Aidan O’Brien
@aidanobrien.bsky.social
Policy Researcher @edmoireland.bsky.social (all views yadda yadda yadda)
Internet Governance, Tech Regulation and Disinformation.
Would honestly rather be talking about movies.
(He/Him)
Internet Governance, Tech Regulation and Disinformation.
Would honestly rather be talking about movies.
(He/Him)
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Remember when tech companies vowed to do more to stop the flow of disinformation on their platforms?
Instead, courtesy of genAI and lax moderation, it's never been harder to discern what's real from what isn't -- especially during breaking news events like today. From @davidgilbert.bsky.social
Instead, courtesy of genAI and lax moderation, it's never been harder to discern what's real from what isn't -- especially during breaking news events like today. From @davidgilbert.bsky.social
Disinformation Floods Social Media After Nicolás Maduro's Capture
From seemingly AI-generated videos to the recirculation of old footage, TikTok, Instagram, and X did little to stop the onslaught of misleading posts in the wake of the US invasion of Venezuela.
www.wired.com
January 3, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Remember when tech companies vowed to do more to stop the flow of disinformation on their platforms?
Instead, courtesy of genAI and lax moderation, it's never been harder to discern what's real from what isn't -- especially during breaking news events like today. From @davidgilbert.bsky.social
Instead, courtesy of genAI and lax moderation, it's never been harder to discern what's real from what isn't -- especially during breaking news events like today. From @davidgilbert.bsky.social
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Maduro was a brutal repressive dictator who destroyed Venezuela. Trump did not have congressional or UN approval to engage in unilateral regime change. Trump's actions were illegal. All of those things can be true at the same time. Don't let them make this about Maduro.
January 3, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Maduro was a brutal repressive dictator who destroyed Venezuela. Trump did not have congressional or UN approval to engage in unilateral regime change. Trump's actions were illegal. All of those things can be true at the same time. Don't let them make this about Maduro.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
working on these ideas now
January 3, 2026 at 12:19 PM
working on these ideas now
"The President of the United States cannot unilaterally decide to invade a sovereign Central American country, kidnap their President and force them to stand trial in a US Court!"
January 3, 2026 at 2:01 PM
"The President of the United States cannot unilaterally decide to invade a sovereign Central American country, kidnap their President and force them to stand trial in a US Court!"
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
damn
January 3, 2026 at 12:44 PM
damn
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
zero notes whatsoever
January 2, 2026 at 6:15 PM
zero notes whatsoever
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
There is a strong argument that X and its officers are committing offences by providing Grok's nudifying function in Ireland.
January 2, 2026 at 1:55 PM
There is a strong argument that X and its officers are committing offences by providing Grok's nudifying function in Ireland.
This is absolutely true. We all remember reading in our history books about how O'Connell agitated for the right of every Irishman to rent out his 2nd or 3rd home to German tourists for €1,500 a week (€1,800 during high season)
January 2, 2026 at 1:28 PM
This is absolutely true. We all remember reading in our history books about how O'Connell agitated for the right of every Irishman to rent out his 2nd or 3rd home to German tourists for €1,500 a week (€1,800 during high season)
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
"it's essential to rural Ireland" has become a floating signifier you can use to argue against anything, no matter how nonsensical. Banning fox hunting, doing anything at all for the environment, regulating short-term rental
I'm sure we'll hear that data centres are essential to rural Ireland soon
I'm sure we'll hear that data centres are essential to rural Ireland soon
Healy-Rae urges ‘serious rethink’ of planned short-term lets crackdown
Healy-Rae urges ‘serious rethink’ of planned short-term lets crackdown
Minister of State tells Taoiseach this should happen ‘before irreparable damage is done to rural Ireland’
www.irishtimes.com
January 2, 2026 at 1:06 PM
"it's essential to rural Ireland" has become a floating signifier you can use to argue against anything, no matter how nonsensical. Banning fox hunting, doing anything at all for the environment, regulating short-term rental
I'm sure we'll hear that data centres are essential to rural Ireland soon
I'm sure we'll hear that data centres are essential to rural Ireland soon
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Lucy Dacus performs "Bread and Roses" - the Labor Anthem - at the Inauguration of Zohran Mamdani.
January 1, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Lucy Dacus performs "Bread and Roses" - the Labor Anthem - at the Inauguration of Zohran Mamdani.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Australian Social Media ban is not working, so now the “war on teens” people are demanding outright phone bans…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/138755
#SocialMediaBan #australia #censorship #surveillance #vpns
https://alecmuffett.com/article/138755
#SocialMediaBan #australia #censorship #surveillance #vpns
Australian Social Media ban is not working, so now the “war on teens” people are demanding outright phone bans…
Not entirely surprising; and this won’t work either:
alecmuffett.com
January 2, 2026 at 10:05 AM
Australian Social Media ban is not working, so now the “war on teens” people are demanding outright phone bans…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/138755
#SocialMediaBan #australia #censorship #surveillance #vpns
https://alecmuffett.com/article/138755
#SocialMediaBan #australia #censorship #surveillance #vpns
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Old enough to remember when the United States government sanctioned European citizens for the crime of promoting the regulation of these platforms
so x dot com’s ai generated CSAM and they admitted it may violate US law and … i haven’t seen in anyone in power say much at all or call to stop using the platform
January 2, 2026 at 8:53 AM
Old enough to remember when the United States government sanctioned European citizens for the crime of promoting the regulation of these platforms
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Grok is an algorithm. It can’t feel remorse or apologise. This is entirely on those who own and operate it, and the message below is a sickening attempt to dodge responsibility.
so x dot com’s ai generated CSAM and they admitted it may violate US law and … i haven’t seen in anyone in power say much at all or call to stop using the platform
January 2, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Grok is an algorithm. It can’t feel remorse or apologise. This is entirely on those who own and operate it, and the message below is a sickening attempt to dodge responsibility.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
In what's now become an annual tradition, I've written another piece for The Gist about how and why I hate A.I.
On a bubble about to burst, a future rotted to its core, and the limits of the Mrs Doyle Theory of artificial intelligence.
www.thegist.ie/guest-gist-2...
On a bubble about to burst, a future rotted to its core, and the limits of the Mrs Doyle Theory of artificial intelligence.
www.thegist.ie/guest-gist-2...
Guest Gist: 2026, Our Already Rotting Future
Seamus O'Reilly warns of AI maximum bubbledrive this year.
www.thegist.ie
January 2, 2026 at 10:25 AM
In what's now become an annual tradition, I've written another piece for The Gist about how and why I hate A.I.
On a bubble about to burst, a future rotted to its core, and the limits of the Mrs Doyle Theory of artificial intelligence.
www.thegist.ie/guest-gist-2...
On a bubble about to burst, a future rotted to its core, and the limits of the Mrs Doyle Theory of artificial intelligence.
www.thegist.ie/guest-gist-2...
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Grok + X now seems to be awash with images undressing women, without consent. It is an issue with the potential for a very very broad coalition - across political divides - to insist the Musk platform gets back within the law, on all fronts, not just this example.
www.cnbctv18.com/technology/g...
www.cnbctv18.com/technology/g...
Global outrage as X’s Grok morphs photos of women, children into explicit content - CNBC TV18
X is facing backlash after users exploited its Grok AI to morph photos of women and children into explicit images, sparking global concern over AI-driven sexual abuse and platform safety.
www.cnbctv18.com
January 1, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Grok + X now seems to be awash with images undressing women, without consent. It is an issue with the potential for a very very broad coalition - across political divides - to insist the Musk platform gets back within the law, on all fronts, not just this example.
www.cnbctv18.com/technology/g...
www.cnbctv18.com/technology/g...
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
I'm excited to be at the 'Interview' stage of my Doctoral research. If you work in the Republic of Ireland and might have contacts with students who could participate, please share with parents (for age 13-15 years) and/or students (age 16+). Thank you!
January 1, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
While there aren't any obvious candidates to be "an Irish Trump", individual points of a hard right agenda can, will, and have been normalised and delivered by existing political and media structures.
#speirgorm 🇮🇪
Irish friends, family & neighbors: kick him out NOW! Ban him & his organization from your shores.
If you dont act early, you will become as fascist as America before you know it!
#SaveDemocracy www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
Irish friends, family & neighbors: kick him out NOW! Ban him & his organization from your shores.
If you dont act early, you will become as fascist as America before you know it!
#SaveDemocracy www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
Steve Bannon promises ‘Irish Trump’ and says he is working to form ‘national party’ in Ireland
Former White House strategist says he is ‘behind the scenes on the Irish situation’
www.irishtimes.com
January 1, 2026 at 10:32 AM
While there aren't any obvious candidates to be "an Irish Trump", individual points of a hard right agenda can, will, and have been normalised and delivered by existing political and media structures.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Trampolines are the leading cause of orthopaedic injuries in children in Ireland.
Recent addition shared a lot less eagerly is that e-scooters are the leading cause of brain injuries in children in Ireland.
Recent addition shared a lot less eagerly is that e-scooters are the leading cause of brain injuries in children in Ireland.
Ok folks: what is your favorite fact that you share with people (maybe a bit too) eagerly?
December 31, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Trampolines are the leading cause of orthopaedic injuries in children in Ireland.
Recent addition shared a lot less eagerly is that e-scooters are the leading cause of brain injuries in children in Ireland.
Recent addition shared a lot less eagerly is that e-scooters are the leading cause of brain injuries in children in Ireland.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
This reporting was possible because of funding from the Simon Cumbers fund and the Irish Times' commitment to foreign reporting. The latter shouldn't be taken for granted. It's hugely expensive and doesn't make much commercial sense but it's really important.
And at the end of it all I wrote this piece about what I came away thinking about the whole thing (also, that's the baby that chewed my notebook in the previous piece about the women's centre in the Adre camp): www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
Patrick Freyne: Returning home from Chad, I feel there’s a glitch in western empathy
The Sudan war is the world’s biggest humanitarian disaster, but it seems our human compassion is taken up by other conflicts
www.irishtimes.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:05 PM
This reporting was possible because of funding from the Simon Cumbers fund and the Irish Times' commitment to foreign reporting. The latter shouldn't be taken for granted. It's hugely expensive and doesn't make much commercial sense but it's really important.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Trans people exist. In every culture and every society on the planet, and have done throughout recorded history. They are a natural part of the human condition and always will be because (spoiler alert!) they are born every day. They aren't an ideology, they are people.
Hate is an ideology though!
Hate is an ideology though!
“This must be the year Britain finally kills off gay ideology”
“This must be the year Britain finally kills off disabled ideology”
“This must be the year Britain finally kills off black ideology”
…See how bigoted it sounds!?
Also note the radicalisation of Suzanne Moore via transphobia!
“This must be the year Britain finally kills off disabled ideology”
“This must be the year Britain finally kills off black ideology”
…See how bigoted it sounds!?
Also note the radicalisation of Suzanne Moore via transphobia!
December 30, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Trans people exist. In every culture and every society on the planet, and have done throughout recorded history. They are a natural part of the human condition and always will be because (spoiler alert!) they are born every day. They aren't an ideology, they are people.
Hate is an ideology though!
Hate is an ideology though!
All this will be lost like tears in the rain
December 30, 2025 at 1:16 PM
All this will be lost like tears in the rain
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
What is it like when an IPAS centre suddenly leaves a town? And why is it so hard to find out why there's been a sharp increase in cancelled contracts with these centres?
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...
‘We were heartbroken when they left’: removal of asylum seekers from Wicklow village raises questions
Tynte House in Dunlavin, Co Wicklow, is one of 22 contracts for international protection accommodation centres that ended in 2025
www.irishtimes.com
December 30, 2025 at 11:06 AM
What is it like when an IPAS centre suddenly leaves a town? And why is it so hard to find out why there's been a sharp increase in cancelled contracts with these centres?
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
December 30, 2025 at 4:21 AM
This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
"Romantic Ireland's dead and gone" etc.
December 30, 2025 at 11:56 AM
"Romantic Ireland's dead and gone" etc.
MY LIMES!!!!
New Irish Folklore Commission Schools’ Project where kids have to preserve vanishing online culture by interviewing elder Millennials
December 30, 2025 at 10:53 AM
MY LIMES!!!!