TJ McIntyre
@tjmcintyre.com
I'm an associate professor of law at University College Dublin specialising in technology law (mostly privacy/data protection/cybercrime/fundamental rights), consultant solicitor with FP Logue LLP, and chair of Digital Rights Ireland.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
New Gist: What you can do about the Abuse Factory
As a follow-up to yesterday’s Gist, I’ve done a list of four things you can do about X without even having to put down your iPhone.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-wha...
As a follow-up to yesterday’s Gist, I’ve done a list of four things you can do about X without even having to put down your iPhone.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-wha...
January 11, 2026 at 1:21 PM
New Gist: What you can do about the Abuse Factory
As a follow-up to yesterday’s Gist, I’ve done a list of four things you can do about X without even having to put down your iPhone.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-wha...
As a follow-up to yesterday’s Gist, I’ve done a list of four things you can do about X without even having to put down your iPhone.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-wha...
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
We’re sleepwalking our way into the same chaos we’re seeing in our neighbours. The complacency of “the Centre” to all of this is incredible
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...
Those seeking new Irish government should seek help from Maga movement, Eddie Hobbs tells conference
US ambassador Edward Walsh among audience at IRL Forum in Co Meath on Saturday
www.irishtimes.com
January 10, 2026 at 9:02 PM
We’re sleepwalking our way into the same chaos we’re seeing in our neighbours. The complacency of “the Centre” to all of this is incredible
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
wrote about this exact point yesterday in the context of figuring out what/where/how musk's power lies. musk making himself twitter (and vice versa) is a strength for musk but a weakness for twitter maxread.substack.com/p/why-wont-s...
January 8, 2026 at 6:41 PM
wrote about this exact point yesterday in the context of figuring out what/where/how musk's power lies. musk making himself twitter (and vice versa) is a strength for musk but a weakness for twitter maxread.substack.com/p/why-wont-s...
This is how you write headlines.
The billionaire sought to push back against the outcry over X’s AI chatbot Grok creating sexualised images of people, including children, at the request of users.
jrnl.ie/6922760
jrnl.ie/6922760
Elon Musk calls criticism of X's AI sexual abuse images 'censorship'
Criticism of X has focused on Grok’s production of images of child abuse.
jrnl.ie
January 10, 2026 at 5:46 PM
This is how you write headlines.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
"The world's most prolific child sexual abuse material and sexual harassment factory is now on Fenian Street in Dublin. We don't need a dawn raid, or an Interpol investigation to reveal that address. We can just look it up in the Irish Companies Registration Office."
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
The Gist: The Abuse Factory
X, the child abuse imagery app, revealed our state has no red lines. This is the Gist.
www.thegist.ie
January 10, 2026 at 2:17 PM
"The world's most prolific child sexual abuse material and sexual harassment factory is now on Fenian Street in Dublin. We don't need a dawn raid, or an Interpol investigation to reveal that address. We can just look it up in the Irish Companies Registration Office."
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
New Gist: The Abuse Factory
It shouldn't be difficult to act swiftly and without hesitation when the question posed is "Is it OK to work with the child sexual abuse material factory?" But our state failed this most straightforward of tests this week.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
It shouldn't be difficult to act swiftly and without hesitation when the question posed is "Is it OK to work with the child sexual abuse material factory?" But our state failed this most straightforward of tests this week.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
The Gist: The Abuse Factory
X, the child abuse imagery app, revealed our state has no red lines. This is the Gist.
www.thegist.ie
January 10, 2026 at 2:07 PM
New Gist: The Abuse Factory
It shouldn't be difficult to act swiftly and without hesitation when the question posed is "Is it OK to work with the child sexual abuse material factory?" But our state failed this most straightforward of tests this week.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
It shouldn't be difficult to act swiftly and without hesitation when the question posed is "Is it OK to work with the child sexual abuse material factory?" But our state failed this most straightforward of tests this week.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
This is an exceptionally good analysis of the role of X in global fascism, and illustrates why Ireland and the EU must act against it now. connectedplaces.online/reports/a-po...
January 10, 2026 at 12:00 AM
This is an exceptionally good analysis of the role of X in global fascism, and illustrates why Ireland and the EU must act against it now. connectedplaces.online/reports/a-po...
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
Very real possibility that our politicians have been vastly overestimating the number of fascist freaks in the country, which would actually explain a lot
This is the 'engagement' that the Irish government has been using to justify remaining on X. These are the top replies to a randomly chosen recent post.
January 9, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Very real possibility that our politicians have been vastly overestimating the number of fascist freaks in the country, which would actually explain a lot
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
and the fact that it wasn’t pulled immediately after the grok CSAM incident says everything you need to know about the way “protecting children” is used as a justification for anything else. it’s never really about that at all. it’s all just power & capital.
Honestly think that if you pulled twitter from the App Store and shut it down it would fuck up the entire right wing ecosystem at that point. Like the entire media apparatus would fall apart.
January 8, 2026 at 5:10 PM
and the fact that it wasn’t pulled immediately after the grok CSAM incident says everything you need to know about the way “protecting children” is used as a justification for anything else. it’s never really about that at all. it’s all just power & capital.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
Honestly think that if you pulled twitter from the App Store and shut it down it would fuck up the entire right wing ecosystem at that point. Like the entire media apparatus would fall apart.
January 8, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Honestly think that if you pulled twitter from the App Store and shut it down it would fuck up the entire right wing ecosystem at that point. Like the entire media apparatus would fall apart.
This is the 'engagement' that the Irish government has been using to justify remaining on X. These are the top replies to a randomly chosen recent post.
January 9, 2026 at 9:54 PM
This is the 'engagement' that the Irish government has been using to justify remaining on X. These are the top replies to a randomly chosen recent post.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
📺 Today’s report:
X didn’t respond to the Government or the EU - so we went to try to have a word.
Meanwhile, AI Minister urges EU to immediately suspend Grok and says she’ll speak to the Taoiseach about the Government off X.
🗣️ @conorom.bsky.social
@virginmedianews.bsky.social
X didn’t respond to the Government or the EU - so we went to try to have a word.
Meanwhile, AI Minister urges EU to immediately suspend Grok and says she’ll speak to the Taoiseach about the Government off X.
🗣️ @conorom.bsky.social
@virginmedianews.bsky.social
January 9, 2026 at 5:58 PM
📺 Today’s report:
X didn’t respond to the Government or the EU - so we went to try to have a word.
Meanwhile, AI Minister urges EU to immediately suspend Grok and says she’ll speak to the Taoiseach about the Government off X.
🗣️ @conorom.bsky.social
@virginmedianews.bsky.social
X didn’t respond to the Government or the EU - so we went to try to have a word.
Meanwhile, AI Minister urges EU to immediately suspend Grok and says she’ll speak to the Taoiseach about the Government off X.
🗣️ @conorom.bsky.social
@virginmedianews.bsky.social
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
The answer was obvious, and right there for you. Often it’s not just costless, but something that is actually a little red meat for the base. And still they spin their wheels defiantly for a while before limping into the decision they were always going to make.
January 9, 2026 at 4:57 PM
The answer was obvious, and right there for you. Often it’s not just costless, but something that is actually a little red meat for the base. And still they spin their wheels defiantly for a while before limping into the decision they were always going to make.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
Sometimes the government’s response to things happening feels like one of those old wind-up toys where you wind it, point it in the direction it needs to go, and release only for it to spin furiously on the spot for a while before finally meandering off a few centimetres in the right direction.
January 9, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Sometimes the government’s response to things happening feels like one of those old wind-up toys where you wind it, point it in the direction it needs to go, and release only for it to spin furiously on the spot for a while before finally meandering off a few centimetres in the right direction.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
“make big tech afraid” has to be just as much of a priority as “prosecute the criminals of the previous regime” for the next Dem admin
the tech fascists are way too far out over their skis and what remains of global stability will not survive that state of affairs continuing
the tech fascists are way too far out over their skis and what remains of global stability will not survive that state of affairs continuing
As many have pointed out, there's no reason for big tech to change its behavior because they correctly understand that they have nothing to fear from Democrats taking power
January 9, 2026 at 4:46 PM
“make big tech afraid” has to be just as much of a priority as “prosecute the criminals of the previous regime” for the next Dem admin
the tech fascists are way too far out over their skis and what remains of global stability will not survive that state of affairs continuing
the tech fascists are way too far out over their skis and what remains of global stability will not survive that state of affairs continuing
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
Niamh Smyth also says Apple and Google should remove Grok and X from their stores while it is generating CSAM and nonconsensual intimate images of women.
A much tougher government stance than we've heard from some colleagues in recent days.
A much tougher government stance than we've heard from some colleagues in recent days.
January 9, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Niamh Smyth also says Apple and Google should remove Grok and X from their stores while it is generating CSAM and nonconsensual intimate images of women.
A much tougher government stance than we've heard from some colleagues in recent days.
A much tougher government stance than we've heard from some colleagues in recent days.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
🚨 AI Minister Niamh Smyth says it isn't appropriate for the Government to maintain a presence on X and will speak to the Taoiseach on the matter.
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
January 9, 2026 at 2:42 PM
🚨 AI Minister Niamh Smyth says it isn't appropriate for the Government to maintain a presence on X and will speak to the Taoiseach on the matter.
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Kudos to my local TDs Natasha Newsome Drennan and Peter Chap Cleere for confirming that they’ve both stopped using their X accounts over a year ago and are going to formally shut them.
January 9, 2026 at 3:26 PM
Kudos to my local TDs Natasha Newsome Drennan and Peter Chap Cleere for confirming that they’ve both stopped using their X accounts over a year ago and are going to formally shut them.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
As of today, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties will no longer be posting or monitoring our account on X 👇
January 9, 2026 at 12:05 PM
As of today, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties will no longer be posting or monitoring our account on X 👇
Hello @ucddublin.bsky.social. Could you explain why our institution is still using X, the far-right, deepfake porn, child abuse image creating service? I never did get a reply to my emails on this point in January 2025, March 2025 and September 2025, which are attached for ease of reference.
January 9, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Hello @ucddublin.bsky.social. Could you explain why our institution is still using X, the far-right, deepfake porn, child abuse image creating service? I never did get a reply to my emails on this point in January 2025, March 2025 and September 2025, which are attached for ease of reference.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
The best time to delete your Twitter account was years ago.
The second best time is right now.
You either want to be part of an ecosystem that enriches a fascist billionaire via deepfake porn, unabashed racism, and now CSAM, or you don’t.
I need to be there for work is no excuse in my opinion.
The second best time is right now.
You either want to be part of an ecosystem that enriches a fascist billionaire via deepfake porn, unabashed racism, and now CSAM, or you don’t.
I need to be there for work is no excuse in my opinion.
January 9, 2026 at 9:28 AM
The best time to delete your Twitter account was years ago.
The second best time is right now.
You either want to be part of an ecosystem that enriches a fascist billionaire via deepfake porn, unabashed racism, and now CSAM, or you don’t.
I need to be there for work is no excuse in my opinion.
The second best time is right now.
You either want to be part of an ecosystem that enriches a fascist billionaire via deepfake porn, unabashed racism, and now CSAM, or you don’t.
I need to be there for work is no excuse in my opinion.
Reposted by TJ McIntyre
One reason I feel like I'm going mad is, even if Musk did immediately halt Grok and issue a grovelling apology - rather than PAYWALLING IT - he should *still* be prosecuted and his website banned. Very obviously! You don't get out of CSAM charges by just stopping. AND HE STILL HASN'T STOPPED.
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 9:46 AM
One reason I feel like I'm going mad is, even if Musk did immediately halt Grok and issue a grovelling apology - rather than PAYWALLING IT - he should *still* be prosecuted and his website banned. Very obviously! You don't get out of CSAM charges by just stopping. AND HE STILL HASN'T STOPPED.