Steve Parks
@steveparks.me
Geeking out about writing, entrepreneurship, journalism, food, tech — or ideally a combination.
European, living/writing in France & running a business in UK.
https://www.steveparks.me
European, living/writing in France & running a business in UK.
https://www.steveparks.me
Pinned
Steve Parks
@steveparks.me
· May 7
I'm working on a Digital Detox.
It's a process of reviewing online services I use to prune out those with bad business practices, or who fund/support fascism and hate.
In this thread I'll collate my blog posts in which I document my findings.
Hopefully it can be useful to you too.
#DigitalDetox
It's a process of reviewing online services I use to prune out those with bad business practices, or who fund/support fascism and hate.
In this thread I'll collate my blog posts in which I document my findings.
Hopefully it can be useful to you too.
#DigitalDetox
This is what Palantir does.
This is why Palantir should not be given access to UK public services and data.
This is why Palantir should not be given access to UK public services and data.
New: meet ELITE, the Palantir app ICE is using to find neighborhoods to raid. Map interface; officers search for immigrants; click person to bring up individual dossier. This is clearest link between what Palantir is building and ICE's activities on the ground yet www.404media.co/elite-the-pa...
‘ELITE’: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid
Internal ICE material and testimony from an official obtained by 404 Media provides the clearest link yet between the technological infrastructure Palantir is building for ICE and the agency’s activit...
www.404media.co
January 15, 2026 at 2:18 PM
This is what Palantir does.
This is why Palantir should not be given access to UK public services and data.
This is why Palantir should not be given access to UK public services and data.
To mark the successful return, SpaceX will publish non-consenual nudes of the astronauts later today
🛰️ Un équipage de la Station spatiale internationale contraint d'interrompre sa mission en raison d'un problème médical, une première dans l'histoire du laboratoire orbital, a effectué jeudi son retour sur Terre.
January 15, 2026 at 10:42 AM
To mark the successful return, SpaceX will publish non-consenual nudes of the astronauts later today
Reposted by Steve Parks
🔴 Last week the Free Speech Union got a High Court writ to prevent the publication of a list of its donors
So we decided to investigate who *does* fund Toby Young's outfit
Wanna see? 🫣
New on Democracy for Sale:
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/who-funds-...
So we decided to investigate who *does* fund Toby Young's outfit
Wanna see? 🫣
New on Democracy for Sale:
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/who-funds-...
Who funds the Free Speech Union?
Toby Young’s outfit went to court to hide its donors. Today we reveal that funders include US anti-abortion groups, Brexit politicians and Tufton Street insiders.
democracyforsale.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:31 AM
🔴 Last week the Free Speech Union got a High Court writ to prevent the publication of a list of its donors
So we decided to investigate who *does* fund Toby Young's outfit
Wanna see? 🫣
New on Democracy for Sale:
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/who-funds-...
So we decided to investigate who *does* fund Toby Young's outfit
Wanna see? 🫣
New on Democracy for Sale:
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/who-funds-...
I completely dismiss the idea of a ‘war on motorists’. I support calming, road use charging etc.
But by ‘eck the UK implementation is so incompetent and sometimes malign that I can understand why people feel attacked.
Every trip to the UK seems to result in some fine I have to argue about…
But by ‘eck the UK implementation is so incompetent and sometimes malign that I can understand why people feel attacked.
Every trip to the UK seems to result in some fine I have to argue about…
January 15, 2026 at 9:21 AM
I completely dismiss the idea of a ‘war on motorists’. I support calming, road use charging etc.
But by ‘eck the UK implementation is so incompetent and sometimes malign that I can understand why people feel attacked.
Every trip to the UK seems to result in some fine I have to argue about…
But by ‘eck the UK implementation is so incompetent and sometimes malign that I can understand why people feel attacked.
Every trip to the UK seems to result in some fine I have to argue about…
Reposted by Steve Parks
This BBC News headline and the story details don’t tie up. Right?
January 15, 2026 at 8:17 AM
This BBC News headline and the story details don’t tie up. Right?
Reposted by Steve Parks
The new framing by promoters of AI Scientists is that you still need an experienced human in the loop (as stated in this article). But HOW do you get such a human if these tools are used earlier and earlier in training and education. Also, the article gives the answer to the title's question: no.
Can A.I. Generate New Ideas?
www.nytimes.com
January 14, 2026 at 7:43 PM
The new framing by promoters of AI Scientists is that you still need an experienced human in the loop (as stated in this article). But HOW do you get such a human if these tools are used earlier and earlier in training and education. Also, the article gives the answer to the title's question: no.
Tony’s chocolonely business plan 2026
Maybe if I eat enough dark chocolate everything will be better
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Tony’s chocolonely business plan 2026
This!!!
January 14, 2026 at 2:49 PM
This!!!
Reposted by Steve Parks
Politicians: don't use AI to make your maps.
January 14, 2026 at 11:13 AM
Politicians: don't use AI to make your maps.
I beg the government to consider, with every decision like this, how centralising power will be used by any Trumpist totalitarians the public may be stupid enough to elect in future. Design a distributed resilient state, not a dictator-ready one.
NEW Shabana Mahmood announces not only that Craig Guildford, the chief constable of West Midlands Police, no longer has her confidence after a "devastating" independent review, but also that the government will reintroduce the power for home secretaries to sack chief constables
January 14, 2026 at 2:36 PM
I beg the government to consider, with every decision like this, how centralising power will be used by any Trumpist totalitarians the public may be stupid enough to elect in future. Design a distributed resilient state, not a dictator-ready one.
First lunch of the year on the terrace.
At first I was hurray!
Then I realised that it’s probably not so good in reality to be so warm in Europe in mid January.
At first I was hurray!
Then I realised that it’s probably not so good in reality to be so warm in Europe in mid January.
January 14, 2026 at 2:33 PM
First lunch of the year on the terrace.
At first I was hurray!
Then I realised that it’s probably not so good in reality to be so warm in Europe in mid January.
At first I was hurray!
Then I realised that it’s probably not so good in reality to be so warm in Europe in mid January.
Great work in holding the government to account for this bullshit number…
Did you see the claim from the Government in the House of Lords that "10.8 million families use X as their main news source"?
Well, the government has admitted it was wrong.
I investigated for Radio 4's More or Less - you can hear it here, starting at 14:55.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Well, the government has admitted it was wrong.
I investigated for Radio 4's More or Less - you can hear it here, starting at 14:55.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
More or Less - Have more than 100 private schools been forced to close because of VAT? - BBC Sounds
Tim Harford investigates closing schools, X users, Covid deaths and churchgoers
www.bbc.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Great work in holding the government to account for this bullshit number…
Reposted by Steve Parks
January 14, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Reposted by Steve Parks
Moving organisations along is hard. I did a talk on it last year and now it's here in blog form.
public.digital/pd-insights/...
public.digital/pd-insights/...
Six levers for creating change in the face of resistance — Public Digital
public.digital
January 14, 2026 at 10:17 AM
Moving organisations along is hard. I did a talk on it last year and now it's here in blog form.
public.digital/pd-insights/...
public.digital/pd-insights/...
Very good on the threat to European democracies from Trump/Vance’s USA
(Gift link for free access)
(Gift link for free access)
The Maga war on European democracy
America’s national security strategy projects internal fears abroad
giftarticle.ft.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:58 AM
Very good on the threat to European democracies from Trump/Vance’s USA
(Gift link for free access)
(Gift link for free access)
Reposted by Steve Parks
So much this. @samfr.bsky.social sets out a practical way to think about getting the basics right. It isn't new and shiny, politicians can't have their photos taken by a piece of kit or unveil a plaque on a new building, but it would make so much difference to so many people.
New post just out:
"Troubleshooters"
How fixing the many small frustrations - that make up most of our interactions with the state - can give people faith in goverment's ability to make things work.
And help create a different Whitehall culture.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"Troubleshooters"
How fixing the many small frustrations - that make up most of our interactions with the state - can give people faith in goverment's ability to make things work.
And help create a different Whitehall culture.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
Troubleshooters
How to get people believing in the state again
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 9:07 PM
So much this. @samfr.bsky.social sets out a practical way to think about getting the basics right. It isn't new and shiny, politicians can't have their photos taken by a piece of kit or unveil a plaque on a new building, but it would make so much difference to so many people.
Reposted by Steve Parks
The FT got is architecture critic Edwin Heathcote to write about data centres and it's wonderful. www.ft.com/content/7692...
January 14, 2026 at 7:09 AM
The FT got is architecture critic Edwin Heathcote to write about data centres and it's wonderful. www.ft.com/content/7692...
Reposted by Steve Parks
When you aren't supposed to talk about gender in class but want to explain how the US and Russia went from probe and drogue space docking to a 50/50 system where the first word in its name is literally "Androgynous", because neither country was willing to be the, er, receiver
January 13, 2026 at 10:14 PM
When you aren't supposed to talk about gender in class but want to explain how the US and Russia went from probe and drogue space docking to a 50/50 system where the first word in its name is literally "Androgynous", because neither country was willing to be the, er, receiver
@ianrankin1.bsky.social Really enjoying the music recommendations in your end of year roundup. Especially Greg Foat. Wouldn't have found it otherwise.
Thanks!
Thanks!
January 13, 2026 at 8:03 PM
@ianrankin1.bsky.social Really enjoying the music recommendations in your end of year roundup. Especially Greg Foat. Wouldn't have found it otherwise.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Reposted by Steve Parks
Today in luxury surveillance.
Fitbit and Strava may be tracking more than your run
A new report has found the most data-hungry fitness apps. The report lists where each of the top 16 apps fall.
www.androidauthority.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Today in luxury surveillance.
Time for the six-monthly reminder of how bad corporate software systems are. I have to login to my publisher’s Oracle system to get my royalty statements.
Even just logging in is a many step process resulting in multiple unclear error screens and eventually a password reset. Every. Time.
Even just logging in is a many step process resulting in multiple unclear error screens and eventually a password reset. Every. Time.
January 13, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Time for the six-monthly reminder of how bad corporate software systems are. I have to login to my publisher’s Oracle system to get my royalty statements.
Even just logging in is a many step process resulting in multiple unclear error screens and eventually a password reset. Every. Time.
Even just logging in is a many step process resulting in multiple unclear error screens and eventually a password reset. Every. Time.
Reposted by Steve Parks
A deeply strange man who seemed to go completely and offensively mad some years back.
He wrote a short book on the “truth” about gravity which said that gravity literally sucked.
And he just got odder and more racist as time went on. I fear he spent too much time around techbros.
He wrote a short book on the “truth” about gravity which said that gravity literally sucked.
And he just got odder and more racist as time went on. I fear he spent too much time around techbros.
January 13, 2026 at 3:45 PM
A deeply strange man who seemed to go completely and offensively mad some years back.
He wrote a short book on the “truth” about gravity which said that gravity literally sucked.
And he just got odder and more racist as time went on. I fear he spent too much time around techbros.
He wrote a short book on the “truth” about gravity which said that gravity literally sucked.
And he just got odder and more racist as time went on. I fear he spent too much time around techbros.
I’ve read a few articles now about the BBC’s application to have the Trump case against it thrown out. But none have stated what is perhaps the most important fact — is the judge the case has been assigned to a Trump appointee? If so, it’s unlikely all the other facts have much significance.
January 13, 2026 at 11:26 AM
I’ve read a few articles now about the BBC’s application to have the Trump case against it thrown out. But none have stated what is perhaps the most important fact — is the judge the case has been assigned to a Trump appointee? If so, it’s unlikely all the other facts have much significance.
Well that’s sticking six fingers up to the Ruskies
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the integration of Elon Musk's xAI platform, Grok, into military networks as part of a new "AI acceleration strategy" during a visit to SpaceX.
January 13, 2026 at 7:35 AM
Well that’s sticking six fingers up to the Ruskies
Please could all techbro wives divorce, take half the money, and then use it for those harmed by their exes?
BREAKING: Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife has made a “transformational” donation to the LGBTQ+ advocacy group. This large gift comes just months after the Trump administration shut down counseling services for queer youth.
My latest for @wired.com:
My latest for @wired.com:
MacKenzie Scott Donates $45 Million to the Trevor Project
Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife has made a donation to the LGBTQ+ advocacy group that the organization calls “transformational.”
www.wired.com
January 12, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Please could all techbro wives divorce, take half the money, and then use it for those harmed by their exes?