Liz Carolan
@lizcarolan.com
I publish thebriefing.ie, & founded organisations working on tech & democracy. Political scientist, advocate, writer, knitter. DMs open
Reposted by Liz Carolan
I write in today's @irishexaminer.bsky.social about the laws that are broken when online AI platforms facilitate the production of child sex abuse material. No new laws are needed. Companies (and their executives) are accountable as well as users.
www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
Ireland could prosecute Twitter/X for AI 'child porn' deepfakes
The horrific child sex abuse material produced every day by Grok is already banned under Irish law. The real test is if we are ready to enforce that law against large tech companies
www.irishexaminer.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:48 AM
I write in today's @irishexaminer.bsky.social about the laws that are broken when online AI platforms facilitate the production of child sex abuse material. No new laws are needed. Companies (and their executives) are accountable as well as users.
www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
This headline should read:
"World's richest man decides to start charging for his CSAM factory"
He did NOT turn it off, he realised it is profitable
"World's richest man decides to start charging for his CSAM factory"
He did NOT turn it off, he realised it is profitable
Now only paying subscribers can make violent non-consenual sexual imagery of women and children -
Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery
X to limit editing function to paying subscribers after platform threatened with fines and regulatory action
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 11:02 AM
This headline should read:
"World's richest man decides to start charging for his CSAM factory"
He did NOT turn it off, he realised it is profitable
"World's richest man decides to start charging for his CSAM factory"
He did NOT turn it off, he realised it is profitable
Reposted by Liz Carolan
I would have thought condemning an company producing child abuse material on an industrial scale for profit would be an easy one. But here were are.
January 8, 2026 at 4:21 PM
I would have thought condemning an company producing child abuse material on an industrial scale for profit would be an easy one. But here were are.
This insistence on appeasement - this cowardice - is debasing, embarrassing - & - IT WILL NOT WORK
Look at Maria Machado, she bent over backwards to praise and appease these guys, and what did she get? Passed over
They got what they wanted from her & saw no obligation to return the favour
Look at Maria Machado, she bent over backwards to praise and appease these guys, and what did she get? Passed over
They got what they wanted from her & saw no obligation to return the favour
My word.
The Taoiseach, in China, says "platforms can be misused and abused or they can be used for positive reasons as well..." and says that should be considered carefully "before jumping to conclusions" on whether it's appropriate for the Government to be on X.
The Taoiseach, in China, says "platforms can be misused and abused or they can be used for positive reasons as well..." and says that should be considered carefully "before jumping to conclusions" on whether it's appropriate for the Government to be on X.
January 8, 2026 at 11:49 AM
This insistence on appeasement - this cowardice - is debasing, embarrassing - & - IT WILL NOT WORK
Look at Maria Machado, she bent over backwards to praise and appease these guys, and what did she get? Passed over
They got what they wanted from her & saw no obligation to return the favour
Look at Maria Machado, she bent over backwards to praise and appease these guys, and what did she get? Passed over
They got what they wanted from her & saw no obligation to return the favour
Real subtle, Jeff.
Real subtle
Real subtle
January 6, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Real subtle, Jeff.
Real subtle
Real subtle
“It’s not an ideal situation for international law”
Irish Minister right now 🫠
Irish Minister right now 🫠
January 5, 2026 at 5:11 PM
“It’s not an ideal situation for international law”
Irish Minister right now 🫠
Irish Minister right now 🫠
"in our hemisphere" 😐
This does have real "explaining, losing" vibes to it, doesn't it?
January 5, 2026 at 9:40 AM
"in our hemisphere" 😐
Reposted by Liz Carolan
US disclosed that Cyber Command conducted cyber operations to suppress Venezuelan defenses during th strike on Caracas. Non-kinetic cyber effects from US Cyber Command were deployed before kinetic strikes began, playing a major role in neutralizing air defense systems. No details
January 3, 2026 at 9:07 PM
US disclosed that Cyber Command conducted cyber operations to suppress Venezuelan defenses during th strike on Caracas. Non-kinetic cyber effects from US Cyber Command were deployed before kinetic strikes began, playing a major role in neutralizing air defense systems. No details
Reposted by Liz Carolan
Wrote a thing:
The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....
The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....
Five Facets of the Attack on Venezuela by the Rogue Nation the US Has Become
1
They are saying it baldly: this is an oil grab. There is a history of oil grabs going back to British imperialism in the middle east in the late nineteenth century and murders of Osage Nation triba...
www.meditationsinanemergency.com
January 3, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Wrote a thing:
The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....
The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....
By pure coincidence- a piece I wrote for @irishexaminer.bsky.social was published this morning www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
January 3, 2026 at 3:30 PM
By pure coincidence- a piece I wrote for @irishexaminer.bsky.social was published this morning www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
Reposted by Liz Carolan
It means absolutely nothing to anyone concerned right now but here's what the United Nations says about kidnapping Heads of State.
legal.un.org/ilc/texts/in...
legal.un.org/ilc/texts/in...
January 3, 2026 at 9:45 AM
It means absolutely nothing to anyone concerned right now but here's what the United Nations says about kidnapping Heads of State.
legal.un.org/ilc/texts/in...
legal.un.org/ilc/texts/in...
Reposted by Liz Carolan
Maduro is awful but this is a bad move. No clear objective, likely to induce rally-around-the-flag in Venezuela (not the U.S. as Trump hopes), and some of the dumbest people available leading the effort.
January 3, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Maduro is awful but this is a bad move. No clear objective, likely to induce rally-around-the-flag in Venezuela (not the U.S. as Trump hopes), and some of the dumbest people available leading the effort.
Reposted by Liz Carolan
A note that just because the President of the United States used the word 'captured' doesn't mean news organisations should just use it without attribution... or maybe at all really?
January 3, 2026 at 9:51 AM
A note that just because the President of the United States used the word 'captured' doesn't mean news organisations should just use it without attribution... or maybe at all really?
Reposted by Liz Carolan
It's official: Bulgaria is in the euro-zone.
An excerpt from an atypically emotional NYE address by the Central Bank governor:
"Thank you, friends. We are home.
This is not a protocol. It is a feeling.
In this sense, the euro is not just an economic solution...
www.bnb.bg/AboutUs/Pres...
An excerpt from an atypically emotional NYE address by the Central Bank governor:
"Thank you, friends. We are home.
This is not a protocol. It is a feeling.
In this sense, the euro is not just an economic solution...
www.bnb.bg/AboutUs/Pres...
December 31, 2025 at 11:30 PM
It's official: Bulgaria is in the euro-zone.
An excerpt from an atypically emotional NYE address by the Central Bank governor:
"Thank you, friends. We are home.
This is not a protocol. It is a feeling.
In this sense, the euro is not just an economic solution...
www.bnb.bg/AboutUs/Pres...
An excerpt from an atypically emotional NYE address by the Central Bank governor:
"Thank you, friends. We are home.
This is not a protocol. It is a feeling.
In this sense, the euro is not just an economic solution...
www.bnb.bg/AboutUs/Pres...
Reposted by Liz Carolan
Reposted by Liz Carolan
Amazon secures permission to build three data centres in North Dublin
Amazon secures permission to build three data centres in North Dublin
Green light for Amazon Web Services for data centre buildings on site near Mulhuddart
www.irishtimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Amazon secures permission to build three data centres in North Dublin
I've a piece in the paper today
Liz Carolan: Free speech will be a big EU-US battleground in 2026 - and Ireland is caught in the middle
Liz Carolan: Free speech will be a big EU-US battleground in 2026 - and Ireland is caught in the middle
Ireland is in a highly precarious position as we head into 2026, on the faultline between our allies in the EU and the US administration and Big Tech
www.irishtimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 11:27 AM
I've a piece in the paper today
AI is doing to words - literature, journalism, entertainment - what polyester did our clothing
There used to be natural fabrics and clothes meant something; now we are drowning in shitty, toxically & exploitatively produced crap, and yes most is cheap but even high end stuff is also now mostly sh!t
There used to be natural fabrics and clothes meant something; now we are drowning in shitty, toxically & exploitatively produced crap, and yes most is cheap but even high end stuff is also now mostly sh!t
Hard no to this: French publisher Harlequin has told translators that their work will now be done by AI. They can ‘revise’ AI translations at much lower rate. It’s a subsidiary of Harper Collins so treat this as a test for rollout elsewhere
"Bradage de la traduction, plan social invisible : Harlequin passe à l’IA"
Faites tourner, parce qu'il va falloir se battre encore plus. :/
#traduction #IA #Harlequin #ATLF
Faites tourner, parce qu'il va falloir se battre encore plus. :/
#traduction #IA #Harlequin #ATLF
December 19, 2025 at 9:37 AM
AI is doing to words - literature, journalism, entertainment - what polyester did our clothing
There used to be natural fabrics and clothes meant something; now we are drowning in shitty, toxically & exploitatively produced crap, and yes most is cheap but even high end stuff is also now mostly sh!t
There used to be natural fabrics and clothes meant something; now we are drowning in shitty, toxically & exploitatively produced crap, and yes most is cheap but even high end stuff is also now mostly sh!t
Reposted by Liz Carolan
‘The hundreds of billions of dollars companies are investing in AI now account for an astonishing 40 per cent share of US GDP growth this year… Outside of the AI plays, even European stock markets have been outperforming the US this decade’
on.ft.com/4pTQ3US
on.ft.com/4pTQ3US
America is now one big bet on AI
It’s seen as the magic fix for every threat to the US economy
on.ft.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:06 AM
‘The hundreds of billions of dollars companies are investing in AI now account for an astonishing 40 per cent share of US GDP growth this year… Outside of the AI plays, even European stock markets have been outperforming the US this decade’
on.ft.com/4pTQ3US
on.ft.com/4pTQ3US
I honestly don’t know why we buy children toys 📦
December 11, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I honestly don’t know why we buy children toys 📦
Reposted by Liz Carolan
Adopt far-right policies to stop the far right gaining influence - continues to be the stupidest idea in European politics today.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Starmer urges Europe’s leaders to curb ECHR to halt rise of far right
Exclusive: PM calls for members of European convention on human rights to allow tougher action to protect borders
www.theguardian.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Adopt far-right policies to stop the far right gaining influence - continues to be the stupidest idea in European politics today.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
📻 I’m going to be on @rteone.rte.ie shortly to talk MAGA madness
Will try my hardest not to say “batshit” live on air 🦇
Will try my hardest not to say “batshit” live on air 🦇
November 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM
📻 I’m going to be on @rteone.rte.ie shortly to talk MAGA madness
Will try my hardest not to say “batshit” live on air 🦇
Will try my hardest not to say “batshit” live on air 🦇
Reposted by Liz Carolan
📣 I am hiring a postdoc! aial.ie/hiring/postd...
applications from suitable candidates that are passionate about investigating the use of genAI in public service operations with the aim of keeping governments transparent and accountable are welcome
pls share with your networks
applications from suitable candidates that are passionate about investigating the use of genAI in public service operations with the aim of keeping governments transparent and accountable are welcome
pls share with your networks
October 30, 2025 at 7:51 PM
📣 I am hiring a postdoc! aial.ie/hiring/postd...
applications from suitable candidates that are passionate about investigating the use of genAI in public service operations with the aim of keeping governments transparent and accountable are welcome
pls share with your networks
applications from suitable candidates that are passionate about investigating the use of genAI in public service operations with the aim of keeping governments transparent and accountable are welcome
pls share with your networks
Reposted by Liz Carolan
The European Commission is now digging deeper in to our complaint against Ireland’s process by which Ireland appointed ex-Meta lobbyist as its Data Protection Commissioner
www.rte.ie/news/2025/11...
www.rte.ie/news/2025/11...
EU seeking information over data commissioner appointment
The European Commission is seeking further information from the Irish authorities in relation to the appointment of Niamh Sweeney as the third commissioner of the Irish Data Protection Commission.
www.rte.ie
November 19, 2025 at 8:35 PM
The European Commission is now digging deeper in to our complaint against Ireland’s process by which Ireland appointed ex-Meta lobbyist as its Data Protection Commissioner
www.rte.ie/news/2025/11...
www.rte.ie/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Liz Carolan
Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.
November 12, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.