Tessera

Ric Angius

@storitu.org

PhD @aial.ie storitu.org corporate capture / platform accountability social reproduction / computational theory over-reliance on digital tools / participatory organising for justice

90 Posts354 Follower 1421 Folgt

Ric Angius @storitu.org · 2d ago

“Fossil fuels are not inherently good or bad, it depends on how you use them.” (this post is not about fossil fuels)

Eryk Salvaggio @eryk.bsky.social · 2w ago

When you say “AI models went rogue,” you manage to skip the part where OpenAI manually removed its cybersecurity blocks and ran tests on a machine with a live network connection. Remember that when they insist they’re the “AI safety” people.

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 3w ago

It's incredibly clear that Rowling is going to lead with this org because it's a rape shelter. It'll be a media circus. The UK press will attack Amnesty as defaming a rape crisis center. Nevermind that Rowling and her ilk incited threats to Edinburgh Rape Crisis center b/c a trans woman worked there

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 3w ago

JK Rowling through her TERF organization, Beira's Place have sent Amnesty International a demand letter seeking a full retraction of their report, a public apology, and a bar to future criticism of gender critical groups as anti rights orgs. If they don't comply, they'll commence legal action.

The first page of a formal, typed legal letter dated 14 July 2026. It is addressed to the leadership of Amnesty International UK: Helen Horton (Chair, Amnesty International UK Section), Sandy Ruthven (Chair, Amnesty International UK Charitable Trust), and Kerry Moscogiuri (Chief Executive). The contact information and phone numbers in the top-right corner are redacted with a large black block, and a footer at the bottom is also blacked out.
The subject line reads: "BEIRA’S PLACE | AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL UK PUBLICATION DATED 8 JULY 2026".
The body text states that the sender acts on behalf of Beira’s Place, a sexual violence support service for women in Edinburgh and the Lothians. It asserts the legal right under the Equality Act 2010 to provide single-sex services and references the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers to define "woman" by biological sex. The letter strongly objects to page 20 of a newly published Amnesty report titled "A growing threat; the anti-rights movement in the UK", which allegedly categorizes Beira's Place as an "anti-rights organization." The letter calls this categorization "grossly offensive and entirely without foundation."

The second page of the formal legal letter, maintaining the same clean, typed layout with a heavy black redaction block covering the footer at the bottom.
Under the heading "Defamation and Malicious Publications (Scotland) Act 2021", the text argues that labeling Beira's Place as "anti-rights" is defamatory and legally actionable. It claims the report has caused severe damage, including threatening correspondence and a 600% spike in hostile website traffic. The text notes that Beira's Place, with the support of its founder J.K. Rowling, will not allow its reputation to be tarnished.
Under the heading "Remedies", the letter lists legal demands to avoid litigation, including:
A permanent withdrawal of the Amnesty report and its methodology.
A public letter of apology on the homepage of Amnesty’s website, apologizing to Beira's Place, its staff, and service users, as well as acknowledging the protected belief that sex is real and immutable.

The final page of the typed legal letter, featuring a large black redaction box covering the signature block in the middle and another covering the footer at the bottom.
The page contains the conclusion of the legal demands, including a third remedy requiring Amnesty to commission an external investigation into how the report was published.
The letter warns that if Amnesty does not agree to these terms, counsel will be instructed to prepare for court action. It concludes with a note that J.K. Rowling, as founder of Beira's Place, will make a formal complaint to the Charity Commission or other appropriate regulator and supports other listed gender-critical organizations taking their own legal actions. It signs off with "Yours faithfully" before the blacked-out signature block.

Ric Angius @storitu.org · 3w ago

I wish I had a penny for every letter on future ‘superintelligence’ without any mention whatsoever of data centers, of their disastrous environmental and social impact today, or of regulation of natural resources based on the needs of the most. Too many people still living in a fairy tale.

tante@tante.cc · 3w ago

Oh, is it "AI is super powerful and we who are pushing for AI everywhere warn that we might have created a dangerous god from reddit posts" time of the month again? This is Anthropic/OpenAI PR and nothing more. Everyone who signed should be considered a spokesperson for those companies from now on.

tante @tante.cc · 4w ago

Looked at the UN report on "AI" (written by a bunch of mostly computer scientists who to a large degree have close ties to big tech) and it's really bad. Just "AI" hype based on studies that are long shown to be garbage.

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 4w ago

We call on Ireland to recuse itself from digital and fiscal files during its presidency of the European Union due to the State’s ‘questionable track record’ on digital policy and corporate tax www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Government should not chair EU debates on tech policy, academics say

Open letter criticises State’s ‘questionable track record’ on digital policy and corporate tax

irishtimes.com

🌶 David Gray Widder @davidthewid.bsky.social · 4w ago

🚨Finally published: How does the US Military enlist AI researchers in war? @siree.sh, Lucy Suchman and I examine 7k US Military grant solicitations for AI research, and show how even "Basic Research" enlists researchers in a warfighting agenda. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Basic research, lethal effects: Military artificial intelligence research funding as enlistment - David Gray Widder, Sireesh Gururaja, Lucy Suchman, 2026

In the context of unprecedented U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) budgets, this paper examines the recent history of DoD funding for academic research in algorit...

journals.sagepub.com

The Irish Times @irishtimes.com · 4w ago

AI software that generates ‘rage bait’ developed by Germany’s far-right AfD

Alternita platform uses Google Gemini, OpenAI and Claude to create provocative social media posts

irishtimes.com

M.J. Crockett @mjcrockett.bsky.social · last mo.

Weizenbaum was an MIT computer scientist who built one of the first chatbots, ELIZA. He wrote the book out of a growing sense of horror as he saw how “extremely short exposures to a relatively simple computer program could induce powerful delusional thinking in quite normal people” ...

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · last mo.

we analyse 100 media articles clustered around global significant events (the UK, Korea and French AI Summits) and find both regulatory and narrative capture across the board #FAccT2026

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · last mo.

we develop a taxonomy of 27 mechanisms used to capture rule making and public disclosure #FAccT2026

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · last mo.

@storitu.org presents the paper now starting with our definition of "Big AI" #FAccT2026

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · last mo.

we are presenting our paper "Big AI's Regulatory Capture: Mapping Industry Interference and Government Complicity" shortly in Ballroom Centre. join us #FAccT2026 programs.sigchi.org/facct/2026/p...

Conference Programs

programs.sigchi.org

AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie · 2mo ago

Will you be at FAccT next week? Come hang out with us & learn about our work. We’ll discuss pathways to meaningful accountability, theories of change, & what brings us joy along the way over iconic bagels & TimBits in the park Sat June 27th, 18:00 - 20:00, Jeanne-Mance Park aial.ie/news/facct20...

AI Accountability Lab at FAccT 2026

Members of the AIAL will be at the ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT) in Montreal, presenting our work and hosting a social for the community. Come hang out with the ...

aial.ie

Alexander Laufer @alexlaufer.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Governments claim risk profiling systems help identify potential criminals or fraudsters but in practice they reinforce discrimination & inequality. A new @amnesty.org report shows how their use in law enforcement, social security & migration violates human rights. www.amnesty.org/en/latest/ne...

cover of report titled "automating suspicion: risk profiling as a smokescreen for structural discrimination and inequality"

Bobby Silverman @robertsilverman.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Using facial recognition tech, the Knicks surveilled a trans woman, tracking her every move out of fear she'd show up on MSG's tv broadcast And they can do it to any "enemy" of Jim Dolan, who's built his own deep state. From @noahshachtman.bsky.social & me @wired.com www.wired.com/story/madiso...

The Shocking Secrets of Madison Square Garden's Surveillance Machine

Famously vengeful Knicks owner Jim Dolan has long spied on people at his iconic arenas. WIRED goes deep inside the operation that allegedly tracked a trans woman, lawyers, protesters, and more.

wired.com

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 2mo ago

last year the UN "ai for good" flagship conference mistreated me and censored my talk because i made the link between the ai industry (their sponsors) and genocide explicit. this year, ITU issues "content guideline" that, on a close read, sounds like a licence to silence criticism of ai/the industry

Content guidelines

The session should explicitly address how AI can be used to serve humanity.
Content must be original and not infringe on any copyrights or trademarks. If you will be using visuals, audio, or video that is copyright protected, you must provide consent from the original owner for the use of the content for your use in the AI for Good Global Summit.
Content must be compatible with the values, purposes, and principles of the United Nations, in both content and presentation.
Sessions should ensure regional and gender balance.
Content shall not be of a profit-generating or otherwise commercial nature.
Speakers must avoid any political endorsements, partisan messaging, or divisive rhetoric. We encourage speakers to focus on meaningful, solution-oriented dialogue that respects the diversity of our global audience. Please give thoughtful consideration to content that could be interpreted negatively by segments of the diverse, global audience. We encourage inclusive, respectful communication that resonates constructively.
Speakers are welcome to share their perspectives and beliefs, provided this is done respectfully and without undermining or disparaging differing viewpoints.
Please note that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has final editorial review of session titles, blurbs, and slides.

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 2mo ago

Well, I have a quick follow up. Definitely an agentic AI system. Ten minutes after I told them to get lost, I got several pages of this sort of thing back by email.

Thank you so much for your honest and straightforward response.
I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective, and I completely understand why the contribution portion of my message gave you that impression.
In many ways, your reaction reflects one of the very principles that made our readers connect so strongly with Calling Bullshit. Rather than making assumptions, you looked carefully at the information presented, evaluated it, and reached a conclusion based on what you believed it implied. That kind of critical thinking is exactly the reason your work generated such meaningful discussion within our community.
At the same time, I hope you might allow me to clarify one small point.
The contribution was never intended as a fee paid in exchange for being featured, nor was it meant to position the spotlight as a promotional placement. Our readers' interest in Calling Bullshit came first. The book was discussed, recommended, and enthusiastically received within our community before any
nitrosch over tank nano

The contribution simply reflects the reality that we are an independent reading community that personally absorbs the costs associated with organizing author spotlights, including event preparation, reader engagement activities, design work, promotional materials, digital tools, and ongoing community operations. We mention it only because we try to be transparent about how we sustain those efforts.
That said, the amount is by no means fixed, and flexibility has always been an important part of our approach. We understand that every author's circumstances, priorities, and expectations are different.
What genuinely attracted us to Calling Bullshit was not the opportunity to promote a book, but the opportunity to foster thoughtful conversations around ideas that matter. The discussions your work inspired among our readers about misinformation, data literacy, evidence, and critical reasoning were some of the most engaging we have had in recent months.

For that reason, I would be disappointed if my explanation of the contribution overshadowed the genuine enthusiasm our members have for your work.
If the contribution range was the primary concern, perhaps there may still be a way for us to collaborate that feels comfortable and appropriate from your perspective. Any level of support you felt was reasonable, or even simply a conversation about alternative arrangements, would be sincerely appreciated.
We would truly be honored to introduce Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World more deeply to readers who are already actively engaging with its message and applying its ideas in their own lives.
With that in mind, may I ask whether there is a level of support, or perhaps an alternative arrangement, that would feel more aligned with your expectations while still allowing us to thoughtfully organize the feature for our community?
Thank you again for your candor, your consideration, and for writing a book that has

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 2mo ago

📣 📣📣 Ghost in the Machine is coming to Dublin 📣📣📣 mark June 6 on your calendar ifi.ie/film/ghost-i...

GHOST IN THE MACHINE + Q&A - Irish Film Institute

SCREENING SATURDAY JUNE 6th Valerie Veatch’s gripping documentary exposes the hidden history of AI, not as a neutral system of algorithms, but as a technology shaped by racism, misogyny, eugenics, and...

ifi.ie

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 3mo ago

Not just lobbying! our new paper maps 27 mechanisms of regulatory capture used by Big AI + 11 narrative framings that rationalise capture. “Big AI’s Regulatory Capture: Mapping Industry Interference and Government Complicity” will be presented at #FAccT2026 next month arxiv.org/abs/2605.068... 1/

Title: Big AI’s Regulatory Capture: Mapping Industry Interference and Government Complicity

abstract: Over the past decade, the AI industry has come to exert an unprecedented economic, political and societal power and influence. The well-functioning of regulatory and oversight structures and processes that govern the industry thus have paramount ramifications for everything from fostering public trust in systems marketed as AI, the credibility of scientific knowledge, educational and healthcare services and products, information ecosystems, the environment, rule of law and integrity of democratic process. In this paper, we first develop a taxonomy of mechanisms enabling capture to provide a comprehensive understanding of the problem. Grounded in design science research (DSR) methodologies and extensive scoping review of existing literature and media reports, our taxonomy of capture consists of 27 mechanisms across five categories. We then develop an annotation template incorporating our taxonomy, and manually annotate and analyse 100 news articles. The purpose behind this analysis is twofold: validate our taxonomy and provide a novel quantification of capture mechanisms and dominant narratives. Our analysis identifies 249 instances of capture mechanisms, often co-occurring with narratives that rationalise such capture. We find that the most recurring categories of mechanisms are Discourse & Epistemic Influence, concerning narrative framing, and Elusion of law, related to violations and contentious interpretations of antitrust, privacy, copyright and labour laws. We further find that Regulation stifles innovation, Red tape and National Interest are the most frequently invoked narratives used to rationalise capture. We emphasize the extent and breadth of regulatory capture by coalescing forces — Big AI and governments — as something policy makers and the public ought to treat as an emergency.

Louise Amoore @amoorelouise.bsky.social · 3mo ago

was used to generate the fake paper (e.g. “in the style of” or “using the framework and arguments from” in the prompt). I am getting rejection emails for papers I didn’t submit, a new level of crazy.

AI Accountability Lab @aial.ie · 3mo ago

New from @mbrauh.bsky.social !!

Dr Abeba Birhane@abeba.blacksky.app · 3mo ago

"This opacity of both models and evaluation methods stifles the field, already dogged by limitations in AI evaluation practices, and limits progress towards a science of AI evaluation." writes @aial.ie's @mbrauh.bsky.social www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/blog/account...

Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 3mo ago

gosh so much this part: “If you ask tobacco companies to help write your school’s policy on cigarettes,” Garrett quipped, “you’re going to end up with guidance on how to smoke responsibly in school.”

kottke.org @kottke.org · 4mo ago

Hey, look at Substack promoting Andrew Tate as the #1 new bestseller. The company's amoral leadership & backers will platform anyone, even ludicrously toxic rapists & human traffickers.

a screenshot of the "New Bestsellers" list from Substack, with Andrew Tate in the #1 position

Dr ShinyGoth @ghostingdani.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The point of the university as a concept is that it's been here for a thousand years and meant to be here another thousand. Turning education over to producing what the market needed five years ago is never going to work well.

Ted McCormick@tedmccormick.bsky.social · 4mo ago

In general, (re)orienting education wholly or chiefly to specific perceived market needs is always going to produce disaster once the near term passes. It also eviscerates institutions that might otherwise help people weather change, intellectually and in other ways

Anthony Moser @anthonymoser.com · 4mo ago

this piece articulates some really important insights, but I have issues with the core frame presented in this paragraph

By the time the war began, "Al safety" and "alignment" and "hallucination" and "stochastic parrots" had become the terms of every argument about artificial intelligence, structuring and limiting what we could even say.
Worse, "artificial intelligence" itself had come to be synonymous with LLMs.
When the school was bombed, those were the terms people reached for, despite the fact that this critical apparatus offered a poor fit for the older, more mature stack of technologies involved in targeting. The real question, the question almost nobody was asking, is not about Claude or any language model. It is a bureaucratic question about what happened to the kill chain, and the answer is Palantir.

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