Claire McGing
@clairemcging.bsky.social
Work in EDI & Sexual Violence Prevention in Irish HE. Research & write about gender politics & elections. Book worm. Latest publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com:5037/science/article/abs/pii/S0962629825001969
Reposted by Claire McGing
24% of people who voted Labour at the last general election now plan to
vote Green or Lib Dem.
0% of those who voted Reform at the last election now plan to vote Labour.
vote Green or Lib Dem.
0% of those who voted Reform at the last election now plan to vote Labour.
January 21, 2026 at 10:05 PM
24% of people who voted Labour at the last general election now plan to
vote Green or Lib Dem.
0% of those who voted Reform at the last election now plan to vote Labour.
vote Green or Lib Dem.
0% of those who voted Reform at the last election now plan to vote Labour.
Reposted by Claire McGing
Netherlands should join and offer to host the first meeting at the exclusive, famous, gilded and very luxurious palace called "The Hague".
So far the "Board of Peace" is Trump, Orban, Lukaschenko and Netanyahu.
Which if you wrote in a satire would be considered too outlandish and sent back.
Which if you wrote in a satire would be considered too outlandish and sent back.
January 21, 2026 at 7:26 AM
Netherlands should join and offer to host the first meeting at the exclusive, famous, gilded and very luxurious palace called "The Hague".
Saw Hamnet this evening. What a raw, heartbreaking and beautiful movie. ❤️ Jessie Buckley is outstanding in the role of Agnes. Also love Emily Watson in everything! #hamnet
January 19, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Saw Hamnet this evening. What a raw, heartbreaking and beautiful movie. ❤️ Jessie Buckley is outstanding in the role of Agnes. Also love Emily Watson in everything! #hamnet
Reposted by Claire McGing
God be with the days when the Governmet was out singing about the trade deal for giving us “certainty” and “clarity” in our relationship with Donald Trump’s America.
January 19, 2026 at 6:49 AM
God be with the days when the Governmet was out singing about the trade deal for giving us “certainty” and “clarity” in our relationship with Donald Trump’s America.
Reposted by Claire McGing
“So now you have the Gardaí, the AI Minister and multiple legal experts including @iccl.bsky.social saying the legislation is all there already - it’s going to be increasingly difficult for the Government not to take a position on this”.
January 14, 2026 at 5:58 PM
“So now you have the Gardaí, the AI Minister and multiple legal experts including @iccl.bsky.social saying the legislation is all there already - it’s going to be increasingly difficult for the Government not to take a position on this”.
Reposted by Claire McGing
Damning.
"A study this week found that approx 6,000 child sex abuse & sexual harassment images are now being generated (& published online) every hour by X Internet Unlimited Company. Per Ireland's Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, 99% are of women & girls."
"A study this week found that approx 6,000 child sex abuse & sexual harassment images are now being generated (& published online) every hour by X Internet Unlimited Company. Per Ireland's Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, 99% are of women & girls."
In Dublin, on Fenian Street, there's a factory that makes child sex abuse material.
You can pay it money, as a subscription, and that's one of the services it offers. This doesn't happen by mistake or because you've tricked or hacked the system.
It’s a feature.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
You can pay it money, as a subscription, and that's one of the services it offers. This doesn't happen by mistake or because you've tricked or hacked the system.
It’s a feature.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
The Gist: The Abuse Factory
X, the child abuse imagery app, revealed our state has no red lines. This is the Gist.
www.thegist.ie
January 10, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Damning.
"A study this week found that approx 6,000 child sex abuse & sexual harassment images are now being generated (& published online) every hour by X Internet Unlimited Company. Per Ireland's Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, 99% are of women & girls."
"A study this week found that approx 6,000 child sex abuse & sexual harassment images are now being generated (& published online) every hour by X Internet Unlimited Company. Per Ireland's Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, 99% are of women & girls."
Reposted by Claire McGing
"The machinery of our state was built to protect and defend institutions of power."
Truer word were never written.
Truer word were never written.
"Consequence-free physical and sexual abuse of children was part of the deal the institutional Church offered the Irish state for to run schools, hospitals and other expensive-looking services.
This week the Taoiseach demonstrated the same mental habits."
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
This week the Taoiseach demonstrated the same mental habits."
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
The Gist: The Abuse Factory
X, the child abuse imagery app, revealed our state has no red lines. This is the Gist.
www.thegist.ie
January 10, 2026 at 3:04 PM
"The machinery of our state was built to protect and defend institutions of power."
Truer word were never written.
Truer word were never written.
Brilliant piece from @carlkinsella.bsky.social. "If you feel comfortable with any of this, you shouldn’t. If you’re not scared by it, then I think you’re pretending." 👏
'What is that supposed to mean? That the law is obsolete in the face of a white supremacist sexual exploitation material-generating machine?'
It's the first column of the new year and it's grimmer than ever before, my friends.
It's the first column of the new year and it's grimmer than ever before, my friends.
Surrealing in the Years: We're entering a new era of lawlessness. Don't expect much help from our leaders
Am I going completely insane?
www.thejournal.ie
January 10, 2026 at 11:32 AM
Brilliant piece from @carlkinsella.bsky.social. "If you feel comfortable with any of this, you shouldn’t. If you’re not scared by it, then I think you’re pretending." 👏
Reposted by Claire McGing
One reason I feel like I'm going mad is, even if Musk did immediately halt Grok and issue a grovelling apology - rather than PAYWALLING IT - he should *still* be prosecuted and his website banned. Very obviously! You don't get out of CSAM charges by just stopping. AND HE STILL HASN'T STOPPED.
Now only paying subscribers can make violent non-consenual sexual imagery of women and children -
Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery
X to limit editing function to paying subscribers after platform threatened with fines and regulatory action
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:46 AM
One reason I feel like I'm going mad is, even if Musk did immediately halt Grok and issue a grovelling apology - rather than PAYWALLING IT - he should *still* be prosecuted and his website banned. Very obviously! You don't get out of CSAM charges by just stopping. AND HE STILL HASN'T STOPPED.
Reposted by Claire McGing
There are real people, real women, real girls whose images have been edited by grok at the request of users.
This is not some fictionalised, nebulous harm.
That the 'adults in the room' and 'rules-based order' governments are humming and hawwing over taking a firm line on this is extraordinary
This is not some fictionalised, nebulous harm.
That the 'adults in the room' and 'rules-based order' governments are humming and hawwing over taking a firm line on this is extraordinary
January 8, 2026 at 9:38 AM
There are real people, real women, real girls whose images have been edited by grok at the request of users.
This is not some fictionalised, nebulous harm.
That the 'adults in the room' and 'rules-based order' governments are humming and hawwing over taking a firm line on this is extraordinary
This is not some fictionalised, nebulous harm.
That the 'adults in the room' and 'rules-based order' governments are humming and hawwing over taking a firm line on this is extraordinary
Guns don't kill people, etc.
This is... extraordinary.
This is... extraordinary.
"It's not necessarily the app that's making the images... it's people using the app that's making the images. Making images of that sort is reprehensible..."
No, people are asking the app to make the images.
IT'S A FEATURE. Not a bug.
No, people are asking the app to make the images.
IT'S A FEATURE. Not a bug.
January 8, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Guns don't kill people, etc.
This is... extraordinary.
This is... extraordinary.
Reposted by Claire McGing
Section 5(1)(f) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 (as amended) makes it a criminal offence to knowingly facilitate the production or distribution of sexualised images of children. The problem here isn't the law - it's the political willingnesss to enforce it against X.
My word. (Again.)
Media Minister Patrick O'Donovan: "At the end of the day, it's the choice of a person to make these images... technology is moving so fast... even if the law is changed there's no doubt about... the advances are far faster than law is able to respond..."
Media Minister Patrick O'Donovan: "At the end of the day, it's the choice of a person to make these images... technology is moving so fast... even if the law is changed there's no doubt about... the advances are far faster than law is able to respond..."
January 8, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Section 5(1)(f) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 (as amended) makes it a criminal offence to knowingly facilitate the production or distribution of sexualised images of children. The problem here isn't the law - it's the political willingnesss to enforce it against X.
Reposted by Claire McGing
NYT:
The death toll for the US attack on Venezuela has risen to 80, including civilians and members of security forces, and could rise further.
The death toll for the US attack on Venezuela has risen to 80, including civilians and members of security forces, and could rise further.
January 4, 2026 at 7:17 PM
NYT:
The death toll for the US attack on Venezuela has risen to 80, including civilians and members of security forces, and could rise further.
The death toll for the US attack on Venezuela has risen to 80, including civilians and members of security forces, and could rise further.
Reposted by Claire McGing
NYT gonna NYT: "Both Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Maduro identify as socialists, though they have no relationship.” — would be funny if they did this every time you write about two capitalists.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
Mamdani Called Trump to Criticize Venezuela Strikes
www.nytimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:01 PM
NYT gonna NYT: "Both Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Maduro identify as socialists, though they have no relationship.” — would be funny if they did this every time you write about two capitalists.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
Reposted by Claire McGing
Meanwhile: "Spain did not recognize the Maduro regime. But neither will it recognize an intervention that violates international law and pushes the region toward a horizon of uncertainty and belligerence", Sanchez wrote on X
bsky.app/profile/reut...
bsky.app/profile/reut...
Spain will not recognize US intervention in Venezuela, PM says reut.rs/4ppZOJb
Spain will not recognize US intervention in Venezuela, PM says
Spain will not recognize a U.S. intervention in Venezuela that violates international law, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday, after U.S. forces captured long-serving Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an overnight operation.
reut.rs
January 3, 2026 at 8:47 PM
Meanwhile: "Spain did not recognize the Maduro regime. But neither will it recognize an intervention that violates international law and pushes the region toward a horizon of uncertainty and belligerence", Sanchez wrote on X
bsky.app/profile/reut...
bsky.app/profile/reut...
Absolutely shameful.
A Mayo-based doctor has said "words cannot describe" the "anxiety, depression and safety concerns" migrant healthcare workers are experiencing in Ireland
Migrant workers living in fear of racist abuse - doctor
A Mayo-based doctor has said "words cannot describe" the "anxiety, depression and safety concerns" migrant healthcare workers are experiencing in Ireland.
www.rte.ie
December 30, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Absolutely shameful.
Reposted by Claire McGing
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!
A moneylender (Scrooge). 👀
Well, now I'm an English professor...
December 29, 2025 at 10:51 PM
A moneylender (Scrooge). 👀
Reposted by Claire McGing
Much like the Public Services Card, my biggest concern is that there's only a handful of journalists who actually understand data protection and can argue against this.
I don't want to be hearing from opinion columinists who argued the PSC was kinda like a gym card (this happened)
I don't want to be hearing from opinion columinists who argued the PSC was kinda like a gym card (this happened)
In an interview with Extra.ie, Tánaiste Simon Harris, the Irish Deputy PM, said that he will use Ireland holding rotating EU presidency next year to lead calls for the introduction of ID-verified social media accounts in the EU as well as ban social media for kids
extra.ie/2025/12/28/n...
extra.ie/2025/12/28/n...
Simon Harris says Ireland to lead EU drive for ID-verified social media
In an interview with Extra.ie, Tánaiste Simon Harris said that the Government will lead calls for the introduction of ID-verified social media accounts.
extra.ie
December 29, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Much like the Public Services Card, my biggest concern is that there's only a handful of journalists who actually understand data protection and can argue against this.
I don't want to be hearing from opinion columinists who argued the PSC was kinda like a gym card (this happened)
I don't want to be hearing from opinion columinists who argued the PSC was kinda like a gym card (this happened)
Reposted by Claire McGing
Reposted by Claire McGing
Officials feared Irish women travelling for abortion could be prosecuted on return
Officials feared Irish women travelling for abortion could be prosecuted on return
In wake of X case and 1992 referendum, fresh restrictions - including injunctions on travel - caused concern
www.irishtimes.com
December 28, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Officials feared Irish women travelling for abortion could be prosecuted on return
Reposted by Claire McGing
With my tinfoil hat on, I detect an effort to normalise talk on immigration that would have been considered extreme a few years ago. No mention of any achievements or the like, just wishy washy statements like "he hasn’t shied away from the thorny issue of immigration"
December 27, 2025 at 3:54 PM
With my tinfoil hat on, I detect an effort to normalise talk on immigration that would have been considered extreme a few years ago. No mention of any achievements or the like, just wishy washy statements like "he hasn’t shied away from the thorny issue of immigration"
Reposted by Claire McGing
I've been off social media a lot, for me, this afternoon, but catching up and what the actual fuck is wrong with some people. You can absolutely condemn the Israeli government for its genocide in Gaza. If you use that in any way shape or form to minimise the attack in Sydney you need serious help.
December 14, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I've been off social media a lot, for me, this afternoon, but catching up and what the actual fuck is wrong with some people. You can absolutely condemn the Israeli government for its genocide in Gaza. If you use that in any way shape or form to minimise the attack in Sydney you need serious help.
Reposted by Claire McGing
“Reform is tearing us apart”, says the man trying desperately to out-Reform them 🤡
December 6, 2025 at 9:34 PM
“Reform is tearing us apart”, says the man trying desperately to out-Reform them 🤡
Being with her was intimate and helpful, like a cure you didn't notice happening. ❤️
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 6, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Being with her was intimate and helpful, like a cure you didn't notice happening. ❤️