Yet still people say “what’s the point in us acting if the rest of the world doesn’t”. The rest of the world is. It turns out Africans, Asians and South Americans also want a habitable planet. And green tech is often the cheapest option over the long term. 4/

Ireland: Use of AI found in key report on favourable Aughinish planning decision by top authority.

Serious problem, attempts to succeed at it are only likely to increase. This should receive an automatic 25 year sentence:

In Senate Budget Estimates 2026-27 this week, the department confirms human override was removed without consultation www.australianageingagenda.com.au/executive/po...

Removal of IAT human override lacked consultation - Australian Ageing Agenda

In Senate Budget Estimates 2026-27 this week, the department confirms human override was removed without consultation but argues the Independent Assessment Tool process has plenty of human involvement.

australianageingagenda.com.au

"the evidence actually shows that cameras cluster in neighbourhoods where opposition parties organise, where protests have happened and where the press has “made trouble” for ruling regimes."

How AI is upgrading African dictatorship

A March 2026 study by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and the African Digital Rights Network found that 11 African governments had collectively spent more than USD 2 billion on AI-powered s...

globalvoices.org

Rather than trying to push thru social media bans and promoting uncritical AI use in schools, politicians in Ireland and elsewhere need to look more closely at just how complex online abuse actually is. The online world is a growing disaster in unexpected ways www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

UK schools should remove pupils’ online photos as AI blackmail threat grows, say experts

Criminals are manipulating pictures found on school websites and social media to create sexually explicit images

theguardian.com

We are looking for someone with significant experience to lead our policy team and work. This is an opportunity to shape and guide our policy output and have a direct impact on Ireland’s civil liberties and human rights landcape. Apply by 5pm on Sunday 31 May. lnkd.in/dZsQBMwJ

2 year research postdoc at UCL @laws.ucl.ac.uk on data and democracy, public law focus — could focus on surveillance and/or AI issues www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...

UCL – University College London

UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

ucl.ac.uk

Chinese researchers have created a bamboo-based plastic as strong as petroleum-based plastics, which can fully biodegrade in soil in just 2 months phys.org/news/2025-10...

Bamboo-based plastic can be made to biodegrade quickly, but still holds up in tough conditions

A new method to produce strong, biodegradable plastic from bamboo is reported in Nature Communications this week. The bioplastic resembles oil-based plastics in strength, shapability, and thermal stab...

phys.org

#Bookreview in @science.org! “The future is not a train to wait for but rather a canvas we co-create individually and collectively” #Authors www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Anticipating the future in an algorithmic age

Misleading predictions shape outcomes and facilitate abuses of power, but resistance is not futile

science.org

Listen back to Ronan Murphy and @tjmcintyre.com who were excellent on @news.rte.ie's Today with David McCullagh explaining why proposals to allow gardaí access encrypted communications is so problematic from a technical, legal and human rights point of view 👇 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

New security watchdog warns of significant threat of ‘lone wolf’ terrorist attacks

Conor Lally, the Irish Times Crime Editor / Ronan Murphy, CEO of Smart Tech / TJ McIntyre, Associate professor in UCD and Chair of the Digital Rights Alliance

rte.ie

Every sensible government will spend the coming months accelerating the deployment of solar, batteries, heat pumps, and EVs, especially for lower income households. It’ll be a hell of a lot cheaper in the long run than subsidising fossil fuels the next time prices spike, which they will.

Isabel Hayes: Court reports can make for distressing reading. There are good reasons for that. Press Ombudsman’s recent comments on graphic language in court reports highlight an issue court reporters have been attuned to for years. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

Analysis: Court reports can be distressing reading. There’s a good reason for that

Press Ombudsman’s recent comments on graphic language in court reports highlight an issue court reporters have been attuned to for years

irishtimes.com

Interested in researching AI and judicial decision making? @brianbarryirl.bsky.social at Trinity College Dublin has two funded PhD vacancies (one in law, one in social sciences).

“It's our position that this incremental introduction of laws conferring extraordinary powers risks entrenching a durable surveillance architecture in Irish society" - @olgacronin.bsky.social speaking to @techpolicypress.bsky.social about the government's plans. www.techpolicy.press/irelands-new...

Ireland's New Surveillance Bill Opens Door to Spyware Abuse

Ireland is considering a new bill that would legalize the use of spyware by the police, reports Vas Panagiotopoulos.

techpolicy.press

"I grew up across the street from a public library, and it was the only place my mom would let me go on my own. It was my second home, and I read everything that I could get." ~ Tracy Chapman Chapman by Nicholas Albrecht #Booksky

We're recruiting an AI expert to help us ensure supervision and enforcement of human rights in the context of AI and automated decision-making systems. The deadline to apply is next Wed 15 April but we will assess applications on a rolling basis so please apply early. www.iccl.ie/digital-data...

Enforce is hiring: AI Expert

Work with us at ICCL Enforce. We are hiring an expert in Artificial Intelligence.

iccl.ie

Life achievement unlocked. “Your Data Will Be Used Against You” in Wired. #BookSky

WIRED@wired.com · 4mo ago

Attachment to smart devices and biometric surveillance leaves Americans more vulnerable to police searches than ever. Left unchecked it will only get worse. www.wired.com/story/book-e...

A Tennessee grandmother spent nearly six months behind bars after artificial intelligence facial recognition software wrongly identified her as a suspect in a bank fraud case – in North Dakota – a state she says she had never even visited. #rhizomaticharm www.the-independent.com/news/world/a...

Grandma jailed after AI error linked her to crime in state she never visited: lawyer

The charges were later dismissed after bank records showed she was in Tennessee at the time

the-independent.com

@mariamurphy.bsky.social and I have written a short report on protecting the ‘Privacy’ in Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs) www.iccl.ie/news/new-icc... @iccl.bsky.social @maynoothuniversity.ie

New ICCL report on Privacy-Enhancing Technologies

Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) often fall short on their promise of safeguarding privacy without limiting data use

iccl.ie

Thrilled to share what the great historian @timothysnyder.bsky.social has to say about #PROPHECY! To pre-order the #book: US: a.co/d/00PLNpOt UK: amzn.eu/d/01WcZ4MQ #BookRecommendation

This weeks discussion with @tjmcintyre.com & @adrianweckler.bsky.social is really worth a listen if you're in Ireland and interested in tech policy or privacy. podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/t...

The Grok AI scandal — what happens now? Plus: why Ireland’s plan to link national ID to social media access is dystopian

Podcast Episode · The Big Tech Show · 09/01/2026 · 34m

podcasts.apple.com

“Uruguay did what most nations still call impossible: it built a power grid that runs almost entirely on renewables—at half the cost of fossil fuels. The physicist who led that transformation says the same playbook could work anywhere—if governments have the courage to change the rules.”

Uruguay’s Renewable Charge: A Small Nation, A Big Lesson For The World

Uruguay built a power grid that runs 99% on renewables—at half the cost of fossil fuels. Here’s how its bold energy overhaul became a global model.

forbes.com

I'm very happy to have published a chapter in this excellent, open-access collection, "Being Human in the Digital World:" www.cambridge.org/core/service... Kudos to expert editors Beate Roessler and Valerie Steeves, as well as fellow authors Julie Cohen, David Lyon, Helen Nissenbaum, & more!

Delighted to announce that we are the REVEL Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence @maynoothuniversity.ie. We will be organising a host of activities over the next 3 years on "Realising European Values and European Law" (REVEL). Stay tuned (follow us) for more. www.maynoothuniversity.ie/news-events/...

It's great to see #PROPHECY gathering friends. Thank you so much for everyone who has pre-ordered. It matters. It gets noticed. It's part of being in the conversation. THANK YOU! #Book www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/759692...

Delighted to be a part of this Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence focused on Realising European Values and European Law @maynoothlaw.bsky.social! Excited to lead the work package on digital enforcement! 🇪🇺

REVEL Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence@reveljmce.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Delighted to announce that we are the REVEL Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence @maynoothuniversity.ie. We will be organising a host of activities over the next 3 years on "Realising European Values and European Law" (REVEL). Stay tuned (follow us) for more. www.maynoothuniversity.ie/news-events/...

Delighted to be part of a wonderful team and leading the new @reveljmce.bsky.social. Lots to come in terms of activities (please follow us!) - for now: thanks to our wonderful colleagues @maynoothlaw.bsky.social; @muresearch.bsky.social for their invaluable support!

REVEL Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence@reveljmce.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Delighted to announce that we are the REVEL Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence @maynoothuniversity.ie. We will be organising a host of activities over the next 3 years on "Realising European Values and European Law" (REVEL). Stay tuned (follow us) for more. www.maynoothuniversity.ie/news-events/...

And a bit shout out to our wonderful team (who will be doing all the substantive work): Dr Derek Barter, Dr Ollie Bartlett; Dr David Mangan; @orlakelleher.bsky.social; @mariamurphy.bsky.social; @hubertsmekal.bsky.social; @oscharles.bsky.social.

In a similar vein, the Orkney Islands produce an excess of electricity from wind, wave and tide power.

Mark Lemley@marklemley.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...