Phil Tinline
@philtinline.bsky.social
Author, THE DEATH OF CONSENSUS (The Times' Politics Book of 2022)
GHOSTS OF IRON MOUNTAIN ("riveting" - The New Yorker)
https://tinyurl.com/Ghosts-Iron-Mountain
Last on Radio 4: Societal Collapse https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002lppp
GHOSTS OF IRON MOUNTAIN ("riveting" - The New Yorker)
https://tinyurl.com/Ghosts-Iron-Mountain
Last on Radio 4: Societal Collapse https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002lppp
Reposted by Phil Tinline
Grateful to Indonesia for leading the way here. Hopefully this will break the dam of dithering and other countries will follow suit!
Indonesia is the first country to block access to xAI’s Grok due to its ability to generate CSAM and deepfake porn.
It’s quite disappointing that this is the only meaningful action that’s been taken after several days of this issue coming to light.
It’s quite disappointing that this is the only meaningful action that’s been taken after several days of this issue coming to light.
Indonesia blocks Musk’s Grok chatbot due to risk of pornographic content
Move comes after governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned the AI tool and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content
www.theguardian.com
January 10, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Grateful to Indonesia for leading the way here. Hopefully this will break the dam of dithering and other countries will follow suit!
"cutprice luxury and exorbitant necessity" is 🎯👏
Where's Louis Brandeis when you need him?
Where's Louis Brandeis when you need him?
This is correct and it’s part of the era we’re in of cutprice luxury snf exorbitant necessity:
January 10, 2026 at 10:13 PM
"cutprice luxury and exorbitant necessity" is 🎯👏
Where's Louis Brandeis when you need him?
Where's Louis Brandeis when you need him?
This reminds me of the 🤨 reaction I got from shop assistants in a Currys a few years ago, when I explained I wanted to buy an all-region DVD player, so I could still watch my research stack of hard-to-source Hollywood movies from the 1940s.
I will never understand the decision making process that leads to a company throwing away their archives like this, like how far gone from understanding anything about how the internet works do you have to be in order to make a decision like this?
What, you think old pages are /expensive/?
What, you think old pages are /expensive/?
Welp, looks like Uproxx finally nuked their archives. 16 years of my work, now invisible for someone who wanted to find it. From the bottom of my heart, fuck these guys forever.
January 10, 2026 at 6:22 PM
This reminds me of the 🤨 reaction I got from shop assistants in a Currys a few years ago, when I explained I wanted to buy an all-region DVD player, so I could still watch my research stack of hard-to-source Hollywood movies from the 1940s.
Reposted by Phil Tinline
What's the German word for being asked by a prompt to comment on your own article and magnanimously resisting the temptation to write 'Wunderbar!'?
January 10, 2026 at 1:40 PM
What's the German word for being asked by a prompt to comment on your own article and magnanimously resisting the temptation to write 'Wunderbar!'?
Reposted by Phil Tinline
I’m going to try to post more on here - because the other place is awful.
January 10, 2026 at 10:06 AM
I’m going to try to post more on here - because the other place is awful.
This person's worldview seems to be best understood not in terms of principle, even 'free speech', but power. Xitter has censored opinions he finds disobliging. And when sovereign states stand up to him, he eventually backs down.
Preventing the sharing of sexualised images of children is “censorship” according to Elon Musk.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Musk says X outcry is 'excuse for censorship'
The government is urging Ofcom to use all its powers – up to and including an effective ban – against X.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 10, 2026 at 12:52 PM
This person's worldview seems to be best understood not in terms of principle, even 'free speech', but power. Xitter has censored opinions he finds disobliging. And when sovereign states stand up to him, he eventually backs down.
Reposted by Phil Tinline
More MPs are coming off X and I assume that means they will be posting more on here
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
January 9, 2026 at 9:21 PM
More MPs are coming off X and I assume that means they will be posting more on here
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
Reposted by Phil Tinline
X is paying Reform UK MPs while its AI produces sexually explicit images of children and women, the public deserves answers.
Will they return the money they’ve earned from the platform? 1/6
Will they return the money they’ve earned from the platform? 1/6
January 9, 2026 at 1:22 PM
X is paying Reform UK MPs while its AI produces sexually explicit images of children and women, the public deserves answers.
Will they return the money they’ve earned from the platform? 1/6
Will they return the money they’ve earned from the platform? 1/6
Nothing so mean as that regression to the mean.
I mean, I think a lot of the "They are discriminating against elite schools" is just a cope for the realisation your kid is in the intellectual second XI.
January 10, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Nothing so mean as that regression to the mean.
Imagine being so despised that turning your Nazism fountain into a sexual abuse machine doesn't make any difference.
The latest controversy did not affect Elon Musk's unpopularity further, mainly as already toxic.
He was 15-76 in September (58% v unfavourable)
It is also likely that many people not online may not have heard anything/much about latest AI non-consent/stripping issue, (which > 9/10 disapprove of)
He was 15-76 in September (58% v unfavourable)
It is also likely that many people not online may not have heard anything/much about latest AI non-consent/stripping issue, (which > 9/10 disapprove of)
January 9, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Imagine being so despised that turning your Nazism fountain into a sexual abuse machine doesn't make any difference.
Reposted by Phil Tinline
Books are so successful we don’t even think of them as IT
bigthink.com/books/books-...
bigthink.com/books/books-...
The most successful information technology in history is the one we barely notice
Joel Miller, the author of “The Idea Machine,” joins us to explore why books are history’s most successful information technology.
bigthink.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Books are so successful we don’t even think of them as IT
bigthink.com/books/books-...
bigthink.com/books/books-...
Impunity is often little more than cowing those who could challenge you. And, per @matthewholehouse.bsky.social, states that assert their power can be quite hard to cow.
Scathing words from No 10 on X making the Grok image tool available only to paying users: “That simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service. It's not a solution. In fact, it's insulting to victims of misogyny and sexual violence."
January 9, 2026 at 12:44 PM
Impunity is often little more than cowing those who could challenge you. And, per @matthewholehouse.bsky.social, states that assert their power can be quite hard to cow.
Reposted by Phil Tinline
There was no systemic review of what happened to content for which users went to prison in 2024. (Most of it stayed up)
Seems to be no process to notify platforms of charges, prosecutions & to track responses on specific content + broader lessons re that user's trajectory to online hate crime
Seems to be no process to notify platforms of charges, prosecutions & to track responses on specific content + broader lessons re that user's trajectory to online hate crime
January 9, 2026 at 12:28 PM
There was no systemic review of what happened to content for which users went to prison in 2024. (Most of it stayed up)
Seems to be no process to notify platforms of charges, prosecutions & to track responses on specific content + broader lessons re that user's trajectory to online hate crime
Seems to be no process to notify platforms of charges, prosecutions & to track responses on specific content + broader lessons re that user's trajectory to online hate crime
Reposted by Phil Tinline
Govt itself can say clearly what is unlawful. Can explore strengthening laws & sanctions further
- Govt can share its understanding of clear evidence - with Ofcom + with EHRC + police leaders+prosecutors
Gvt knows unlawful content is endemic, needs to review comms re public sector equality duty
- Govt can share its understanding of clear evidence - with Ofcom + with EHRC + police leaders+prosecutors
Gvt knows unlawful content is endemic, needs to review comms re public sector equality duty
January 9, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Govt itself can say clearly what is unlawful. Can explore strengthening laws & sanctions further
- Govt can share its understanding of clear evidence - with Ofcom + with EHRC + police leaders+prosecutors
Gvt knows unlawful content is endemic, needs to review comms re public sector equality duty
- Govt can share its understanding of clear evidence - with Ofcom + with EHRC + police leaders+prosecutors
Gvt knows unlawful content is endemic, needs to review comms re public sector equality duty
Reposted by Phil Tinline
The government’s language is certainly getting stronger: this is progress. It is a route to ministers being v clear about what is not lawful & for more clarity about how to stop it. They have not recognised that they have several significant tools beyond Ofcom inquiries of X.
Keir Starmer's spokesman says X limiting deep fake images to paid users "simply turns a feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service. It's not a solution.. it's insulting the victims of misogyny and sexual violence."
Still won't commit to a ban or to stop posting there
Still won't commit to a ban or to stop posting there
January 9, 2026 at 12:17 PM
The government’s language is certainly getting stronger: this is progress. It is a route to ministers being v clear about what is not lawful & for more clarity about how to stop it. They have not recognised that they have several significant tools beyond Ofcom inquiries of X.
Reposted by Phil Tinline
The politics of “can’t” is so pernicious and just reinforces a sense of lack of agency and control - no wonder more people want to ‘burn it all down’ if the system appears so unresponsive - Greens/Reform much better at talking politics of can, trad parties need to do same if they want to compete.
January 9, 2026 at 8:44 AM
The politics of “can’t” is so pernicious and just reinforces a sense of lack of agency and control - no wonder more people want to ‘burn it all down’ if the system appears so unresponsive - Greens/Reform much better at talking politics of can, trad parties need to do same if they want to compete.
Reposted by Phil Tinline
Great @economist.com piece by @matthewholehouse.bsky.social on state capacity. Am convinced next election winner will be who convinces people Government can actually just *do things* & politicians aren’t powerless to make good on promises. My reframe of Reagan maxim www.economist.com/britain/2026...
January 9, 2026 at 8:44 AM
Great @economist.com piece by @matthewholehouse.bsky.social on state capacity. Am convinced next election winner will be who convinces people Government can actually just *do things* & politicians aren’t powerless to make good on promises. My reframe of Reagan maxim www.economist.com/britain/2026...
Reposted by Phil Tinline
I get considerably more views and interaction of this site than most govt ministers combined on Twitter.
There is no space to fill. No one sees their content.
There is no space to fill. No one sees their content.
Government should stay on X despite the Grok scandal, Keir Starmer's former communications director has said
James Lyons, who worked at TikTok before serving in Downing St, told PolHome podcast The Rundown that quitting Elon Musk's platform would leave a "vacuum" for Labour's rivals to fill
James Lyons, who worked at TikTok before serving in Downing St, told PolHome podcast The Rundown that quitting Elon Musk's platform would leave a "vacuum" for Labour's rivals to fill
Government Shouldn’t Quit X Over Grok Scandal, Says Former No10 Comms Director
The government should not quit X as doing so would leave a 'vacuum' for its political rivals to fill, Keir Starmer's former communications director...
www.politicshome.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:03 PM
I get considerably more views and interaction of this site than most govt ministers combined on Twitter.
There is no space to fill. No one sees their content.
There is no space to fill. No one sees their content.
Reposted by Phil Tinline
When I talk about rebuilding from the LA fires being a fulltime job, it's literally this. Hours spent on the phone, sometimes every day, accomplishing nothing. It's why subscriptions are so crucial to keeping my ACTUAL job going. Thank you!
patreon.com/MikeRothschild
patreon.com/MikeRothschild
patreon.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:47 PM
When I talk about rebuilding from the LA fires being a fulltime job, it's literally this. Hours spent on the phone, sometimes every day, accomplishing nothing. It's why subscriptions are so crucial to keeping my ACTUAL job going. Thank you!
patreon.com/MikeRothschild
patreon.com/MikeRothschild
Reposted by Phil Tinline
Since I wrote about our endless odyssey to get clarity and consistency from our mortgage company after the Eaton Fire, other survivors have reached out with horror stories. If you've ever gone up against a monolithic company and left mouthing "WTF," this is for you.
www.patreon.com/posts/eaton-...
www.patreon.com/posts/eaton-...
Eaton Fire #17: A Year of Swimming Up a Waterfall | Mike Rothschild
Get more from Mike Rothschild on Patreon
www.patreon.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Since I wrote about our endless odyssey to get clarity and consistency from our mortgage company after the Eaton Fire, other survivors have reached out with horror stories. If you've ever gone up against a monolithic company and left mouthing "WTF," this is for you.
www.patreon.com/posts/eaton-...
www.patreon.com/posts/eaton-...
Reposted by Phil Tinline
This is what I told Farage’s biographer quite a few years ago. Now corroborated by more than 30 others
January 8, 2026 at 5:55 PM
This is what I told Farage’s biographer quite a few years ago. Now corroborated by more than 30 others
Reposted by Phil Tinline
Read my @politicshome.bsky.social feature about why a group of MPs are putting more pressure on the government to tackle this head on 👇
MPs Are Racing To Tackle AI Deepfakes Ahead Of The Next Elections
With voters heading to the polls in May for elections in England, Scotland and Wales, a cross-party group of MPs is quietly organising to tackle th...
www.politicshome.com
January 8, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Read my @politicshome.bsky.social feature about why a group of MPs are putting more pressure on the government to tackle this head on 👇
Reposted by Phil Tinline
This is exactly the kind of content that MPs are worried about in the run-up to elections in May and in the future
One deepfake video is unlikely to change the outcome of an election, but the sheer volume of AI content could add to widespread false narratives and further erode public trust
One deepfake video is unlikely to change the outcome of an election, but the sheer volume of AI content could add to widespread false narratives and further erode public trust
January 8, 2026 at 5:44 PM
This is exactly the kind of content that MPs are worried about in the run-up to elections in May and in the future
One deepfake video is unlikely to change the outcome of an election, but the sheer volume of AI content could add to widespread false narratives and further erode public trust
One deepfake video is unlikely to change the outcome of an election, but the sheer volume of AI content could add to widespread false narratives and further erode public trust