esme harrington

@esmeharrington.bsky.social

digital rights, ai & tech policy @awoagency.bsky.social | sign-up for Algorithm Governance Roundup https://www.awo.agency/algorithm-governance-new | london 🏳️‍🌈

I had a great conversation with Paul Bouchaud at @aiforensics.org about their research tracking the proliferation of Grok-generated deepfakes across the internet, which disproportionately impacted women. Check it out in the most recent of AWO's newsletter here!

@awo.agency · 7mo ago

AWO’s Algorithm Governance Roundup is out. This month we spoke with Dr Paul Bouchaud at @aiforensics.org about their audit of Grok which charted the rapid rise of sexualised deepfakes generated on X and Grok Imagine.👇 eomail5.com/web-version?...

Happy our investor briefing on the risks of surveillance tech is out! We examined real-world cases where surveillance tools have been linked to serious human rights harms, and the material, legal and reputational consequences. It also sets out practical due diligence tools for investors. 🛠️

Business and Human Rights Centre@business-humanrights.org · 8mo ago

Out now! Our new investor briefing will be essential reading for anyone looking to understand the hidden risks and human rights harms linked to high-risk surveillance technologies. Full briefing: www.bhrrc.org/en/from-us/b...

Newsletter is out! Was great to speak to @djleufer.bsky.social about how the EU's AI Omnibus undermines key AI Act transparency requirements – which were a crucial step towards accountability & fundamental rights redress – and the broader context of simplification. Well worth a read here.👇

@awo.agency · 8mo ago

AWO’s Algorithm Governance Roundup is out! This month, we spoke to Daniel Leufer @djleufer.bsky.social about how the AI Omnibus could weaken fundamental rights safeguards in the AI Act.👇 eomail5.com/web-version?...

Great to speak to @bramvranken.bsky.social about the AI Act and recent complaint to the European Ombudsman on the opacity of the AI standardisation process. Check it out here!

@awo.agency · 9mo ago

AWO’s Algorithm Governance Roundup is out! This month we interviewed Bram Vranken @corporateeurope.org about mapping industry influence on the AI Act, the AI standardisation process which has "run into serious trouble" & its complaint to the EU Ombudsman.👇 eomail5.com/web-version?...

Great to chat with @esmeharrington.bsky.social about @openmined.bsky.social's work facilitating privacy-preserving third-party audits with the Christchurch Call Foundation, AI Security Institute and Anthropic Check it out in AWO Agency's Algorithmic Governance Roundup: eomail5.com/web-version?...

Algorithm Governance Roundup #25

Community Spotlight: Dave Buckley, OpenMined | Ombudsman investigation into AI Act standards

eomail5.com

@awo.agency · 11mo ago

Our Algorithm Governance Roundup is out! This month we spoke to Dave Buckley at @openmined.bsky.social, a non-profit building open-source PETs to audit proprietary systems. We spoke about several pilots with the Christchurch Call and UK AI Security Institute.👇 eomail5.com/web-version?...

This month I spoke to @davebuckley.bsky.social about @openmined.bsky.social's development of open-source PETs to facilitate independent scrutiny of online platforms and AI.👇 Also... Somehow it's my 25th issue! Please give 3 mins to share your feedback!🌟 forms.cloud.microsoft/e/YWy0iFqpWn

Microsoft Forms

forms.cloud.microsoft

@awo.agency · 11mo ago

Our Algorithm Governance Roundup is out! This month we spoke to Dave Buckley at @openmined.bsky.social, a non-profit building open-source PETs to audit proprietary systems. We spoke about several pilots with the Christchurch Call and UK AI Security Institute.👇 eomail5.com/web-version?...

New newletter is out! 🌟Had a lovely conversation with Ema Prović about her experience leading the GPAI Code of Practice process for the European AI Office. A worthwhile read to catch up on the Code and how it supports the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act. See below!

@awo.agency · last yr.

AWO’s Algorithm Governance Roundup is out! This month we interviewed Ema Prović who led the development of the GPAI Code of Practice for the EU’s AI Office.👇 eomail5.com/web-version?...

Was a pleasure to speak on this panel at CPDP about improving researcher access to AI systems for audit and other public interest research! The full recording is available www.cpdpconferences.org/news/cpdpai2... :)

CPDPai2024 Archive and Session Recordings - CPDP Conference 2025

cpdpconferences.org

CPDPconferences@cpdpconferences.bsky.social · last yr.

"Towards a Safe Harbour for Public Interest AI Research" Organised by @mozilla.org with Maximilian Gahntz (moderator), Julia Keseru, @esmeharrington.bsky.social, Martin Degeling More information: cpdp.be/4955 #CPDP.ai #CPDP2025 #TheWorldisWatching #CPDP #AISafety

"Towards a Safe Harbour for Public Interest AI Research"

The value of independent scrutiny of generative AI systems, in the form of independent testing, red teaming, bug bounties, and other kinds of vulnerability discovery, is well understood. But the information asymmetry between AI providers and users is massive. And while large language models are feasting off the internet for training data, public interest research is starving for safe and reliable data, unsure of their legal protections should companies dislike their research. 
As the DSA is launching its regime structured data access regime, the AI Act’s Code of Practice on GPAI is asking important questions about what constitutes an appropriate third-party evaluator and what role safe harbours should play in AI safety and evaluation. 
But what should be the methods for encouraging public interest research? Who is a legitimate and independent third party? What are the tensions and trade-offs?

Questions to be answered:
- What structured AI researcher access programs exist currently, and what are they like?
- What would a good AI researcher access program for foundation models look like?
- What are concerns and risks related to researcher access to foundation models - ie, security, privacy, trade secrets?
- How should regulators and agencies ensure researcher access, for example in the health sector? What existing lessons do we have from cybersecurity, from platform accountability, or from other fields?
 
Organised by Mozilla Foundation with Maximilian Gahntz (moderator), Julia Keseru, Esme Harrington, Martin Degeling

🚨 Desperate for some Xmas reading? CIGI have published my report on "Developing a Framework for Collective Data Rights". This report aims to get concrete about the kinds of collective rights we might need to address group and societal harms from data and AI. 🧵 www.cigionline.org/publications...

Developing a Framework for Collective Data Rights

Data protection law and policy are founded on the approach of individual notice and consent — an approach with shortcomings in an age of big data and artificial intelligence. This special reports cons...

cigionline.org