Simon McGarr
@tupped.bsky.social
Solicitor, consultant, artist, writes TheGist.ie newsletter.
Visiting Lecturer. External Examiner in Data Protection law.
Visiting Lecturer. External Examiner in Data Protection law.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
I also don't think this is 'the EU view' but the view of a specific MEP group and not a few in governments gagging for more tech cashflows and believing the big fat tech blackpill on AI, data privacy etc . But they swallow it anyway
January 27, 2026 at 3:45 PM
I also don't think this is 'the EU view' but the view of a specific MEP group and not a few in governments gagging for more tech cashflows and believing the big fat tech blackpill on AI, data privacy etc . But they swallow it anyway
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Yet, EU underuse of its 'over-regulation' 🤔 has allowed so many catastrophic outcomes the EU has w/Big Tech. “The European view, not just my humble view, but in the European view, we have gone through a decade of over-regulation, it has to be said,” Ms Smyth said. www.irishtimes.com/politics/oir...
Social networks could be treated as publishers if they host illegal content, Minister of State says
Government considering law that would ban ‘deepfakes’, Niamh Smyth says
www.irishtimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Yet, EU underuse of its 'over-regulation' 🤔 has allowed so many catastrophic outcomes the EU has w/Big Tech. “The European view, not just my humble view, but in the European view, we have gone through a decade of over-regulation, it has to be said,” Ms Smyth said. www.irishtimes.com/politics/oir...
Reposted by Simon McGarr
New: Unsealed court docs detail Big Tech’s yearslong, secret race to ingest the collective works of humanity, including Anthropic’s project to “destructively scan all the books in the world.”
Gift link: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ
Gift link: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ
How Silicon Valley built AI: Buying, scanning and destroying millions of books
Court filings reveal how AI companies raced to obtain more books to feed chatbots, including by buying, scanning and disposing of millions of titles.
wapo.st
January 27, 2026 at 3:20 PM
New: Unsealed court docs detail Big Tech’s yearslong, secret race to ingest the collective works of humanity, including Anthropic’s project to “destructively scan all the books in the world.”
Gift link: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ
Gift link: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Sharing again, because we still haven't passed the threshold.
We are at 77%.
This petition is really important. Sign, share and make sure others sign, please. 🙏
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public
#Speirgorm #Speirghorm
#JusticeForPalestine
We are at 77%.
This petition is really important. Sign, share and make sure others sign, please. 🙏
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public
#Speirgorm #Speirghorm
#JusticeForPalestine
January 27, 2026 at 10:01 AM
Sharing again, because we still haven't passed the threshold.
We are at 77%.
This petition is really important. Sign, share and make sure others sign, please. 🙏
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public
#Speirgorm #Speirghorm
#JusticeForPalestine
We are at 77%.
This petition is really important. Sign, share and make sure others sign, please. 🙏
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public
#Speirgorm #Speirghorm
#JusticeForPalestine
Once you set an unattainable or impossible policy goal every evidence that you have failed to meet it provides an excuse to extend your powers of coercion.
Applying the War on Drugs model of behaviour to remove the right of adults to privatly use VPNs, an objectively security-enhancing technology.
Applying the War on Drugs model of behaviour to remove the right of adults to privatly use VPNs, an objectively security-enhancing technology.
I and many others predicted this long ago. VPNs now headed for UK age gating. Amendment 94a is also massive, given its potential scope. reclaimthenet.org/uk-house-of-...
UK House of Lords Votes to Extend Age Verification to VPNs
The vote marks a stunning turn, pulling VPNs and private platforms into an age-check regime once unthinkable in a democracy.
reclaimthenet.org
January 27, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Once you set an unattainable or impossible policy goal every evidence that you have failed to meet it provides an excuse to extend your powers of coercion.
Applying the War on Drugs model of behaviour to remove the right of adults to privatly use VPNs, an objectively security-enhancing technology.
Applying the War on Drugs model of behaviour to remove the right of adults to privatly use VPNs, an objectively security-enhancing technology.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Same. Even some with accounts like Dublin bus aren't updating. But they are on the feed so if they start, we'll see.
January 27, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Same. Even some with accounts like Dublin bus aren't updating. But they are on the feed so if they start, we'll see.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Badly need more like the TFI,, GoAhead etc these days the main reason I visit X is for travel/traffic updates. #speirgorm
Inspired by #StormChandra flooding, here is an Irish travel feed. Bluesky traffic and transport updates in one place.
Suggestions for additions welcome (thanks to @livedrive.dublincityfm.ie for their list)
bsky.app/profile/cath...
#SpéirGorm
Suggestions for additions welcome (thanks to @livedrive.dublincityfm.ie for their list)
bsky.app/profile/cath...
#SpéirGorm
January 27, 2026 at 11:28 AM
Badly need more like the TFI,, GoAhead etc these days the main reason I visit X is for travel/traffic updates. #speirgorm
Reposted by Simon McGarr
I have been printing these out and leaving them lying around on desks in the office. Nobody throws receipts away in offices just in case they are important.
January 26, 2026 at 10:57 PM
I have been printing these out and leaving them lying around on desks in the office. Nobody throws receipts away in offices just in case they are important.
“Listen, I have always enjoyed the fun working environment as an Orc in Saruman’s army. But I am concerned that people will think I am a bad guy if we continue to work alongside Mordor’s orcs.”
Palantir employees are pressing company leadership over its work for ICE in internal company Slacks obtained by @wired.com
"In my opinion ICE are the bad guys. I am not proud that the company I enjoy so much working for is part of this."
Scoop from @makenakelly.bsky.social
"In my opinion ICE are the bad guys. I am not proud that the company I enjoy so much working for is part of this."
Scoop from @makenakelly.bsky.social
Palantir Defends Work With ICE to Staff Following Killing of Alex Pretti
“In my opinion ICE are the bad guys. I am not proud that the company I enjoy so much working for is part of this,” one worker wrote on Slack.
www.wired.com
January 27, 2026 at 9:50 AM
“Listen, I have always enjoyed the fun working environment as an Orc in Saruman’s army. But I am concerned that people will think I am a bad guy if we continue to work alongside Mordor’s orcs.”
Why strengthen laws that are currently not being enforced anyway?
The Government is exploring strengthening laws covering AI deepfakes, the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence will hear
Govt to explore strengthening AI deepfake laws - cttee
Minister of State with responsibility for artificial intelligence Niamh Smyth will tell the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence that the Government is exploring strengthening laws covering...
www.rte.ie
January 27, 2026 at 8:52 AM
Why strengthen laws that are currently not being enforced anyway?
Reposted by Simon McGarr
The UK version of “Project 2025” by the Reform party includes a British ICE, a concentration camp for 24,000 people, mass surveillance and withdrawing from refugee, anti-torture and anti-trafficking conventions.
It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.
It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.
January 26, 2026 at 1:22 PM
The UK version of “Project 2025” by the Reform party includes a British ICE, a concentration camp for 24,000 people, mass surveillance and withdrawing from refugee, anti-torture and anti-trafficking conventions.
It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.
It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.
This will be interesting. Who knows what fresh new items may start appearing on shelves and spice racks?
🔸 The world’s biggest free trade zone, covering 2 billion people
🔸 Unmatched access for EU companies, big and small, to India’s fast-growing economy
🔸 Tariff cuts on 96.6% of EU goods, saving EU businesses €4 billion every year
🔸 Stronger ties between the world’s two largest democracies
🔸 Unmatched access for EU companies, big and small, to India’s fast-growing economy
🔸 Tariff cuts on 96.6% of EU goods, saving EU businesses €4 billion every year
🔸 Stronger ties between the world’s two largest democracies
January 27, 2026 at 8:24 AM
This will be interesting. Who knows what fresh new items may start appearing on shelves and spice racks?
Reposted by Simon McGarr
I'm not celebrating Bovino going under the bus because I think it means this is over.
I'm celebrating that we've entered the Shitheads Going Under the Bus era.
God I'm so pumped to trip more of them under it.
I'm celebrating that we've entered the Shitheads Going Under the Bus era.
God I'm so pumped to trip more of them under it.
January 27, 2026 at 3:43 AM
I'm not celebrating Bovino going under the bus because I think it means this is over.
I'm celebrating that we've entered the Shitheads Going Under the Bus era.
God I'm so pumped to trip more of them under it.
I'm celebrating that we've entered the Shitheads Going Under the Bus era.
God I'm so pumped to trip more of them under it.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Cost of living? Mumble mumble Ukraine Covid. Housing? Mumble mumble complicated no easy populist solutions.
But could we interest you in abandoning the triple lock and ramping up military spending?
But could we interest you in abandoning the triple lock and ramping up military spending?
January 27, 2026 at 8:07 AM
Cost of living? Mumble mumble Ukraine Covid. Housing? Mumble mumble complicated no easy populist solutions.
But could we interest you in abandoning the triple lock and ramping up military spending?
But could we interest you in abandoning the triple lock and ramping up military spending?
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Sorry to twitter-post but I was looking for something in the archive and I had forgotten about this funny thing
![[2 guys on a twitter thread]
Q: Why was Ireland so poor compared to England in the 19th century? Why didn't the Industrial Revolution take off there?
A: (Over-simplistically). Needed:
energy (coal), democratic representation, institutional capital, "inventor
mindset" /culture, IP protection; geography, infrastructure (road, rail, canal), corporate form (limited liability). These interact, England had them all. IRE lacked some.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:hzn62zgeah3uzasupdcmypht/bafkreifwke2rxexgvsovo4bmgpxn53dtdqprfl23emni3glmlk3ayztngi@jpeg)
November 9, 2024 at 9:08 PM
Sorry to twitter-post but I was looking for something in the archive and I had forgotten about this funny thing
Reposted by Simon McGarr
I have a bad feeling about this…
"Shabana Mahmood announces police AI revolution & British FBI in huge shake-up"
"use of facial recognition will be ramped up & police forces will be axed in the biggest policing shake-up in 200 yrs"
"AI revolution & forces slashed"
What can possibly go wrong?
"use of facial recognition will be ramped up & police forces will be axed in the biggest policing shake-up in 200 yrs"
"AI revolution & forces slashed"
What can possibly go wrong?
Shabana Mahmood announces police AI revolution and British FBI in huge shake-up
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the use of facial recognition will be ramped up and police forces will be axed in the biggest policing shake-up in 200 years
www.mirror.co.uk
January 27, 2026 at 7:52 AM
I have a bad feeling about this…
Reposted by Simon McGarr
The night before my dad's funeral in November, the entire crew of kids and grandkids went out for karaoke. We sang songs that he liked, songs that we liked, and song that reminded us of him. It was a rowdy crazy night.
January 26, 2026 at 10:57 PM
The night before my dad's funeral in November, the entire crew of kids and grandkids went out for karaoke. We sang songs that he liked, songs that we liked, and song that reminded us of him. It was a rowdy crazy night.
Going to England later this week. Got a call from the hotel who wanted to know if I wanted to book dinner. I explained I was travelling for a family funeral so there’ll probably be a party afterwards.
English hotel lady: …
English hotel lady: …
January 26, 2026 at 10:52 PM
Going to England later this week. Got a call from the hotel who wanted to know if I wanted to book dinner. I explained I was travelling for a family funeral so there’ll probably be a party afterwards.
English hotel lady: …
English hotel lady: …
The incredible this is that an entire armed wing of the US Govt has revealed it has a humiliation kink by regularly posting stories of its own agent’s abject loserness.
“Individuals in the crowd threw food at the agents”
Amazing.
“Individuals in the crowd threw food at the agents”
Amazing.
January 26, 2026 at 9:57 PM
The incredible this is that an entire armed wing of the US Govt has revealed it has a humiliation kink by regularly posting stories of its own agent’s abject loserness.
“Individuals in the crowd threw food at the agents”
Amazing.
“Individuals in the crowd threw food at the agents”
Amazing.
I guess if I was the NY Times I would work really really hard to find an explanation other than that transphobia will destroy all of its proponent’s reputations now and forever.
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
Younger generations “have fallen out of love with Harry Potter because they have fallen out of love with the worldview the series represents,” writes Louise Perry. “Which is to say that young people have fallen out of love with liberalism.”
Younger generations “have fallen out of love with Harry Potter because they have fallen out of love with the worldview the series represents,” writes Louise Perry. “Which is to say that young people have fallen out of love with liberalism.”
Opinion | Why Gen Z Doesn’t Love ‘Harry Potter’
The wizarding worldview is naïve.
nyti.ms
January 26, 2026 at 9:49 PM
I guess if I was the NY Times I would work really really hard to find an explanation other than that transphobia will destroy all of its proponent’s reputations now and forever.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
This was a good reminder for me to add The Gist to my RSS feed reader.
Yes, RSS readers still exist!
Yes, RSS readers still exist!
One of the founding theories of The Gist is that eventually we- those who see each other’s ideas pop up regularly on little text-based networks like this- will be betrayed by an algorithm and may lose touch with each other.
Subscribing to a newsletter (free!) keeps us able to hear each other
Subscribing to a newsletter (free!) keeps us able to hear each other
January 26, 2026 at 7:57 PM
This was a good reminder for me to add The Gist to my RSS feed reader.
Yes, RSS readers still exist!
Yes, RSS readers still exist!
Reposted by Simon McGarr
If the 6% fine doesn’t exist for generating CSAM, what is it there for?
January 26, 2026 at 7:23 PM
If the 6% fine doesn’t exist for generating CSAM, what is it there for?
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Its not just Musk, the lobbying from the US government towards CnaM and the Irish government has been both subtle and overt. (This language in this state department memo to CnaM is positively insane.) www.thestory.ie/2025/09/03/u...
January 26, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Its not just Musk, the lobbying from the US government towards CnaM and the Irish government has been both subtle and overt. (This language in this state department memo to CnaM is positively insane.) www.thestory.ie/2025/09/03/u...