Reposted by Joe WestbyEd Zitron @edzitron.com · 06/10/2026I know I've said this before, but OpenAI and Anthropic should not be allowed to go public. Nor should they be allowed to borrow from the open debt markets. They present an unacceptable risk to investors and lenders, and they need cash at a dangerous scale. www.wheresyoured.at/credit-crunch/ 17910
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 06/10/2026Oh look who drafted Trump's self-regulatory 'AI Accord'. The broligarchy strikes back www.semafor.com/article/09/3...semafor.comExclusive: How Zuckerberg shaped Trump’s AI industry pledgeThe Meta CEO started thinking about what became the Tuesday White House pact during last week’s state dinner, a source familiar told Semafor. 000
Reposted by Joe WestbyWolfie Christl @wchr.bsky.social · 02/10/2026The web and mobile apps of major conversational AI engines transmit prompts, titles and conversation permalinks to advertising data firms, alongside device IDs, hashed email and other persistent identifiers. Comprehensive analysis, like always from this team: jorgegarciaherrero.com/wp-content/i... 26667
Reposted by Joe WestbyPatrick Galey @patrickgaley.bsky.social · 05/10/2026We're suing the EU under the Aarhus Convention for its failure to disclose vital environmental and efficiency data around the bloc's data centre build out Investigators spent a year trying to access the information, now we're challenging the non-disclosure www.lighthousereports.com/methodology/...lighthousereports.comWhy we made a legal filing to the Aarhus Convention Compliance CommitteeOfficials are holding key environmental impact figures for all AI data centres across Europe. They won’t let the public see them. 15320
Reposted by Joe WestbyDr. Damien P. Williams, dread portent down from a mountain cave @wolven.blacksky.app · 01/10/2026Oh hey look: exactly what a bunch of us said was already and would keep happening— data centers being placed in spaces where their harms will fall on those already most marginalized— is, in fact, happening. 1195102
Reposted by Joe WestbyKatja Bego @katjabego.bsky.social · 01/10/2026The tech-military complex intensifies: “Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that Elon Musk will co-lead a government project to study the future of warfare, marking the SpaceX CEO’s first return to government since he ran the chaotic [..] Doge.” www.theguardian.com/technology/2...theguardian.comPete Hegseth appoints Elon Musk to US taskforce on future of warfareA year after his explosive tenure at Doge, the SpaceX CEO is back in the Trump administration’s good graces 174
Reposted by Joe WestbyKashmir Hill @kashhill.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Meta is using a radical interpretation of a tax credit for “research and experimentation” to get billions of dollars off GPUs for its A.I. data centers. My latest with Jesse Drucker, @elitan.bsky.social and @mikeisaac.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/t...nytimes.comHow Meta Uses A.I. Data Centers to Avoid Billions in Federal Taxes (Gift Article)Meta is exploiting a lucrative tax break intended to support research and experimentation. Its own accountants say the gambit is risky. 10200104
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 30/09/2026The absolutely last people on earth who should be in charge of regulating AI have all signed a one-page 'accord'. Yay. 001
Reposted by Joe WestbyKarl Bode @karlbode.com · 30/09/2026I'm absolutely fascinated by "journalism" that can't seem to tell readers an obvious truth. Like the fact this is absolutely meaningless bullshit designed to pre-empt real oversightreuters.comTrump releases AI accord with tech executivesPresident Donald Trump released a document on Tuesday that his administration cast as an accord on artificial intelligence and which he said earlier was signed by him and tech executives that he met... 20390117
Reposted by Joe WestbyJason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 30/09/2026New: Through a series of complex agreements with cities, the White House built a massive license plate camera database accessible to the feds. The program aggregates data across license plate companies (Flock, Axon, more) & is searchable by many agencies: www.404media.co/how-cities-a...404media.coHow Cities Are Forced to Funnel License Plate Data to a Massive Federal Surveillance ProgramHow the federal government built a massive database of license plate reader data through an anti-drug trafficking program. 8177133
Reposted by Joe WestbyAdam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Remember: the hype IS the product. 713323
Reposted by Joe Westbylauren @lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com · 28/09/2026"I installed the Give Away Your Personally Identifying Info app made by the We Love Stealing Your Personally Identifying Info Corp headed by Mr. Steal Your Personally Identifying Info and it gave away all my personally identifying info" 332555538
Reposted by Joe Westbykate conger @kateconger.com · 24/09/2026The latest update in the rogue A.I. saga: OpenAI agents that were supposed to be performing mundane data requests for things like health data, historic photos and wait times at theme parks resorted to hacking attempts when they couldn't access the data they wanted www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/t...nytimes.comOpenAI’s A.I. Tried Breaching Four Other Targets, With No Prompting (Gift Article)In each incident, the technology appeared to be conducting mundane data collection and resorted to hacking techniques to get it, researchers said. 11310145
Reposted by Joe WestbyPavel @spavel.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Sure, on the one hand Muse doesn't really do anything, but on the other hand it opens up a massive attack surface on literally all your shitarstechnica.comMuse, Meta's extraordinarily privileged AI assistant, has a serious 0-dayA simple ClickFix attack is only one way to completely hijack the new agent. 1217472
Reposted by Joe WestbyGijs Brekelmans @gys.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Meta removed a video by a satirist wearing Meta glasses asking unrecognizable Meta personnel about Meta glasses. Meta's ground for doing so - and please appreciate the irony here - is... harassment. 9518249
Reposted by Joe WestbyFinancial Times @financialtimes.com · 26/08/2026Breaking news: Meta agreed to pay up to $16.68bn to settle its blockbuster legal battle with more than two dozen US states over alleged failures of child protection and social media addiction. ft.trib.al/5bEqrzY 26238
Reposted by Joe WestbyAlderik @alderik.eurosky.social · 24/07/2026“The Commission preliminarily considers that TikTok [..] should adjust the default settings of minors' ‘public' accounts, so that their content is, by default, visible only to TikTok users whom the minor has accepted” ec.europa.eu/commission/p...ec.europa.euCommission preliminary finds TikTok in breach of Digital Services Act for failing to ensure safe accounts for minorsToday, the European Commission sent TikTok preliminary findings indicating that TikTok accounts of minors do not meet the safety standards required under the Digital Services Act (DSA). 002
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 23/07/2026Great to see the EU's Digital Markets Act in action 👏. But let's be honest, the fine is pocket change and the behavioural remedies are nice to haves but hardly groundbreaking. To put the fine in context, Alphabet just disclosed its going to spank *$205bn* on AI this year alone. 001
Reposted by Joe WestbyThe Guardian @theguardian.com · 21/07/2026Meta’s smartglasses mean any child can be covertly filmed. In the age of AI, how do we tackle that risk?theguardian.comMeta’s smartglasses mean any child can be covertly filmed. In the age of AI, how do we tackle that risk?The company argues that it’s for individuals to ensure they don’t ‘actively exploit’ this technology. That won’t keep children safe, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff 364430197
Reposted by Joe WestbyJoseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 16/07/2026New: cops are using Flock to track people, not cars. We reviewed Flock search data and found many, many cases of cops searching for people based on their appearance, race, tattoos, etc. Some searches are so vague like "tall man" that innocent people likely swept up www.404media.co/how-cops-use...404media.coHow Cops Use Flock to Track People, Not CarsCops have used Flock's FreeForm search feature to look for people with tattoos and wearing specific sport shirts, and searches sometimes include the target's race, according to data reviewed by 404 Me... 7404226
Reposted by Joe WestbyHypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 15/07/2026I write about this in the book. Increasingly, the proposition from these companies is “let us surveil you constantly.” That’s it! That’s the deal. In return you get the (supposed) benefit of a machine that “knows” you, whatever that’s supposed to mean. finance.yahoo.com/technology/a... 23459150
Reposted by Joe WestbyGrace Blakeley @graceblakeley.substack.com · 15/07/2026"Whether it’s the cartoon super-villainy of Alex Karp, the lies of Sam Altman, or the Hitler worship of Elon Musk, the mask is off and the psychotic personalities behind these companies have been revealed for all to see." Great new guest post from Ryan Ward open.substack.com/pub/gracebla...open.substack.comWhat you hate about AI is the capitalismAI pulls the curtain back on the extractive logic that orders our lives 17829
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 14/07/2026"AI, like VAR, is intruding, often unnecessarily, sometimes absurdly, sometimes disastrously, into key arenas of human practice, against the will of most and for the benefit of the few." @bcmerchant.bsky.social www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/what-var-t...bloodinthemachine.comWhat VAR tells us about AIFIFA's semi-automated refereeing system promises neutrality but brims with bias. It's widely despised yet embraced by elites. It is, in other words, a lot like AI. 000
Reposted by Joe WestbyPeople Vs Big Tech @peoplevsbigtech.eurosky.social · 18/06/2026🚨 BREAKING: Overnight in Brussels We sent a clear message to EU leaders: 📣”Fight for us, not for Trump's billionaires.” 28849
Reposted by Joe WestbyAFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 18/06/2026France's move to drop Palantir from its intelligence services is the latest sign of European unease with the American data-mining firm. A firm that has grown from a CIA-backed startup into one of the most powerful technology players of the Trump era u.afp.com/SzWH 6344137
Reposted by Joe WestbyDr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 18/06/2026"an audit by Lighthouse Reports of public data on the government’s chosen AI provider shows that its tech misclassified more than a third of 16-year-olds as adults and, in some tests, was shown to give the wrong assessment in 70 per cent of cases" www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...independent.co.ukHome Office knew AI age checks for migrants were flawed — but rolled it out anywayExclusive: Government advisors describe the tool as ‘hideously flawed’ amid concern facial age estimation has ‘baked-in racial bias’ — and can wrongly identify a 14-year-old as an adult 10234129
Reposted by Joe WestbyTom Hearden @followtheh.bsky.social · 15/06/2026So Eric Trump tried to insider trade the UFC fights and I think we might have a better idea who has been front running the Iran war announcements in the oil markets 1330279
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 15/06/2026And setting a very dangerous precedent that a future Reform government will no doubt exploit to target whoever they don't like as "terrorists". Labour seems intent on welcoming in authoritarianism. 000
Reposted by Joe WestbyKartik Raj @kartikraj.eurosky.social · 15/06/20261/n Response below from @hrw.org to today's Court of Appeal judgment that the UK Home Secretary's proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization was lawful: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026... The thread also has links to the judgment, @hrw.org research, and some legal commentary.theguardian.comBan on Palestine Action was lawful, court of appeal rulesJudges overturn decision of high court that government proscription of group under Terrorism Act was wrong 42619
Reposted by Joe WestbyVittoria Elliott @telliotter.bsky.social · 15/06/2026SCOOP from me and @mollytaft.com: As data centers become a hot-button issue in the lead up to midterms, Congress and the White House appear to be allowing a little-known regulation on how the government regulates data centers that hold federal data expire. @wired.com www.wired.com/story/the-us...wired.comThe US Government Is Letting a Key Data Center Regulation ExpireThe federal government is planning to let a rule regulating federal data center operations sunset in September with no replacement. 36950
Reposted by Joe WestbyEurosky Social @eurosky.social · 12/06/2026If you have a Bluesky account, you can use mu.social with the same account, with all your connections and content the same. Mu has additional functions like post editing and a configurable news section - and we'll be adding new features all the time.mu.social 1915757
Reposted by Joe WestbyMomus Jones @boyq.bsky.social · 11/06/2026FIFA Peace Prize winner on World Cup opening day: 27734
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 11/06/2026Most polluting World Cup ever, nine million tonnes of CO2 emissions. I love football, but it does seem humanity has our priorities out of whack. But its ok, FIFA is going to "reduce food waste" at the stadiums. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...bbc.co.ukWorld Cup 2026: The numbers behind 'the most polluting World Cup'BBC Sport analyses the environmental cost of a 48-team World Cup held across North America. 110
Reposted by Joe Westbymolly taft @mollytaft.com · 11/06/2026NEW: on the eve of SpaceX's IPO, i spoke to folks in the memphis area still fighting the company's polluting data centers there, which are now also being leased by Anthropic "We’re the extracted and exploited colony of what is going to be one of the most highly valued entities in the world"wired.comPeople Living Near xAI’s Dirty Data Centers Are Pissed About the SpaceX IPOElon Musk is set to make hundreds of billions even as communities in Mississippi and Tennessee are fighting to stop the gas turbines powering xAI's supercomputers. 417672
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 11/06/2026V interesting legal precedent. Big Tech can (and should!) be held liable for AI generated text. Google's response? People know AI is not accurate and should check for themselves! the-decoder.com/landmark-ger...the-decoder.comLandmark German ruling declares Google's AI Overviews are Google's own words and makes it liable for false answersA German regional court has ruled that Google is directly liable for the content of its AI search overviews. According to the court, previous limited liability protections for search engine operators ... 020
Reposted by Joe WestbyTarik Abou-Chadi @tabouchadi.bsky.social · 10/06/2026Another day of far-right violence and pogroms in the UK. A country that still labels these thugs “protesters”, that claims “this isn’t Britain”, that fails to take responsibility for empowering and enabling these thugs, where the media is too afraid to call the forces behind this “far right” 3307106
Reposted by Joe WestbyCas Mudde @casmudde.bsky.social · 10/06/2026I am absolutely appalled by the POGROMS in Belfast. But it is lazy to just blame social media. POGROMS have been around for centuries. They are rooted in racism, which is fueled by elites. Look at Reform, Tories, and, yes, Labour. Look at GB News, Times, and BBC, before starting about Tik Tok.theguardian.comHow Belfast knife attack became the latest far-right ‘trigger event’The rapid spread of footage shows how social media is pivotal in enabling far-right agitators to mobilise internationally 018949
Reposted by Joe WestbySunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 09/06/2026X owner Elon Musk has reposted his Sept 2025 call that pre-emptive inter-ethnic violence (civil war) is necessary for 'self-defence "Elon Musk was always right "You either fight back, or you die." 1191012342
Reposted by Joe WestbySignal @signal.org · 08/06/2026Our statement on the UK gov't's demand that all content on all devices sold or used in the UK be scanned, on the presumption of nudity, using a dystopian combination of age verification & content scanning. This proposal will not safeguard children. It endangers us all. signal.org/blog/pdfs/20...signal.org 351452656
Reposted by Joe WestbyJustin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 09/06/2026Google calls it the biggest Search overhaul in 25+ years. AI Mode now has 1B+ monthly users—many defaulted in. Elise Silva asks what this shift means not just for competitors, but for billions of users, our shared information environment, and democracy.techpolicy.pressGoogle’s ‘New Era for AI Search’ May Threaten DemocracyThe rise of AI in search raises pressing questions about its impact on people and democracy, writes Elise Silva. 105726
Reposted by Joe WestbyMike Masnick @masnick.com · 03/06/2026I spent more time on this piece than almost anything else I've written in the last year. Building a better, more decentralized internet is an inherent necessity if you want a functioning democracy. I hope people find it a useful encapsulation of where we're at. www.liberalism.org/p/enshittifi...liberalism.orgEnshittification, Despotification, and the Open InternetIt’s not about whether technology is inherently good or bad, liberating or oppressive. Architecture shapes incentives; incentives shape outcomes. 291971645
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 04/06/2026"Tech billionaire spends $16m to fight billionaire tax" ... proves exactly why we need to tax billionaires. 000
Reposted by Joe WestbyMaria Farrell @mariafarrell.eurosky.social · 18/05/2026yet another tech bro determined to destroy public media. but this one was invited in through the front door by the board and ok'ed by a Labour government. sometimes I truly despair for the UK. how deep will it go in its US tech obeisance? English ruling class seems to truly hate its own country. 13816
Reposted by Joe WestbyWera Hobhouse MP @werahobhouse.org.uk · 13/05/2026Men are using Meta AI glasses to secretly film women at beaches, shops, on the street & on nights out. They then post these clips online where they receive a barrage of misogynistic abuse. I’m campaigning to make this behaviour an offence. Women deserve to feel safe in public spaces.bbc.co.ukSmart glasses are 'an invasion of privacy' - Meta's are selling better than everThe biggest tech firms are set to sell millions of smart glasses despite growing privacy concerns. 1542022636
Reposted by Joe WestbyPeter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Everyone is rightly interested in Harborne’s monetary support for Nigel Farage. But GB News provides him with an annualised salary of over a million pounds a year, 500,000 shares and unaccounted for millions in terms of free political advertising for Farage’s Party 481251629
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 12/05/2026This feels like an allegory for where British politics is right now 000
Joe Westby @joewestby.eurosky.social · 07/05/2026Talk about saying the quiet part out loud. Yes we can defeat the far right by ... becoming the far right! 010
Reposted by Joe WestbyPippa Crerar @pippacrerar.bsky.social · 29/04/2026EXCL: Nigel Farage was given an undisclosed £5m by crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before announcing he would stand in general election @annaisaac.bsky.social reveals www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comRevealed: Nigel Farage was given undisclosed £5m by crypto billionaire in 2024Reform leader changed his mind about standing as MP after gift from Thai-based crypto tycoon Christopher Harborne 68793400
Reposted by Joe WestbyJon Green @jongreen.bsky.social · 18/02/2026X's algorithm is in fact doing what you think it's doing. www.nature.com/articles/s41... 311888729