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Burkhard Schafer

@burkhardschafer.bsky.social
770 followers 577 following 80 posts

Intellectual nomad grazing across the borders of law and computer science, University of Edinburgh. Corrupting the youth since 1996. Re-skeeting = unconditional love www.law.ed.ac.uk/people/professor-b…

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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Open Rights Group @openrightsgroup.org · 09/04/2026
“A loaded gun” Letting Minsters bypass Parliament with Henry VIII powers is never a good idea. But the government did it anyway, by packing the new data protection Act with them. That means a potential future Reform government could easily create an integrated database for use by a British ICE.
thenerve.news
Nigel Farage wants to build a British ICE. Keir Starmer may have handed him the tools
Reform’s proposed "Deportation Command” would integrate NHS, police and financial data into a single surveillance database. Meanwhile, Palantir has signalled it won’t stand in their way, and…
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Scottish Book Trust @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Announcing the recipients of the Scots Language Publication Grant 2026. . . 🥁
scottishbooktrust.com
Scots Language Publication Grant Awardees 2026
The Scots Language Publication Grant supports Scots publishers and encourages Scots writers.
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 09/04/2026
“Waymo and Waze announced Thursday a data-sharing pilot program that will funnel pothole data collected by robotaxis to a free Waze platform designed for cities.” Careful with that word “free.”
techcrunch.com
Waymo robotaxis are tracking potholes and sharing that data with Waze users | TechCrunch
Two Alphabet-owned businesses are teaming up to find potholes and share that information with cities.
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Law, Ethics & Technology @elsp-let.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
📢New Article Published in Law, Ethics & Technology 📜AIWitness testimony: visual neuroprostheses, AI-mediated perception and the law of evidence 🔎Claudia González-Márquez, Burkhard Schafer @gonzalezmarquez.bsky.social @burkhardschafer.bsky.social www.elspub.com/doi/10.55092...
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UK Research and Innovation @ukri.org · 22/12/2025
As the UK's largest public funder of research and innovation, we support a huge range of bright ideas and world-changing inventions. But did you know this includes music technology? 📽️➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Jm...
youtube.com
Innovation funding brought these musical instruments to life
YouTube video by UK Research and Innovation
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 22/12/2025
Border searches aren’t just about your phone—they can reveal deep digital footprints. Staying safe means more than just powering down. When traveling, plan ahead, know your rights, and limit what’s accessible to protect your privacy. More tips here: cdt.org/insights/pro...
AI-generated image of an iPhone with alert.
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
michael veale @michae.lv · 30/11/2025
Never come across 'WindowsCentral' as a media outlet but this piece is powerful and dense and absolutely spot on about where we are with AI and business models right now. Putting bigger outlets to shame. www.windowscentral.com/artificial-i...
windowscentral.com
Analysis: OpenAI is a loss-making machine, how can it survive?
Don't call it a bubble! Loss-making monster OpenAI is on the hook for $1.4 trillion (with a T) in compute commitments. How can this go on?
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Edinburgh Law School @uoelawschool.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Are you an Edinburgh Law School graduate based in the Munich area? Then meet with your fellow alumni at an informal gathering held at Hofbräuhaus München on Friday 21 November, 8pm - 10pm. Find out more and register: edin.ac/47v8siz
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The Transmitter @thetransmitter.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Figuring out how the brain uses information from visual neurons may require new tools, writes @neurograce.bsky.social. Hear from 10 experts in the field. #neuroskyence www.thetransmitter.org/the-big-pict...
thetransmitter.org
Connecting neural activity, perception in the visual system
Figuring out how the brain uses information from visual neurons may require new tools. I asked nine experts to weigh in.
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
I was at her Edinburgh gig last night, and it was wonderful (AND we repaired an unstable timeline involving one copy of Poyums Annaw, a space time anomaly and the Edinburg Book Festival, but that's a story for another day) - if you want to treat yourself, and there is one near you, get a ticket!
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
This is brilliant news, and what a great project!
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Isobelle Clarke @issyclarke.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
I am so pleased to announce that I have been awarded a @ukri.org Future Leaders Fellowship www.ukri.org/news/ukri-an... to undertake the project 'A Multi-Dimensional Understanding of the Digital Far Right'.
ukri.org
UKRI announces winners of £120 million Future Leaders Fellowships
Research into the causes of lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease are among 77 projects to be funded by UKRI’s Future Leaders Fellowships.
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Eleanor Morton's latest take on AI - worse than Craig youtube.com/shorts/8-lgJ...
youtube.com
We Have AI Now
YouTube video by Eleanor Morton
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Dr. Damien P. Williams, dread portent down from a mountain cave @wolven.blacksky.app · 07/09/2025
Whoops, that should've been @4sweb.bsky.social, my bad! bsky.app/profile/did:...
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Christian Kost @kostchristian.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Only 10 days left to apply: We are searching for a senior postdoc (3 +3 years) in the field of theoretical ecology and evolution. The position provides the opportunity to closely interact with experimentalists and develop own research projects. Please RT. Details 👇: shorturl.at/iiiOv
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Privacy International @privacyinternational.org · 01/09/2025
Privacy is essential for people with disabilities to live with independence and dignity. While assistive tech can empower autonomy, mishandling sensitive health or disability data can lead to discrimination, stigma or control. Learn more: privacyinternational.org/case-study/5...
privacyinternational.org
Why Privacy Matters to People with Disabilities
Privacy is a universal right, but for people with disabilities, it’s often compromised in the very systems designed to support them. Accessing essential services and benefits frequently requires the…
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 26/08/2025
"The idea of robot/AI rights acts as a smoke screen, allowing theorists and futurists to fantasize about benevolently sentient machines with unalterable needs and desires protected by law." firstmonday.org/ojs/index.ph...
firstmonday.org
Debunking robot rights metaphysically, ethically, and legally | First Monday
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Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
New batch of emails from Russia's disinformation campaign, which added Chancellor Merz of Germany to its list of targets, which has previously focused on Moldovan president Maia Sandu and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Emily M. Bender @emilymbender.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
Letting Google set the narrative about the environmental costs of "AI" is like letting tobacco companies set the narrative about the effects of second-hand smoke by measuring the health effects of sitting through one neighbor smoking one cigarette.
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
While many get overexcited on AI and copyright Audibe quietly finds low-tech solutions to rip off authors and redistribute money from creators to billionaires. An important petition here: www.change.org/p/convince-a... and for background, this video helps: www.youtube.com/@Elisabeth_W...
change.org
Sign the Petition
Convince Audible to revise it's New Royalty Model
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Len Pennie @lenniesaurus.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
Exactly one month til I'm heading across the UK with POYUMS ANNAW. Already so many of yous have bought books and tickets, and been so supportive of my work, thank you!! Tickets are available for most dates (if you've missed your city or you're not able to attend we're livestreaming the 24th)
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Association for Scottish Literature @asls.org.uk · 20/08/2025
Running she comes, late, Reeling in under the last Bronze brimmings. She sits Among twenty whispers. —George Mackay Brown, “Island School” published in Carve the Runes: Selected Poems by George Mackay Brown (Polygon 2021) #Orkney #poetry birlinn.co.uk/product/carv...
Island School
George Mackay Brown

A boy leaves a small house
Of sea light. He leaves
The sea smells, creel
And limpet and cod.

The boy walks between steep
Stone houses, echoing
Gull cries, the all-around
Choirs of the sea,

Ship noises, shop noises, clamours 
Of bellman and milkcart.
The boy comes at last
To a tower with a tall desk

And a globe and a blackboard 
And a stern chalk-
smelling lady. A bell 
Nods and summons.

A girl comes, cornlight 
In the eyes, smelling 
Of peat and cows 
And the rich midden.

Running she comes, late,
Reeling in under the last 
Bronze brimmings. She sits 
Among twenty whispers.
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Canongate @canongate.co.uk · 20/08/2025
The wonderful @lenniesaurus.bsky.social has been shortlisted for Scottish Writer of the Year! If you've enjoyed her poetry or tireless (and frankly incredible) efforts promoting Scots with her Scots word of the day series, send her a vote: projects.handsupfortrad.scot/scotslanguag...
projects.handsupfortrad.scot
Scots Language Awards 2025 shortlist unveiled
Hands Up for Trad are gled tae annoonce that amang the braw nominees includit on the shortleet for a Scots Leid Award 2025, are weel worthy fowk fae Scottish literature, theatre, eddication an busi…
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 05/08/2025
This sounds absolutely excellent!
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Ben Williamson @benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Two startups have just launched embryo selection software based on genomic IQ prediction. Both have support from "educational genomics" researchers, but some scientists say the startups are selling "snake oil." New post on genetics, IQ and education codeactsineducation.wordpress.com/2025/08/04/e...
codeactsineducation.wordpress.com
Educational genomics and embryo selection startups
Photo by David Matos on Unsplash Two new genomics startups have released consumer services claiming to allow parents to screen and select embryos based on polygenic scores for IQ. Both are already …
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Len Pennie @lenniesaurus.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
Gulls. youtube.com/shorts/SJZsD...
youtube.com
they infuriate me. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙
YouTube video by Miss PunnyPennie
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
Kori Michele @korimichele.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
I'm holding onto one thing. I love you.
A black and red ink drawing, reading "Even in the hardest times/ I am confident we will find ways to love." In the center panel is a person hugging a bundle of fire tightly, and it is flanked with simplified decorative flower motifs. Ink on vellum, digitally layered. By Kori Michele Handwerker.
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Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
I have seen lots of people replying to Ian to say that the law is clear post FWS so the code shouldn't be revised. I have read into this more than most, so I'm going to list all the important issues unresolved by FWS. (Note I'm not saying that I will like how they are resolved.) 🧵
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
@aycaatabey.bsky.social Ayca's brilliant PhD discusses the Data Protection implications of this www.de.ed.ac.uk/people/dr-ay...
de.ed.ac.uk
Dr Ayça Atabey | Digital Education
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Luca Bertuzzi @lucabertuzzi.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
BREAKING: The EU Commission has released a mandatory template for AI developers to disclose training data. Unlike the Code of Practice, this is not optional. It could have global fallout, as rights holders abroad might use it to sue over copyright. digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/e...
digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
Explanatory Notice and Template for the Public Summary of Training Content for general-purpose AI models
The Template annexed to this Explanatory Notice aims to provide a common minimal baseline for the information to be made publicly available in the Summary of Training Content for general-purpose AI mo...
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
reminds me of that discussion I inadvertently started at a blockchain conference, when I tried to convince the audience that "Oracle" is a misnomer, and they really mean "seer" ("manteis") There may have been some classist (or even classicist) insults being used for which I apologise
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
great skit on AI, will use for teaching www.youtube.com/shorts/sgzCC...
youtube.com
Picking up a prescription in 2030
YouTube video by Rudy Ayoub
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Robin Wilton 🇱🇧 @komadori.eurosky.social · 12/07/2025
The plain truth is, it's inexcusable, in 2025, for governments to be mandating privacy-violating methods such as facial biometrics, bank details, or govt photo ID, for verification of one age-related attribute. If they can't do it properly, they should learn why not.
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
That's so cool, I wish I could take part
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 12/07/2025
I remember these days - often it took more than 20 goes at the crank starter before the Internet started to run
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Laura Kate Dale - LauraKBuzz @laurakbuzz.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
So, I think it's time I begin, in detailed specifics, talking about the mess that is Unbound / Boundless as a book publisher, in essence stealing most of a years royalties from me and many other authors, as a result of poor financial decisions, and legal BS. Please read and share this thread.
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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
SMBC Comics @smbccomics.bsky.social · 26/05/2025
Check the bonus panel on the site! ◆ COMIC ◆ www.smbc-comics.com ◆ PATREON ◆ www.patreon.com/ZachWeinersm... ◆ STORE ◆ smbc-store.myshopify.com #webcomic ⁠smbc
SMBC comic update where robots are disappointed.
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Sven Nyholm @svennyholm.bsky.social · 24/05/2025
Oops, put in the wrong link. Here's the correct: www.uu.nl/en/organisat... Thanks for catching that Joanna!
uu.nl
PhD in Ethics and/or Political Philosophy
Do you want to assess the legitimacy of global governance in a polycentric world of socially disruptive technologies? Apply for this PhD position!
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Atoosa Kasirzadeh @atoosakz.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
What can policy makers learn from “AI safety for everyone” (Read here: www.nature.com/articles/s42... ; joint work with @gbalint.bsky.social )? I wrote about some policy lessons for Tech Policy Press.
nature.com
AI safety for everyone - Nature Machine Intelligence
A systematic review of peer-reviewed AI safety research reveals extensive work on practical and immediate concerns. The findings advocate for an inclusive approach to AI safety that embraces diverse m...
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
stranded at Florence airport. Apparently I weigh too much to be flown home, so KLM kicked me off the flight and rebooked me for tomorrow at 6am - in a different city... which was news to their online agent who did not know the difference between Bologna and Florence
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Richard Moorhead @richardmoorhead.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
Everyone thinks the first lawyer using AI fake cases has been found out. They are probably right, but this is not an AI case. This is about something else... lawyerwatch.wordpress.com/2025/05/07/t...
lawyerwatch.wordpress.com
This is not an AI case
Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay Frederick Ayinde, R (on the application of) v The London Borough of Haringey [2025] EWHC 1040 (Admin) has deservedly got a lot of press as the first case where …
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
an interesting new take on the copyright and genAI discussion, and the social harms of data scraping
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Centre for Technomoral Futures @technomoralfutures.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
@uoelawschool.bsky.social is hiring a Teaching & Research Fellow in AI, Data & the Rule of Law. The post will include: ✨teaching responsibilities @edfuturesinstitute.bsky.social ↔️collaboration across @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social 🤝working closely with our CTMF team! Apply by 2 May ▶️ edin.ac/4ih5dP9
edin.ac
Teaching and Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence, Data and the Rule of Law
The Teaching and Research Fellow in in Artificial Intelligence, Data and the Rule of Law will pursue a research and teaching agenda addressing the interdisciplinary area linking together artificial intelligence, data and the rule of law, incorporating the legal, sociological, philosophical, ethical, cognitive and technical questions surrounding the use of computational data in areas implicating the rule of law and justice.
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The Internet Ethics program--Markkula Center for Applied Ethics @iethics.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
In case you're about to start teaching a #tech/#internet ethics-related course and you would like some concise case studies to present to students--here are a few: scu.edu/ethics/focus... #ethics #education #highered #data #privacy #cybersec #AI #VR #socialmedia
scu.edu
Internet Ethics Cases - Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
Case studies on Internet ethics including privacy, access, and big data
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STS-CH @sts-ch.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
Dear #STS friends, Very happy to announce the Call for Papers for the upcoming STS-CH 2025 Conference, taking place from September 10–12, 2025, in Zurich! You can consult the list of panels, and much more, here: sts-ch.org/sts-ch-2025/ We look forward to seeing you soon! 🤗
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Faisal فيصل @faisalhamadah.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
www.ru.nl/en/working-a... Super cool postdoc at radboud
ru.nl
Postdoc Position in Human Geography: Money as Infrastructure | Radboud University
Do you want to work as a Postdoc Position in Human Geography: Money as Infrastructure at the Nijmegen School of Management? Check our vacancy!
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 12/04/2025
and another take on AI. Defeating the robo-calypse won't be super-easy, and might be an inconvenience www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsYh...
youtube.com
The AI That Writes Every Pop Song
YouTube video by Ryan George
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Elle Cordova on AI youtube.com/shorts/KDKbI...
youtube.com
AI campfire song
YouTube video by Elle Cordova
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