Some good news for a change

David Roberts@volts.wtf · 24h ago

Don't look now, but the world has now installed 3TW of solar. Took 10 years to get from 100GW to 1TW. Less than 3 years to get to 2TW. Less than 2 years to get to 3TW. Analysts expect *9TW* by 2036.

We too easily skipped over the part of the Ceuta story where thousands of young people were manipulated into risking or losing their lives for a lie; to orchestrate images that then led the news agenda for the weekend, and kneejerk reactions from EU Govs And the Irish failures that let this happen

Deirdre O'Shaughnessy@deshocks.bsky.social · 10h ago

If you were confused about what happened in Ceuta last week read this piece by @lizcarolan.com who's looking at how it blew up online and who's behind it... www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

If you were confused about what happened in Ceuta last week read this piece by @lizcarolan.com who's looking at how it blew up online and who's behind it... www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Liz Carolan: Migrants pay a deadly price in Ceuta disinformation disaster

All the layers of neglected dysfunction in our information environment have come together into one deadly, toxic mess for Moroccans in Ceuta, writes Liz Carolan

irishexaminer.com

"And as the EU’s digital rulebook enforcer, a big part of that blame sits right with us here in Ireland." Spot on, and will we do anything. No. We are a vassal state for US and big tech.

Deirdre O'Shaughnessy@deshocks.bsky.social · 10h ago

If you were confused about what happened in Ceuta last week read this piece by @lizcarolan.com who's looking at how it blew up online and who's behind it... www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Missing the total solar eclipse on 12 August? We've got you covered. Join our live broadcast on YouTube 📺 🎤 interviews 📹 explainers 🔭 telescope feeds 🚁 drone shots 🔴 live feeds from different locations We've put together an exciting programme for you. 1/2 🔭 🧪 #EuropeanSolarEclipse

"Best meme of the month" award goes to....

Gnedreams 🇨🇦@gnedreams.bsky.social · 14h ago

You would think that all of these people pushing for social media bans for kids would be interested in whether or not these bans actually work...but no, I guarantee we will keep on seeing age-gating bills. theconversation.com/more-than-80...

More than 80% of kids still using social media despite ban, new eSafety report finds

The report provides more evidence Australia’s world-leading social media ban isn’t going to plan.

theconversation.com

That harm to women and girls in general is not taken seriously, combined with multiple high-profile men continuing to get passes based on power, talent, or activism with other causes, creates a very worrying landscape for women. Tolerance is still way too high. It needs to start actually mattering.

That "men should be allowed, without judgement or consequence, to do an amount of harm to women and girls that I personally deem acceptable" seems to be a genuine opinion still held by too many people in the year two thousand and twenty six is incredibly grim

EU begins enforcing AI Act, putting AI models under the microscope 📖 Read more: www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/08/04/e... #cybersecurity #cybersecuritynews #AI #AIAct #EU #regulation @ec.europa.eu

EU begins enforcing AI Act, putting AI models under the microscope - Help Net Security

The EU's AI Act enforcement began 2 August 2026, requiring chatbots to disclose themselves and AI-generated content to carry clear labels.

helpnetsecurity.com

Please spread and make Jeremy Clarkson shine like a brown dwarf star 🟤 #justBRILLIANT #jeremyclarkson "That is what disability support can do when it is designed to enable people rather than humiliate them." "And while you have the stationery out, perhaps you could explain the farm."

Nettlecake@nettlecake.bsky.social · 2d ago

Brilliant letter from Stuart Thompson to Jeremy Clarkson about his comments that benefit claimants should write weekly thank you letters to tax payers detailing how they spend their benefits each week.

‘The EU has come under fire for placing more demands on businesses, and rules that will ultimately force all content to be labelled given the rapidly growing widespread use of AI across Europe.‘ Please, spare us the sob story. If you can make it, you can label it. www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...

AI-generated label becomes mandatory in the EU

Companies creating or using AI-generated content have to label it clearly for users to know, as part of an EU guideline implemented on Sunday. #EuropeNews

euronews.com

Oh no. Exactly what everyone who knows literally *anything* about it said would happen did in fact happen. Wow. So now all the other know nothings in other governments around the world who are planning on giving away everyone's privacy will stop and think for a single second, right? Right??

Ben Schwarz@benschwarz.bsky.social · 2d ago

Australia’s eSafety commissioner buried a report (released Friday afternoon) that shows the under 16 social media ban didn’t tangibly reduce teen social media use, and also resulted in parents tuning out of kids usage. We traded our privacy for no reason. theconversation.com/more-than-80...

The Robots Have Escaped, Please Buy Our Product It feels a bit like watching the latest epic blockbuster in the iMax. OpenAI and Anthropic announce that their models have escaped from secure testing environments, reached the internet and attacked real systems. We are expected to nod as the…

The Robots Have Escaped, Please Buy Our Product

It feels a bit like watching the latest epic blockbuster in the iMax. OpenAI and Anthropic announce that their models have escaped from secure testing environments, reached the internet and attacked real systems. We are expected to nod as the companies describe “unprecedented cyber capabilities” and models going to “extreme lengths”. It sounds like a warning, but it also sounds like a product launch.

javvadmalik.com

How Trumps war with Iran is going 😎🤬🍊💩

Now awaiting the inevitable news in a day/week/fortnight that the IDF turned the centre into a crater..

The Journal@thejournal.ie · 2d ago

An Irish artist has helped establish a children's centre in Gaza that provides food, education and psychosocial support to children displaced by the war. Adam Doyle, better known as Spicebag, tells us why he helped create Ionad Hind Rajab. jrnl.ie/7117887

Come play poker for digital rights at DEF CON this Friday. The @eff.org Benefit Poker Tournament is Aug 7, noon, Horseshoe Poker Room, Vegas. Total novices are especially welcome; the room is safe, respectful, and the dealers teach. Bring one curious friend. eff.org/poker

Betting on Your Digital Rights: EFF Benefit Poker Tournament at DEF CON 34

The EFF Benefit Poker Tournament is back for DEF CON 34! Your buy-in is paired with a donation to support EFF’s mission to protect online privacy and free expression for all. Play for glory. Play for ...

eff.org

Electronic Frontier Foundation@eff.org · 6d ago

Hacker Summer Camp is almost here... and with it comes the Fifth Annual EFF Benefit Poker Tournament @defcon.bsky.social hosted by security expert @tarah.org. Join us on August 7 at the Horseshoe Poker Room and take home new prizes, including bug bounty pins! eff.org/poker

Come check out Veilid and join the revolution at BsidesLV! Veilid bringing the PLUR this year! Privacy Liberty United Revolution Come get Veilid rave candy and hang out!

#spéirghorm

Norman@noaasm.bsky.social · 3d ago

Wow, I am positively surprised - Irish government has kicked a Microsoft procurement potentially worth €1 billion into touch amid a political debate about the nation's overreliance on US tech providers and a move to free and open source software www.theregister.com/public-secto...

This conference can be attended online: store.2600.com/products/tic...

TICKETS TO HOPE 26 (VIRTUAL ATTENDEE)

user@hope26:~/tickets $ cat announcement-virtual.txt TICKETS TO HOPE 26ARE NOW AVAILABLE! [ EVENT_START ] Friday, August 14th, 2026 [ EVENT_END ] Sunday, August 16th, 2026 > More information is bei...

store.2600.com

2600 - The Hacker Quarterly@2600.com · 5d ago

A new ransomware group (who I'm not giving the publicity of naming) is brazenly offering journalists early access to their data leak site in order to increase pressure on victims to make an extortion payment. I'm unaware of other recipients but the message looks mass-sent.

Is Ireland’s unprotected ocean the weak link in European defence?

Is Ireland’s unprotected ocean the weak link in European defence?

Russian presence in Irish waters underscores the fact that, rather than being out of sight and out of mind, the country is on the frontline

theguardian.com

Exhibit A being the head on him

Under German law, selling or owning recording devices disguised as everyday objects is strictly prohibited. Because Meta Glasses closely resemble regular eyewear, the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) is reviewing a nationwide ban with fines already being issued 2/2

Germany to ban Meta’s Pervert Glasses? ​Hamburg’s Data Protection Office warns that recording people in public with smart glasses violates privacy laws. The tiny LED indicator light isn't prominent enough to prevent secret filming in public spaces. 1/2 www.tagesschau.de/inland/innen...

Hamburger Datenschutzbeauftragter: Verbot von Meta Glasses möglich

Der Hamburger Datenschutzbeauftragte Fuchs warnt vor Meta Smart Glasses: Die Brillen, die kaum von normalen Brillen zu unterscheiden sind, ermöglichen heimliches Filmen. Ein Verbot sei nicht ausgeschl...

tagesschau.de

Two fire helicopters collided in Greece as forces battled multiple wildfires that have devastated swathes of land, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warning of "extremely difficult" days ahead.

Two helicopters collide in Greece as wildfires spread

Two fire helicopters collided in Greece as forces battled multiple wildfires that have devastated swathes of land, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warning of "extremely difficult" days ahead.

rte.ie

And by the way, when we reach net zero, none of the current issues go away. 40C heatwaves, wildfires, etc - we're locked in to the new climate now. All we can do is stop it getting worse. The climate that existed when you were born, that felt "normal"? It's dead and never coming back

As of today, the use of AI becomes more transparent in the EU. Here’s how EU law makes sure AI works for you, in full openness ↓