Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 2h

On the virtues of regulation lithub.com/how-american...

How American Tech Cartels Use Apps to Break the Law

The death of competition spells doom for regulation. Competition is an essential component of effective regulation, for two reasons: First, competition keeps the companies within a sector from all …

lithub.com

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Reposted by Benedict Garman

Jack Sapoch @jacksapoch.bsky.social · 7h

NEW: Since October 2023, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit has released dozens of 3D animations illustrating alleged Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian sites

The style is now unmistakable: satellite zoom-ins, black & white wireframes, and red-textured houses - a new visual language of war

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 1d

We might have thought a "post truth" world would stem from politicians presenting "alternative facts", or mis- and disinfo going viral. Turns out AI is doing the job more insidiously and comprehensively than that. Society has embraced a technology which is fundamentally incompatible with truth.

Ulrike Franke @rikefranke.bsky.social · 1d

And here we go. I never wrote this article, and yet it is cited here.

www.liberalbriefs.com/geopolitics/...

And of course, it sounds so plausible, I seriously checked whether I had forgotten it, or the footnote was slightly wrong.

#AIisnotresearch

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 3d

Great line: "I am much more concerned about the decline of thinking people than I am about the rise of thinking machines." www.theargumentmag.com/p/you-have-1...

“You have 18 months”

The real deadline isn’t when AI outsmarts us — it’s when we stop using our own minds.

www.theargumentmag.com

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Reposted by Benedict Garman

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · 3d

NEW: breach of Discord age verification data.

Including some users passports & DLs

Age verification is a badly implemented data grab wrapped in a moral panic.

Mark my words, as age verification mandates expand, we'll end up more surveilled and less secure. 1/

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Brendan Gutenschwager @bgonthescene.bsky.social · 3d

Teargas deployed and multiple arrests made this afternoon in Chicago

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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 3d

A WILD ONE: A man broke his leg during an arrest by ICE at a car wash south of L.A.

ICE has held him under 24/7 guard at a hospital, registering him under a pseudonym, for *37 days* without telling him why.

A judge has ordered his immediate release.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 6d

Two tanks, gunfire and smoke plumes from explosions in a video filmed from IDF position in western Gaza City, 400m from the (no-longer operational) Al Quds hospital building. This area is now an IDF stronghold as they continue to advance in the city. Video uploaded 30 Sept. POV 31.507616, 34.435320

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 6d

Six excavators moving on Gaza City from IDF held Netzarim Corridor. Smoke from distant explosions rises over the cityscape. (Uploaded 30 Sept. POV 0-10s: 31.491255, 34.434879, 10s-end: 31.492520, 34.435776)

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 6d

Important investigation from BBC Panorama uncovering attitudes of some in the Met police www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Secret BBC filming exposes hidden culture of racism and misogyny inside Met Police

Panorama undercover investigation captures evidence that

www.bbc.co.uk

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 6d

Ukraine's strategic attacks on oil refineries causing problems for Russia, from @olgar.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Surge in Ukrainian oil refinery attacks sparks Russian fuel shortages

Ukraine has attacked refineries deep inside Russia, with Zelensky vowing to continue the strikes.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 6d

Maxar has become Vantor. New logo etc. Still apparently not on Bluesky though. vantor.com/blog/vantor-...

Reposted by Benedict Garman

Charlie Warzel @cwarzel.bsky.social · 7d

feels like we're living through some kind of cultural gas leak

The Verge @theverge.com · 9d

Microsoft launches ‘vibe working’ in Excel and Word

Vibe working is all about Office’s new Agent Mode.

buff.ly

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RUSI @rusi.bsky.social · 7d

'Partners will need to be prepared for the use of US military power in a way that is deeply uncomfortable' writes @mtsavill.bsky.social in the latest RUSI Commentary.

Not Business as Usual: Why Trump’s War Department Rhetoric Matters

Much of the language coming out of the gathering of US military leaders this week could be dismissed as political spectacle. But international partners of the US should take seriously the US Administr...

www.rusi.org

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Reposted by Benedict Garman

Mike Wendling @wendling.bsky.social · 9d

Donald Trump posted a weird fake video about medbeds not because he believes what was in it, but because the people who are into conspiracy theories like medbeds are at the core of his movement.
Also: I used a medbed! It was not good.
open.substack.com/pub/thedayof...

The reason Donald Trump posted a fake video about a fictional technology called 'medbeds'

And what happened when I spent 20 sad minutes lying down on one of them

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Benedict Garman

Merlyn Thomas @merlynthomas.bsky.social · 9d

BBC Verify tasked new satellite imagery to track the Israeli military offensive in Gaza City in near real time. What we found was Israeli military presence deep into the city and closing in on its last remaining residents.

Reporting with @benedictgarman.com @mesutersoz.com @herdjemimah.bsky.social

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Reposted by Benedict Garman

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 11d

Trump says he’s authorized Hegseth to use “Full Force” against Antifa in “War ravaged” Portland

At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

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The Onion @theonion.com · 12d

Talk Of Fascism Dangerous, Warns Ministry Of Compliance

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Zack Whittaker @zackwhittaker.com · 12d

ICYMI: A viral app called Neon, which pays you to record your phone calls so your audio can be used to train AI, has gone offline after I discovered a security lapse that allowed any user to access the phone numbers, call recordings, and call transcriptions of any other user.

Exclusive: Neon takes down app after exposing users' phone numbers, call recordings, and transcripts

Call recording app Neon was one of the top-ranked iPhone apps, but was pulled offline after a security bug allowed any logged-in user to access the call recordings and transcripts of any other user.

techcrunch.com

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Reposted by Benedict Garman

Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 12d

Good to see 2nd set of meeting notes from the National Estate for Nature group now been published: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68c04a...

Including commitment to "mapping all members’ land holdings to enhance transparency"

Here's my attempt to map them: whoownsengland.org/2025/06/10/m...

Mapping the ‘National Estate for Nature’ – and what it should do next

This post is by Guy Shrubsole. Image: the Lulworth Ranges in Dorset, on a long lease from the Weld Estate to the Ministry of Defence. Back in March, the Government announced it was forming a new &#…

whoownsengland.org

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 12d

#edgy

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 12d

Divide and conquer. Still a flawless strategy. www.theverge.com/news/786313/...

Instagram’s ‘pay or consent’ approach to ads is coming to UK after being rejected in EU

Facebook and Instagram users face a choice: subscribe, or deal with personalized ads.

www.theverge.com

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Reposted by Benedict Garman

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13d

Trump to Erdogan: "He knows about rigged elections better than anybody. But when I was in exile, we were still friends."

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Benedict Garman @benedictgarman.com · 16d

He back. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Disney reinstates Jimmy Kimmel after suspension over Charlie Kirk remarks

The late-night comic's show will return to air after Disney said it had

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Benedict Garman

UK Defence Journal @ukdefencejournal.org.uk · 16d

Avoiding the Taiwan Strait doesn’t lower risk, it validates Beijing’s claim. Freedom of navigation matters most where it’s contested.

Glenn Plummer I👀U @glenntheplummer.bsky.social · 16d

Just because they can carry out FONOPS doesn’t mean they should. I feel it’s more contrived than navigating in international waters. Western navies can easily sail east of Taiwan, but choose go through the Taiwan Strait with the intention of baiting China and annoying them. I’ve said my piece. Tx.

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