Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rachel Coldicutt

@rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social

12K followers 1.2K following 6.5K posts

Internet person. Community tech, careful innovation, socially progressive tech policy. https://www.careful.industries https://buttondown.email/justenoughinternet DMs don't work but hello [at] careful.industries will find me eventually

www.careful.industries

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · Dec 4

Anyway, yes, #FOMOisnotastrategy and here I am making it a hash tag like it's 2010 buttondown.com/justenoughin...

FOMO is not a strategy

End of year reflections on how people are using genAI at work

buttondown.com

5 6 73

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1h

Lemon (named by junior member of the household)

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 4h

40% tiger, 60% absolute pudding

1 6

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 5h

good morning from this agent of chaos

A small tabby kitten on a pink striped blanket

3 4 72

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 15h

Anyway, clearly not the biggest problem in the world, but if you can't pay money (to participate in your corporate event) then at least spark joy, and ideally PAY MONEY AND SPARK JOY and also be inclusive and accessible. kthxbai

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 15h

There are lots of things I do because I want to support someone great or learn sthg new or because it might be fun or interesting or because it's in a place never been or there'll be ppl I ❤️ in the room. But there are other things I do because they will be useful. Basically, spark joy or pay money

1 9

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 15h

I'm always curious about what the incentives are meant to be or if there's any intention of a 2-way exchange. Spending time with interesting people is great, but if you also have work that needs to be done, and responsibilities outside of work, every event invitation needs to be weighed up

1 8

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 15h

Looking in my inbox, intrigued to see another email from a particular funder who's been very clear they're not able to fund the sort of work I do. This one inviting me to another half-day workshop, that will probably lead to an academic research programme, conducted by someone high profile

1 11

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 16h

It is impossible

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 16h

If - as someone who runs a micro business - I have a recruitment bias it is to be very irritated by all applicants who apply as per instructions and then contact me personally on every available channel.

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 16h

This! This! This! Added to this, the many people who just followed up an application for a freelance job (emails invited to a specific address, so someone can sift them) with an email to me *and* a LinkedIn message and then all the people emailing me 2 days after the first email with an "ICYMI"

Erin Kissane @kissane.myatproto.social · 16h

I counted up the number of ways (platforms, accounts, apps) that people in my professional and personal lives plus healthcare systems and kid’s school are contacting me and uhh. This is objectively impossible.

3 14

Reposted by Rachel Coldicutt

Indy @indy.bsky.social · 1d

I always remember Grant McCracken asking us (participants in a workshop) - "so given VUCA, when should we flip from 'Keep Calm and Carry On' to 'Freak Out and Throw Things'?"

1 2 3

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

that is excellent

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

Also - just in case it wasn't clear - I LOVE everything about the frog and the dancing axlotl and shaming the man babies

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

Wrote something about the state of geopolitics and disinfo this week and was asked to make it more neutral and academic, but I feel surely using neutral and academic terminology to describe whatever is going on here just makes it seems normal? Feels important to keep it seeming weird af.

sarah jeong @sarahjeong.bsky.social · 1d

I have a theory www.theverge.com/policy/79849...

American politics has devolved into shitposting and aura farming

The Frog is owning the president.

www.theverge.com

5 4 39

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

Just in case you need it. We have a new kitten.

14 19 500

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

Actually they both sound great. thank you!

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

This is very sensible

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

Oooh that wouldn't have to occured to me thanks

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

what. please, is the best way to use up kiwi fruit that isn't just "eat a lot of kiwi fruit"?

7 6

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

We have *loads* of input from the grantee side on what works for them. Anyway, sounds great - I would love to see a DSIT/MHCLG collaboration on this (as I wrote about in my @powertochange.org.uk essay! www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...)

The digital disconnect: taking digital social policy seriously - Power to Change

In our next essay, Rachel Coldicutt explores the urgent need for a community-centred approach to technology policy in the UK. From WhatsApp-powered communit ...

www.powertochange.org.uk

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 2d

Wrote a bit about it here www.careful.industries/inclusive-in... and have something else forthcoming, also need to publish the write up of a vg Community AI roundtable in the summer, so lots of groundwork but difficult to get commitments from people with money

Inclusive Innovation: From Hype to Hope Green Paper — Careful Industries

To be effective, innovation must work for everyone. Yet, more than three decades into the digital revolution, the opportunities and benefits that technologies bring are still not equitably shared. Thi...

www.careful.industries

1 1

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 2d

Importantly needs to contribute to core funding, not projects, over multiple years, ideally be a mixed model of both investments and outcomes (have been working on an outcomes model inspired by @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social) and not just foundations but other kinds of patient capital

2 1

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 2d

I have had MANY conversations about this, nearly got somewhere this year, but has fizzled. Would be up for a conversation - we have a huge network of makers, but my abilities to shake the magic money tree close to zero

1 1

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 2d

He could go and do some high-profile charity work if he wants to be in the public eye and make a very reasonable living from after-dinner speeches in Dubai. He definitely doesn't have a social mission. What is going on there - is it just money?

2 10

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 2d

Lots to 👀👀 about in here but this made me LOL www.theguardian.com/politics/202... what is it that drives Clegg to be an eternal hanger on?

A spokesperson for Clegg, who as president for global affairs at Meta jointly hosted the dinner, said :"During his time at Meta Nick Clegg regularly met with government ministers and leaders from other tech companies. As the executive responsible for policy and global affairs that was literally his job."

3 15