has been accused of stalking her favorite character, sparking discourse about boundaries with park actors. She tells WIRED the backlash is unfair.

Ej Dickson reposted

Sean Beckner-Carmitchel
@acatwithnews.bsky.social

I don’t know much about soccer but I can say unequivocally they made the greatest performance mistake you can possibly make. You never put muppets in the middle. ALWAYS close with muppets if you have muppets. It’s all downhill from here.

Ej Dickson reposted

Manisha Krishnan
@manishakrishnan.bsky.social

Despite having policies against explicit content, Youtube is funneling people to nudify sites that generate nonconsensual deepfakes for as little as $1. Targets include people's sisters and motivations are often "getting people fired." by @ejdickson.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/youtub...

wired.comYouTube and X Have Become ‘Gateways’ to Nudify AppsA new study found that social media platforms are referring people to sites where they can create nonconsensual, sexually explicit deepfakes for as little as $1 an image.

Ej Dickson reposted

Marisa Kabas
@marisakabas.bsky.social

Bizarre story: Two journalists were removed by police from a corporate-sponsored Freedom 250 event in Brussels after they asked US Ambassador to Belgium Bill White about his threat against an American citizen/Belgian resident who had emailed Zac Brown Band urging them not to perform at the event.

europeancorrespondent.comThe US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reportingOn Sunday evening, the United States held its “Freedom 250” celebration – paid for by private companies, organised by the three American embassies in
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

So here’s a lil scoop: you know the new gay dating app Goose? It’s apparently been using at least two dozen AI-generated Instagay accounts to lure men into signing up. Which is “very obviously unlawful,” according to a lawyer I spoke to. My story for @wired.com www.wired.com/story/goose-...

wired.comGoose, a New Gay Dating App, Appears to Be a PsyopTouted as a less-hookup-focused Grindr, Goose is an invite-only space for gay men. The problem is the people promoting it don’t seem real.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

also the cofounder posted a job listing looking to hire people to manage these seemingly AI-generated dummy accounts and offered $100 to buy up finstas and the post is still up

Ej Dickson reposted

Keith Kurson
@keithlaugh.love

omg this is so good "It was during a Mercury retrograde, and Mercury retrograde involves communication. It’s a time to renew and redo and rethink. I realized I’m not getting any younger, and my story needs to be told by the right people."

Ej Dickson@ejdickson.bsky.social

I had the incredible honor of interviewing the NYC porno public access queen Robin Byrd for @wired.com. We talked about her upcoming HBO doc, her LGBTQ advocacy, why Internet porn sucks. wearing boobs as a hat, and how she was inspired by Mister Rogers: www.wired.com/story/the-ro...

wired.comRobin Byrd, the Sex Godmother of Millennials, Says the Internet Ruined PornThe 1970s porn actress turned New York City late night public access queen says censorship and a lack of star quality among modern adult entertainers turned her off of the industry.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

I had the incredible honor of interviewing the NYC porno public access queen Robin Byrd for @wired.com. We talked about her upcoming HBO doc, her LGBTQ advocacy, why Internet porn sucks. wearing boobs as a hat, and how she was inspired by Mister Rogers: www.wired.com/story/the-ro...

wired.comRobin Byrd, the Sex Godmother of Millennials, Says the Internet Ruined PornThe 1970s porn actress turned New York City late night public access queen says censorship and a lack of star quality among modern adult entertainers turned her off of the industry.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

5. Many publicists and celebs think fans have gotten "scary." "We've almost started to act as security for them," one publicist told me. Another said: "You have to manage a fandom accordingly. If you don't, it could end up hurting you." www.wired.com/story/hollyw...

wired.comHollywood Thrives on ‘Rabid’ Fans. For Publicists, They’re a NightmareA scuffle between stan account Club Chalamet and another “Heated Rivalry” die-hard shines a light on how parasocial fans are a publicist’s greatest asset—and liability.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

6. Fandoms regularly dictate what celebs/influencers do. One told me a story about a client who collabed with a particular applesauce brand (!) her fans thought was unhealthy. So they scrubbed the post. "We have to be nimble," she says. www.wired.com/story/hollyw...

wired.comHollywood Thrives on ‘Rabid’ Fans. For Publicists, They’re a NightmareA scuffle between stan account Club Chalamet and another “Heated Rivalry” die-hard shines a light on how parasocial fans are a publicist’s greatest asset—and liability.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

3. Interestingly, more than one publicist cited Chappell Roan as an example of how celebrities should NOT engage with fandoms, citing the footballer incident last spring as an example. "It was a 3-day news story, but in PR land that's 3 fucking years," one said. www.wired.com/story/hollyw...

wired.comHollywood Thrives on ‘Rabid’ Fans. For Publicists, They’re a NightmareA scuffle between stan account Club Chalamet and another “Heated Rivalry” die-hard shines a light on how parasocial fans are a publicist’s greatest asset—and liability.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

4. Fans are a huge asset — but they can also create a huge PR nightmare, like in the Club Chalamet case. They felt bad for Connor Storrie: "You never want to see that happen in a fandom,” one said. "It's not a story I want to be told in conjunction with my client." www.wired.com/story/hollyw...

wired.comHollywood Thrives on ‘Rabid’ Fans. For Publicists, They’re a NightmareA scuffle between stan account Club Chalamet and another “Heated Rivalry” die-hard shines a light on how parasocial fans are a publicist’s greatest asset—and liability.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

1. Publicists are ABSOLUTELY AWARE of literally everything that goes on in a fandom. They track every comment. They know every weird conspiracy theory. They look at every Reddit post. "We're always on our phones at 6 am, tracking what people are saying," one told me. www.wired.com/story/hollyw...

wired.comHollywood Thrives on ‘Rabid’ Fans. For Publicists, They’re a NightmareA scuffle between stan account Club Chalamet and another “Heated Rivalry” die-hard shines a light on how parasocial fans are a publicist’s greatest asset—and liability.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

2. Fans are now a LOT more powerful than journalists, and publicists are more interested in giving them scoops/exclusives than traditional media outlets. "They have way more power than any one person or publication," says one publicist. www.wired.com/story/hollyw...

wired.comHollywood Thrives on ‘Rabid’ Fans. For Publicists, They’re a NightmareA scuffle between stan account Club Chalamet and another “Heated Rivalry” die-hard shines a light on how parasocial fans are a publicist’s greatest asset—and liability.

Ej Dickson reposted

Manisha Krishnan
@manishakrishnan.bsky.social

After a Connor Storrie stake-out turned into a physical fight between Club Chalamet and another Heated Rivalry stan, @ejdickson.bsky.social talked to celebrity publicists who say fandoms have a tremendous amount of power—and are increasingly a huge pain in the ass: www.wired.com/story/hollyw...

wired.comHollywood Thrives on ‘Rabid’ Fans. For Publicists, They’re a NightmareA scuffle between stan account Club Chalamet and another “Heated Rivalry” die-hard shines a light on how parasocial fans are a publicist’s greatest asset—and liability.
Ej Dickson
@ejdickson.bsky.social

My latest story for @wired.com is about the uber-wealthy tech guys and CEOs paying matchmakers $50k to set them up with trad wives. "They're not looking for a bossy bitch lady," one told me. "They want a woman who knows how to respect and honor a man." www.wired.com/story/matchm...

wired.comMatchmakers Are Being Paid $25K to Find Trad Wives for Rich MenEven in blue states, nonreligious tech entrepreneurs and CEOs are increasingly asking for “traditional” and “conservative” women, matchmakers tell WIRED.