Laura James
@laurajames.bsky.social
Adaptable, empathetic engineering leader
👩🏻💻 VP Research at F-Secure
☕️ director at CoFarm.co & nowplaythis.net & Green Web Foundation
Past: doteveryone.org.uk, makespace.org, okfn.org + more ➡️ lbj.org.uk
X:LaurieJ
More on @Laura@social.coop
👩🏻💻 VP Research at F-Secure
☕️ director at CoFarm.co & nowplaythis.net & Green Web Foundation
Past: doteveryone.org.uk, makespace.org, okfn.org + more ➡️ lbj.org.uk
X:LaurieJ
More on @Laura@social.coop
Reposted by Laura James
We’re often asked whether we’re optimistic or pessimistic about technologies. That’s the wrong question. If any of this matters, we need to stop seeing technology like the weather, to be merely forecasted, and instead see it like politics, to be collectively shaped.
November 16, 2025 at 11:22 AM
We’re often asked whether we’re optimistic or pessimistic about technologies. That’s the wrong question. If any of this matters, we need to stop seeing technology like the weather, to be merely forecasted, and instead see it like politics, to be collectively shaped.
Reposted by Laura James
New thing! The @carefultrouble.bsky.social Careful Consequence Check is now live and free to use. Based on research with the Bristol Digital Futures Institute, this practical tool will help you answer the question "is my AI product creepy and weird" www.careful.industries/consequences
November 13, 2025 at 4:23 PM
New thing! The @carefultrouble.bsky.social Careful Consequence Check is now live and free to use. Based on research with the Bristol Digital Futures Institute, this practical tool will help you answer the question "is my AI product creepy and weird" www.careful.industries/consequences
Reposted by Laura James
#CommonplaceBook notes - not entirely about AI, and there's some novelty in the AI bits too. Thanks to all those who wrote things and linked to things recently! lbj20.blogspot.com/2025/10/comm... Share and Enjoy.
October 19, 2025 at 8:23 PM
#CommonplaceBook notes - not entirely about AI, and there's some novelty in the AI bits too. Thanks to all those who wrote things and linked to things recently! lbj20.blogspot.com/2025/10/comm... Share and Enjoy.
#CommonplaceBook notes - not entirely about AI, and there's some novelty in the AI bits too. Thanks to all those who wrote things and linked to things recently! lbj20.blogspot.com/2025/10/comm... Share and Enjoy.
October 19, 2025 at 8:23 PM
#CommonplaceBook notes - not entirely about AI, and there's some novelty in the AI bits too. Thanks to all those who wrote things and linked to things recently! lbj20.blogspot.com/2025/10/comm... Share and Enjoy.
Reposted by Laura James
A morsel for your #WorldFoodDay: We can grow food in ways that restore our planet’s health. Across forests, farms and seas, regenerative food practices can help reduce climate change and biodiversity loss.
Here’s how: https://nature.ly/47rGC7V
Here’s how: https://nature.ly/47rGC7V
October 16, 2025 at 3:51 PM
A morsel for your #WorldFoodDay: We can grow food in ways that restore our planet’s health. Across forests, farms and seas, regenerative food practices can help reduce climate change and biodiversity loss.
Here’s how: https://nature.ly/47rGC7V
Here’s how: https://nature.ly/47rGC7V
Reposted by Laura James
Good morning good morning good morning. Society for Hopeful Technologists newsletter just dropped into 710 inboxes, including our draft charter and a load of events to sign up to buttondown.com/society-of-h...
#3: A Hopeful Charter and First Events
Our draft charter, the first SoHoT community events, and a Hopeful Tech Reading Group with Empire of AI author Karen Hao
buttondown.com
October 16, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Good morning good morning good morning. Society for Hopeful Technologists newsletter just dropped into 710 inboxes, including our draft charter and a load of events to sign up to buttondown.com/society-of-h...
Reposted by Laura James
Are there any live proposals to get DSIT (and/or CLG?) to create a Civic Tech Fund? An initiative to support the UK’s civic tech movement (pro-social platforms like Library of Things, Olio, Park Run, etc) and shared infrastructure for community organising. 1/n
October 11, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Are there any live proposals to get DSIT (and/or CLG?) to create a Civic Tech Fund? An initiative to support the UK’s civic tech movement (pro-social platforms like Library of Things, Olio, Park Run, etc) and shared infrastructure for community organising. 1/n
Reposted by Laura James
While 69% of people feel confident in spotting online scams, 43% still fell victim last year. We conducted a survey to explore where consumer trust and the reality of cyber risks meet - or don't meet #cybersecurity www.f-secure.com/en/partners/...
F-Secure Digital Perception-Reality Gap Report | F‑Secure
Discover how consumer trust and real cyber risks misalign—and how telcos and banks can close the gap.
www.f-secure.com
September 22, 2025 at 5:56 AM
While 69% of people feel confident in spotting online scams, 43% still fell victim last year. We conducted a survey to explore where consumer trust and the reality of cyber risks meet - or don't meet #cybersecurity www.f-secure.com/en/partners/...
Reposted by Laura James
the requirements to succeed on new media platforms are almost precisely the opposite of what successful experts… have trained themselves to do: maintain an institutional tone of formal detachment & stay ruthlessly on-message at all times.’ @noupside.bsky.social
carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
For Expertise to Matter, Nonpartisan Institutions Need New Communications Strategies
To avoid irrelevance when they are needed most, experts and nonpartisan analysts must rethink not just their channels of communication but also their theory of influence.
carnegieendowment.org
September 21, 2025 at 5:42 PM
the requirements to succeed on new media platforms are almost precisely the opposite of what successful experts… have trained themselves to do: maintain an institutional tone of formal detachment & stay ruthlessly on-message at all times.’ @noupside.bsky.social
carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
Rough notes from the #FestivalOfCommoning lbj20.blogspot.com/2025/09/fest...
Festival of Commoning take two
Last week was the second Festival of Commoning . It was great last year, and this year we were back in Stroud for a bigger event (albeit one...
lbj20.blogspot.com
September 22, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Rough notes from the #FestivalOfCommoning lbj20.blogspot.com/2025/09/fest...
Reposted by Laura James
If you were putting together a short-ish anthology of writing/commentary on "technology and society" in 2025, what do you think should be in it?
September 20, 2025 at 8:05 AM
If you were putting together a short-ish anthology of writing/commentary on "technology and society" in 2025, what do you think should be in it?
Reposted by Laura James
Morning! Society for Hopeful Technologists newsletter #2 is arriving in inboxes now. A little bit on Musk and X, much more about future plans + organising buttondown.com/society-of-h... and great to have a group of fellow organisers coming together 💪
#2: Hopeful Actions
What's next for the Society for Hopeful Technologists: events, principles, and opportunities to get involved.
buttondown.com
September 15, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Morning! Society for Hopeful Technologists newsletter #2 is arriving in inboxes now. A little bit on Musk and X, much more about future plans + organising buttondown.com/society-of-h... and great to have a group of fellow organisers coming together 💪
Reposted by Laura James
Festival of Commoning in Stroud this Friday/Saturday festival-of-commoning.org/en_GB. Lots of interesting people and activities. I can go this year.
home2 | Festival of Commoning
Envision a democratic future with the co-founder of Dark Matter Labs as he discusses radical designs for a better tomorrow.
festival-of-commoning.org
September 8, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Festival of Commoning in Stroud this Friday/Saturday festival-of-commoning.org/en_GB. Lots of interesting people and activities. I can go this year.
Reposted by Laura James
10 months ago, a company across the world put my neighbor's access to medical care at risk, giving us 2wks notice that software behind our 40 electric car chargers would be shut down.
This is the story of how my neighborhood broke free from this potential disaster.
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
This is the story of how my neighborhood broke free from this potential disaster.
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Escaping the chains of tethered products: the Juice Rescue project
How could a group of executives halfway across the world, with a single email, disrupt my community’s mobility, and what could we do about it?
natematias.com
August 24, 2025 at 3:02 PM
10 months ago, a company across the world put my neighbor's access to medical care at risk, giving us 2wks notice that software behind our 40 electric car chargers would be shut down.
This is the story of how my neighborhood broke free from this potential disaster.
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
This is the story of how my neighborhood broke free from this potential disaster.
natematias.com/portfolio/20...
Laggy #CommonplaceBook notes: lbj20.blogspot.com/2025/08/comm... on climate, slop, defence, and more
August 23, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Laggy #CommonplaceBook notes: lbj20.blogspot.com/2025/08/comm... on climate, slop, defence, and more
Reposted by Laura James
🧭 We are pleased to announce that applications for the SSI Fellowship Programme 2026 are now open! The deadline to apply is Mon 6 Oct.
Find out more and access further resources at www.software.ac.uk/news/ssi-fel...
Find out more and access further resources at www.software.ac.uk/news/ssi-fel...
August 11, 2025 at 8:01 AM
🧭 We are pleased to announce that applications for the SSI Fellowship Programme 2026 are now open! The deadline to apply is Mon 6 Oct.
Find out more and access further resources at www.software.ac.uk/news/ssi-fel...
Find out more and access further resources at www.software.ac.uk/news/ssi-fel...
Reposted by Laura James
🚨 REMINDER: We're #hiring a new Executive Director!
📍 Remote ⏰ Full-time 💰 USD 100–115k
Help grow the OSHF, lead programs+fundraising, and support #openscience & #openhardware:
opensciencehardware.org/2025/07/were...
#job #opensource #sciencejob
📍 Remote ⏰ Full-time 💰 USD 100–115k
Help grow the OSHF, lead programs+fundraising, and support #openscience & #openhardware:
opensciencehardware.org/2025/07/were...
#job #opensource #sciencejob
We’re hiring: Executive Director - Open Science Hardware Foundation
Job Summary The Open Science Hardware Foundation (OSHF) is a U.S.-based 501c3 not-for-profit organization working to foster enabling ecosystem for open-source development of scientific instruments, eq...
opensciencehardware.org
July 28, 2025 at 2:54 PM
🚨 REMINDER: We're #hiring a new Executive Director!
📍 Remote ⏰ Full-time 💰 USD 100–115k
Help grow the OSHF, lead programs+fundraising, and support #openscience & #openhardware:
opensciencehardware.org/2025/07/were...
#job #opensource #sciencejob
📍 Remote ⏰ Full-time 💰 USD 100–115k
Help grow the OSHF, lead programs+fundraising, and support #openscience & #openhardware:
opensciencehardware.org/2025/07/were...
#job #opensource #sciencejob
Reposted by Laura James
If you too are in the UK and against the "Online Safety Act" then please sign the petition!
Importantly EMAIL YOUR MP, talk about any of:
1) Cybersecurity concerns.
2) Censorship issues.
3) Kids going to dark web instead.
4) Misuse by a future government.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Importantly EMAIL YOUR MP, talk about any of:
1) Cybersecurity concerns.
2) Censorship issues.
3) Kids going to dark web instead.
4) Misuse by a future government.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Petition: Repeal the Online Safety Act
We want the Government to repeal the Online Safety act.
petition.parliament.uk
July 27, 2025 at 3:01 PM
If you too are in the UK and against the "Online Safety Act" then please sign the petition!
Importantly EMAIL YOUR MP, talk about any of:
1) Cybersecurity concerns.
2) Censorship issues.
3) Kids going to dark web instead.
4) Misuse by a future government.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Importantly EMAIL YOUR MP, talk about any of:
1) Cybersecurity concerns.
2) Censorship issues.
3) Kids going to dark web instead.
4) Misuse by a future government.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Reposted by Laura James
RIP Tom Lehrer - the day he announced his items were public domain on a website, we mirrored it. Thank you for your service
archive.org/details/toml...
archive.org/details/toml...
Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine
archive.org
July 27, 2025 at 5:44 PM
RIP Tom Lehrer - the day he announced his items were public domain on a website, we mirrored it. Thank you for your service
archive.org/details/toml...
archive.org/details/toml...
Reposted by Laura James
More people should be following Tom. He doesn’t post much here, but let’s make it worth his while
The tool I built back in May 2016 lets you compare lots more geographies if you like. Data is from 2011/12, so really could do with updating, but I don't have the time to do much of that any more. www.tomforth.co.uk/incomebymsoa/
July 23, 2025 at 10:23 PM
More people should be following Tom. He doesn’t post much here, but let’s make it worth his while
Reposted by Laura James
If I knew the answer to "how do we get more women into <insert STEM related thing here>" I'd have made my fortune selling the idea*.
So just because I AM a woman in STEM pls stop asking.
*actually I do have an idea but it involves dismantling the patriarchy and no one is willing to hear that
So just because I AM a woman in STEM pls stop asking.
*actually I do have an idea but it involves dismantling the patriarchy and no one is willing to hear that
July 13, 2025 at 10:21 AM
If I knew the answer to "how do we get more women into <insert STEM related thing here>" I'd have made my fortune selling the idea*.
So just because I AM a woman in STEM pls stop asking.
*actually I do have an idea but it involves dismantling the patriarchy and no one is willing to hear that
So just because I AM a woman in STEM pls stop asking.
*actually I do have an idea but it involves dismantling the patriarchy and no one is willing to hear that
Reposted by Laura James
The Gaussfest is officially happening (again). !
Please note the change of venue and date (it's not in Nottingham this year)
waterandsteam.org.uk/event/gaussf... and Ticketing Website: lmws.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...
More details to come.
Please note the change of venue and date (it's not in Nottingham this year)
waterandsteam.org.uk/event/gaussf... and Ticketing Website: lmws.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...
More details to come.
Gaussfest: Electricity Day
Discover the fascinating world of electricity at Gaussfest! A public demonstration of Tesla Coils, High Voltage Multiplies, Van De Graffs, and Violet Ray Machines. Experience indoor lightning and magn...
waterandsteam.org.uk
July 4, 2025 at 5:51 PM
The Gaussfest is officially happening (again). !
Please note the change of venue and date (it's not in Nottingham this year)
waterandsteam.org.uk/event/gaussf... and Ticketing Website: lmws.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...
More details to come.
Please note the change of venue and date (it's not in Nottingham this year)
waterandsteam.org.uk/event/gaussf... and Ticketing Website: lmws.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...
More details to come.
Reposted by Laura James
Free delivery is GO on ALL books site-wide this weekend 🎉
We hope you can get down to a real life bookshop, but if not - you can support them right here. Bag a book from Bookshop.org and keep indie bookshops thriving! uk.bookshop.org/lists/indepe...
We hope you can get down to a real life bookshop, but if not - you can support them right here. Bag a book from Bookshop.org and keep indie bookshops thriving! uk.bookshop.org/lists/indepe...
June 21, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Free delivery is GO on ALL books site-wide this weekend 🎉
We hope you can get down to a real life bookshop, but if not - you can support them right here. Bag a book from Bookshop.org and keep indie bookshops thriving! uk.bookshop.org/lists/indepe...
We hope you can get down to a real life bookshop, but if not - you can support them right here. Bag a book from Bookshop.org and keep indie bookshops thriving! uk.bookshop.org/lists/indepe...
Same
goooood trailer! I am excited to go on a big walk!
🔴🟡🔵 BIG WALK 🔴🟡🔵
Join us for a tour around our new game.
Coming 2026.
Join us for a tour around our new game.
Coming 2026.
June 7, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Same
Reposted by Laura James
I am recruiting mental-health experts (clinical psychologists and psychiatrists) for an in-person workshop in London to discuss a mobile app for mental health care. Participants will receive £500+expenses for their time. If you might be interested please email s.murdoch@ucl.ac.uk
June 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
I am recruiting mental-health experts (clinical psychologists and psychiatrists) for an in-person workshop in London to discuss a mobile app for mental health care. Participants will receive £500+expenses for their time. If you might be interested please email s.murdoch@ucl.ac.uk