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Adam Leon Smith

@adamleonsmith.substack.com
371 followers 1K following 59 posts

Technology product safety advocate. AI standards expert. Chair of AIQI. Chair of BCS F-TAG. NoLeFa-84.

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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 09/09/2026
:D :D :D
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Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
RefUK, RW media, & Eurofash are plainly trying to whip up a panic about this. Any serious report must begin by explaining that Ceuta is in Africa - not mainland Spain - and 48k+ of the 50k crossers were already returned. It is frightening how many still don't know this. Please share on all socials.
Map showing the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa.Screengrab from Politico piece that explains, citing Reuters, that 48,300 of the 50,000 recent crossings have already been expelled or voluntarily returned to Morocco.BBC report on Friday, still echoing the RW disinformation - or at the very least not challengning it sufficiently.

"Spain's PM blames traffickers after 60,000 migrants reach Ceuta from Morocco
01:32
What triggered the mass migrant crossings into Ceuta?
Sofia Ferreira Santos and Sarah Rainsford, Southern and Eastern Europe
correspondent
31 July 2026
Spain's prime minister has blamed trafficking gangs after about 60,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. At least 57 people died during the surge, according to local media."Daily Mail and Daily Express from this weekend, with front page headlines "Ministers MUST stop the Spanish border invaders reaching UK" and "SPANISH BORDER CRISIS IS 'WAKE-UP CALL' FOR UK", respectively.
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Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
This is so well done. 👌
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CDT Europe @cdteu.org · 08/04/2026
📢 In the context of the ongoing trilogue negotiations on the #AI Omnibus proposal, together with 32 other organisations and individuals, we contributed to an open letter to EU institutions, expressing our concerns about current proposals that could weaken the scope and effectiveness of the AI Act.
cdt.org
Joint Open Letter: Preserving the Scope and Integrity of the AI Act
CDT Europe joined civil society organisations and individuals in a public letter raising concerns about proposed changes to Annex I of the AI Act.
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António Costa @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu · 06/04/2026
After five weeks of war in the Middle East, it is clear that only a diplomatic solution will settle its root causes.
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 25/01/2026
I have 1k followers on here and nobody has liked any of my posts for 4 months. My posts get plenty of engagement on other platforms... Are you all bots? Is this just a very handsoff engagement platform? Can anyone hear me? ....
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 25/01/2026
Briefly tuned in to US politics this evening to see the NRA, the Obamas and Marjorie Taylor Greene all agreeing with each other. Guess the US is finally overcoming its polarised politics.
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🛒 🇪🇺 Buy European 🇪🇺 (+🇨🇦). USA broke up with you. Get over it 🇪🇺💪 @buyeuropean.eurosky.social · 17/01/2026
🛒🇪🇺💪 The best time to quit your dependence on the US was years ago. The second-best time is TODAY (not the day after tomorrow). #BuyEuropean 🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱🇺🇦🇪🇺💪 ✅ buy-european.net/en/alternati... ✅ european-alternatives.eu ✅ hardno.eu ✅ www.goeuropean.org ✅ euroalternative.co #Grønland #tariffs #greenland #trump
buy-european.net
European Alternatives
Overview of non-European products and companies that we list European Alternatives for
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Tilman @tilmane.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
Time for European Anti-Coercion instrument, ACI now, Dear @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu @andriuskubilius.ec.europa.eu @kajakallas.bsky.social @ec.europa.eu - ban X, Grok and Foxnews right away - high tax on Google, Meta, Amazon, Tesla revenues - boycott #FIFA2026 - stop to US weapon buys
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Shipwreck @shipwreck75.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
EU ambassadors have been summoned to an emergency meeting in Brussels on Sunday over Greenland and U.S. tariff threats.-Reuters
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 17/01/2026
This
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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
"In a new analysis by Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl, we trace Big Tech's fingerprints on the Digital Omnibus proposals - a major deregulation of EU digital laws including the GDPR and the AI Act. They are helped in this attempt by the Trump administration and the European far right."
corporateeurope.org
Article by article, how Big Tech shaped the EU’s roll-back of digital rights | Corporate Europe Observatory
In a new analysis we trace Big Tech's fingerprints on the Digital Omnibus proposals - a major deregulation of EU digital laws including the GDPR and the AI Act. They are helped in this attempt by the ...
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Michael Spicer @michaelspicer.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
The Liz Truss Show - Behind the Scenes
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Jake Williams @malwarejake.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
Just wow. @pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy came out swinging in this article. He's right though and that's the coolest part.
In 2026, countries that want to win the trade war have a unique historical possibility: They could repeal their “anticircumvention” laws, which make it illegal—a felony, in many cases—to modify devices and services without permission from their manufacturers. Over the past two decades, the office of the US Trade Representative–which is responsible for developing and coordinating US international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy—has pressured most of the world into adopting these laws, hamstringing foreign startups that might compete with Apple (by providing a jailbreaking kit that installs a third-party app store), or Google (by blocking tracking on Android devices), or Amazon (by converting Kindle and Audible files to formats that work on rival apps), or John Deere (by disabling the systems that block third-party repairs), or the Big Three automakers (by decoding the encrypted error messages mechanics need to service our cars). The rents that these digital locks help American companies extract run to hundreds of billions of dollars every single year. The world’s governments agreed to protect this racket in exchange for tariff-free access to American markets. Now that the US has reneged on its side of the bargain, these laws serve no useful purpose.
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 13/12/2025
open.substack.com/pub/adamleon...
open.substack.com
Visual EU AI Act standards tracker live
I was contacted by some readers asking for a diagram reflecting the CEN-CENELEC JTC 21 work programme supporting the EU AI Act.
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Emma Monk @monkemma.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Oh my word…. The click bait merchants at the Telegraph are having an absolute field day right now! 🙄 Shall we take a look at the *reality* behind this sensationalist article? Go on, you know you want to! 😜 🧵 1/25 (1/1)
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 07/06/2025
adamleonsmith.substack.com/p/is-ai-hard...
Is AI harder than cement? Is the EU AI Act being delayed?
Based on recent reports, the EU AI Act isn't being delayed, yet, but there are significant delays in the harmonised technical standards that companies rely on for compliance guidance.
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 06/06/2025
I wrote something for the first time in a while. AI assurance needs to move beyond generic process frameworks into task level measures: open.substack.com/pub/adamleon...
open.substack.com
Task-level AI assurance
The missing piece in the conversation
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 11/04/2025
The US has published its 2025 Foreign Trade Barriers report. It takes a hard swipe at the European Standardisation system. I appreciate that it covers a wide range of topics, from bananas to AI, but there are a few statements in there that really need correction. ustr.gov/sites/defaul...
ustr.gov
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 21/03/2025
I have said before that many services provided by US big tech firms can be easily replaced, given enough motivation. search.app/rDp29
search.app
France and Germany unveil Docs, a homegrown alternative to Google Docs
The Trump administration has set out to drastically reshape the relationship between the US and Europe. In response, Brussels is scrambling to adapt to this new reality,...
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Ian Bond @cerianbond.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
This has to be right. Starmer's summit on Sunday has become a potentially decisive moment. If Europeans don't throw their weight behind Ukraine and behind a massive and immediate increase in their defence efforts (& damn the deficits), Europe will find itself at the mercy of Putin & Trump.
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Jon Jackson @iamjonjackson.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
UK opts not to sign AI agreement – what does this mean for global AI ethics? #BCS #AI #AIEthics
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

Uk opts not to sign Al agreement - what does this mean for global Al ethics?
The UK has chosen not to sign the international Al agreement at the Paris Al summit saying it "did not provide enough practical clarity on global governance, nor sufficiently addressed harder questions around national security and the challenge Al poses to it".

Adam Leon Smith DEng FBCS, Al expert at BCS, commented:

"When we surveyed technology experts last year, 88% said it was important that the UK government takes a lead in shaping global ethical standards in Al and other high-stakes technologies.

Whether that's through a declaration or not, the world's richest countries will ultimately need to show they can put geo-politics aside, balance Al innovation with safety, and be responsible enough to work together at this critical moment in human history."

What's your view? Should the UK take a stronger stance on global Al governance? Let us know in the comments.

#AI #Artificiallntelligence #AlEthics
#TechLeadershipBREAKING NEWS

UK OPTS NOT TO SIGN INTERNATIONAL AI DECLARATION

BCS RESPONDS
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 28/01/2025
When do we get Proton Maps?
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 18/01/2025
When you realise you are arguing about US social media with the global policy director of Meta... Or someone with the same name and identical lobby positions. Is there a block list for US big tech employees?
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Free Our Feeds @freeourfeeds.com · 13/01/2025
🌎 It’s time to reclaim social media. Billionaires & venture capital shouldn’t control our digital lives. #FreeOurFeeds is raising $4M to build a public-interest alternative. Chip in today to make it happen freeourfeeds.com
freeourfeeds.com
Free Our Feeds
Let's take social media away from billionaire capture.
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 12/01/2025
1/5 Nice to be quoted here alongside @gaiamarcus.bsky.social talking about the AI Opportunities Action plan www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
independent.co.uk
Starmer’s 50-point plan for artificial intelligence revealed
New government plan involves training the next generation of AI experts at UK universities, changing immigration rules to bring in AI experts now, revising data mining rules to make the UK more compet...
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 11/01/2025
Great article. 2025 is going to be a wild ride.
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 10/01/2025
This article does a fascinating deep dive into the harmonised standards for AI being built in Europe. Good article, but I would reinforce the EC view that it is the most diverse group writing product safety rules in the 40 years the system has been in place. corporateeurope.org/en/2025/01/b...
corporateeurope.org
Bias baked in
Setting ‘harmonised standards’ for artificial intelligence is a crucial element of the EU’s AI Act. But who develops these standards? CEO reveals how Europe’s standard-setting bodies dealing with AI a...
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
Last week, the government undertook some of the most wide-reaching policy initiatives we've seen in years. And hardly anyone seems to know a damn thing about it. inews.co.uk/opinion/fina...
inews.co.uk
Finally, we've got a radical agenda from the Government
This is one of the most far-reaching governance projects we've seen in our lifetime
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Matt Kane @mk.gg · 10/12/2024
The UK parliament has joined Bluesky, with proper verified domains and everything: • @houseofcommons.parliament.uk • @houseoflords.parliament.uk • @ukparliament.parliament.uk • @commonsspeaker.parliament.uk
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Michael Dnes @roadscholar.bsky.social · 07/12/2024
Does HS2 have a future? And why does that question hinge on an unseen government document and a sugar mill in Nottinghamshire?
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Alberto Alemanno @alemanno.bsky.social · 07/12/2024
Following our demand, the European Commission increases transparency: more than 1 500 European Commission officials are now required to disclose lobbying meetings and their minutes. A major development! @thegoodlobby.bsky.social 📰 Read more: bit.ly/41l1kDO
bit.ly
The EU Commission massively increases transparency
From now on, 1 500 officials within the EU Commission will have to publish their lobbying meetings to improve transparency.
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Sébastien Fauconnet @daryo.me · 01/12/2024
La fameuse fenêtre d’Overton
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Heather Ann Thompson @historianheather.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
I am pretty sure i just figured out what will bring down the Trump presidency. #RiseUp
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 28/11/2024
UK government failing to list use of AI on mandatory register
theguardian.com
UK government failing to list use of AI on mandatory register
Technology secretary admits Whitehall departments are not being transparent over way they use AI and algorithms Not a single Whitehall department has registered the use of artificial intelligence systems since the government said it would become…
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Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
So that's all going well then www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/28/uk-government-failing-to-list-use-of-ai-on-mandatory-register?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
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Tony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
FT cartoon by Banx
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George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
Make it make sense.
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 24/11/2024
On March 5th 2024 the ECJ ruled that technical standards referenced in law must be freely available. I was probably one of the first people to request access to an ISO standard for free. This week, I finally received it. The game has now changed in the biz model of tech standards. In a good way.
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 16/11/2024
I'm not sure how I feel about this. Muted the list anyway.
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Adam Leon Smith @adamleonsmith.substack.com · 08/11/2024
Another successful CEN-CENELEC JTC 21 plenary concluded this week - with continued focus on the delivery of harmonised technical standards to support the AI Act. Sometimes people ask me why the UK committee invests so much time in standards supporting EU law, and there are multiple reasons:
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