Rachel Coldicutt
@rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social
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
https://www.careful.industries
https://buttondown.email/justenoughinternet
DMs don't work but hello [at] careful.industries will find me eventually
Pinned
FOMO is not a strategy
End of year reflections on how people are using genAI at work
buttondown.com
Anyway, yes, #FOMOisnotastrategy and here I am making it a hash tag like it's 2010 buttondown.com/justenoughin...
I've written a few speeches for other people (I never write my own out as I can't read aloud) and my off-the-cuff reckon is that the single-line speech thing may have its origins in not quite understanding how autocue works - confusing ease of reading with the structure of demotic speech
I strongly believe that writing in single sentence lists as speeches are now makes them a lot worse. You need paragraphs to build arguments and ideas.
December 7, 2025 at 1:52 PM
I've written a few speeches for other people (I never write my own out as I can't read aloud) and my off-the-cuff reckon is that the single-line speech thing may have its origins in not quite understanding how autocue works - confusing ease of reading with the structure of demotic speech
Facial recognition notification in the big supermarket. "Don't worry, the technology is designed to only recognise known offenders who have committed acts of violence, aggression or theft. For everyone else any data generated by the software is deleted instantly."
December 7, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Facial recognition notification in the big supermarket. "Don't worry, the technology is designed to only recognise known offenders who have committed acts of violence, aggression or theft. For everyone else any data generated by the software is deleted instantly."
Thoughts and prayers as I attempt to update the firmware on the printer
December 7, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Thoughts and prayers as I attempt to update the firmware on the printer
Reposted by Rachel Coldicutt
"I just want people to be able to try new things"
"new things" apparently = autocracy, literally one of the oldest things
"new things" apparently = autocracy, literally one of the oldest things
December 7, 2025 at 7:09 AM
"I just want people to be able to try new things"
"new things" apparently = autocracy, literally one of the oldest things
"new things" apparently = autocracy, literally one of the oldest things
Everything about this is as exactly as bad as you think it's going to be www.ft.com/content/b127...
Tech elites are starting their own for-profit cities
They want to escape from regulation and ‘failing’ democracy — but are they more opportunistic than libertarian?
www.ft.com
December 7, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Everything about this is as exactly as bad as you think it's going to be www.ft.com/content/b127...
At my local cinema which, it turns out, is on Deliveroo in case you want to order popcorn to be delivered to home
December 6, 2025 at 4:37 PM
At my local cinema which, it turns out, is on Deliveroo in case you want to order popcorn to be delivered to home
Okay, give me your kittens + Christmas tree wisdom. Tiny maniac will swing from anything if there is even a hint of something to be caught. WWYD? Big tree that will definitely be climbed with no lights and minimal decor? Small tree in a high place? No tree? Too many possible variables
December 6, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Okay, give me your kittens + Christmas tree wisdom. Tiny maniac will swing from anything if there is even a hint of something to be caught. WWYD? Big tree that will definitely be climbed with no lights and minimal decor? Small tree in a high place? No tree? Too many possible variables
The story on events in Brockwell Park is worth a read for everyone interested in community action and civic life. Seems like a good example of something that might have been better handled with participatory democracy, to find out and reflect the (very diverse) local community's views
*Lambeth Country Show axed after 50 years
*The 81 year old running as the YIMBY mayor of London
*A £500 basement conversion in Lewisham
*WHY ARE LONDON’S BUSES GETTING SLOWER???
Completely chaotic mix of stories, what is the editor thinking, all here:
www.londoncentric.media/p/lambeth-co...
*The 81 year old running as the YIMBY mayor of London
*A £500 basement conversion in Lewisham
*WHY ARE LONDON’S BUSES GETTING SLOWER???
Completely chaotic mix of stories, what is the editor thinking, all here:
www.londoncentric.media/p/lambeth-co...
No more Lambeth Country Show: Battle for Brockwell Park returns
Plus: Why are London's buses getting slower, the 81-year-old running to be the YIMBY mayor of London, We R Blighty turn to body cams, and would you buy this basement for £500?
www.londoncentric.media
December 6, 2025 at 7:54 AM
The story on events in Brockwell Park is worth a read for everyone interested in community action and civic life. Seems like a good example of something that might have been better handled with participatory democracy, to find out and reflect the (very diverse) local community's views
It is a truth universally acknowledged that everyone who tries to minimise Palantir's role in public life gets branded as a conspiracy theorist at some point, but look! Yet again! It's all here! Very clearly! And still, govts will
work hard to accommodate and legitimise Palantir
work hard to accommodate and legitimise Palantir
Opinions that confirm the public's intuition that Silicon Valley leaders are evil: "legalizing US war crimes would open up a whole new market."
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
Palantir CEO Says Legalizing War Crimes Would Be Good for Business
Palantir CEO Alex Karp recently rhapsodized that US air strikes on Venezuelan civilians would be good for business, if only it were legal.
futurism.com
December 6, 2025 at 12:35 AM
It is a truth universally acknowledged that everyone who tries to minimise Palantir's role in public life gets branded as a conspiracy theorist at some point, but look! Yet again! It's all here! Very clearly! And still, govts will
work hard to accommodate and legitimise Palantir
work hard to accommodate and legitimise Palantir
In what might be the epitome of C20th flirtation, a stranger just came over and complimented me on my handwriting.
December 5, 2025 at 6:39 PM
In what might be the epitome of C20th flirtation, a stranger just came over and complimented me on my handwriting.
Had the fascinating experience earlier of doing a talk to museums professionals, encouraging them to be stewards of knowledge, quality information & delightful experiences while AI rampages around them, only to be followed by someone promoting an app that uses ChatGPT to create visitor experiences
December 5, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Had the fascinating experience earlier of doing a talk to museums professionals, encouraging them to be stewards of knowledge, quality information & delightful experiences while AI rampages around them, only to be followed by someone promoting an app that uses ChatGPT to create visitor experiences
Just done my penultimate talk of the year (for lovely folk at the Museums Computer Group).
One of the things about having a stutter is that I find reading aloud, or having to say specific words, v stressful - whatever it is that happens in my brain when I stutter makes those things harder to say
One of the things about having a stutter is that I find reading aloud, or having to say specific words, v stressful - whatever it is that happens in my brain when I stutter makes those things harder to say
December 5, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Just done my penultimate talk of the year (for lovely folk at the Museums Computer Group).
One of the things about having a stutter is that I find reading aloud, or having to say specific words, v stressful - whatever it is that happens in my brain when I stutter makes those things harder to say
One of the things about having a stutter is that I find reading aloud, or having to say specific words, v stressful - whatever it is that happens in my brain when I stutter makes those things harder to say
I'm in Birmingham. where the buses appear to have names. Is this a routine occurrence?
December 5, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I'm in Birmingham. where the buses appear to have names. Is this a routine occurrence?
It's unarguable that being a modern politician contains many new elements that weren't there even 10 years ago, and it's both interesting and positive to see some Labour backbenchers start to engage with social media. Unsurprisingly I have some thoughts www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Labour MP’s video explaining UK debt with biscuits racks up 3.3m views
Glasgow South MP Gordon McKee leading trend as politicians find traditional ways to reach voters no longer work
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 8:48 AM
It's unarguable that being a modern politician contains many new elements that weren't there even 10 years ago, and it's both interesting and positive to see some Labour backbenchers start to engage with social media. Unsurprisingly I have some thoughts www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Rachel Coldicutt
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
December 4, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reposted by Rachel Coldicutt
@rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social in case you have a book in you on this topic… emeraldgrouppublishing.com/book-series/... (see call for submissions on GenAI and environment
Digital Materialities and Sustainable Futures
Taking a decolonial approach, Digital Materialities and Sustainable Futures develops an interdisciplinary field that shifts the conversation about digital environmental sustainability from profit and ...
emeraldgrouppublishing.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:38 PM
@rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social in case you have a book in you on this topic… emeraldgrouppublishing.com/book-series/... (see call for submissions on GenAI and environment
I really enjoyed being part of #FF2025 today. Very sad to miss the brilliant @dorothyjberry.bsky.social's closing talk (school performance beckons at the opp end of London), but a complete thrill to bookend the day with such a thoughtful scholar. thanks to @miaout.bsky.social for the invitation!
12 lightning talks in 60 minutes?! Check out the richness at www.conftool.org/fantastic-fu... #FF2025
Links include:
www.lib.cam.ac.uk/research-ins...
pro.europeana.eu/post/discove...
Right now, we're pretending to be Norwegian cat historians!
Links include:
www.lib.cam.ac.uk/research-ins...
pro.europeana.eu/post/discove...
Right now, we're pretending to be Norwegian cat historians!
Fantastic Futures 2025 - ConfTool Pro - BrowseSessions
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with…
www.conftool.org
December 4, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I really enjoyed being part of #FF2025 today. Very sad to miss the brilliant @dorothyjberry.bsky.social's closing talk (school performance beckons at the opp end of London), but a complete thrill to bookend the day with such a thoughtful scholar. thanks to @miaout.bsky.social for the invitation!
Probably the thing I'm most routinely asked for is information about the energy use of diff AI models. It's complicated as there's very little decent end-to-end data out there, but was very excited to see a demo of this tool this morning, developed by the French govt comparia.beta.gouv.fr/ranking
Classement - compar:IA, le comparateur d'IA conversationnelles
compar:IA est un outil permettant de comparer à l’aveugle différents modèles d'IA conversationnelle pour sensibiliser aux enjeux de l'IA générative (biais, impact environmental) et constituer des jeux...
comparia.beta.gouv.fr
December 4, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Probably the thing I'm most routinely asked for is information about the energy use of diff AI models. It's complicated as there's very little decent end-to-end data out there, but was very excited to see a demo of this tool this morning, developed by the French govt comparia.beta.gouv.fr/ranking
As someone who often travels about the place with a bag of wool and some combo of a crochet hook/knitting needles/embroidery scissors (which are tiny)/a darning needle (which is typically quite blunt) there is a lot of securitised fear in public buildings these days, about "sharp objects"
December 4, 2025 at 1:37 PM
As someone who often travels about the place with a bag of wool and some combo of a crochet hook/knitting needles/embroidery scissors (which are tiny)/a darning needle (which is typically quite blunt) there is a lot of securitised fear in public buildings these days, about "sharp objects"
Gave a talk this morning about how AI FOMO isn't a strategy and several Qs afterwards were asking if may be FOMO *should* be the driving force. But if 89% of the public think proven safety should come first, then it feels like a good idea to respect that
December 4, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Gave a talk this morning about how AI FOMO isn't a strategy and several Qs afterwards were asking if may be FOMO *should* be the driving force. But if 89% of the public think proven safety should come first, then it feels like a good idea to respect that
Having a great time at the Fantastic Futures Conference today and love this National Archives acronym: ROT, information that is redundant, obsolete and trivial
December 4, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Having a great time at the Fantastic Futures Conference today and love this National Archives acronym: ROT, information that is redundant, obsolete and trivial
Reposted by Rachel Coldicutt
But the cost is not the only question govt needs to answer to make this scheme work. Following our panel with @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social @matthewfeeney.bsky.social @morganwild.bsky.social & Sir David Normington, I highlight some qs for govt: (4/4)
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comm...
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comm...
The government still has questions to answer on digital IDs | Institute for Government
What does the government need to do to move its digital ID plans forward?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
December 3, 2025 at 2:41 PM
But the cost is not the only question govt needs to answer to make this scheme work. Following our panel with @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social @matthewfeeney.bsky.social @morganwild.bsky.social & Sir David Normington, I highlight some qs for govt: (4/4)
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comm...
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comm...
Cannot get past the first paragraph of this without my blood pressure going up www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
December 2, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Cannot get past the first paragraph of this without my blood pressure going up www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
For my next complaint about modern life, I was just looking at a photo of my slightly wonky face and wondering why it looked so weird, when I realised that, unbidden, the photographer has airbrushed the wrinkles out on one side of my face but not the other.
December 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
For my next complaint about modern life, I was just looking at a photo of my slightly wonky face and wondering why it looked so weird, when I realised that, unbidden, the photographer has airbrushed the wrinkles out on one side of my face but not the other.
I really like filing in forms. I like filling in forms so much that, when I was very small, my dream job was working in the Post Office because you got to fill out forms *and* stamp things with a big stamp which seemed like heaven, but ugh honestly so much of modern life is now *logging into stuff*
December 2, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I really like filing in forms. I like filling in forms so much that, when I was very small, my dream job was working in the Post Office because you got to fill out forms *and* stamp things with a big stamp which seemed like heaven, but ugh honestly so much of modern life is now *logging into stuff*