Megan Rae Blakely
@meganraeblakely.bsky.social
All things IP, tech policy & intangible cultural heritage. JD & PhD on same, CREATe alumna, LULS. Author: Technology, Intellectual Property Law and Culture: The Tangification of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2024)
Actual photo of me, trying to work out proper grant costing...
November 24, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Actual photo of me, trying to work out proper grant costing...
What's wildest is the persistent flavour of unnecessary 'vague' sexualization, 100% unnecessary for claims. I spent a lot of time on history of psychiatry; maybe more drs/inventors should see striking images, esp theatres for (purported) women's conditions. Eg wellcomecollection.org/stories/what...
November 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
What's wildest is the persistent flavour of unnecessary 'vague' sexualization, 100% unnecessary for claims. I spent a lot of time on history of psychiatry; maybe more drs/inventors should see striking images, esp theatres for (purported) women's conditions. Eg wellcomecollection.org/stories/what...
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Countdown to our abstract submission deadline for 1 December, and many thanks for the excellent submissions received so far... time to submit if it's been sitting on you 'to do' list! Looking forward to seeing many of you in Wales.
📢 Exciting News!
The Technology Research Group in the Department of Law and Criminology is proud to host the British and Irish Law Education and Technology Association (BILETA) Annual Conference on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th April 2026.
🔗 Learn more and register: www.aber.ac.uk/en/lac/news/...
The Technology Research Group in the Department of Law and Criminology is proud to host the British and Irish Law Education and Technology Association (BILETA) Annual Conference on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th April 2026.
🔗 Learn more and register: www.aber.ac.uk/en/lac/news/...
BILETA Conference 2026 - Department of Law & Criminology, Aberystwyth University
www.aber.ac.uk
November 24, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Countdown to our abstract submission deadline for 1 December, and many thanks for the excellent submissions received so far... time to submit if it's been sitting on you 'to do' list! Looking forward to seeing many of you in Wales.
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Billionaires, who quite often do not see education as a common good, should not be guiding higher education policy.
“I kind of yearn,” Mr. Nassirian said, “for the gilded age when billionaires satisfied their extracurricular interests by collecting Fabergé eggs and prized ponies.”
#DefendHigherEd
“I kind of yearn,” Mr. Nassirian said, “for the gilded age when billionaires satisfied their extracurricular interests by collecting Fabergé eggs and prized ponies.”
#DefendHigherEd
Wealthy People Have Always Shaped Universities. This Time Is Different.
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Billionaires, who quite often do not see education as a common good, should not be guiding higher education policy.
“I kind of yearn,” Mr. Nassirian said, “for the gilded age when billionaires satisfied their extracurricular interests by collecting Fabergé eggs and prized ponies.”
#DefendHigherEd
“I kind of yearn,” Mr. Nassirian said, “for the gilded age when billionaires satisfied their extracurricular interests by collecting Fabergé eggs and prized ponies.”
#DefendHigherEd
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
November 23, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Another example of the burdens created when tech companies behave as untrustworthy social actors - people then go to great lengths to protect themselves even when it’s not necessary, at personal cost and compromising their ability to use the technology that does work
The malwarebytes Google opting-your-emails-into-ai-training thing is not true. The post is based on one bad tweet.
I know anti-tech lamenting is a Bluesky core principle, but please use the same judgement you would for any other clickbait.
www.theverge.com/news/826902/...
I know anti-tech lamenting is a Bluesky core principle, but please use the same judgement you would for any other clickbait.
www.theverge.com/news/826902/...
Google denies ‘misleading’ reports of Gmail using your emails to train AI
Google says “we do not use your Gmail content for training our Gemini AI model.”
www.theverge.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Another example of the burdens created when tech companies behave as untrustworthy social actors - people then go to great lengths to protect themselves even when it’s not necessary, at personal cost and compromising their ability to use the technology that does work
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
My favorite piece of content today.
November 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
My favorite piece of content today.
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Listen! @sophiebishop.bsky.social talks to @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social about the hugely important "Influencer Creep: How Optimization, Authenticity, and Self-Branding Transform Creative Culture" newbooksnetwork.com/influencer-c...
Sophie Bishop, "Influencer Creep: How Optimization, Authenticity, and Self-Branding Transform Creative Culture" (U California Press, 2025) - New Books Network
newbooksnetwork.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Listen! @sophiebishop.bsky.social talks to @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social about the hugely important "Influencer Creep: How Optimization, Authenticity, and Self-Branding Transform Creative Culture" newbooksnetwork.com/influencer-c...
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Star Wars mod wars: claims over a touted but unreleased mod have to go to trial
Star Wars mod wars: claims over a touted but unreleased mod have to go to trial
Mickelonis v. Aspyr Media, No. 8:23-cv-01220-MWC-ADS, 2025 WL 3050071 (C.D. Cal. Oct. 2, 2025) Interesting video game related dispute: Asp...
tushnet.blogspot.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Star Wars mod wars: claims over a touted but unreleased mod have to go to trial
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
About to start reading it, but browsing the conclusions it appears to be mostly a victory for Stability AI.
November 4, 2025 at 10:30 AM
About to start reading it, but browsing the conclusions it appears to be mostly a victory for Stability AI.
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...
‘Opposing the inevitability of AI at universities is possible and necessary’ | Radboud University
Since the widespread release of ChatGPT in December of 2022, AI has taken over much of the world by storm – including academia. Most of this happened with very little pushback, despite a myriad of iss...
www.ru.nl
November 1, 2025 at 10:26 PM
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...
If you're looking for where the cutting edge interdisciplinary AI/gaming/law research is going on... amazing stuff going w/ Amy Thomas, Bartolomeo Meletti, Kristofer Erickson and Felix Rodriguez Perez... full room of amazing colleagues coming together as well in the AI & Interactive Worlds Workshop
🎉 CREATe at the Data Science and AI Festival 🤖
CREATe will host a series of events at the University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre (ARC) exploring the evolving role of AI across law, creative practice, and regulation 💡
Read more 👇 www.create.ac.uk/blog/2025/10...
CREATe will host a series of events at the University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre (ARC) exploring the evolving role of AI across law, creative practice, and regulation 💡
Read more 👇 www.create.ac.uk/blog/2025/10...
CREATe at the Data Science and AI Festival - CREATe
www.create.ac.uk
October 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
If you're looking for where the cutting edge interdisciplinary AI/gaming/law research is going on... amazing stuff going w/ Amy Thomas, Bartolomeo Meletti, Kristofer Erickson and Felix Rodriguez Perez... full room of amazing colleagues coming together as well in the AI & Interactive Worlds Workshop
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Event! Online talk, all welcome, organised by @curiousminds.org.uk
Is Culture Still Bad For You? with @markrt.bsky.social @orianbrook.bsky.social & me 23rd October 2-4pm, sign up here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-culture...
Is Culture Still Bad For You? with @markrt.bsky.social @orianbrook.bsky.social & me 23rd October 2-4pm, sign up here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-culture...
Is Culture Still Bad For You?
The authors of Culture is Bad For You return with new evidence on who benefits and who is still shut out.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 13, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Event! Online talk, all welcome, organised by @curiousminds.org.uk
Is Culture Still Bad For You? with @markrt.bsky.social @orianbrook.bsky.social & me 23rd October 2-4pm, sign up here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-culture...
Is Culture Still Bad For You? with @markrt.bsky.social @orianbrook.bsky.social & me 23rd October 2-4pm, sign up here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-culture...
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
BREAKING: A catastrophic breach has impacted Discord user data including selfies and identity documents uploaded as part of the app’s verification process, email addresses, phone numbers, approximately where the user lives, and much more.
🔗 www.404media.co/the-discord-...
🔗 www.404media.co/the-discord-...
The Discord Hack is Every Users’ Worst Nightmare
A hack impacting Discord’s age verification process shows in stark terms the risk of tech companies collecting users’ ID documents. Now the hackers are posting peoples’ IDs and other sensitive informa...
www.404media.co
October 9, 2025 at 3:35 PM
BREAKING: A catastrophic breach has impacted Discord user data including selfies and identity documents uploaded as part of the app’s verification process, email addresses, phone numbers, approximately where the user lives, and much more.
🔗 www.404media.co/the-discord-...
🔗 www.404media.co/the-discord-...
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
We are now accepting abstracts for our Annual Conference at @aberuni.bsky.social 15-17 Apr. 2026. Join us for critical talks on law, tech & education (and generally a good time!) The theme is: 'Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.' More info: www.bileta.org.uk/news/bileta-...
BILETA conference 2026 – call for papers – BILETA
www.bileta.org.uk
October 6, 2025 at 12:18 PM
We are now accepting abstracts for our Annual Conference at @aberuni.bsky.social 15-17 Apr. 2026. Join us for critical talks on law, tech & education (and generally a good time!) The theme is: 'Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.' More info: www.bileta.org.uk/news/bileta-...
Having coffee like, oh here we go. well, fine… they have to do cheesy hype videos because captialims and new digital colonialism….as long they developed and trained their own model internally on non pirated… OH
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
October 2, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Having coffee like, oh here we go. well, fine… they have to do cheesy hype videos because captialims and new digital colonialism….as long they developed and trained their own model internally on non pirated… OH
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
CFP: The Int'l Rev of Law, Computers & Tech call for Digital Learning/Legal Education, w Guest editors Dr Kryss Macleod & Prof Paul Maharg. Topics such as gen AI, data-driven platforms reshaping legal curricula/governance. Proposals due 30 Nov 2025. Full details: www.linkedin.com/posts/bileta...?
CFP IRLCT Digital Learning | British and Irish Law, Education & Technology Association (BILETA)
Call for Papers – ‘Digital Learning | Legal Education’
The International Review of Law, Computers and Technology has opened a new call for papers on the timely theme “Digital Learning | Legal Educat...
www.linkedin.com
August 29, 2025 at 10:30 AM
CFP: The Int'l Rev of Law, Computers & Tech call for Digital Learning/Legal Education, w Guest editors Dr Kryss Macleod & Prof Paul Maharg. Topics such as gen AI, data-driven platforms reshaping legal curricula/governance. Proposals due 30 Nov 2025. Full details: www.linkedin.com/posts/bileta...?
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
YouTube is secretly using AI to edit people's videos
• Skin is being smoothed or sharpened
• Features like ears are being altered
• YouTube confirmed there's an 'experiment' on Shorts to 'unblur' and 'improve' clarity
• There's currently no way to opt out
(via BBC)
• Skin is being smoothed or sharpened
• Features like ears are being altered
• YouTube confirmed there's an 'experiment' on Shorts to 'unblur' and 'improve' clarity
• There's currently no way to opt out
(via BBC)
August 25, 2025 at 10:46 PM
YouTube is secretly using AI to edit people's videos
• Skin is being smoothed or sharpened
• Features like ears are being altered
• YouTube confirmed there's an 'experiment' on Shorts to 'unblur' and 'improve' clarity
• There's currently no way to opt out
(via BBC)
• Skin is being smoothed or sharpened
• Features like ears are being altered
• YouTube confirmed there's an 'experiment' on Shorts to 'unblur' and 'improve' clarity
• There's currently no way to opt out
(via BBC)
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
📢 NEW INITIATIVE: As tech giants claim ownership of subsea cables and satellite networks, who will protect our digital rights? @article19.bsky.social team digital launches "Wired and Orbited" to ensure internet infrastructure remains open and resilient for all.
www.article19.org/resources/wi...
www.article19.org/resources/wi...
Wired and Orbited: Reclaiming infrastructure for a resilient internet - ARTICLE 19
In the depths of the ocean and high above the Earth’s atmosphere, a quiet revolution is reshaping the internet as we know it. Far from the public eye, the physical infrastructure that powers our digit...
www.article19.org
May 14, 2025 at 8:50 AM
📢 NEW INITIATIVE: As tech giants claim ownership of subsea cables and satellite networks, who will protect our digital rights? @article19.bsky.social team digital launches "Wired and Orbited" to ensure internet infrastructure remains open and resilient for all.
www.article19.org/resources/wi...
www.article19.org/resources/wi...
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Cat for balancing out previous dire (but accurate) posts
July 31, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Cat for balancing out previous dire (but accurate) posts
A genuinely sad and truly misguided state of affairs: ‘Management consultants and university futures:
Academic capitalism and the capture of UK public
higher education’ www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
Academic capitalism and the capture of UK public
higher education’ www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
www.tandfonline.com
July 31, 2025 at 12:17 PM
A genuinely sad and truly misguided state of affairs: ‘Management consultants and university futures:
Academic capitalism and the capture of UK public
higher education’ www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
Academic capitalism and the capture of UK public
higher education’ www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Kreitzer and Sweet-Cushman have a great summary of the research here. I am not joking in the least when I say it's easier to detect instructor gender than teaching or learning in evals. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Evaluating Student Evaluations of Teaching: a Review of Measurement and Equity Bias in SETs and Recommendations for Ethical Reform - Journal of Academic Ethics
Student evaluations of teaching are ubiquitous in the academe as a metric for assessing teaching and frequently used in critical personnel decisions. Yet, there is ample evidence documenting both meas...
link.springer.com
July 31, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Kreitzer and Sweet-Cushman have a great summary of the research here. I am not joking in the least when I say it's easier to detect instructor gender than teaching or learning in evals. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Webinar on IP & Fashion with the WIPO Nigeria Office tomorrow...
July 29, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Webinar on IP & Fashion with the WIPO Nigeria Office tomorrow...
Reposted by Megan Rae Blakely
Our annual Research Award funding call is now open. We are seeking individuals within member institutions for projects or seminars that reflect the goals of BILETA or fall within its subject purview. Deadline: 15 Sept. For more detail see www.bileta.org.uk/research-awa...
Research awards – BILETA
www.bileta.org.uk
July 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Our annual Research Award funding call is now open. We are seeking individuals within member institutions for projects or seminars that reflect the goals of BILETA or fall within its subject purview. Deadline: 15 Sept. For more detail see www.bileta.org.uk/research-awa...