Rowenna. 2 ‘n’s. Ro-WEN-na.
@missiggeek.bsky.social
She/her. Aka Miss IG Geek on other socials. Humanity in data, digitech-ethics, and misanthropology, occasional puffins. #ActuallyAutistic 🏳️🌈
Everything you know is actually way more complicated than you think
Everything you know is actually way more complicated than you think
Pinned
Woohoo, it’s getting busy around here! Hello new followers, thanks for joining the posse - FYI, I post about data protection, privacy, tech ethics, philosophical musings and puffin enthusiasm
The @openrightsgroup.org is writing to DSIT to ask for oversight powers to be exercised in regard to the ICO’s woeful - and apparently intentional - underperformance as a data protection regulator.
I’ve signed, and I hope you will too
cloud.openrightsgroup.org/nextcloud/ap...
I’ve signed, and I hope you will too
cloud.openrightsgroup.org/nextcloud/ap...
Nextcloud
cloud.openrightsgroup.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:39 PM
The @openrightsgroup.org is writing to DSIT to ask for oversight powers to be exercised in regard to the ICO’s woeful - and apparently intentional - underperformance as a data protection regulator.
I’ve signed, and I hope you will too
cloud.openrightsgroup.org/nextcloud/ap...
I’ve signed, and I hope you will too
cloud.openrightsgroup.org/nextcloud/ap...
I HATE it when autocarrot sneakily changes my spelling to a grammatically-incorrect version and I don’t notice until after I’ve hit ‘post’.
It’s a trivial but profound example of how automation bias renders ‘human in the loop’ ineffective as a safeguarding measure.
It’s a trivial but profound example of how automation bias renders ‘human in the loop’ ineffective as a safeguarding measure.
November 7, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I HATE it when autocarrot sneakily changes my spelling to a grammatically-incorrect version and I don’t notice until after I’ve hit ‘post’.
It’s a trivial but profound example of how automation bias renders ‘human in the loop’ ineffective as a safeguarding measure.
It’s a trivial but profound example of how automation bias renders ‘human in the loop’ ineffective as a safeguarding measure.
Reposted by Rowenna. 2 ‘n’s. Ro-WEN-na.
Holy cow. They "discovered" that facial features are weakly correlated with the financial success of MBA graduates.
Obvious reason is nepotism.
How can they not realise that?
Obvious reason is nepotism.
How can they not realise that?
A new paper suggests a photo can tell a recruiter much about an applicant’s personality
Should facial analysis help determine whom companies hire?
A new paper suggests a photo can tell a recruiter much about an applicant’s personality
econ.st
November 7, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Holy cow. They "discovered" that facial features are weakly correlated with the financial success of MBA graduates.
Obvious reason is nepotism.
How can they not realise that?
Obvious reason is nepotism.
How can they not realise that?
It’s important to keep in mind that phrenology isn’t JUST racist, it’s also massively ableist. People with facial injuries, visible skin conditions, tics, birthmarks; neurodivergent people, and visually-impaired people are *already* being judged as less-than-human by facerec systems,
November 7, 2025 at 11:51 AM
It’s important to keep in mind that phrenology isn’t JUST racist, it’s also massively ableist. People with facial injuries, visible skin conditions, tics, birthmarks; neurodivergent people, and visually-impaired people are *already* being judged as less-than-human by facerec systems,
Reposted by Rowenna. 2 ‘n’s. Ro-WEN-na.
It's so funny how all jobs demand of you to be sociable but the process of getting hired is the most anti-human it could possibly be.
November 7, 2025 at 8:45 AM
It's so funny how all jobs demand of you to be sociable but the process of getting hired is the most anti-human it could possibly be.
No, no, no, no. Absolute bullshit. Ableism-fuelled junk pseudoscience pushed by mendacious techsalesbros, given false legitimacy by ad-driven churnalism; an entire wobbling stack of fraud and fail.
A new paper suggests a photo can tell a recruiter much about an applicant’s personality
Should facial analysis help determine whom companies hire?
A new paper suggests a photo can tell a recruiter much about an applicant’s personality
econ.st
November 7, 2025 at 11:35 AM
No, no, no, no. Absolute bullshit. Ableism-fuelled junk pseudoscience pushed by mendacious techsalesbros, given false legitimacy by ad-driven churnalism; an entire wobbling stack of fraud and fail.
I doubt many of us will shed a tear over the losses of a big corporation BUT what lies beneath* is thousands of independent ethical adult content producers whose perfectly legit livelihoods are being destroyed by the OSA’s unworkable, excessive, ineffective nonsense
*pun intended
*pun intended
Pornhub says UK visitors down 77% since age checks came in www.bbc.com/news/article...
Pornhub's parent company Aylo says the Online Safety Act isn't working – i.e. porn consumers are seeking out its competitors – and is now lobbying for device-level age checks.
#openweb #censorship #techpolicy
Pornhub's parent company Aylo says the Online Safety Act isn't working – i.e. porn consumers are seeking out its competitors – and is now lobbying for device-level age checks.
#openweb #censorship #techpolicy
October 31, 2025 at 10:32 AM
I doubt many of us will shed a tear over the losses of a big corporation BUT what lies beneath* is thousands of independent ethical adult content producers whose perfectly legit livelihoods are being destroyed by the OSA’s unworkable, excessive, ineffective nonsense
*pun intended
*pun intended
Reposted by Rowenna. 2 ‘n’s. Ro-WEN-na.
"Meanwhile, the regulations to bring in a requirement on providers to report CSAM content to the National Crime Agency have been revoked; they were due to come into force on 3 November and, at the time of writing, there are no further details available as to why they have been reversed." > Curious.
🎂 The #onlinesafetyact is two, and so are we.
🎁 Here's the latest edition of our #onlinesafety newsletter, which has been hitting inboxes nearly every second Monday since we started.
✏️ Do sign up, if you haven't already, to receive it direct. ⬇️
mailchi.mp/581367f72801...
🎁 Here's the latest edition of our #onlinesafety newsletter, which has been hitting inboxes nearly every second Monday since we started.
✏️ Do sign up, if you haven't already, to receive it direct. ⬇️
mailchi.mp/581367f72801...
October 27, 2025 at 1:10 PM
"Meanwhile, the regulations to bring in a requirement on providers to report CSAM content to the National Crime Agency have been revoked; they were due to come into force on 3 November and, at the time of writing, there are no further details available as to why they have been reversed." > Curious.
Brilliant 😄
October 31, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Brilliant 😄
I published my responses to the ICO’s complaint handling consultation, because even if they don’t pay any attention, it might just inform or inspire someone else to get serious about data protection. A girl can dream.
Anyway: www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-res...
Anyway: www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-res...
My response to the ICO's complaint handling consultation
Having vented my spleen in red pen all over the consultation documents themselves, I was able to be much more measured and civil in my actual consultation response. Yes, I metaphorically tore it to sh...
www.linkedin.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I published my responses to the ICO’s complaint handling consultation, because even if they don’t pay any attention, it might just inform or inspire someone else to get serious about data protection. A girl can dream.
Anyway: www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-res...
Anyway: www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-res...
I have a new niece! Hurrah!!
October 28, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I have a new niece! Hurrah!!
ICO complaints handling consultation TL;DR-
‘We can’t keep up so we’ve decided mostly not to bother. This is Good Actually, because <PR babble>”
‘We can’t keep up so we’ve decided mostly not to bother. This is Good Actually, because <PR babble>”
October 28, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ICO complaints handling consultation TL;DR-
‘We can’t keep up so we’ve decided mostly not to bother. This is Good Actually, because <PR babble>”
‘We can’t keep up so we’ve decided mostly not to bother. This is Good Actually, because <PR babble>”
I’m laughing so hard at the ICO’s assertion that rising data protection complaint numbers are a result of growing public awareness of DP rights…
It’s just as likely to be prompted by increasing laxity of enforcement and corporate indifference to a toothless regulator 😂
It’s just as likely to be prompted by increasing laxity of enforcement and corporate indifference to a toothless regulator 😂
October 28, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I’m laughing so hard at the ICO’s assertion that rising data protection complaint numbers are a result of growing public awareness of DP rights…
It’s just as likely to be prompted by increasing laxity of enforcement and corporate indifference to a toothless regulator 😂
It’s just as likely to be prompted by increasing laxity of enforcement and corporate indifference to a toothless regulator 😂
The ICO’s proposals for regulatory ‘reform’ are a classic example of ‘policy-based evidence-making’ in action, being designed to serve the convenience and image of the institution while failing to account for the actual purpose or real-world outcomes of its activities.
October 28, 2025 at 12:43 PM
The ICO’s proposals for regulatory ‘reform’ are a classic example of ‘policy-based evidence-making’ in action, being designed to serve the convenience and image of the institution while failing to account for the actual purpose or real-world outcomes of its activities.
1. Make a set of superficial assumptions and spurious correlations
2. Obtain data from wherever, accept it at face value without verifying its reliability
3. Build a system that uses the data to justify presumption of guilt
4. Find ‘guilt’ everywhere, interpret as system working OK
5. FAIL
2. Obtain data from wherever, accept it at face value without verifying its reliability
3. Build a system that uses the data to justify presumption of guilt
4. Find ‘guilt’ everywhere, interpret as system working OK
5. FAIL
Travel data has historically been a correlative proxy. Early 2000s data mining used one way flights (*purchased third party) in terror algorithms. These apparent “errors” by HMRC illuminate machine learning logics: 1/ combine gov cloud data
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
HMRC cuts child benefit for 35,000 families based on incomplete travel data
UK tax agency apologises after flagging people as having emigrated, often when they return via different routes
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:41 AM
1. Make a set of superficial assumptions and spurious correlations
2. Obtain data from wherever, accept it at face value without verifying its reliability
3. Build a system that uses the data to justify presumption of guilt
4. Find ‘guilt’ everywhere, interpret as system working OK
5. FAIL
2. Obtain data from wherever, accept it at face value without verifying its reliability
3. Build a system that uses the data to justify presumption of guilt
4. Find ‘guilt’ everywhere, interpret as system working OK
5. FAIL
Well, what is there to say? “Yes, we approved this simply because it brought us revenue muahaha”, or “some fuckwit let this happen because they were either slack AF or pro-fascism, oops”.
I asked Microsoft PR about this—specially the DHS using Halo IP to recruit for ICE—and the company declined to comment.
October 27, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Well, what is there to say? “Yes, we approved this simply because it brought us revenue muahaha”, or “some fuckwit let this happen because they were either slack AF or pro-fascism, oops”.
Adorable Niece #3 wore her puffin t-shirt to visit me 😍😍
Where can I get one of these in my size?!
Where can I get one of these in my size?!
October 27, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Adorable Niece #3 wore her puffin t-shirt to visit me 😍😍
Where can I get one of these in my size?!
Where can I get one of these in my size?!
Oh god, I feel so seen 😂😂😂
Remember THAT “I Am Autism” commercial? So easily mistaken for horror movie, we made our own version for our Halloween audio sketch show!
Listen to the full sketch - and show - by searching for The Daily Tism News on your favourite podcast platform or clicking here: linktr.ee/tdtnews
Listen to the full sketch - and show - by searching for The Daily Tism News on your favourite podcast platform or clicking here: linktr.ee/tdtnews
October 27, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Oh god, I feel so seen 😂😂😂
October 27, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Reposted by Rowenna. 2 ‘n’s. Ro-WEN-na.
You know what, Nigel? Writer’s block isn’t really a thing. The real “block” is trying to survive in a capitalist system, in which creativity has been devalued & publishing taken over by managerial types who only understand productivity & see writers as “brands.” www.theguardian.com/business/202...
AI can help authors beat writer’s block, says Bloomsbury chief
Publisher last week reported jump in revenue in academic and professional arm thanks to AI licensing deal
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:28 PM
You know what, Nigel? Writer’s block isn’t really a thing. The real “block” is trying to survive in a capitalist system, in which creativity has been devalued & publishing taken over by managerial types who only understand productivity & see writers as “brands.” www.theguardian.com/business/202...
One of the gnarliest things about data protection is the way it brings to light all the preceding cognitive debt and wobbly dependency stacks. Years - sometimes decades - of half-arsed, just-in-time, reactive, improvisational bodging suddenly becomes visible….and is framed as a DP problem 🙄
October 27, 2025 at 1:32 PM
One of the gnarliest things about data protection is the way it brings to light all the preceding cognitive debt and wobbly dependency stacks. Years - sometimes decades - of half-arsed, just-in-time, reactive, improvisational bodging suddenly becomes visible….and is framed as a DP problem 🙄
Client: tell us what data protection stuff to put in this contract
Me: well, that depends on what the contract’s actually for
Client: we were hoping you’d tell us that too
Me: 👀
Me: well, that depends on what the contract’s actually for
Client: we were hoping you’d tell us that too
Me: 👀
October 27, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Client: tell us what data protection stuff to put in this contract
Me: well, that depends on what the contract’s actually for
Client: we were hoping you’d tell us that too
Me: 👀
Me: well, that depends on what the contract’s actually for
Client: we were hoping you’d tell us that too
Me: 👀
A law that proposes blanket tagging and surveillance of all children under the disingenuous guise of ‘well-being & safety’ - with weak data protection enforcement, government by corporate interests, widespread corruption and a resurgent far-right. Dangerous.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Petition: Withdraw the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill
We call on the Government to withdraw the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We believe it downgrades education for all children, and undermines educators and parents. If it is not withdrawn, we b...
petition.parliament.uk
October 23, 2025 at 5:03 PM
A law that proposes blanket tagging and surveillance of all children under the disingenuous guise of ‘well-being & safety’ - with weak data protection enforcement, government by corporate interests, widespread corruption and a resurgent far-right. Dangerous.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Hahahaha yeah well, data protection law has always required organisations to ensure their workforces are data protection-literate, and look how that went. An industry regurgitating ‘training’ bollocks and certification mills with outcomes that bear no resemblance to *actual competence*.
Article 4 of the AI Act requires providers and deployers of AI systems to ensure a sufficient level of AI literacy to their staff and anyone using AI on their behalf. To support organizations, the Dutch DPA publishes the guide Building AI literacy. lnkd.in/dENbNPjR.
October 23, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Hahahaha yeah well, data protection law has always required organisations to ensure their workforces are data protection-literate, and look how that went. An industry regurgitating ‘training’ bollocks and certification mills with outcomes that bear no resemblance to *actual competence*.
Reposted by Rowenna. 2 ‘n’s. Ro-WEN-na.
Chatbots are the feedlot of industrialized information where humans get fattened up for processing, slurping up slopaganda from the trough.
October 23, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Chatbots are the feedlot of industrialized information where humans get fattened up for processing, slurping up slopaganda from the trough.