Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
@gswrites.bsky.social
Pop science writer/editor consultant for hire, specialising in astronomy and its history. Regular nerd with @somethingwho.bsky.social
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Bed of frogs, Germany, C15th. #FrogsForFriday
January 9, 2026 at 6:37 AM
Bed of frogs, Germany, C15th. #FrogsForFriday
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
A lot of our politicians are increasingly Very Online Weirdos and I often wonder how they sound to the majority of voters who are not Very Online Weirdos.
The thing about any UK Twitter/X ban is that our political class are addicted to it. McSweeney bases his entire ideology on what weirdos on there are saying, Farage uses it because it boosts his reach and its where Kemi Badenoch finds all her favourite conspiracy theories.
January 9, 2026 at 9:57 AM
A lot of our politicians are increasingly Very Online Weirdos and I often wonder how they sound to the majority of voters who are not Very Online Weirdos.
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Hello Tim Cook I worked at Tumblr when you gave us 48 hours to get rid of all the consenting, adult boobs. Up all night at your whim, out of the blue. But you're still cool with Twitter and its CSAM and revenge porn and whatever the fuck this is? Why do you even HAVE guidelines?
Previously, several of these companies, like Apple, IBM, and Disney, have paused advertising on X in response to antisemitic content. But antisemitism on X never slowed, sexual abuse imagery increased, and all of these companies quietly resumed advertising anyways.
spitfirenews.com/p/grok-deepf...
spitfirenews.com/p/grok-deepf...
Why isn't there a bigger Grok boycott?
Advertisers, politicians, and investors are still all-in on X, despite a sexual abuse crisis.
spitfirenews.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Hello Tim Cook I worked at Tumblr when you gave us 48 hours to get rid of all the consenting, adult boobs. Up all night at your whim, out of the blue. But you're still cool with Twitter and its CSAM and revenge porn and whatever the fuck this is? Why do you even HAVE guidelines?
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
banning X is a national security issue for every country, plain and simple
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
January 8, 2026 at 5:43 PM
banning X is a national security issue for every country, plain and simple
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
On crucial issues the BBC now barely even tries to report facts, only the perspectives of particular political actors on the facts, & without helping anyone understand which perspectives might be worthy of belief. This helped lead to Brexit & now it‘s helping to normalise fascism internationally
Two starkly opposed Americas laid bare by deadly ICE shooting
The incident is threatening to inflame a deeply contentious debate over immigration enforcement.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 8, 2026 at 11:54 PM
On crucial issues the BBC now barely even tries to report facts, only the perspectives of particular political actors on the facts, & without helping anyone understand which perspectives might be worthy of belief. This helped lead to Brexit & now it‘s helping to normalise fascism internationally
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
The problem after 14 years of damage wreaked by the Tories is that we now have a f***ed up BBC and a f***ed up NHS
But, remember, the f***ing up has come from outside. It is not intrinsic
We desperately need a properly functioning BBC and properly functioning NHS
But, remember, the f***ing up has come from outside. It is not intrinsic
We desperately need a properly functioning BBC and properly functioning NHS
BBC Radio 4 'Today'
Reading out headlines from the right-wing propaganda newspapers without question or challenge, as if they're printing the unbiased truth.
Such bollocks.
The BBC is part of the problem: just a mouthpiece for our rotten imitation of a democracy, controlled by the rich.
#r4today
Reading out headlines from the right-wing propaganda newspapers without question or challenge, as if they're printing the unbiased truth.
Such bollocks.
The BBC is part of the problem: just a mouthpiece for our rotten imitation of a democracy, controlled by the rich.
#r4today
January 9, 2026 at 8:53 AM
The problem after 14 years of damage wreaked by the Tories is that we now have a f***ed up BBC and a f***ed up NHS
But, remember, the f***ing up has come from outside. It is not intrinsic
We desperately need a properly functioning BBC and properly functioning NHS
But, remember, the f***ing up has come from outside. It is not intrinsic
We desperately need a properly functioning BBC and properly functioning NHS
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
It's OK everyone, now they're just selling CSAM instead of giving it away for free
Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery
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
Grok, Elon Musk’s AI tool, has switched off its image creation function for the vast majority of users after widespread outcry over its use to create sexually explicit and violent imagery.
It comes after Musk was threatened with fines, regulatory action and reports of a possible ban on X in the UK. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:11 AM
It's OK everyone, now they're just selling CSAM instead of giving it away for free
Pageing @chrislintott.bsky.social - we have a new measure of asteroid comparison. Giraffes out, Toasters in!
January 8, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Pageing @chrislintott.bsky.social - we have a new measure of asteroid comparison. Giraffes out, Toasters in!
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Sky News on Renee Nicole Good murder: "There are deeply conflicting accounts of what happened."
REALLY? Gonna both-sides this? One "account" can be seen on video and is confirmed by a dozen eye-witnesses. The other is a social media post by history's most notorious pathological liar.
Grow a spine.
REALLY? Gonna both-sides this? One "account" can be seen on video and is confirmed by a dozen eye-witnesses. The other is a social media post by history's most notorious pathological liar.
Grow a spine.
January 8, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Sky News on Renee Nicole Good murder: "There are deeply conflicting accounts of what happened."
REALLY? Gonna both-sides this? One "account" can be seen on video and is confirmed by a dozen eye-witnesses. The other is a social media post by history's most notorious pathological liar.
Grow a spine.
REALLY? Gonna both-sides this? One "account" can be seen on video and is confirmed by a dozen eye-witnesses. The other is a social media post by history's most notorious pathological liar.
Grow a spine.
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
For those wondering what Mamdani's quote, "For too long, those fluent in the good grammar of civility have deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty," was in reference to...
January 7, 2026 at 11:46 PM
For those wondering what Mamdani's quote, "For too long, those fluent in the good grammar of civility have deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty," was in reference to...
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
THE MACHINE - BY DESIGN - IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO REMOVE WOMEN'S CLOTHING WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT AND TO MAKE CSAM.
How are we at 'good sides to it too, you know?'?
How are we at 'good sides to it too, you know?'?
January 8, 2026 at 9:35 AM
THE MACHINE - BY DESIGN - IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO REMOVE WOMEN'S CLOTHING WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT AND TO MAKE CSAM.
How are we at 'good sides to it too, you know?'?
How are we at 'good sides to it too, you know?'?
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Graham Linehan claims he detonated his career, his family, his entire life, to protect women. He often asks people to "apologise to their daughters" if they disagree with him on trans rights.
And yet, when someone's daughter is executed by ICE, he shares Right-Wing propaganda that she deserved it.
And yet, when someone's daughter is executed by ICE, he shares Right-Wing propaganda that she deserved it.
January 8, 2026 at 7:54 AM
Graham Linehan claims he detonated his career, his family, his entire life, to protect women. He often asks people to "apologise to their daughters" if they disagree with him on trans rights.
And yet, when someone's daughter is executed by ICE, he shares Right-Wing propaganda that she deserved it.
And yet, when someone's daughter is executed by ICE, he shares Right-Wing propaganda that she deserved it.
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Here's the EU's reaction to Trump administration formally pulling the US out of the UNFCCC and IPCC.
But all eyes now on how/whether China chooses to seize this geopolitical gift from the US
But all eyes now on how/whether China chooses to seize this geopolitical gift from the US
January 8, 2026 at 8:10 AM
Here's the EU's reaction to Trump administration formally pulling the US out of the UNFCCC and IPCC.
But all eyes now on how/whether China chooses to seize this geopolitical gift from the US
But all eyes now on how/whether China chooses to seize this geopolitical gift from the US
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
50. US withdraws from @ipcc.bsky.social, @ipbes.net, @irena-official.bsky.social, Intl Union for the Conservation of Nature, UN Energy, UN Oceans, UN Water, @ununiversity.bsky.social, UNFCCC, among others (Jan. 7, 2026)
Withdrawing the United States from International Organizations, Conventions, and Treaties that Are Contrary to the Interests of the United States
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United
www.whitehouse.gov
January 8, 2026 at 1:44 AM
50. US withdraws from @ipcc.bsky.social, @ipbes.net, @irena-official.bsky.social, Intl Union for the Conservation of Nature, UN Energy, UN Oceans, UN Water, @ununiversity.bsky.social, UNFCCC, among others (Jan. 7, 2026)
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
New material of Ajkaceratops cements its identity as a ceratopsian, but adds a new wrinkle. It turns out that many european ornithischians previously classified as iguanodontians may actually be ceratopsians! New paper by @tweetisaurus.bsky.social et al., that I provided art for (link in reply).
January 7, 2026 at 5:44 PM
New material of Ajkaceratops cements its identity as a ceratopsian, but adds a new wrinkle. It turns out that many european ornithischians previously classified as iguanodontians may actually be ceratopsians! New paper by @tweetisaurus.bsky.social et al., that I provided art for (link in reply).
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
I realize this is a story from like 50 years ago in internet time, but I wrote about how it was journalistic malpractice for major news orgs to claim that "Grok apologized" when it literally CANNOT do that, and there is no sign that xAI has made a single change to its deepfake porn generator.
Journalistic Malpractice: No LLM Ever ‘Admits’ To Anything, And Reporting Otherwise Is A Lie
Over the past week, Reuters, Newsweek, the Daily Beast, CNBC, and a parade of other outlets published headlines claiming that Grok—Elon Musk's LLM chatbot (the one that once referred to itself as…
Over the past week, Reuters, Newsweek, the Daily Beast, CNBC, and a parade of other outlets published headlines claiming that Grok—Elon Musk's LLM chatbot (the one that once referred to itself as…
Journalistic Malpractice: No LLM Ever ‘Admits’ To Anything, And Reporting Otherwise Is A Lie
Over the past week, Reuters, Newsweek, the Daily Beast, CNBC, and a parade of other outlets published headlines claiming that Grok—Elon Musk's LLM chatbot (the one that once referred to itself as "MechaHitler")—had "apologized" for generating non-consensual intimate images of minors and was “fixing” its failed guardrails. Grok did no such thing. Grok cannot apologize. Grok is not a human. Grok has no sense of what is happening.
www.techdirt.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:38 PM
I realize this is a story from like 50 years ago in internet time, but I wrote about how it was journalistic malpractice for major news orgs to claim that "Grok apologized" when it literally CANNOT do that, and there is no sign that xAI has made a single change to its deepfake porn generator.
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
I’m telling you, the rise of authoritarianism is directly connected to efforts to keep the fossil-fuel system going. It’s right there for everyone with eyes to see.
The Indian government contends that foreign funds were intended to promote the Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty, which it claims "could could expose India to legal challenges... and severely compromise the nation’s energy security and economic development".
🎁🔗
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
🎁🔗
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Indian Climate Activist Investigated for Receiving Foreign Funds
Indian authorities are investigating a prominent climate activist for allegedly using foreign funds to further an anti-fossil fuel agenda.
www.bloomberg.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:44 PM
I’m telling you, the rise of authoritarianism is directly connected to efforts to keep the fossil-fuel system going. It’s right there for everyone with eyes to see.
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Heartbreaking and maddening, thinking of the wonderful science that will now just sit on Mars, literally gathering dust, for many years. Pathetic politicians with no curiosity or sense of wonder. I hate the world they make us live in and the future they're denying us.
NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission is dead
Congress backs Trump administration’s efforts to kill project that would ferry martian rocks to Earth 🧪🔭
www.science.org/content/arti... @science.org
Congress backs Trump administration’s efforts to kill project that would ferry martian rocks to Earth 🧪🔭
www.science.org/content/arti... @science.org
NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission is dead
Congress backs Trump administration’s efforts to kill project that would ferry martian rocks to Earth
www.science.org
January 7, 2026 at 4:47 PM
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Heartbreaking and maddening, thinking of the wonderful science that will now just sit on Mars, literally gathering dust, for many years. Pathetic politicians with no curiosity or sense of wonder. I hate the world they make us live in and the future they're denying us.
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
🚨 Farage is challenged on the truth about London.
"London's murder rate is the lowest in decades."
"Knife crime has fallen sharply over the past 10 years."
"The proportion of adults who have been victims of personal crime has fallen to the lowest level since 2002."
"London's murder rate is the lowest in decades."
"Knife crime has fallen sharply over the past 10 years."
"The proportion of adults who have been victims of personal crime has fallen to the lowest level since 2002."
January 7, 2026 at 3:05 PM
🚨 Farage is challenged on the truth about London.
"London's murder rate is the lowest in decades."
"Knife crime has fallen sharply over the past 10 years."
"The proportion of adults who have been victims of personal crime has fallen to the lowest level since 2002."
"London's murder rate is the lowest in decades."
"Knife crime has fallen sharply over the past 10 years."
"The proportion of adults who have been victims of personal crime has fallen to the lowest level since 2002."
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
If the UK government had a Culture Secretary, that person would be in a position to take a view about whether child porn on demand was a good thing, or a bad thing. thecritic.co.uk/brin...
January 7, 2026 at 9:49 AM
If the UK government had a Culture Secretary, that person would be in a position to take a view about whether child porn on demand was a good thing, or a bad thing. thecritic.co.uk/brin...
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
I am extremely confused as to why the UK government and police are saying Grok’s mass-scale CSAM generation is an issue for Ofcom.
This isn’t about X failing to moderate CSAM, which is an Online Safety Act issue. It is about the company and its technology being actively involved in its generation.
This isn’t about X failing to moderate CSAM, which is an Online Safety Act issue. It is about the company and its technology being actively involved in its generation.
January 7, 2026 at 7:37 AM
I am extremely confused as to why the UK government and police are saying Grok’s mass-scale CSAM generation is an issue for Ofcom.
This isn’t about X failing to moderate CSAM, which is an Online Safety Act issue. It is about the company and its technology being actively involved in its generation.
This isn’t about X failing to moderate CSAM, which is an Online Safety Act issue. It is about the company and its technology being actively involved in its generation.
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Bloomberg's X account has more than 800k followers. Their most recent post was shared five times
It would basically come at close to zero cost for outlets like Bloomberg to delete their X accounts, and "We don't want to use a non-consensual deepfake abuse app as a comms platform" is a fine excuse
It would basically come at close to zero cost for outlets like Bloomberg to delete their X accounts, and "We don't want to use a non-consensual deepfake abuse app as a comms platform" is a fine excuse
January 7, 2026 at 7:19 AM
Bloomberg's X account has more than 800k followers. Their most recent post was shared five times
It would basically come at close to zero cost for outlets like Bloomberg to delete their X accounts, and "We don't want to use a non-consensual deepfake abuse app as a comms platform" is a fine excuse
It would basically come at close to zero cost for outlets like Bloomberg to delete their X accounts, and "We don't want to use a non-consensual deepfake abuse app as a comms platform" is a fine excuse
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Exactly this. This requires urgent police action. X has a London office.
I am extremely confused as to why the UK government and police are saying Grok’s mass-scale CSAM generation is an issue for Ofcom.
This isn’t about X failing to moderate CSAM, which is an Online Safety Act issue. It is about the company and its technology being actively involved in its generation.
This isn’t about X failing to moderate CSAM, which is an Online Safety Act issue. It is about the company and its technology being actively involved in its generation.
January 7, 2026 at 7:48 AM
Exactly this. This requires urgent police action. X has a London office.
Reposted by Giles Sparrow is adrift in the vortex
Just a reminder to everyone looking at the congressional budget and seeing $24b for NASA:
No, everything is not just fine.
NASA is not just space and science, it's also people. And more than 4000 of those people, out of over 17000 at the start of 2025, are now gone.
It will take years to recover.
No, everything is not just fine.
NASA is not just space and science, it's also people. And more than 4000 of those people, out of over 17000 at the start of 2025, are now gone.
It will take years to recover.
January 7, 2026 at 8:19 AM
Just a reminder to everyone looking at the congressional budget and seeing $24b for NASA:
No, everything is not just fine.
NASA is not just space and science, it's also people. And more than 4000 of those people, out of over 17000 at the start of 2025, are now gone.
It will take years to recover.
No, everything is not just fine.
NASA is not just space and science, it's also people. And more than 4000 of those people, out of over 17000 at the start of 2025, are now gone.
It will take years to recover.