David Durant
@bowsy.co.uk
I've been a long-time supporter of the government technology and transformation communities since 2009. I've worked for mySociety, the GLA, HackIT and GDS. I'm on the committees for GovCamp, TransformGov Talks and the UK Polyamory Association.
Reposted by David Durant
It would be fascinating if the BBC would invite a trans person to opine at length about all this stuff rather than a succession of randos who like writing about them.
February 15, 2026 at 8:33 AM
It would be fascinating if the BBC would invite a trans person to opine at length about all this stuff rather than a succession of randos who like writing about them.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
*takes breath*
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
*takes breath*
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
It *literally* does.
Thats what it is. A document which says youre British.
Thats what it is. A document which says youre British.
February 16, 2026 at 1:13 AM
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
*takes breath*
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
*takes breath*
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Reposted by David Durant
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
February 15, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
Reposted by David Durant
In a park: A cheerful woman (50s?) sets out rugs, Māori and pride flags and toys as people gather. She performs a karakia*, then welcomes anyone nearby, especially tamariki, who'd like a free te reo Māori* lesson. Soon everyone is learning to introduce themselves. Friendship and smiles all round.(2)
February 16, 2026 at 12:24 AM
In a park: A cheerful woman (50s?) sets out rugs, Māori and pride flags and toys as people gather. She performs a karakia*, then welcomes anyone nearby, especially tamariki, who'd like a free te reo Māori* lesson. Soon everyone is learning to introduce themselves. Friendship and smiles all round.(2)
Help @goodlawproject.bsky.social continue the fight against this government's despicable attitude to #TransRights
We’re appealing to the High Court.
But we can’t do it without you.
Support our appeal here: https://goodlaw.social/m3oe
But we can’t do it without you.
Support our appeal here: https://goodlaw.social/m3oe
February 15, 2026 at 10:43 PM
Help @goodlawproject.bsky.social continue the fight against this government's despicable attitude to #TransRights
Reposted by David Durant
I think it's wrong to describe the World Service as "soft power". It's actually "info power". And these days that's a very hard form of power indeed.
And another bites the dust?
The BBC World Service will run out of funding in just seven weeks. Its funding arrangement with the Foreign Office finishes at the end of March. There is no plan for what happens next.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The BBC World Service will run out of funding in just seven weeks. Its funding arrangement with the Foreign Office finishes at the end of March. There is no plan for what happens next.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Guardian view on the BBC World Service: this is London calling | Editorial
Editorial: With just seven weeks before its funding runs out, the UK’s greatest cultural asset and most trusted international news organisation must be supported
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2026 at 8:05 PM
I think it's wrong to describe the World Service as "soft power". It's actually "info power". And these days that's a very hard form of power indeed.
Reposted by David Durant
We built Jikipedia, a new wiki that compiles Jmail data into exhaustive reports on key figures in the Epstein scandal.
It lists all recorded visits to Epstein's estates, each person's possible knowledge of Epstein's crimes and laws that they may have violated.
It lists all recorded visits to Epstein's estates, each person's possible knowledge of Epstein's crimes and laws that they may have violated.
February 15, 2026 at 7:14 AM
We built Jikipedia, a new wiki that compiles Jmail data into exhaustive reports on key figures in the Epstein scandal.
It lists all recorded visits to Epstein's estates, each person's possible knowledge of Epstein's crimes and laws that they may have violated.
It lists all recorded visits to Epstein's estates, each person's possible knowledge of Epstein's crimes and laws that they may have violated.
Reposted by David Durant
One kinda interesting thing with these LLMs is that as a byproduct you're creating a kind of moral snapshot for the future? Like, imagine the training corpus were only up to 1890, with only Victorian era people giving human reinforcement. It'd be fascinating to talk to that thing as an artifact.
February 14, 2026 at 2:20 PM
One kinda interesting thing with these LLMs is that as a byproduct you're creating a kind of moral snapshot for the future? Like, imagine the training corpus were only up to 1890, with only Victorian era people giving human reinforcement. It'd be fascinating to talk to that thing as an artifact.
Reposted by David Durant
Reposted by David Durant
Absolutely fucking not.
February 13, 2026 at 7:21 PM
Absolutely fucking not.
Reposted by David Durant
The talk to your friends app and the witness the horrors app being the same app is not great for the mental health is it
February 13, 2026 at 9:37 PM
The talk to your friends app and the witness the horrors app being the same app is not great for the mental health is it
A more interesting investigation would be how many times in history that hasn't been true. Obvious quote is obvious.
We're just going to get incumbent flip flop until someone addresses the hard issue of massive wealth inequality.
We're just going to get incumbent flip flop until someone addresses the hard issue of massive wealth inequality.
Trump approval is now sharply correlated with voters' perceived financial positions, a pattern which holds among his own voters.
February 13, 2026 at 6:45 PM
A more interesting investigation would be how many times in history that hasn't been true. Obvious quote is obvious.
We're just going to get incumbent flip flop until someone addresses the hard issue of massive wealth inequality.
We're just going to get incumbent flip flop until someone addresses the hard issue of massive wealth inequality.
It's quite incredible how much I suffer from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recency... on here. The automatic assumption that whatever's just been posted is somehow "better".
Recency bias - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
February 13, 2026 at 6:35 PM
It's quite incredible how much I suffer from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recency... on here. The automatic assumption that whatever's just been posted is somehow "better".
Please share and support Sarah however you can.
Last Friday I hosted After Section 28, a conference looking back at Section 28, the law that banned the promotion of homosexuality
February 13, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Please share and support Sarah however you can.
Thanks to @hopenothate.org.uk I've found out that the Representation of the People Bill currently in Parliament isn't just about votes for 16 but also rules to prevent foreign money influencing UK politics, more transparency for political donations and bigger consequences for breaking electoral law.
February 13, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Thanks to @hopenothate.org.uk I've found out that the Representation of the People Bill currently in Parliament isn't just about votes for 16 but also rules to prevent foreign money influencing UK politics, more transparency for political donations and bigger consequences for breaking electoral law.
There's saying the quite part out loud but this is something else. The fact that he can continue to get airtime on *any* platform only goes to show how far we gotten from the social norm. He should be banned from all publishing platforms immediately.
Fuentes, yesterday: “Our #1 political enemy is women because women constrain everything, every conversation, every man, everything. They have to be imprisoned. They are the ones that are hurting the fertility rate. They're the ones making us sympathetic to poor people, which are also brown people.”
Nick Fuentes: “The number one political enemy in America is women. … They have to be imprisoned.”
www.mediamatters.org
February 13, 2026 at 2:27 PM
There's saying the quite part out loud but this is something else. The fact that he can continue to get airtime on *any* platform only goes to show how far we gotten from the social norm. He should be banned from all publishing platforms immediately.
Reposted by David Durant
The 'certificate of entitlement' presented as an alternative to carrying a UK passport costs *£589*. This is a demonstration of spite against people who happen to have dual nationality, nothing more.
Dual nationals to be denied entry to UK from 25 February unless they have British passport
Dual nationals to be denied entry to UK from 25 February unless they have British passport
New border controls require ‘certificate of entitlement’ to attach to second nationality passport that costs £589
Dual British nationals have been warned they may be denied boarding a flight, ferry or train to the UK after 25 February unless they carry a valid British passport.
The warning by the Home Office comes amid scores of complaints from British people living or travelling abroad who have suddenly found themselves at risk of not being allowed into the country.
If you are affected by the change and want to share your story, email lisa.ocarroll@theguardian.com Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:57 PM
The 'certificate of entitlement' presented as an alternative to carrying a UK passport costs *£589*. This is a demonstration of spite against people who happen to have dual nationality, nothing more.
Reposted by David Durant
The Representation of the People Bill is a good start, but doesn't go nearly far enough. First Past the Post leaves millions unfairly shut out of democracy.
#Democracy #ElectoralReform
#Democracy #ElectoralReform
February 13, 2026 at 8:06 AM
The Representation of the People Bill is a good start, but doesn't go nearly far enough. First Past the Post leaves millions unfairly shut out of democracy.
#Democracy #ElectoralReform
#Democracy #ElectoralReform
On the one hand this has felt completely inevitable for decades. On the other, perhaps it will be undone by tech's constant drive to enshitify their own products.
See this from @tomscott.com back in 2013.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3TA...
See this from @tomscott.com back in 2013.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3TA...
February 13, 2026 at 12:39 PM
On the one hand this has felt completely inevitable for decades. On the other, perhaps it will be undone by tech's constant drive to enshitify their own products.
See this from @tomscott.com back in 2013.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3TA...
See this from @tomscott.com back in 2013.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3TA...
The key question really is whether the top government leadership really want to be this anti-immigrant of if they think it's the only way to blunt the Farge inevitability.
It won't of course.
It won't of course.
I've just responded to the Earned Settlement consultation. It closes tonight. The whole idea is dreadful but what stuck with me most is the gross arrogance of the whole exercise. A (cross) thread 🧵
gov.uk
February 13, 2026 at 2:53 AM
The key question really is whether the top government leadership really want to be this anti-immigrant of if they think it's the only way to blunt the Farge inevitability.
It won't of course.
It won't of course.
Reposted by David Durant
I've just responded to the Earned Settlement consultation. It closes tonight. The whole idea is dreadful but what stuck with me most is the gross arrogance of the whole exercise. A (cross) thread 🧵
gov.uk
February 12, 2026 at 5:56 PM
I've just responded to the Earned Settlement consultation. It closes tonight. The whole idea is dreadful but what stuck with me most is the gross arrogance of the whole exercise. A (cross) thread 🧵
Reposted by David Durant
A couple (60s?) are sitting on a bench at the seaside, companionably chatting.
Her hijab is fluttering against his shoulder in the breeze.
He's placidly puffing a pipe through a majestic bushy moustache.
Tweed flat cap firmly in place.
A waft of tobacco smoke in the air. (3)
Her hijab is fluttering against his shoulder in the breeze.
He's placidly puffing a pipe through a majestic bushy moustache.
Tweed flat cap firmly in place.
A waft of tobacco smoke in the air. (3)
February 13, 2026 at 1:57 AM
A couple (60s?) are sitting on a bench at the seaside, companionably chatting.
Her hijab is fluttering against his shoulder in the breeze.
He's placidly puffing a pipe through a majestic bushy moustache.
Tweed flat cap firmly in place.
A waft of tobacco smoke in the air. (3)
Her hijab is fluttering against his shoulder in the breeze.
He's placidly puffing a pipe through a majestic bushy moustache.
Tweed flat cap firmly in place.
A waft of tobacco smoke in the air. (3)
Sorry to see @sambentley.bsky.social has stopped posting here. Anyway - since we all just need some good news sometimes, especially these days.
www.youtube.com/shorts/QGrG5...
www.youtube.com/shorts/QGrG5...
Some Good News to get you through February
YouTube video by Sam Bentley
www.youtube.com
February 12, 2026 at 11:04 PM
Sorry to see @sambentley.bsky.social has stopped posting here. Anyway - since we all just need some good news sometimes, especially these days.
www.youtube.com/shorts/QGrG5...
www.youtube.com/shorts/QGrG5...
Excellent, thought provoking and terrifying in equal measure.
If you didn't watch it already check out the video on the @humanists.uk channel.
#DarwinDayLecture
If you didn't watch it already check out the video on the @humanists.uk channel.
#DarwinDayLecture
February 12, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Excellent, thought provoking and terrifying in equal measure.
If you didn't watch it already check out the video on the @humanists.uk channel.
#DarwinDayLecture
If you didn't watch it already check out the video on the @humanists.uk channel.
#DarwinDayLecture
Official complaints procedure worth a punt?
February 12, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Official complaints procedure worth a punt?