Guy Patrick Banim
@guybanim.bsky.social
EU preventive diplomacy, mediation & digital peacebuilding | Build Up ˆ | Visiting Professor @collegeofeurope | Feminist | Irish or British or both - always European | live from Lisbon
🇪🇺🇮🇪🇬🇧🇵🇹 🕊️
linkedin.com/in/guybanim/
🇪🇺🇮🇪🇬🇧🇵🇹 🕊️
linkedin.com/in/guybanim/
Pinned
With @socialcohesiontech.bsky.social we are working at Build Up on #polarizationfootprint
Our answer to the specific question of what systemic risks online platforms pose to peace in EU & beyond, & how conflict mitigation can be part of EU approach to tech governance
📑Report coming soon!
Our answer to the specific question of what systemic risks online platforms pose to peace in EU & beyond, & how conflict mitigation can be part of EU approach to tech governance
📑Report coming soon!
An Irish official’s view of efforts to tackle illegal online scams (10% of Facebook revenue)
= lack of regulation is
“greatly valued by tech firms due to the regulatory certainty it provides…[and is] an important part of the value Ireland offers when attracting foreign direct investment”
Telling
= lack of regulation is
“greatly valued by tech firms due to the regulatory certainty it provides…[and is] an important part of the value Ireland offers when attracting foreign direct investment”
Telling
‘I have serious concerns’: Departments clash over proposal to tackle social media scams
‘I have serious concerns’: Departments clash over proposal to tackle social media scams
Department of Enterprise went to bat for Big Tech in online investment scam row with Department of Finance, emails show
www.irishtimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:11 AM
An Irish official’s view of efforts to tackle illegal online scams (10% of Facebook revenue)
= lack of regulation is
“greatly valued by tech firms due to the regulatory certainty it provides…[and is] an important part of the value Ireland offers when attracting foreign direct investment”
Telling
= lack of regulation is
“greatly valued by tech firms due to the regulatory certainty it provides…[and is] an important part of the value Ireland offers when attracting foreign direct investment”
Telling
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
❗️D'aquí una setmana inaugurem la #BuildPeace2025 a Santa Coloma de Gramenet!
Un repte acollir participants d'arreu del món per reflexionar sobre com construir pau en el context actual marcat per l'auge de discursos d'odi, la polarització i el rearmament.
icip.cat/ca/tot-a-pun...
Un repte acollir participants d'arreu del món per reflexionar sobre com construir pau en el context actual marcat per l'auge de discursos d'odi, la polarització i el rearmament.
icip.cat/ca/tot-a-pun...
November 14, 2025 at 10:58 AM
❗️D'aquí una setmana inaugurem la #BuildPeace2025 a Santa Coloma de Gramenet!
Un repte acollir participants d'arreu del món per reflexionar sobre com construir pau en el context actual marcat per l'auge de discursos d'odi, la polarització i el rearmament.
icip.cat/ca/tot-a-pun...
Un repte acollir participants d'arreu del món per reflexionar sobre com construir pau en el context actual marcat per l'auge de discursos d'odi, la polarització i el rearmament.
icip.cat/ca/tot-a-pun...
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
A rich discussion at Thursday’s event, Peace After Tomorrow: The Future of Conflict Prevention, in Brussels, hosted by @crisisgroup.org.
A strong group of experts and policymakers to talk about big themes: longer, more complex conflicts shaped by tech, hybrid threats and proxy actors.
A strong group of experts and policymakers to talk about big themes: longer, more complex conflicts shaped by tech, hybrid threats and proxy actors.
November 14, 2025 at 6:06 PM
A rich discussion at Thursday’s event, Peace After Tomorrow: The Future of Conflict Prevention, in Brussels, hosted by @crisisgroup.org.
A strong group of experts and policymakers to talk about big themes: longer, more complex conflicts shaped by tech, hybrid threats and proxy actors.
A strong group of experts and policymakers to talk about big themes: longer, more complex conflicts shaped by tech, hybrid threats and proxy actors.
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
Nice piece, and consistent with our findings that misinformation exploits outrage to spread online www.science.org/doi/full/10....
November 11, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Nice piece, and consistent with our findings that misinformation exploits outrage to spread online www.science.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
The most transparent, de-gamified way to do social media would be a “more like this / less like this” interface that nobody else sees. The “like” is pointless here anyway, while sharing is everything.
Bluesky is looking to a new signal — "dislikes" — to personalize users' feeds.
Bluesky hits 40 million users, introduces 'dislikes' beta | TechCrunch
Bluesky is looking to a new signal — "dislikes" — to personalize users' feeds.
techcrunch.com
November 1, 2025 at 2:56 AM
The most transparent, de-gamified way to do social media would be a “more like this / less like this” interface that nobody else sees. The “like” is pointless here anyway, while sharing is everything.
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
🇪🇺💻 Can Europe ever achieve digital sovereignty?
Journalist Alexander Fanta breaks down why the EU still depends on American tech – from cloud servers to major apps – using cases like the Zivver data breach and AWS outage to show how fragile Europe’s digital independence is.
Journalist Alexander Fanta breaks down why the EU still depends on American tech – from cloud servers to major apps – using cases like the Zivver data breach and AWS outage to show how fragile Europe’s digital independence is.
November 11, 2025 at 2:15 PM
🇪🇺💻 Can Europe ever achieve digital sovereignty?
Journalist Alexander Fanta breaks down why the EU still depends on American tech – from cloud servers to major apps – using cases like the Zivver data breach and AWS outage to show how fragile Europe’s digital independence is.
Journalist Alexander Fanta breaks down why the EU still depends on American tech – from cloud servers to major apps – using cases like the Zivver data breach and AWS outage to show how fragile Europe’s digital independence is.
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
The #DSA was expected to get #socialmedia giants like #Facebook, #TikTok to make the online space safer. Yet an experiment reveals that #platforms often treat user complaints about illegal content as a formality. In the #Baltics, they respond almost exclusively to #regulators’ requests, if at all. 👇
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
The #DSA was expected to get #socialmedia giants like #Facebook, #TikTok to make the online space safer. Yet an experiment reveals that #platforms often treat user complaints about illegal content as a formality. In the #Baltics, they respond almost exclusively to #regulators’ requests, if at all. 👇
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
📣 Online platforms shape what we know, how we connect, and who gets heard, yet researcher access to public platform data is shrinking, while platforms monetize this data. Our new report "Better Access" offers a framework for accessing this critical data: kgi.georgetown.edu/research-and...
November 6, 2025 at 2:58 PM
📣 Online platforms shape what we know, how we connect, and who gets heard, yet researcher access to public platform data is shrinking, while platforms monetize this data. Our new report "Better Access" offers a framework for accessing this critical data: kgi.georgetown.edu/research-and...
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
Why did free speech vanguards change their tune following the murder of Charlie Kirk? Is it possible to leave the low hanging fruit of content moderation alone and reach a little higher up the tree? My initial thoughts here:
howtobuildup.medium.com/moderate-the...
howtobuildup.medium.com/moderate-the...
Moderate Them, Not Us
by Julie Hawke
howtobuildup.medium.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Why did free speech vanguards change their tune following the murder of Charlie Kirk? Is it possible to leave the low hanging fruit of content moderation alone and reach a little higher up the tree? My initial thoughts here:
howtobuildup.medium.com/moderate-the...
howtobuildup.medium.com/moderate-the...
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
Polarisation intensifies antagonist feelings in democratic societies 👉 In our latest #TEPSAExplainer, #ActEU Researcher Pelin Musil talks about the consequences of political #polarisation 🎞️
Watch it on YouTube ➡️ youtu.be/WRDouV438zc
@iirprague.bsky.social
Watch it on YouTube ➡️ youtu.be/WRDouV438zc
@iirprague.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Polarisation intensifies antagonist feelings in democratic societies 👉 In our latest #TEPSAExplainer, #ActEU Researcher Pelin Musil talks about the consequences of political #polarisation 🎞️
Watch it on YouTube ➡️ youtu.be/WRDouV438zc
@iirprague.bsky.social
Watch it on YouTube ➡️ youtu.be/WRDouV438zc
@iirprague.bsky.social
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
According to documents reviewed by Reuters, Meta considered focusing its scam reduction efforts “on countries where it feared near-term regulatory action”—suggesting self-interest may be a stronger motivator than concern for its users.
November 7, 2025 at 8:32 PM
According to documents reviewed by Reuters, Meta considered focusing its scam reduction efforts “on countries where it feared near-term regulatory action”—suggesting self-interest may be a stronger motivator than concern for its users.
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
What are the psychological and behavioural dynamics that come to play at the negotiation table?
At our #EUCoP2025 side event on integrating psychology in peacemaking with Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we asked experts in both fields how this collaboration can benefit #mediation processes.
At our #EUCoP2025 side event on integrating psychology in peacemaking with Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we asked experts in both fields how this collaboration can benefit #mediation processes.
November 3, 2025 at 9:32 AM
What are the psychological and behavioural dynamics that come to play at the negotiation table?
At our #EUCoP2025 side event on integrating psychology in peacemaking with Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we asked experts in both fields how this collaboration can benefit #mediation processes.
At our #EUCoP2025 side event on integrating psychology in peacemaking with Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we asked experts in both fields how this collaboration can benefit #mediation processes.
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
The annual Mediation Support Network meeting co-hosted with the Center for Security Studies (CSS), the Folke Bernadotte Academy & the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue took place last month: lnkd.in/dQ2YpntC.
Grateful for this opportunity to address mediation in complex contexts 🙏
Grateful for this opportunity to address mediation in complex contexts 🙏
November 3, 2025 at 9:05 AM
The annual Mediation Support Network meeting co-hosted with the Center for Security Studies (CSS), the Folke Bernadotte Academy & the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue took place last month: lnkd.in/dQ2YpntC.
Grateful for this opportunity to address mediation in complex contexts 🙏
Grateful for this opportunity to address mediation in complex contexts 🙏
🇪🇺EU Peace Mediation Guidelines🕊️
🪄 mediators to take into account the ability to influence perspectives and mobilise citizens through social media
🪄 the spread of disinformation threatens to polarise societies and fuel tensions that lead to conflict
🪄 digital tech & AI are used as tools to wage war
🪄 mediators to take into account the ability to influence perspectives and mobilise citizens through social media
🪄 the spread of disinformation threatens to polarise societies and fuel tensions that lead to conflict
🪄 digital tech & AI are used as tools to wage war
November 2, 2025 at 9:31 AM
🇪🇺EU Peace Mediation Guidelines🕊️
🪄 mediators to take into account the ability to influence perspectives and mobilise citizens through social media
🪄 the spread of disinformation threatens to polarise societies and fuel tensions that lead to conflict
🪄 digital tech & AI are used as tools to wage war
🪄 mediators to take into account the ability to influence perspectives and mobilise citizens through social media
🪄 the spread of disinformation threatens to polarise societies and fuel tensions that lead to conflict
🪄 digital tech & AI are used as tools to wage war
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
At this week's EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation the Institute hosted the panel “Bringing Business in: The Case for Corporate Engagement in Peacemaking” to discuss how businesses can contribute to peacemaking through job creation, ethical investment, & community engagement: bit.ly/3JpW9Mw
Bringing Business In: The Case for Corporate Engagement in Peacemaking
<p>At this week’s EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation the Institute organised the session “Bringing […]</p>
www.eip.org
October 31, 2025 at 10:13 AM
At this week's EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation the Institute hosted the panel “Bringing Business in: The Case for Corporate Engagement in Peacemaking” to discuss how businesses can contribute to peacemaking through job creation, ethical investment, & community engagement: bit.ly/3JpW9Mw
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
Final plenary:
Designing the Brussels Effect 2.0.
How can Europe lead in tech not just by regulation, but by example?
#ThinkAndDo2025
Designing the Brussels Effect 2.0.
How can Europe lead in tech not just by regulation, but by example?
#ThinkAndDo2025
October 29, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Final plenary:
Designing the Brussels Effect 2.0.
How can Europe lead in tech not just by regulation, but by example?
#ThinkAndDo2025
Designing the Brussels Effect 2.0.
How can Europe lead in tech not just by regulation, but by example?
#ThinkAndDo2025
At @cfg-thinktank.bsky.social annual flagship event we are debating how & whether Europe can become a champion of safe, human centred AI as a global public good.
Perhaps "European sovereignty" is not the right policy goal.
Wonder what you think @mariafarrell.bsky.social
#ctrl#alt#lead
👇👇👇
Perhaps "European sovereignty" is not the right policy goal.
Wonder what you think @mariafarrell.bsky.social
#ctrl#alt#lead
👇👇👇
When AWS went dark for 14 hours, half the internet followed.
Europe’s answer? “Digital sovereignty.”
But control isn’t resilience. Power lies in design, not in slogans.
👉 informationlabs.org/the-great-aw...
#DigitalSovereignty #TechPolicy
Europe’s answer? “Digital sovereignty.”
But control isn’t resilience. Power lies in design, not in slogans.
👉 informationlabs.org/the-great-aw...
#DigitalSovereignty #TechPolicy
The Great AWS Outage: A 14-Hour Lesson in Fragility and the Folly of “Digital Sovereignty”
<p>Monday 20 October wasn’t just another day; it was the day a significant chunk of the internet stumbled, tripped, and fell flat on its face….</p>
informationlabs.org
October 29, 2025 at 3:15 PM
At @cfg-thinktank.bsky.social annual flagship event we are debating how & whether Europe can become a champion of safe, human centred AI as a global public good.
Perhaps "European sovereignty" is not the right policy goal.
Wonder what you think @mariafarrell.bsky.social
#ctrl#alt#lead
👇👇👇
Perhaps "European sovereignty" is not the right policy goal.
Wonder what you think @mariafarrell.bsky.social
#ctrl#alt#lead
👇👇👇
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
📅 Mark your calendar for 13 November: #ESPAS Annual Conference 2025
Join us for the biggest foresight event of the year on how Europe can chart a course to be 'match fit' for the world of 2040 and navigate the challenges ahead.
📌 Full programme & list of speakers: www.espas.eu/programme202...
Join us for the biggest foresight event of the year on how Europe can chart a course to be 'match fit' for the world of 2040 and navigate the challenges ahead.
📌 Full programme & list of speakers: www.espas.eu/programme202...
October 29, 2025 at 2:41 PM
📅 Mark your calendar for 13 November: #ESPAS Annual Conference 2025
Join us for the biggest foresight event of the year on how Europe can chart a course to be 'match fit' for the world of 2040 and navigate the challenges ahead.
📌 Full programme & list of speakers: www.espas.eu/programme202...
Join us for the biggest foresight event of the year on how Europe can chart a course to be 'match fit' for the world of 2040 and navigate the challenges ahead.
📌 Full programme & list of speakers: www.espas.eu/programme202...
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
Next up: breakout sessions, starting with AGI and geopolitics.
The sense is clear: AI is already reshaping defence and strategy.
One question is around how Europe prepares for the next leap without fuelling an arms race.
#ThinkAndDo2025
The sense is clear: AI is already reshaping defence and strategy.
One question is around how Europe prepares for the next leap without fuelling an arms race.
#ThinkAndDo2025
October 29, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Next up: breakout sessions, starting with AGI and geopolitics.
The sense is clear: AI is already reshaping defence and strategy.
One question is around how Europe prepares for the next leap without fuelling an arms race.
#ThinkAndDo2025
The sense is clear: AI is already reshaping defence and strategy.
One question is around how Europe prepares for the next leap without fuelling an arms race.
#ThinkAndDo2025
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
Kicking off the day, Anu Bradford reminds us that waiting isn’t an option for Europe.
"The EU has to be a tech actor in its own right, not just just a regulator. Build as well as govern. Aim for technological independence and real autonomy." 🧵 #ThinkAndDo2025
"The EU has to be a tech actor in its own right, not just just a regulator. Build as well as govern. Aim for technological independence and real autonomy." 🧵 #ThinkAndDo2025
October 29, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Kicking off the day, Anu Bradford reminds us that waiting isn’t an option for Europe.
"The EU has to be a tech actor in its own right, not just just a regulator. Build as well as govern. Aim for technological independence and real autonomy." 🧵 #ThinkAndDo2025
"The EU has to be a tech actor in its own right, not just just a regulator. Build as well as govern. Aim for technological independence and real autonomy." 🧵 #ThinkAndDo2025
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
💬 On 22 September, CDT Europe and @opengovpartnership.org brought together around 50 representatives from civil society, European institutions, Member States and regulatory authorities to discuss the implementation status of the #AIAct.
👇🏻 Here is what came out of the discussion:
👇🏻 Here is what came out of the discussion:
7th Civil Society Roundtable “Ensuring the Effective Implementation of the AI Act: Charting a Way Forward”
On 22 September 2025, CDT Europe and OGP hosted a roundtable on the effective implementation of the AI Act.
cdt.org
October 8, 2025 at 11:58 AM
💬 On 22 September, CDT Europe and @opengovpartnership.org brought together around 50 representatives from civil society, European institutions, Member States and regulatory authorities to discuss the implementation status of the #AIAct.
👇🏻 Here is what came out of the discussion:
👇🏻 Here is what came out of the discussion:
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
Big Tech lobby budgets hit record levels: market power and lobby power go hand in hand, as tech monopolies defend their business models.
📢 As the EU's deregulation agenda rolls out the red carpet for corporate interests, our new study shows that the tech industry has ramped up its lobby power:
💰 Lobby spending hits a record €151 million
🕴 Almost 900 tech lobbyists
🤝 Big Tech has lobby 3 meetings a day
@lobbycontrol.bsky.social
💰 Lobby spending hits a record €151 million
🕴 Almost 900 tech lobbyists
🤝 Big Tech has lobby 3 meetings a day
@lobbycontrol.bsky.social
Big Tech lobby budgets hit record levels | Corporate Europe Observatory
New figures show that the digital industry as a whole is now spending €151 million a year on lobbying the EU, a major increase to what was already considerable firepower.
corporateeurope.org
October 29, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Big Tech lobby budgets hit record levels: market power and lobby power go hand in hand, as tech monopolies defend their business models.
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
AI is rewriting the rules — and we are keeping democracy in the loop at DisinfoCon 2025!
🚀We are back! This year’s edition explores the uncharted territories at the intersection of technology and democracy and we are bringing together civil society, policymakers, journalists and AI innovators ⬇️
🚀We are back! This year’s edition explores the uncharted territories at the intersection of technology and democracy and we are bringing together civil society, policymakers, journalists and AI innovators ⬇️
October 24, 2025 at 3:54 PM
AI is rewriting the rules — and we are keeping democracy in the loop at DisinfoCon 2025!
🚀We are back! This year’s edition explores the uncharted territories at the intersection of technology and democracy and we are bringing together civil society, policymakers, journalists and AI innovators ⬇️
🚀We are back! This year’s edition explores the uncharted territories at the intersection of technology and democracy and we are bringing together civil society, policymakers, journalists and AI innovators ⬇️
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
Preliminary findings:
🚫TikTok & Meta failed to grant researchers adequate access to public data.
🚫Meta failed to provide simple ways to notify illegal content and to allow users to challenge moderation decisions.
This is a duty, not a choice.
link.europa.eu/JYQrBX
🚫TikTok & Meta failed to grant researchers adequate access to public data.
🚫Meta failed to provide simple ways to notify illegal content and to allow users to challenge moderation decisions.
This is a duty, not a choice.
link.europa.eu/JYQrBX
October 24, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Preliminary findings:
🚫TikTok & Meta failed to grant researchers adequate access to public data.
🚫Meta failed to provide simple ways to notify illegal content and to allow users to challenge moderation decisions.
This is a duty, not a choice.
link.europa.eu/JYQrBX
🚫TikTok & Meta failed to grant researchers adequate access to public data.
🚫Meta failed to provide simple ways to notify illegal content and to allow users to challenge moderation decisions.
This is a duty, not a choice.
link.europa.eu/JYQrBX
Reposted by Guy Patrick Banim
To begin reclaiming control of its future, Europe must chart a path toward digital sovereignty, argues Johnny Ryan (@johnnyryan.bsky.social), Director of Enforcement at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. He says there are three key levers to achieve this: politics, policing, and procurement.
Europe Isn’t Weak—It Just Pretends To Be. Here’s How to Fix That. | TechPolicy.Press
Europe must reclaim digital sovereignty through three levers: politics, policing, and procurement, writes Johnny Ryan.
www.techpolicy.press
October 23, 2025 at 5:48 PM
To begin reclaiming control of its future, Europe must chart a path toward digital sovereignty, argues Johnny Ryan (@johnnyryan.bsky.social), Director of Enforcement at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. He says there are three key levers to achieve this: politics, policing, and procurement.