Alec Muffett
@alecmuffett.bsky.social
everybody deserves good security.
https://alecmuffett.com/about
https://alecmuffett.com/about
Reposted by Alec Muffett
IF YOU ARE A KID IN AUSTRALIA PLEASE DO YOUR BEST THIS DECEMBER TO MAKE THE AGE VERIFICATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA INTO AN EMBARRASSING TRAIN WRECK OF POLICY.
YOU WILL BE DOING THE WORLD A FAVOUR.
YOU WILL BE DOING THE WORLD A FAVOUR.
EU Parliament passes non-binding resolution: social media banned for under-13s, under-16s need parental consent.
Pushes mandatory age verification + bans on addictive algorithms and loot boxes for minors.
#EUSocialMedia #DigitalServicesAct
Pushes mandatory age verification + bans on addictive algorithms and loot boxes for minors.
#EUSocialMedia #DigitalServicesAct
November 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
IF YOU ARE A KID IN AUSTRALIA PLEASE DO YOUR BEST THIS DECEMBER TO MAKE THE AGE VERIFICATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA INTO AN EMBARRASSING TRAIN WRECK OF POLICY.
YOU WILL BE DOING THE WORLD A FAVOUR.
YOU WILL BE DOING THE WORLD A FAVOUR.
IF YOU ARE A KID IN AUSTRALIA PLEASE DO YOUR BEST THIS DECEMBER TO MAKE THE AGE VERIFICATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA INTO AN EMBARRASSING TRAIN WRECK OF POLICY.
YOU WILL BE DOING THE WORLD A FAVOUR.
YOU WILL BE DOING THE WORLD A FAVOUR.
EU Parliament passes non-binding resolution: social media banned for under-13s, under-16s need parental consent.
Pushes mandatory age verification + bans on addictive algorithms and loot boxes for minors.
#EUSocialMedia #DigitalServicesAct
Pushes mandatory age verification + bans on addictive algorithms and loot boxes for minors.
#EUSocialMedia #DigitalServicesAct
November 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
IF YOU ARE A KID IN AUSTRALIA PLEASE DO YOUR BEST THIS DECEMBER TO MAKE THE AGE VERIFICATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA INTO AN EMBARRASSING TRAIN WRECK OF POLICY.
YOU WILL BE DOING THE WORLD A FAVOUR.
YOU WILL BE DOING THE WORLD A FAVOUR.
Reposted by Alec Muffett
Instead of doxing everyone, ExTwitter should ban the clearly inauthentic accounts and fix its onion service to help foster the free speech Elon claims to care so much about.
X/Twitter exposing user location in such a safety-positive way makes a modest dent in the EU’s approach to protecting personally-identifiable information
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128340
#OnlineSafety #gdpr #prvacy #xitter
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128340
#OnlineSafety #gdpr #prvacy #xitter
X/Twitter exposing user location in such a safety-positive way makes a modest dent in the EU’s approach to protecting personally-identifiable information
I’m confident a few privacy activists across Europe are seeking GDPR (etc) arguments to critique the mechanisms behind the location-based exposure of “Foreign, Fake MAGA Agents”; …
alecmuffett.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Instead of doxing everyone, ExTwitter should ban the clearly inauthentic accounts and fix its onion service to help foster the free speech Elon claims to care so much about.
Reposted by Alec Muffett
Good take. The effective leaking of this information (blatantly illegal under Article 25(2) GDPR) was only useful because it was unexpected. Going forward, it's kinda useless, while compromising user privacy, especially of those in authoritarian regimes which may use this info to target any dissent.
X/Twitter exposing user location in such a safety-positive way makes a modest dent in the EU’s approach to protecting personally-identifiable information
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128340
#OnlineSafety #gdpr #prvacy #xitter
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128340
#OnlineSafety #gdpr #prvacy #xitter
X/Twitter exposing user location in such a safety-positive way makes a modest dent in the EU’s approach to protecting personally-identifiable information
I’m confident a few privacy activists across Europe are seeking GDPR (etc) arguments to critique the mechanisms behind the location-based exposure of “Foreign, Fake MAGA Agents”; …
alecmuffett.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Good take. The effective leaking of this information (blatantly illegal under Article 25(2) GDPR) was only useful because it was unexpected. Going forward, it's kinda useless, while compromising user privacy, especially of those in authoritarian regimes which may use this info to target any dissent.
Australian Government will “not be intimidated by threats, not be intimidated by legal challenges” … brought by Aussie teenagers who don’t want to be censored
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128385
#SocialMedia #australia #censorship
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128385
#SocialMedia #australia #censorship
Australian Government will “not be intimidated by threats, not be intimidated by legal challenges” … brought by Aussie teenagers who don’t want to be censored
It’s the response from the Australian Government that tells you what they really think of the young people they claim to be protecting: Teens launch High Court challenge to Australia’s …
alecmuffett.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Australian Government will “not be intimidated by threats, not be intimidated by legal challenges” … brought by Aussie teenagers who don’t want to be censored
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128385
#SocialMedia #australia #censorship
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128385
#SocialMedia #australia #censorship
Reposted by Alec Muffett
November 26, 2025 at 1:55 PM
The first #AgeWall ? Substack is introducing Age Verification to cut UK people off from seeing “Potentially Harmful” Substack content
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128375
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #substack #surveillance #vpn
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128375
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #substack #surveillance #vpn
The first #AgeWall ? Substack is introducing Age Verification to cut UK people off from seeing “Potentially Harmful” Substack content
Paid subscribers get a bypass, of course: Why is Substack asking to verify my age? The UK Online Safety Act requires restricted access to content that could be considered sensitive for younger audi…
alecmuffett.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The first #AgeWall ? Substack is introducing Age Verification to cut UK people off from seeing “Potentially Harmful” Substack content
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128375
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #substack #surveillance #vpn
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128375
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #substack #surveillance #vpn
If Ofcom want to stop UK people visiting a non-UK website, they need to stop the UK people, not tell the non-UK website to work to prevent the UK hordes
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128354
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128354
If Ofcom want to stop UK people visiting a non-UK website, they need to stop the UK people, not tell the non-UK website to work to prevent the UK hordes
This should be obvious, no? It’s how we deal with football hooligans: Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999 (Notes) …The measures proposed would provide recourse to the law to prevent a r…
alecmuffett.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:05 PM
If Ofcom want to stop UK people visiting a non-UK website, they need to stop the UK people, not tell the non-UK website to work to prevent the UK hordes
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128354
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128354
X/Twitter exposing user location in such a safety-positive way makes a modest dent in the EU’s approach to protecting personally-identifiable information
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128340
#OnlineSafety #gdpr #prvacy #xitter
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128340
#OnlineSafety #gdpr #prvacy #xitter
X/Twitter exposing user location in such a safety-positive way makes a modest dent in the EU’s approach to protecting personally-identifiable information
I’m confident a few privacy activists across Europe are seeking GDPR (etc) arguments to critique the mechanisms behind the location-based exposure of “Foreign, Fake MAGA Agents”; …
alecmuffett.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:02 AM
X/Twitter exposing user location in such a safety-positive way makes a modest dent in the EU’s approach to protecting personally-identifiable information
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128340
#OnlineSafety #gdpr #prvacy #xitter
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128340
#OnlineSafety #gdpr #prvacy #xitter
Proposal: British people should be able to sue any MP or former-MP who made promises in support of #Brexit which were later found to be either inaccurate or not delivered.
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
Well this is misconceived and is going to end badly, if it goes anywhere at all. Perhaps the British people ought to be able to sue members of parliament for losses caused by legislation?
alecmuffett.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Proposal: British people should be able to sue any MP or former-MP who made promises in support of #Brexit which were later found to be either inaccurate or not delivered.
Reposted by Alec Muffett
Which version of national security is more important:
The one that would mandate secure software by law with the threat of fines for failing adhere the rules, or the current one requiring software be made insecure by order of the Home Secretary with the threat of prison for failing to comply?
The one that would mandate secure software by law with the threat of fines for failing adhere the rules, or the current one requiring software be made insecure by order of the Home Secretary with the threat of prison for failing to comply?
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
Well this is misconceived and is going to end badly, if it goes anywhere at all. Perhaps the British people ought to be able to sue members of parliament for losses caused by legislation?
alecmuffett.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Which version of national security is more important:
The one that would mandate secure software by law with the threat of fines for failing adhere the rules, or the current one requiring software be made insecure by order of the Home Secretary with the threat of prison for failing to comply?
The one that would mandate secure software by law with the threat of fines for failing adhere the rules, or the current one requiring software be made insecure by order of the Home Secretary with the threat of prison for failing to comply?
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
Well this is misconceived and is going to end badly, if it goes anywhere at all. Perhaps the British people ought to be able to sue members of parliament for losses caused by legislation?
alecmuffett.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
Reposted by Alec Muffett
Woah.
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Woah.
Reposted by Alec Muffett
Daily Mail owner DMGT has just signed a deal to buy the Telegraph, which would unite the UK’s two strongest right-wing papers under one owner.
It will almost certainly trigger a competition probe. Another major moment coming for Lisa Nandy as culture secretary.
It will almost certainly trigger a competition probe. Another major moment coming for Lisa Nandy as culture secretary.
Daily Mail owner strikes £500mn deal for Telegraph on.ft.com/3JSdIFj
Daily Mail owner strikes £500mn deal for Telegraph
Tie-up would create one of the most powerful right-leaning media groups in Britain
on.ft.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Daily Mail owner DMGT has just signed a deal to buy the Telegraph, which would unite the UK’s two strongest right-wing papers under one owner.
It will almost certainly trigger a competition probe. Another major moment coming for Lisa Nandy as culture secretary.
It will almost certainly trigger a competition probe. Another major moment coming for Lisa Nandy as culture secretary.
WANTED: Nintendo Switch 2 game recommendations (especially 2p co-op) where Player 2 is a 4yo protogeek
November 21, 2025 at 4:06 PM
WANTED: Nintendo Switch 2 game recommendations (especially 2p co-op) where Player 2 is a 4yo protogeek
They are *so* close to getting it.
While that's been true for a while, this week marks a change: European lawmakers like @alexandrageese.bsky.social are no longer alone in arguing that regulating Big Tech isn't enough, and that building better alternatives are possible.
The more people use Bluesky, the clearer that argument becomes
The more people use Bluesky, the clearer that argument becomes
November 21, 2025 at 3:46 PM
They are *so* close to getting it.
“Key Management” is the cryptographic community’s version of “…it’s always DNS”
https://alecmuffett.com/article/126061
#cryptography #iacr
https://alecmuffett.com/article/126061
#cryptography #iacr
“Key Management” is the cryptographic community’s version of “…it’s always DNS”
International Association for Cryptologic Research runs secure vote and then loses the keys so nobody knows what the result is. As one commenter put it: “So a single member can collude to res…
alecmuffett.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:05 PM
“Key Management” is the cryptographic community’s version of “…it’s always DNS”
https://alecmuffett.com/article/126061
#cryptography #iacr
https://alecmuffett.com/article/126061
#cryptography #iacr
I know it’s hard for folk to detach themselves from emotion regarding child protection, hate speech or trolling, but it’s important to understand that Ofcom’s duty to deliver online safety is incipient[…]
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125978
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125978
I know it’s hard for folk to detach themselves from emotion regarding child protection, hate speech or trolling, but it’s important to understand that Ofcom’s duty to deliver online safety is incipient censorship
Excellent post here from Preston Byrne, full text attached below for those without X accounts. This is not right-wing American bombast or imperialism, this is just them wanting to be left alone as …
alecmuffett.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:05 AM
I know it’s hard for folk to detach themselves from emotion regarding child protection, hate speech or trolling, but it’s important to understand that Ofcom’s duty to deliver online safety is incipient[…]
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125978
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125978
In Case You Missed It This Week: Ofcom, pursuing its lawful duties, is about to drive the UK over a cliff and into online censorship; here’s how…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125827
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpn
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125827
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpn
In Case You Missed It This Week: Ofcom, pursuing its lawful duties, is about to drive the UK over a cliff and into online censorship; here’s how…
Here’s how Ofcom will bring about censorship in the UK; it will… 1/ declare itself (truthfully) to be acting on behalf of the UK sovereign government… Ofcom has claimed it has “sovereign immu…
alecmuffett.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
In Case You Missed It This Week: Ofcom, pursuing its lawful duties, is about to drive the UK over a cliff and into online censorship; here’s how…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125827
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpn
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125827
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpn
I asked ChatGPT to explain why Ofcom, acting as an agent of the sovereign UK Government, cannot enforce penalties or sanctions in the USA against 4chan &al
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125617
#1StAmendment #4chan #FreeSpeech #censorship #ofcom #popcorn
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125617
#1StAmendment #4chan #FreeSpeech #censorship #ofcom #popcorn
I asked ChatGPT to explain why Ofcom, acting as an agent of the sovereign UK Government, cannot enforce penalties or sanctions in the USA against 4chan &al
If Ofcom clarifies its role as an agency of a sovereign government, this is what happens next: Good, now we’re in the domain where the constraints become absolute rather than merely procedural. And…
alecmuffett.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I asked ChatGPT to explain why Ofcom, acting as an agent of the sovereign UK Government, cannot enforce penalties or sanctions in the USA against 4chan &al
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125617
#1StAmendment #4chan #FreeSpeech #censorship #ofcom #popcorn
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125617
#1StAmendment #4chan #FreeSpeech #censorship #ofcom #popcorn
“MPs and peers warned of China spy risk on LinkedIn” | Translation: “Horny / Lazy Spooks Targeted by Fake Hot Chinese Girls via LinkedIn, GCHQ Panic”
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125547
#nerds #spies
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125547
#nerds #spies
“MPs and peers warned of China spy risk on LinkedIn” | Translation: “Horny / Lazy Spooks Targeted by Fake Hot Chinese Girls via LinkedIn, GCHQ Panic”
Hot Asian Women Seek Fun In Cheltenham: The MI5 alert identifies two LinkedIn profiles … used on behalf of … Chinese MSS … “actively reaching out to individuals in our community” … to &…
alecmuffett.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:05 PM
“MPs and peers warned of China spy risk on LinkedIn” | Translation: “Horny / Lazy Spooks Targeted by Fake Hot Chinese Girls via LinkedIn, GCHQ Panic”
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125547
#nerds #spies
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125547
#nerds #spies
“‘We’re Going to DESTROY the Online Safety Act’: Meet the Top Lawyer Waging War on Ofcom” | OrderOrder | …it’s an interesting thesis that…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125515
#4chan #EdgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpns
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125515
#4chan #EdgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpns
“‘We’re Going to DESTROY the Online Safety Act’: Meet the Top Lawyer Waging War on Ofcom” | OrderOrder | …it’s an interesting thesis that…
…the credibility of the online safety act now hinges upon its (in)ability to make Britain the safest place to be online, by virtue of inability to effectively sanction the rest of the world. Instea…
alecmuffett.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:10 PM
“‘We’re Going to DESTROY the Online Safety Act’: Meet the Top Lawyer Waging War on Ofcom” | OrderOrder | …it’s an interesting thesis that…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125515
#4chan #EdgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpns
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125515
#4chan #EdgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpns
Reposted by Alec Muffett
Which of this three is not like the other?
(Muffet with the spoiler, but *still*, yiii)
(Muffet with the spoiler, but *still*, yiii)
November 20, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Which of this three is not like the other?
(Muffet with the spoiler, but *still*, yiii)
(Muffet with the spoiler, but *still*, yiii)
The simple test that blew up the FTC’s case against Meta | …absolutely fascinating read re: puncturing wild claims of “monopoly” in social networking
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125080
#dsa #interoperability #meta #monopoly
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125080
#dsa #interoperability #meta #monopoly
The simple test that blew up the FTC’s case against Meta | …absolutely fascinating read re: puncturing wild claims of “monopoly” in social networking
I wish we did something similar in the EU re: interoperability: In the end, it was a simple experiment that undid the FTC’s case. To determine whether Meta held a monopoly, Meta hired an expert to …
alecmuffett.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The simple test that blew up the FTC’s case against Meta | …absolutely fascinating read re: puncturing wild claims of “monopoly” in social networking
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125080
#dsa #interoperability #meta #monopoly
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125080
#dsa #interoperability #meta #monopoly
I'm frankly astonished at the number of people who read "Trump demands <thing>" and instantly, reflexively say it's terrible.
Clarity: like the UK's Ofcom, the Australian e-safety commissioner has been trying to get American websites in the USA to censor themselves on behalf of Australian Gov't:
Clarity: like the UK's Ofcom, the Australian e-safety commissioner has been trying to get American websites in the USA to censor themselves on behalf of Australian Gov't:
Australia: eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant called to testify before US Congress by Donald Trump ally over ‘threat’ to Americans’ free speech | Sky News
https://alecmuffett.com/article/124487
https://alecmuffett.com/article/124487
Australia: eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant called to testify before US Congress by Donald Trump ally over ‘threat’ to Americans’ free speech | Sky News
Chickens coming home to roost: Sky News has obtained a bombshell letter from a US House of Representatives committee chairman and ally of President Donald Trump accusing eSafety Commissioner Julie …
alecmuffett.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:28 PM
I'm frankly astonished at the number of people who read "Trump demands <thing>" and instantly, reflexively say it's terrible.
Clarity: like the UK's Ofcom, the Australian e-safety commissioner has been trying to get American websites in the USA to censor themselves on behalf of Australian Gov't:
Clarity: like the UK's Ofcom, the Australian e-safety commissioner has been trying to get American websites in the USA to censor themselves on behalf of Australian Gov't: