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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…

PostsRepliesMedia
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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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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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
Yay, would be so brilliant to have you here!
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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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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
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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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
I've been considering changing my name to Aaron Aardvark for some time...
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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 · 20/09/2025
she said, voice shaking: I think I just understood my PhD! (she had passed her Viva 14 years ago...) We never found out how pickled gherkins on rye bread had triggered that epiphany
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
I remember an evening email with my parents and brothers, some day in the late 70s. Among the usual chatter, my mother's face suddenly went vacant, and she stared silently at the wall. My father asked if everything was all right....
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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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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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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
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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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
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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Reposted by Burkhard Schafer
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 · 18/08/2025
media.tenor.com
a cartoon of a beaver with a big mouth and teeth is screaming .
Alt: a cartoon of a beaver with a big mouth and teeth is screaming EEK
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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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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Ahhhh.... The "stand up" part threw me there. And my physio sometimes asks me to do unusual movements, to see if I can, so I'd def. done the same thing you did and thought he'd have his reasons 😆
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
That's...pretty much how I would have understood it too.... What were you supposed to be doing?
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
So you mean you are extremely well coordinated? 😄 (from concreteplayground.com/sydney/bars/...)
a painting of a bear on a monocycle, balancing lots of food, and the name "Blind bear" underneath it
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Dunan Mor, ann am Muile. Tha e cho èibhinn. (dunan - little fort/fortlett; mor- big: little big fort)
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Qualified immunity, obviously. While there are cases that broadly indicate that police destroying evidence is a violation of civil rights, there is no single case that specifically addresses the destruction/suppression of earrings.
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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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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
I must admit I have become overly reliant on my spell checker when casting spells, and Oh boy can that go wrong! I recently summoned a demon from the dungaree dimension, e.g.
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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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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
Maybe he meant Moon, Pennsylvania. Or Mhoon Landing in Mississippi. And the soldiers happened to be Moonies
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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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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
He became Professor of Space Medicine at the School of Aviation Medicine (SAM) at Randolph Air Force Base - and holder of the "Americanism medal", with the Texas senate creating a "Hubertus Strughold day"
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Burkhard Schafer @burkhardschafer.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
I see your von Braun and raise you a Hubertus Strughold, who developed "space medicine" by testing it on KZ inmates, killing and torturing many of them by placing them in air pressure chambers, forcing them to drink sea water and exposing them to freezing temperatures.
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