Nora Ni Loideain
@nniloideain.bsky.social
Director, Information Law & Policy Centre (IALS, University of London). Interested in all things data privacy and data protection, especially human rights law and civil liberties. Joint Editor-in-Chief, International Data Privacy Law (OUP). Own views
Pinned
Nora Ni Loideain
@nniloideain.bsky.social
· Jul 11
It’s official!
My book with Oxford University Press is out:
EU Data Privacy Law and Serious Crime: Data Retention and Policymaking
My book with Oxford University Press is out:
EU Data Privacy Law and Serious Crime: Data Retention and Policymaking
One to watch.
It's almost 10 years old but remains as relevant as ever to the UK human rights debate -
What has the ECHR ever done for us?
- the right to a fair trial
- the right to privacy
- Freedom from discrimination
- the Good Friday Agreement, and so on
www.theguardian.com/culture/vide...
It's almost 10 years old but remains as relevant as ever to the UK human rights debate -
What has the ECHR ever done for us?
- the right to a fair trial
- the right to privacy
- Freedom from discrimination
- the Good Friday Agreement, and so on
www.theguardian.com/culture/vide...
Patrick Stewart sketch: what has the ECHR ever done for us? - video
Patrick Stewart, Adrian Scarborough and Sarah Solemani perform a satirical take on the Tory party’s human rights policy, inspired by the classic Monty Python sketch
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:24 PM
One to watch.
It's almost 10 years old but remains as relevant as ever to the UK human rights debate -
What has the ECHR ever done for us?
- the right to a fair trial
- the right to privacy
- Freedom from discrimination
- the Good Friday Agreement, and so on
www.theguardian.com/culture/vide...
It's almost 10 years old but remains as relevant as ever to the UK human rights debate -
What has the ECHR ever done for us?
- the right to a fair trial
- the right to privacy
- Freedom from discrimination
- the Good Friday Agreement, and so on
www.theguardian.com/culture/vide...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
Happy Birthday to the European Convention on Human Rights, which has helped to protect #OurRightsAndFreedoms for 75 years.
Here are more than 200 examples, from across the continent👇
🔗 www.coe.int/ECHR
There are thousands more.
#ECHR #ECHR75 @coe.int @echr.coe.int
Here are more than 200 examples, from across the continent👇
🔗 www.coe.int/ECHR
There are thousands more.
#ECHR #ECHR75 @coe.int @echr.coe.int
November 4, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Happy Birthday to the European Convention on Human Rights, which has helped to protect #OurRightsAndFreedoms for 75 years.
Here are more than 200 examples, from across the continent👇
🔗 www.coe.int/ECHR
There are thousands more.
#ECHR #ECHR75 @coe.int @echr.coe.int
Here are more than 200 examples, from across the continent👇
🔗 www.coe.int/ECHR
There are thousands more.
#ECHR #ECHR75 @coe.int @echr.coe.int
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
Just to be clear, it IS about removing rights. Specifically it’s about removing Article 8 rights - private and family life - to make it easier to deport people.
You won’t find advocates able to mention any other rights here.
You won’t find advocates able to mention any other rights here.
Not so. The Labour Govt and several other European govts are seeking reforms/modifications in the way the court operates. This is not about ‘removing rights’, even the ECHR itself has welcomed reform!
November 4, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Just to be clear, it IS about removing rights. Specifically it’s about removing Article 8 rights - private and family life - to make it easier to deport people.
You won’t find advocates able to mention any other rights here.
You won’t find advocates able to mention any other rights here.
One to watch.
How far will the scope of the ICO investigation apply?
More than one public body is involved.
The Home Office shared the inaccurate dataset with the HMRC.
Was the private sector also involved? Eg, the airlines sharing travel data or passenger name data, or another third party?
How far will the scope of the ICO investigation apply?
More than one public body is involved.
The Home Office shared the inaccurate dataset with the HMRC.
Was the private sector also involved? Eg, the airlines sharing travel data or passenger name data, or another third party?
Not a huge surprise - HMRC may have breached privacy laws with their child benefit suspension mess.
Can we do the same investigation for DWP fraud detection now please?
Can we do the same investigation for DWP fraud detection now please?
HMRC likely to have breached privacy laws in stopping child benefit – experts
Watchdog contacts tax authority after families’ payments stopped based on flawed travel data
www.theguardian.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:35 AM
One to watch.
How far will the scope of the ICO investigation apply?
More than one public body is involved.
The Home Office shared the inaccurate dataset with the HMRC.
Was the private sector also involved? Eg, the airlines sharing travel data or passenger name data, or another third party?
How far will the scope of the ICO investigation apply?
More than one public body is involved.
The Home Office shared the inaccurate dataset with the HMRC.
Was the private sector also involved? Eg, the airlines sharing travel data or passenger name data, or another third party?
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
Not a huge surprise - HMRC may have breached privacy laws with their child benefit suspension mess.
Can we do the same investigation for DWP fraud detection now please?
Can we do the same investigation for DWP fraud detection now please?
HMRC likely to have breached privacy laws in stopping child benefit – experts
Watchdog contacts tax authority after families’ payments stopped based on flawed travel data
www.theguardian.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Not a huge surprise - HMRC may have breached privacy laws with their child benefit suspension mess.
Can we do the same investigation for DWP fraud detection now please?
Can we do the same investigation for DWP fraud detection now please?
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
New from Free Movement: Two more immigration lawyers facing potential disciplinary proceedings for misuse of AI | Sonia Lenegan freemovement.org.uk/two-more-imm...
Two more immigration lawyers facing potential disciplinary proceedings for misuse of AI - Free Movement
Two more immigration lawyers, a barrister and a solicitor, are facing the possibility of a Hamid hearing and a referral to their professional regulator after
freemovement.org.uk
October 29, 2025 at 8:31 AM
New from Free Movement: Two more immigration lawyers facing potential disciplinary proceedings for misuse of AI | Sonia Lenegan freemovement.org.uk/two-more-imm...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
📣 Join us 9-12 June in Lille, France for the 11th @survstudiesnet.bsky.social / Surveillance & Society Biennial Conference 2026 & submit your abstract before 10 January 2026!
Theme is Planetary #surveillance
Check out the call for abstracts here: surveillance-studies.net/conference/
Theme is Planetary #surveillance
Check out the call for abstracts here: surveillance-studies.net/conference/
Conference – Surveillance Studies Network
surveillance-studies.net
October 29, 2025 at 8:22 AM
📣 Join us 9-12 June in Lille, France for the 11th @survstudiesnet.bsky.social / Surveillance & Society Biennial Conference 2026 & submit your abstract before 10 January 2026!
Theme is Planetary #surveillance
Check out the call for abstracts here: surveillance-studies.net/conference/
Theme is Planetary #surveillance
Check out the call for abstracts here: surveillance-studies.net/conference/
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
Huge mess up by HMRC here but you also have to wonder which other organisations Home Office are sharing this error-ridden border data about individuals with?, how its being shared (copies? Held internally but queried?), whether limitations/errors are clear &c&c?
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
HMRC pauses child benefit crackdown after 23,500 families caught up in data error
Parents say they were treated as fraudsters because Home Office travel records failed to show their return to UK
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Huge mess up by HMRC here but you also have to wonder which other organisations Home Office are sharing this error-ridden border data about individuals with?, how its being shared (copies? Held internally but queried?), whether limitations/errors are clear &c&c?
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
NEW: The number of phones being searched at the US border just hit another high
- 16,000 devices were searched in the last three months—a record high for a quarter
- 55,000 in the fiscal year 2025 (Oct-Sept)—a yearly record high
Story with @dell.bsky.social here:
www.wired.com/story/cbp-se...
- 16,000 devices were searched in the last three months—a record high for a quarter
- 55,000 in the fiscal year 2025 (Oct-Sept)—a yearly record high
Story with @dell.bsky.social here:
www.wired.com/story/cbp-se...
October 28, 2025 at 3:45 PM
NEW: The number of phones being searched at the US border just hit another high
- 16,000 devices were searched in the last three months—a record high for a quarter
- 55,000 in the fiscal year 2025 (Oct-Sept)—a yearly record high
Story with @dell.bsky.social here:
www.wired.com/story/cbp-se...
- 16,000 devices were searched in the last three months—a record high for a quarter
- 55,000 in the fiscal year 2025 (Oct-Sept)—a yearly record high
Story with @dell.bsky.social here:
www.wired.com/story/cbp-se...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
A reminder that the UK’s ban on LGBT people serving in the armed forces was only lifted after a judgment from the European Court of Human Rights.
🔗 www.bbc.com/news/article... via www.bbcnews.com
#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms #Article8 #PrivateLife #MeddlingForeignCourt #CreditWhereItsDue
🔗 www.bbc.com/news/article... via www.bbcnews.com
#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms #Article8 #PrivateLife #MeddlingForeignCourt #CreditWhereItsDue
King unveils new memorial to LGBT veterans after gay ban campaign
A memorial is unveiled dedicated to gay military personnel and to those who served during the armed forces gay ban.
www.bbc.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:09 AM
A reminder that the UK’s ban on LGBT people serving in the armed forces was only lifted after a judgment from the European Court of Human Rights.
🔗 www.bbc.com/news/article... via www.bbcnews.com
#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms #Article8 #PrivateLife #MeddlingForeignCourt #CreditWhereItsDue
🔗 www.bbc.com/news/article... via www.bbcnews.com
#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms #Article8 #PrivateLife #MeddlingForeignCourt #CreditWhereItsDue
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 AM
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
Another shocking example of an AI system being misused (in the US).
In addition to the completely unjustified violation of the teenager’s privacy and due process rights, there has been a chilling effect on going outside in case of further right violations.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
In addition to the completely unjustified violation of the teenager’s privacy and due process rights, there has been a chilling effect on going outside in case of further right violations.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Armed police handcuff teen after AI mistakes crisp packet for gun in US
Taki Allen, 16, said he was eating a bag of Doritos after football practice before being handcuffed by police.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 26, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Another shocking example of an AI system being misused (in the US).
In addition to the completely unjustified violation of the teenager’s privacy and due process rights, there has been a chilling effect on going outside in case of further right violations.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
In addition to the completely unjustified violation of the teenager’s privacy and due process rights, there has been a chilling effect on going outside in case of further right violations.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
After submitting a FOIA request UKRI, I obtained success rates by three grant call scheme and I can only say that I am disheartened by the results:
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
October 22, 2025 at 7:55 AM
After submitting a FOIA request UKRI, I obtained success rates by three grant call scheme and I can only say that I am disheartened by the results:
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
The biggest source for any DSA investigation into addictive design features might not be platforms' risk assessments, but the more than 6 million documents that are part of the pretrial discovery process in the US www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
‘Massive Legal Siege’ Against Social Media Companies Looms
Thousands of plaintiffs’ complaints, millions of pages of internal documents and transcripts of countless hours of depositions are about to land in US courtrooms, threatening the future of the biggest...
www.bloomberg.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:24 AM
The biggest source for any DSA investigation into addictive design features might not be platforms' risk assessments, but the more than 6 million documents that are part of the pretrial discovery process in the US www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
Some politicians and commentators continue to talk our great city down.
The facts show a very different picture.
The facts show a very different picture.
October 20, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Some politicians and commentators continue to talk our great city down.
The facts show a very different picture.
The facts show a very different picture.
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
"The chances of #AGI’s arrival by 2027 now seem remote. The government has let #AI companies lead a charmed life, with almost zero #regulation. It now ought to enact legislation that addresses costs and harms unfairly offloaded onto the public." ~ @garymarcus.bsky.social
Opinion | The Fever Dream of Imminent Superintelligence Is Finally Breaking
Building bigger A.I. isn’t leading to better A.I.
www.nytimes.com
September 17, 2025 at 10:30 PM
"The chances of #AGI’s arrival by 2027 now seem remote. The government has let #AI companies lead a charmed life, with almost zero #regulation. It now ought to enact legislation that addresses costs and harms unfairly offloaded onto the public." ~ @garymarcus.bsky.social
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
Turing Award laureate Rich Sutton now critiques pure LLMs—echoing @garymarcus.bsky.social . Time to move beyond science fiction and refocus on scientific rigour. #AI #LLM #Neurosymbolic #RichSutton #GaryMarcus
garymarcus.substack.com/p/game-over-...
garymarcus.substack.com/p/game-over-...
Game over for pure LLMs. Even Turing Award Winner Rich Sutton has gotten off the bus.
One by one, all the big names have turned around. What should we do next?
garymarcus.substack.com
September 27, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Turing Award laureate Rich Sutton now critiques pure LLMs—echoing @garymarcus.bsky.social . Time to move beyond science fiction and refocus on scientific rigour. #AI #LLM #Neurosymbolic #RichSutton #GaryMarcus
garymarcus.substack.com/p/game-over-...
garymarcus.substack.com/p/game-over-...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
Is AI really on an exponential curve, or is that hype?
@garymarcus.bsky.social argues GPT-5 proves the curve has flattened. Scaling isn’t delivering exponential gains anymore and the field is shifting to smaller or hybrid models.
Are we past exponential AI, or just in a slowdown? #academisky #ai
@garymarcus.bsky.social argues GPT-5 proves the curve has flattened. Scaling isn’t delivering exponential gains anymore and the field is shifting to smaller or hybrid models.
Are we past exponential AI, or just in a slowdown? #academisky #ai
October 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Is AI really on an exponential curve, or is that hype?
@garymarcus.bsky.social argues GPT-5 proves the curve has flattened. Scaling isn’t delivering exponential gains anymore and the field is shifting to smaller or hybrid models.
Are we past exponential AI, or just in a slowdown? #academisky #ai
@garymarcus.bsky.social argues GPT-5 proves the curve has flattened. Scaling isn’t delivering exponential gains anymore and the field is shifting to smaller or hybrid models.
Are we past exponential AI, or just in a slowdown? #academisky #ai
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
The war zone in Portland is out of control.
October 18, 2025 at 1:09 AM
The war zone in Portland is out of control.
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
BREAKING: Immigration officers in the Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras after the use of tear gas and other actions against protesters, a judge rules.
'Startled' judge orders agents in Chicago area to wear body cameras after violent clashes
A judge says federal immigration officers in the Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras after the use of tear gas and other aggressive steps against protesters.
bit.ly
October 16, 2025 at 3:35 PM
BREAKING: Immigration officers in the Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras after the use of tear gas and other actions against protesters, a judge rules.
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
I’m so tired of people just believing generative AI systems “will get better.” We have no reason to believe that. And we now have an OpenAI paper showing they can’t.
The problem with LLMs is LLMs.
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
The problem with LLMs is LLMs.
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws
In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...
www.computerworld.com
October 15, 2025 at 9:01 PM
I’m so tired of people just believing generative AI systems “will get better.” We have no reason to believe that. And we now have an OpenAI paper showing they can’t.
The problem with LLMs is LLMs.
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
The problem with LLMs is LLMs.
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
Ahead of the 20 Oct deadline for responding to Ofcom’s proactive technology consultation, a reminder of how the government has translated ‘safety by design’ into upload filtering. #OnlineSafetyAct www.cyberleagle.com/2024/12/safe...
Safe speech by design
Proponents of a duty of care for online platforms have long dwelt on the theme of safety by design. It has come to the fore again recently w...
www.cyberleagle.com
October 15, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Ahead of the 20 Oct deadline for responding to Ofcom’s proactive technology consultation, a reminder of how the government has translated ‘safety by design’ into upload filtering. #OnlineSafetyAct www.cyberleagle.com/2024/12/safe...
Reposted by Nora Ni Loideain
The European Convention on Human Rights is being misrepresented in the UK, says former Supreme Court President Lady Hale👇
🔗 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home... via @the-independent.com
“It seems so short-sighted. I’m sorry, I’m really, really worried about it.”
#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms
🔗 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home... via @the-independent.com
“It seems so short-sighted. I’m sorry, I’m really, really worried about it.”
#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms
October 15, 2025 at 7:57 AM
The European Convention on Human Rights is being misrepresented in the UK, says former Supreme Court President Lady Hale👇
🔗 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home... via @the-independent.com
“It seems so short-sighted. I’m sorry, I’m really, really worried about it.”
#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms
🔗 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home... via @the-independent.com
“It seems so short-sighted. I’m sorry, I’m really, really worried about it.”
#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms
Huge privacy intrusions of vulnerable patients supposed to receive one-to-one care.
But an inquest heard the Oxevision surveillance system was muted by staff in one case where the patient was left alone for 28 minutes.
Surveillance also lacked patients’ consent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
But an inquest heard the Oxevision surveillance system was muted by staff in one case where the patient was left alone for 28 minutes.
Surveillance also lacked patients’ consent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Possible' misuse of Oxevision monitoring system, trust admits
The use of the monitoring system in mental health wards has been explored at the Lampard Inquiry.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 14, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Huge privacy intrusions of vulnerable patients supposed to receive one-to-one care.
But an inquest heard the Oxevision surveillance system was muted by staff in one case where the patient was left alone for 28 minutes.
Surveillance also lacked patients’ consent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
But an inquest heard the Oxevision surveillance system was muted by staff in one case where the patient was left alone for 28 minutes.
Surveillance also lacked patients’ consent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
‘Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, said that the current legal framework allows UK authorities to “impose excessive limits on freedom of assembly and expression, and risk overpolicing” in a letter sent to the home secretary.’
Human rights official urges UK to review laws after Palestine Action placard arrests
Human rights official urges UK to review laws after Palestine Action placard arrests
Counter-terror laws must not place unnecessary limits on ‘fundamental rights’, Michael O’Flaherty tells Shabana Mahmood
Europe’s most senior human rights official has called on Shabana Mahmood to review UK protest laws after mass arrests over the ban on Palestine Action.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, said that the current legal framework allows UK authorities to “impose excessive limits on freedom of assembly and expression, and risk overpolicing” in a letter sent to the home secretary. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 14, 2025 at 9:35 AM
‘Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, said that the current legal framework allows UK authorities to “impose excessive limits on freedom of assembly and expression, and risk overpolicing” in a letter sent to the home secretary.’