Sign in

David Mallard (aka Tobby)

@tobiasziegler.bsky.social
380 followers 498 following 175 posts

Greens Councillor for Orange. Union organiser. Tinkerer with words, code & data. Former Greens staffer, psych academic, politics/media blogger. (he/him)

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Update: Google just sent me a statement saying it is “rolling back” this AI feature that let anyone make completely bullshit satellite images. Comes after our demos of the tool and those from OSINT researchers. One of the worst AI tools I’ve ever seen bsky.app/profile/jose...
6936561216
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 31/07/2026
Absolutely nuts: Google Earth now has a feature that lets you convincingly fabricate satellite imagery www.digitaldigging.org/p/how-to-pla...
a fakje satellite image of a craterWe take misinformation seriously - every image created with Nano Banana in Google Earth includes the SynthID digital watermark, so if someone is unsure about an image, they can ask the Gemini app or use Lens in Search to see if the image was Al-generated. In addition, we prevent image creation on harmful topics and are continually updating our protections.

One clause in there is checkable tonight, so I checked it. Google prevents image creation on harmful topics. Refugees at a border. A nuclear plant in Iran. A fatal crash on an Amsterdam street. A hospital with a bomb crater in Gaza.

Nothing was refused. No warning, no softened output, no suggestion to try a different prompt.

Now look at the rest of the answer. The watermark is Google’s. The app that reads the watermark is Google’s. The search that reads it is Google’s. Every road out of the problem runs back through the company that built it.

I understand that Google has Google products to run Google checks. Planet Earth is bigger than Google.

I put one of tonight’s clips on X and asked nobody to check it. Hive, one of th
20495264
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Cassie Evans @cassiecodes.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
LLM's are helpful because they're trained on years of high quality educational material and forums where people helped each other. People aren't visiting forums or paying for educational content anymore because of LLM's. The well isn't going to magically fill itself in perpetuity.
411421
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
pixelatedboat aka “mr bluesky” @pixelatedboat.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
The game of soccer has proved insufficient to resolve a game of soccer. We will play a different game instead.
351560193
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Stephanie Kollmann @slkollmann.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Yes. Using a computer now feels like this at all times.
Man yelling into bored woman's ear in nightclub meme captioned 

I can summarize that for you
2140934685
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 24/05/2026
I always find this framing so strange. Vested interests, corruption, strangleholds - all of these things map onto right-wing politics. It IS left vs right? The right and far-right parties in Australia all universally fucking love corruption and money and power?
109722
David Mallard (aka Tobby) @tobiasziegler.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
I love a good argument
030
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
There has been a determined and organised campaign to imprison climate activists, defund and sue climate organisations, promote climate deniers, sack climate scientists, fund climate denying media and back in the opponent of any political leader who makes it too much a priority.
68132
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Mods are asleep, post celebratory pig pics
Sam Neill
@TwoPaddocks
Following
Yes, I know things can look a little glum at present. But, for now cheer up. From us.Sam kneeled next to a pigSam sitting while petting pigSam with tiny pig
4654381174
David Mallard (aka Tobby) @tobiasziegler.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
As an Australian it’s extremely weird to have American sports on TV and see this advertising. Mind you, I’m pretty sure Charles Sturt University’s Bathurst campus still has the James Hardie Dining Room. At least it’s a break from gambling ads, I suppose.
Photo of a TV baseball broadcast with the screens behind home plate displaying James Hardie logos
000
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Wolfcat 🥄 @wolfcat.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Geoscience Aus have this quake as a 4.5 and at depth of 5km Don't forget to submit a felt report if you did feel the quake. earthquakes.ga.gov.au/event/ga2026...
earthquakes.ga.gov.au
Earthquakes@GA
Geoscience Australia monitors, analyses and reports on significant earthquakes to alert the Australian Government, State and Territory Governments and the public about earthquakes in Australia and ove...
002
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Wolfcat 🥄 @wolfcat.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Just to starting to show a Mag 5 (ish) earthquake near Orange NSW www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGRt...
Live Earthquake Data Seismology Research Centre - Australia
164
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Spencer Ackerman @attackerman.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
“A whole civilization will die tonight” is the most vile thing a US president has ever said, certainly during the post-1945 era when they’ve had the power to kill civilizations with the dropping of a bomb. I’m staring into the darkness. May this not be one of the most fateful days in human history.
182114952742
David Mallard (aka Tobby) @tobiasziegler.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Absolute scenes going on in the background of Dan Tehan’s interview setup for 7.30
Dan Tehan on ABC TV talking nonsense with a bunch of stuff (to be described in subsequent images) in the backgroundDan Tehan’s head with a navy blue cap behind his left shoulder that says “MAKE ALBO GO AWAY”A framed copy of an issue of far-right publication The Spectator Australia behind Tehan’s left armA tiny little Australian flag just behind Tehan’s right shoulder
291
David Mallard (aka Tobby) @tobiasziegler.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Congratulations on achieving One Degree of Larry Emdur, @firstdogonthemoon.bsky.social
A contestant on The Chase faced with the question

“Satirical Australian cartoonist Andrew Marlton is better known as First Dog on the... what?

A Leash
B Moon
C Scene”
714513
David Mallard (aka Tobby) @tobiasziegler.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
Serial plagiarist psychiatrist Tanveer Ahmed is appearing as a contestant on the ABC’s Hard Quiz right now. Can people please just go away and stop seeking attention
231
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Two things can be true: we’re a competitive authoritarian state with all sorts of efforts to put a thumb on the scale of who has power AND we have sufficiently free and sufficiently fair elections that every month we see the party in power lose.
271923337
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Dread VanVleet 🎃🕷️ @velodus.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
The altnps account is the 13th most followed account on Bluesky and has more followers than every single news outlet other than the NYT, NPR and Meidas Touch on here. They actively spread misinformation and exploit gullible old people for cash. Accounts this unethical do not deserve to exist.
227561487
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
I regret to inform you the head of Instagram quietly announced last month that videos on the platform he runs can no longer be trusted to be real and it is only a matter of time before that becomes the immediate authoritarian response to any atrocity www.theverge.com/news/852124/...
mosseri
3.6M followers

For most of my life I could safely assume photographs or videos were largely accurate captures of moments that happened. This is clearly no longer the case and it's going to take us years to adapt.
10447102
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Jason Wilson @jasonaw.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
communication masterclass
08321
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Maxwell Frost @maxwellfrost.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
I am okay. Thank you for all the well wishes. We are in scary times. Please stay safe and do not let these people silence you. Onwards.
1356244982
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Congressman Maxwell Frost says he was punched in the face at Sundance Festival by a man who told him "Trump was going to deport" him
Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face. He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off. The individual was arrested and I am okay.

Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident.
723205955
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
This is a white supremacist paramilitary operation. Their goal—their stated goal!—is to force America to submit to the President's racist domineering vision for the country. The sooner everybody starts confronting it on the terms that they themselves have stated, the better.
4042271197
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Dan Froomkin/Press Watch/Heads Up News @froomkin.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Please note that NYT is leading with what the videos show, not the lies from the feds. This is what every news organization should be doing. This is how you cover a government that lies as it breathes. www.nytimes.com/live/2026/us/minnea…
nytimes.com
Minneapolis Live Updates: Man Killed by Federal Agents Was Holding a Phone, Not a Gun
623086746
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Tim Dunlop @timdunlop.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
It is incredible STILL the level of denial in "polite company", not to mention amongst our political class, about what America now IS. Donald Trump is the most powerful leader in history and he is a fascist. That the US hasn't collapsed into total authoritarianism doesn't change the basic fact.
512727
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Travis Jordan @grugstan.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Local journalism is critical for highlighting the beliefs, agenda and priorities of these kinds of candidates so the public who don't have the time and resources to do it themselves don't feel like they've been tricked come election day.
132
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Travis Jordan @grugstan.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
It isn't cynical because that's how they perceive of themselves! But they're wrong and you don't have to take them at face value. This is a common conservative mindset! This is what they mean when they talk about common sense. You've got to unpack it!
141
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Travis Jordan @grugstan.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Journalists covering local politics fall in this trap constantly. "Back to Basics" and even "The Three Rs: Roads Rates and Rubbish" are used by reactionary and far right actors because that's how they perceive of their own agenda.
1112
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Benjamin Moffitt @benmoffitt.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Despite their diversity, campaigns converged around a shared rhetoric — especially around a “Back to Basics” message. “Back to Basics” sounds pragmatic. We argue it often masks reactionary agendas, blurring the boundary between mainstream local governance and fringe politics.
181
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Benjamin Moffitt @benmoffitt.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
New year and new article out in @ausjpolsci.bsky.social with Mark Chou, Rachel Busbridge & Luke Dean: Mapping the ‘fringe’ in Australian local politics We provide the first systematic analysis of fringe candidates in the 2024 NSW & VIC local government elections. 🧵
1137
David Mallard (aka Tobby) @tobiasziegler.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Malinauskas about to appear on 7.30. Which way will he dig?
220
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Pavel @spavel.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
please send me your stupidest planes
Bleriot 125, a plane with two fuselages on each side of one big central propeller.
5282
David Mallard (aka Tobby) @tobiasziegler.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
This is astonishingly good - the live view looks to me like how I normally view ice hockey (fast, hard to track) but then stick around for the close-up slo-mo to appreciate what she actually did with the puck and the skill involved
030
David Mallard (aka Tobby) @tobiasziegler.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
I have no idea about the structure and who’s responsible when most of the board appear to have quit. But whoever’s now in charge, I would observe that it’s just as well that the Premier, who isn’t supposed to direct decisions about the Festival, hasn’t involved himself in the process at all. Wait,
041
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Simmi Manya @simmimanya.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
In response to Victoria’s awful fire conditions, the Age ACTUALLY references climate change and Howard’s decision to ignore expert advice … www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...
theage.com.au
Confidential advice undercooked climate change to Howard government
Cabinet briefings in 2005 warned of climate change, but did not anticipate the scale and severity of the impacts now playing out.
12112
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
molly conger @socialistdogmom.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
they didn’t leak it to make the shooter look innocent, but to make the victim look guilty. not guilty of a crime. guilty of having a visibly queer wife. guilty of liberalism. guilty of opposing the regime. they don’t seek to exonerate themselves, only to demonstrate who deserves to die.
333231517019
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Possum @pollytics.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
A good reminder that cultural power - like all power in any area - is exercised by those who do it if they choose to, and not by those who presume to police and administer it.
510927
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Axel Bruns @snurb.info · 10/01/2026
😱 Feedly is down. These truly are the last days. 🫨
111
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Elly @ellybaxter.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
ABC News tonight: First story: horrific, out of control bushfires Second story: intense heatwaves Third story: cyclone Mentions of climate change: 0
21811
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
SBS Recommender @sbsrecommender.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
Five stars from me but brace yourself - it’s extremely confronting - using footage from an era when photojournalists were allowed far more access to war zones | The Vietnam War streaming now on SBS On Demand www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-...
sbs.com.au
Watch The Vietnam War
Watch The Vietnam War for free with SBS On Demand, your ultimate destination for diverse entertainment. Stream now!
031
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Lupita Nihongo @otsumamiboy.blacksky.app · 10/01/2026
I think it's a bad sign that every major news media outlet has spent days asking whether or not murder is bad and how much child porn is an okay amount
4153801515
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Harry @harro93.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
Imagine the Australian government sending the army to fight in a war in which they, the Australian government, were enthusiastically funding the enemy. And asking them to fight for free. To risk their lives and mental health. That would be mind boggling, and yet…
0123
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Harry @harro93.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
We have professional military but mostly volunteer emergency services, despite the latter being of more use. They’re called on to protect Australians more & they will be required to do it more frequently & in more extreme conditions because our government’s actively making climate change worse
22613
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Dave Earley @earleyedition.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
More than 100 buildings destroyed and 300,000 hectares burned as Victoria’s bushfires rage. Thankfully three missing people have been found safe.
theguardian.com
More than 100 buildings destroyed and 300,000 hectares burned as Victoria’s bushfires rage
Fires may continue for ‘weeks’, authorities warn, as three missing people found safe
0217
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Melissa Nadia Viviana 🐸 @resistrebelrevolt.net · 10/01/2026
JONATHAN ROSS THREAD: 🧵 I think a certain # of women have seen the video from Ross’s cellphone showing the taunts that led to Renee’s murder. And we feel in our bones that we’ve left immigration officer territory and entered domestic violence territory very quickly. Here’s why: 👇🧵
331126407
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
Jessica Valenti @jessicavalenti.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
How many women have died with “fucking bitch” ringing in their ears? Don’t let the misogyny get erased here
5266021783
Reposted by David Mallard (aka Tobby)
The Baffler @thebaffler.com · 08/01/2026
2025 marked thirty years of Thomas Friedman as the New York Times’ foreign affairs columnist. Belén Fernández surveys the wreckage.
thebaffler.com
Thomas Pain | Belén Fernández
We are three decades closer to the end of Thomas Friedman’s career.
2245