Jim Killock
@jim.killock.org.uk
I work at @openrightsgroup [bridged from https://social.openrightsgroup.org/@jim on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/ ]
RE: https://techhub.social/@Techmeme/116942088189695613 The techbros who thought they could "control" Trump are as stupid as the industrialists who thought they could tame Hitler.
techhub.social
RE: https://mastodon.ar.al/@aral/116843433777313728 "'Historian and media critic Assal Rad said Palestinians are "so dehumanised" to the point that they cannot be included in universal anti-genocide messaging. 'All this killing over the past 700 days - the photos of starving children […]
Original post on infosec.exchange
infosec.exchange
All we have is each other: beautiful little video for Humanists UK by Janet Ellis youtu.be/D1_gSjvV8KI?...
All we have is each other | Janet Ellis, Humanists UK President
YouTube video by Humanists UK
youtu.be
NEW: Boris Johnson failed to declare to parliament a gift of private jet flights from the same cryptobillionaire, Christopher Harborne who gave £5m to Nigel Farage, leaked documents reveal. New #HarborneReceipts investigation from @thenerve.news. 🔗 below 1/
Left London finally, it was a nightmare. So many lines down, traffic in chaos and temperature too hot for many to handle (including myself) Anyone who thinks the weather is usual, had better realise this is one of the many affects of climate collapse/change […]
Original post on mas.to
mas.to
The EU is in par with China in terms of AI, and the rest of the world matters a lot too. The only market the US has cornered is "hyperscalers" which are implicated in undermining its democracies, and are not making money. cf for data through 2024 […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
The Information Commissioner John Edwards has resigned with immediate effect, due to conduct allegations. #dataprotection #ico #johnedwards https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7473590282803052544/
Dear Friends and Colleagues - an update, as promised. Today, I have notified the Rt Hon Ian Murray, Minister of State (Minister for Digital, Government and Data) of my resignation from the roles of… | John Edwards
Dear Friends and Colleagues - an update, as promised. Today, I have notified the Rt Hon Ian Murray, Minister of State (Minister for Digital, Government and Data) of my resignation from the roles of Information Commissioner, and Chair of the Information Commission, effective immediately. Since February of this year I have been the subject of an investigation. While I have not agreed with how that investigation has been conducted, I accept that my position has become untenable. From the time the investigation was launched, I have accepted that there have been occasions where I exercised poor judgement and made attempts at humour that were inappropriate and caused offence. It is for this reason that I have decided that it is appropriate that I resign from my position. I do not wish to be a distraction to the ICO’s important work. The rapid advancement of technology presents enormous opportunities, but it must be safe and accessible for everyone. Unfortunately, that is not always the reality. As technology continues to evolve, and the AI tsunami breaks over us, we must redouble, and continuously adapt our collective efforts to ensure safety, accountability, and trust online. No single organisation or country can address these challenges alone. Collaboration domestically and internationally between regulators and policymakers is critical to ensure societies can enjoy the benefits of innovation safely and equitably. I am proud to have worked alongside dedicated staff and partners within the ICO, the wider UK regulatory community and internationally to advance those shared objectives. While I will no longer be able to continue this work in my current role, my commitment to the principles, values, and objectives that have guided my professional life remains unchanged. I am proud of the contribution I have made and look forward to continuing to support this important work. I would like to thank colleagues, stakeholders, and supporters for the opportunity to serve in the role of the UK's Information Commissioner, and I wish the organisation every success in the future.
linkedin.com
Happy to see my tax money well-spent 😊🥳 Apparently accessibility fixes in Mastodon were largely sponsored by the Dutch government. Public money funding public code benefitting us all, regardless of where you live or your nationality. Awesome! #OpenSource […] [Original post on mastodon.social]
What an insightful breakdown of both the policy process and how the harms a social media ban is supposed to fix get completely missed through pursuing the ban approach - great blog @jim.killock.org.uk @openrightsgroup.org
The social media policy ratchet
For more than a decade, UK governments have introduced successive child safety measures, responding to public concern about the availability of content that is either unsuitable or harmful to children...
openrightsgroup.org
The Cybersecurity Bill is in Parliament TODAY. ORG is urging MPs to vote for an amendment that would require the government to develop a Digital Sovereignty strategy. This would help secure the resilience and independence of the UK’s critical infrastructure away from US Big Tech. Find out more ⬇️
MPs urged to vote for a Digital Sovereignty strategy
Open Rights Group is urging MPs to vote for an amendment to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill that would require the government to develop a Digital Sovereignty strategy that would help secure…
openrightsgroup.org
Under-16s announce ban of #Starmer. #SomethingMustBeDone Why can the kids have their turn with the #PoliticiansFallacy? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician%27s_fallacy #ukpol #satire #under16
Over the past week I’ve been working with a group of organisations from the world. Plans are underway to launch a new global movement to oppose restrictions such as bans or device scanning that harm the open net. Formal Announcements we can expect tomorrow in the meantime […]
Original post on social.openrightsgroup.org
social.openrightsgroup.org
If my post on social media got you thinking about why systems go wrong and how, then do read this chapter on common systems failures by Donella Meadows: https://www.gc.soton.ac.uk/files/2015/01/Thinking-in-Systems-110-140.pdf
RE: https://social.openrightsgroup.org/@jim/116753611803911869 This is really interesting - not just the immediate issue, but also the general point about how the U.K. government claims it is designing/evaluating policy interventions like this.
The social media policy ratchet: How #onlinesafety measures are costing users but leaving #socialmedia companies just fine thank you. https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/the-social-media-policy-ratchet/
The social media policy ratchet: How #onlinesafety measures are costing users but leaving #socialmedia companies just fine thank you. https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/the-social-media-policy-ratchet/
The American Anthropological Association has put out a very clear statement in response to a new report claiming the humanities and social sciences are ruining themselves with left-wing bias. Would be good to see more such robust responses to these familiar yet deeply unhelpful accusations
Setting the Record Straight on Anthropology @americananthro.bsky.social on the Vanderbilt Report...Yes. And still more to come... americananthro.org/advocacy-sta...
RE: https://mastodon.social/@arstechnica/116738624785372298 Is it just me or is Prometheus a somewhat unfortunate name for an AI company?
mastodon.social
New Health sec James Murray MP wants the NHS to "put our feet to the floor on reform". Isn't speeding up and taking risks how people end up in A&E? And isn't it how the NHS ended up with #Palantir?
RE: https://thecanadian.social/@ElbowsUpforDigitalSovereignty/116737370419074559 Repeat performance. Safe social systems banned by safety legislation in favour of unsafe but compliance-compatible tech vultures pecking away merrily at the dying body of human dignity.
thecanadian.social
A few points on this rubbish about "cuts" because #Palantir was going to "save" the Met money: (1) Palantir are the software equivalent of a heroin dealer. "First one free". This is a problem the police should understand. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75ylvzyy6xo
Met Police faces cuts after mayor blocks Palantir AI tech deal
Scotland Yard had been in talks about using Palantir's AI tech to speed up criminal investigations.
bbc.co.uk
How is Musk promoting a list of venues for race riots not incitement to racial hatred? Is anyone going to test this in court?
A thread on the awful scenes in Belfast. They are a reminder that how information spreads matters. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. Protecting that right is essential in a democratic society. But free expression does not include incitement to violence, and intentionally […]
Original post on social.openrightsgroup.org
social.openrightsgroup.org
Jesus-fucking-Christ. This article is geeky but *extremely* scary: https://thedreydossier.substack.com/p/i-found-a-second-votegov-and-its tl;dr -- remember #DOGE? The regime, specifically and largely the people behind DOGE (not the Muskrat, but a lot of the other players) are quietly subverting […]
Original post on social.coop
social.coop
Good. Now how about the NHS? London mayor Sadiq Khan blocks £50m Met police deal with #Palantir https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/21/london-mayor-sadiq-khan-blocks-met-police-deal-with-palantir
"The old world of tech is dying and the new cannot be born" A hard-hitting overview of the current state of tech by @baldur "The tech industry is shaping up to be one of the most hated industries in our modern era. It was built on the foundation of empire. They’ve been taking enormous risks […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
Germany snubs #Palantir, chooses French supplier for internal intelligence agency In all seriousness, choosing Palantir, funded by antidemocratic billionaires to defend German democracy would have been madness […]
Original post on social.openrightsgroup.org
social.openrightsgroup.org