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.
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...
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Rest in Peace Alex Jeffrey Pretti🙏🏾 The VA ICU Nurses send him off right 💔
January 26, 2026 at 5:04 AM
Rest in Peace Alex Jeffrey Pretti🙏🏾 The VA ICU Nurses send him off right 💔
Reposted by Simon McGarr
A British soldier once used his gun to furiously knock out a tray of chips my uncle was carrying and eating after a night out in Newry, because no chippy in the town would serve them - sincerely hope no ICE officer is able to enjoy a treat for the rest of their days in their locality
January 26, 2026 at 4:51 PM
A British soldier once used his gun to furiously knock out a tray of chips my uncle was carrying and eating after a night out in Newry, because no chippy in the town would serve them - sincerely hope no ICE officer is able to enjoy a treat for the rest of their days in their locality
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 11:15 AM
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
Reposted by Simon McGarr
May their beds grow thorns
May their food choke and tear
May water never slake their thirst
And the Sun burn but never warm them
May the Earth refuse them
And the heavens turn their back
May they know no peace
No rest
No forgiveness.
May their food choke and tear
May water never slake their thirst
And the Sun burn but never warm them
May the Earth refuse them
And the heavens turn their back
May they know no peace
No rest
No forgiveness.
January 26, 2026 at 12:01 AM
May their beds grow thorns
May their food choke and tear
May water never slake their thirst
And the Sun burn but never warm them
May the Earth refuse them
And the heavens turn their back
May they know no peace
No rest
No forgiveness.
May their food choke and tear
May water never slake their thirst
And the Sun burn but never warm them
May the Earth refuse them
And the heavens turn their back
May they know no peace
No rest
No forgiveness.
This is a huge win for @iccl.bsky.social whose @johnnyryan.bsky.social has been arguing for recommender systems to face scrutiny for some time now.
Confirmed - EU Commission opens investigation into X as regards Grok nudifications - and also widens its earlier investigation into X to include recommender systems - ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
Background in context of the previous fine against X here: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
Background in context of the previous fine against X here: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
Commission investigates Grok and X\'s recommender systems under the Digital Services Act
The European Commission has launched a new formal investigation against X under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
ec.europa.eu
January 26, 2026 at 11:10 AM
This is a huge win for @iccl.bsky.social whose @johnnyryan.bsky.social has been arguing for recommender systems to face scrutiny for some time now.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Confirmed - EU Commission opens investigation into X as regards Grok nudifications - and also widens its earlier investigation into X to include recommender systems - ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
Background in context of the previous fine against X here: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
Background in context of the previous fine against X here: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
Commission investigates Grok and X\'s recommender systems under the Digital Services Act
The European Commission has launched a new formal investigation against X under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
ec.europa.eu
January 26, 2026 at 11:07 AM
Confirmed - EU Commission opens investigation into X as regards Grok nudifications - and also widens its earlier investigation into X to include recommender systems - ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
Background in context of the previous fine against X here: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
Background in context of the previous fine against X here: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Press reporting that the EU Commission will open proceedings against Grok today - www.rte.ie/news/busines...
The Commission register of documents today indeed lists the opening of a proceeding under the Digital Services Act (no further details)
The Commission register of documents today indeed lists the opening of a proceeding under the Digital Services Act (no further details)
EU Commission to open proceedings against Grok - report
The EU Commission will open proceedings against Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok under the Digital Services Act today, Germany's Handelsblatt has reported, citing three high-ranking EU officials.
www.rte.ie
January 26, 2026 at 10:37 AM
Press reporting that the EU Commission will open proceedings against Grok today - www.rte.ie/news/busines...
The Commission register of documents today indeed lists the opening of a proceeding under the Digital Services Act (no further details)
The Commission register of documents today indeed lists the opening of a proceeding under the Digital Services Act (no further details)
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Only 2000 signatures needed now for Ireland to pass the threshold. We're at 70%, France is at 300%!! For gawds sake.
C'mon #speirgorm we can do better than France!
Don't just share on the socials, send direct what's app, message, get the phone out at break time. ✊ 🇵🇸 🇮🇪
#JusticeForPalestine
C'mon #speirgorm we can do better than France!
Don't just share on the socials, send direct what's app, message, get the phone out at break time. ✊ 🇵🇸 🇮🇪
#JusticeForPalestine
Sign! For ECIs to be considered by the European Commission, each country must meet its threshold, for Ireland that's 10,080. We are currently at just under 6,000, approx 58%, so we need a big push! Belgium, Finland, France and Spain are there, let's get there too!
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public/#...
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public/#...
January 26, 2026 at 9:06 AM
Only 2000 signatures needed now for Ireland to pass the threshold. We're at 70%, France is at 300%!! For gawds sake.
C'mon #speirgorm we can do better than France!
Don't just share on the socials, send direct what's app, message, get the phone out at break time. ✊ 🇵🇸 🇮🇪
#JusticeForPalestine
C'mon #speirgorm we can do better than France!
Don't just share on the socials, send direct what's app, message, get the phone out at break time. ✊ 🇵🇸 🇮🇪
#JusticeForPalestine
Well, well, well.
2️⃣ The Charge: Grok stands accused of generating sexualised images and videos of real people—including minors—upon user request, which are then disseminated via X. Brussels views this as a severe violation of European safety standards. ⚖️🤖
January 26, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Well, well, well.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
1️⃣ Handelsblatt Exclusive: Finally, the @ec.europa.eu is set to launch proceedings against Elon Musk’s AI chatbot #Grok today, according to Handelsblatt. The aim is to force xAI to withdraw the bot from the European market under the Digital Services Act (DSA). 🇪🇺🚫
KI: EU-Kommission eröffnet Verfahren gegen Chatbot Grok
Die EU-Kommission will härter gegen sexualisierte Bilder des KI-Bots vorgehen. Das erfuhr das Handelsblatt exklusiv. Zuvor war die Entscheidung aus politischer Sorge verschoben worden.
www.handelsblatt.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:56 AM
1️⃣ Handelsblatt Exclusive: Finally, the @ec.europa.eu is set to launch proceedings against Elon Musk’s AI chatbot #Grok today, according to Handelsblatt. The aim is to force xAI to withdraw the bot from the European market under the Digital Services Act (DSA). 🇪🇺🚫