Issue #18

SATURDAY 29 AUGUST 2026 · 3 CLAIMS CHECKED · 1 SURVIVED THE RECEIPTS · ISSUE 18 OF 30

• TRUE, BUT · Cherry-Picked SliceA federal judge just told the Pentagon it can't blacklist Anthropic for refusing to build surveillance and autonomous-weapons tools. The Pentagon has a second attempt still open.Judge Rita F. Lin, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
• TRUE, BUT · Moved RulerMore than half of this year's layoffs got labeled 'AI-driven.' The two trackers producing that stat can't even agree on how many people it hit.Layoffs.fyi / ResumePulse trackers, amplified by IBTimes UK and Outsource Accelerator aggregation, vs. Deutsche Bank analysts and Sam Altman (skeptic pushback)
• VERIFIEDMeta's smart glasses had a recording light for your safety. For months, covering it after you hit record kept it filming anyway.Meta (Alex Himel, VP of AR/Wearables, statement via Threads, amplified by tech press Aug 27-28 2026); bypass method documented via widespread third-party mods/tutorials

THAT IS THE RECORD FOR ISSUE #18. NEXT VERDICT DROPS 9PM AEST.