What does this have to do with "Hacker News"?

in the communities where I am, there are small 'hacker' collectives where people are working on combating surveillance, providing alternative non-surveilled software solutions, and helping other movement folks set-up and adopt less-worse platforms (eg moving off Google to CryptPad)

I think its worthwhile for those of us who are involved in this kind of work to be aware of further descent into fascistic tendencies (ie no policing accountability for repressive violence). the stakes are high and always rising and, accordingly, our risk assessments and threat modeling should stay updated to match

and for people who may disagree with the current regime's politics, it's also healthy to stay apprised of the erosion of your own civil liberties, and the potential downstream effects it might have on your life

ProPublica are hackers in the best sense of the word -- inquisitive, resourceful, resilient in the face of institutional and societal restrictions.

I don't always agree with their spin on things -- in fact I often actively disagree with whatever they're pushing at the moment -- but I'm glad they're there. We need them badly these days, and many more investigative journalism outlets like them, now that the MSM has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trump Organization.