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The Citizens

@the-citizens.bsky.social
11K followers 558 following 787 posts

We expose Big Tech's harms to democracy. Parents to The Real Facebook Oversight Board & Independent Sage. Our newsletters: dispatch.the-citizens.com citizensreunited.substack.com You can also find us at the-citizens.com

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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
We’re joining the #PeopleVsPalantir day of action ✊ Tonight, we’ll be outside Palantir HQ with @justtreatment.org and others, calling for the US spytech company to get OUT of our public services. 📩 Follow our coverage from the protest 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/subscribe #PeopleVsPalantir
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Mic drop moment at our event on the sidelines of #labconf26 in Liverpool, when @labourlewis.bsky.social revealed a letter from Tom Watson showing Palantir has tracked his mentioning them nearly 130 times. Is there anything Palantir doesn’t want to know about us?
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Tom Watson once demanded answers over Cambridge Analytica. Now he’s joining Palantir, whose own staff helped build its targeting models. Quite the full circle 👀 @labourlewis.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Tom Watson’s move to Palantir is the latest sign of how far the rot has spread in UK politics | Clive Lewis
When a former Labour deputy leader joins a firm built on surveillance and military targeting, it deepens public cynicism – and democracy depends on trust, says Labour MP Clive Lewis
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
🚨 Cambridge Analytica was meant to be a wake-up call. So what changed? Join us tonight for an exclusive screening and live discussion with the brilliant @labourlewis.bsky.social and @carolecadwalla.bsky.social on where we go from here. Last chance to register 👇 t.co/8QgMZwmoqn
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Over the weekend, Reform UK received £72m in donations, days before Parliament debates new rules that could restrict them. @elliechowns.bsky.social told us why the government needs to go further 👇
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
As the Representation of the People Bill returns to the Lords, @elliechowns.bsky.social says the government needs to go further. We spoke to her about political donations at our parliamentary event in July 👇
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The government is spending public money to build "sovereign' British AI, but firms can be foreign owned, keep their IP and face no obligation to remain in Britain 🙄 Understand more 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-100m-g...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Tech elites like Thiel and Musk didn’t embrace Trump for a quirky culture-war detour. Worth a watch @gilduran.com 👀 zeteo.com/p/nerd-reich...
zeteo.com
‘Nerd Reich’ Author Exposes What Far-Right Tech Bosses Actually Want
Silicon Valley journalist Gil Durán introduces a compelling theory about the rise of Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and the small group of tech elite trying to control society.
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
The government’s latest plans to break with Big Tech come amid record AI spending. 👁️ So, what does Britain actually get back? citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-100m-g...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
More than one in three of the ‘sovereign’ AI firms were US-owned, FOI disclosures reveal 👀 So what exactly makes British AI British? From @mc00.bsky.social citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-100m-g...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Americans agree on almost nothing, except data centers @dwallacewells.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/o...
nytimes.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/opinion/data-centers-ai-populism.html
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Millions in public money are going into home-grown AI, with few guarantees over what Britain gets to keep. Read the latest edition of The Eye from @mc00.bsky.social 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-100m-g...
citizensreunited.substack.com
The £100m gamble
Millions in public money are going into home-grown AI, with few guarantees over what Britain gets back
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The government’s latest plans to break with Big Tech come amid record AI spending and growing questions over where that public money ends up. Read the latest edition of The Eye 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-100m-g...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Are tech lobbyists throwing in the towel? Yah baby! www.politico.com/news/2026/09...
politico.com
‘The landscape has changed dramatically’: States defy the tech lobby on AI rules
State legislators are emboldened by rising public outrage, ineffective pushback from Washington and a surge of pro-regulation dollars — and tech lobbyists are throwing in the towel.
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
💥 NEW Public money is being used to help Britain compete with Big Tech. But what do we actually get to keep? This week in The Eye, we follow the money behind Britain’s push for “sovereign” AI @mc00.bsky.social citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-100m-g...
citizensreunited.substack.com
The £100m gamble
Millions in public money are going into home-grown AI, with few guarantees over what Britain gets back
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
People are fighting back against Big Tech - and it might just be working. Here’s what to read, watch and do this weekend 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/is-the-tid...
citizensreunited.substack.com
Is the Tide Turning?
Plus: Be Irreplaceable
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
From communities fighting back against data centres to a new people-powered movement taking on Big Tech, there are signs the tide might be turning. Here's what to read, watch and do this weekend ⤵️ citizensreunited.substack.com/p/is-the-tid...
citizensreunited.substack.com
Is the Tide Turning?
Plus: Be Irreplaceable
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
What does “buying British” actually mean when US Big Tech is already embedded in government? We dig into it (1/2) 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/buying-bri...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
repeat after me: a settlement isn’t change if the business model stays intact citizensreunited.substack.com/p/metas-17b-...
citizensreunited.substack.com
Meta’s ($17b) Cost of Doing Business
Plus: Burning Up
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Irreplaceable @irreplaceableorg.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Today we're launching Irreplaceable, a movement of ordinary Americans coming together to decide the future of artificial intelligence. Right now, some of the most important decisions on Earth are being made in a handful of rooms in northern California. 🧵
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Are tech lobbyists throwing in the towel? Yah baby! Here's what to read, watch and do this week 👇👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/is-the-tid...
citizensreunited.substack.com
Is the Tide Turning?
Plus: Be Irreplaceable
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
💥 NEW: “Buying British”? Talking about taking on US tech is one thing - untangling it from the British state is another @mc00.bsky.social ✍️ citizensreunited.substack.com/p/buying-bri...
citizensreunited.substack.com
Buying British?
Burnham's promise to “buy British” will test whether years of dependence on US Big Tech can be untangled from the British state
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Burnham's promise to “buy British” will test whether years of dependence on US Big Tech can be untangled from the British state This week in The Eye, from @mc00.bsky.social
citizensreunited.substack.com
Buying British?
Burnham's promise to “buy British” will test whether years of dependence on US Big Tech can be untangled from the British state
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
💥 NEW: “Buying British”? Talking about taking on US tech is one thing - untangling it from the British state is another @mc00.bsky.social ✍️ citizensreunited.substack.com/p/buying-bri...
citizensreunited.substack.com
Buying British?
Burnham's promise to “buy British” will test whether years of dependence on US Big Tech can be untangled from the British state
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
If you’ve ever wondered what the hell is going on inside the mind of Peter Thiel (same), @amandaianthe.bsky.social has done some digging peacefulreturn.substack.com/p/peter-and-...
peacefulreturn.substack.com
Peter and the Antichrist: A True Crime Mystery of Iniquity
Inside the mind of Peter Thiel: A self-fulfilling ouroboros in search of himself
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
“Ofcom’s timid, slow, and ponderous approach is gravely inadequate," @stopfundinghate.bsky.social ICYMI: We ask campaigners whether the watchdog can be saved 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/far-too-sl...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
ICYMI: Campaigners like @globalactionplan.bsky.social are pushing back against the government’s unchecked data centre boom 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-eye-07...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
With all this talk about surveillance, what can you do about it? Join @openrightsgroup.org campaign to reset the ICO and put the public first ⤵️ www.openrightsgroup.org/campaign/res...
openrightsgroup.org
Reset the ICO
Data protection rights only work if they’re enforced, that’s why we need an effective regulator.
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
For years the biggest technology companies have built extraordinary wealth by extracting our data, exploiting our attention and externalising the costs onto everyone else. Maybe it’s time to send them the bill? @stopfundinghate.bsky.social www.change.org/p/time-for-b...
change.org
Sign the Petition
Time for Big Tech to pay up
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
As the rest of us face hosepipe bans, government has give data centres special protection from any restrictions to their water supply @globalactionplan.bsky.social Understand more 👉 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-eye-07...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Transparency! Now! @greenpeaceuk.bsky.social is among the campaigners demanding greater transparency over the government’s data centre boom. citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-eye-07...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
“Asking Ofcom to hold Big Tech to account by themselves is like asking referees to stop club owners fixing matches," @openrightsgroup.org ICYMI: Is Ofcom fit for purpose? citizensreunited.substack.com/p/far-too-sl...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Over 27 million people are now under hosepipe bans. Yet the government pushes ahead with its data centre boom 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-eye-07...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Read this before someone reads you. "Even if surveillance did lower crime rates, it wouldn’t justify casting a dragnet of cameras, drones, databases, and AI over an entire city. "The potential for abuse is truly terrifying," @currentaffairs.bsky.social www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-powe...
currentaffairs.org
“AI-Powered” Surveillance Networks are Worse Than You Know
In New Orleans, everyone is being watched with facial recognition cameras and police drones—and your hometown might be next.
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Over 27 million people are now under hosepipe bans yet government pushes ahead with its data centre boom. ICYMI 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-eye-07...
citizensreunited.substack.com
The Eye 07: Millions face hosepipe bans as government pushes ahead with data centre boom
As England runs dry, campaigners tell The Citizens why government's AI ambitions are putting our shared resources at risk
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
👀 The flock thickens @privacyguides.org www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDZl...
youtube.com
America's Secret Camera Network is Tracking You
Updated version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MA8hAIFKYo If you go outside in America today, you've almost certainly been scanned by a Flock camera, maybe even hundreds of times. Your location,…
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Still clinging to the last gasps of summer and need a good book? @tressiemcphd.bsky.social has put together an essential reading list on AI, politics and power. Sunscreen. Cold drink. Existential dread about surveillance capitalism. See you by the pool! www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/o...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
🍔 Would you like fries with your surveillance capitalism? Perhaps a Food-Led Afternoon Snack? @mattburgess1.bsky.social www.wired.com/story/mcdona...
wired.com
McDonald’s Built a 515-Page Dossier on Me. It Says I’ll Never Stop Eating There
I requested a copy of my data from McDonald’s loyalty program and received an extensive, personalized report that algorithmically predicts my next purchase.
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Fortunately for everyone except Meta’s lawyers, Sarah’s still talking www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgkC...
youtube.com
Exclusive: The whistleblower silenced by Facebook hits back | The News Agents
How do you interview someone who’s been gagged? That’s the task we set ourselves on today’s episode. Sarah Wynn-Williams - a former Facebook executive turned whistleblower author - is not allowed to…
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
For years, we’ve proudly worked with Heidi Beirich to share her research exposing the links between online platforms, organised extremism and political violence. Now the US government is prosecuting her. citizensreunited.substack.com/p/mcsurveill...
citizensreunited.substack.com
McSurveillance
Plus: Defending Heidi Beirich
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Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A professor writes: (Jason Stanley) The problem is that journalists failed to do basic journalism. Not a single reporter seems to have checked’ Jason Arday’s citations. The ‘quantifiable metrics’ of his work. Prof Stanley did: ‘Arday is easily comparable to the leading scholars in the field’
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Nelly Probin @lillmagill.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Customers facing hosepipe bans and paying higher bills in periods of drought are fine, so long as the data centres can keep going. #PublicOwnership
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
🚨 NEW “Far too slow, far too timid”: Is Ofcom out of its depth? We ask leading campaigners whether the watchdog can be saved or if it’s time to build something new Ft. @stopfundinghate.bsky.social citizensreunited.substack.com/p/far-too-sl...
citizensreunited.substack.com
“Far too slow, far too timid”: Is Ofcom out of its depth?
With trust in Ofcom eroding, we asked leading campaigners whether the watchdog can be saved or if it’s time to build something new
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
“Water scarcity is no longer a future risk; it is a near-term reality”. Hear from leading campaigners @globalactionplan.bsky.social as government pushes ahead with data centre boom 👇 citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-eye-07...
citizensreunited.substack.com
The Eye 07: Millions face hosepipe bans as government pushes ahead with data centre boom
As England runs dry, campaigners tell The Citizens why government's AI ambitions are putting our shared resources at risk
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
As England runs dry, campaigners speak about about how governments AI ambitions are putting our shared resources at risk From @mc00.bsky.social citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-eye-07...
citizensreunited.substack.com
The Eye 07: Millions face hosepipe bans as government pushes ahead with data centre boom
As England runs dry, campaigners tell The Citizens why government's AI ambitions are putting our shared resources at risk
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
💥 NEW: Millions face hosepipe bans as government pushes ahead with data centre boom From @mc00.bsky.social ✍️ citizensreunited.substack.com/p/the-eye-07...
citizensreunited.substack.com
The Eye 07: Millions face hosepipe bans as government pushes ahead with data centre boom
As England runs dry, campaigners tell The Citizens why government's AI ambitions are putting our shared resources at risk
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
The surveillance machine, Peter Thiel’s worldview and Sarah Wynn-Williams speaks Here's what to read, watch and do this week ⤵️ citizensreunited.substack.com/p/what-the-f...
citizensreunited.substack.com
What the Flock?
Plus: Park it Here
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Max Colbert @mc00.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
🔴NEW: a joint @goodlawproject.org and @computerweekly.bsky.social investigation reveals that six UK police forces have now racked up £7.8m on contracts and pilots with Palantir, by me and @amaar.bsky.social: goodlawproject.org/palantir-uk-...
goodlawproject.org
Palantir: UK police forces rack up £7.8m on US spy tech | Good Law Project
Six police forces are now known to have processed data with Palantir software, while further information is being fed in through data sharing agreements with neighbouring forces.
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Are we becoming a surveillance state? ICYMI: Shabana Mahmood’s vision of the British state as a “panopticon” and what attacks on online privacy could look like under Burnham ⤵️ citizensreunited.substack.com/p/apple-vs-t...
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The Citizens @the-citizens.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
How close is Britain to becoming a surveillance state? 👀 We explore with @rebeccajvincent.bsky.social in the latest edition of The Eye citizensreunited.substack.com/p/apple-vs-t...
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