Tim Squirrell
@tmsqrll.bsky.social
Professional abyss gazer. Tech horrors in 57 varieties, head of strategy @foxglovelegal.bsky.social but my views are shared only by the demented and damned. I also have a PhD in Online, so that’s Dr 🐿️ to you
Aside from anything else in this mess, it's galling to hear the co-founder of Childnet say "well we're an online safety organisation, *of course* we take money from Big Tech". That's not a given! You don't have to do that!
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
‘It felt hypocritical’: child internet safety campaign accused of censoring teenagers’ speeches
Exclusive: Childnet, a UK charity part-funded by US tech firms, edited out warnings by two young speakers at its 2024 Safer Internet Day event
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Aside from anything else in this mess, it's galling to hear the co-founder of Childnet say "well we're an online safety organisation, *of course* we take money from Big Tech". That's not a given! You don't have to do that!
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
reading these captions it's deeply upsetting to me that i wrote a thing in 2018 about how incel language was leaking out into the mainstream and i had no idea how bad it was going to get
February 10, 2026 at 11:26 AM
reading these captions it's deeply upsetting to me that i wrote a thing in 2018 about how incel language was leaking out into the mainstream and i had no idea how bad it was going to get
Please tell me more about the current right wing thing about cortisol. I've seen it come up a bit on my feed but it always seems more generic wellness/pseudo-spirituality-tinged rather than in the right wing griftosphere
February 10, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Please tell me more about the current right wing thing about cortisol. I've seen it come up a bit on my feed but it always seems more generic wellness/pseudo-spirituality-tinged rather than in the right wing griftosphere
Hmm, maybe it’s time
February 8, 2026 at 8:19 PM
Hmm, maybe it’s time
I also FOI'd this and received a response saying the info was already in the public domain, referencing a letter correcting the '10.8m families use X as their main news source' figure to '10.8m families use X'. No actual source for the figures. So good to finally get a source. Shame it's *X itself*.
UPDATE: I've had a response from the Cabinet Office!
"the statistics cited ‘19.2 million British citizens registered with X and 10.8 million families using the platform’ were provided by OmniGov, the government's media buying agency, who received this data directly from X itself."
"the statistics cited ‘19.2 million British citizens registered with X and 10.8 million families using the platform’ were provided by OmniGov, the government's media buying agency, who received this data directly from X itself."
February 6, 2026 at 10:54 AM
I also FOI'd this and received a response saying the info was already in the public domain, referencing a letter correcting the '10.8m families use X as their main news source' figure to '10.8m families use X'. No actual source for the figures. So good to finally get a source. Shame it's *X itself*.
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
I just signed a petition calling for an urgent investigation into Peter Mandelson's dealings with Palantir. Did he use his position as UK Ambassador to benefit the US spy tech firm? Sign now: www.foxglove.org.uk/campaigns/ma...
The Government must reveal all details of Peter Mandelson’s links to Palantir - Foxglove
Sign the petition for an urgent investigation into Peter Mandelson's dealings with Palantir. Did he use his position as UK Ambassador to benefit the US spy tech firm?
www.foxglove.org.uk
February 5, 2026 at 7:16 PM
I just signed a petition calling for an urgent investigation into Peter Mandelson's dealings with Palantir. Did he use his position as UK Ambassador to benefit the US spy tech firm? Sign now: www.foxglove.org.uk/campaigns/ma...
Foxglove is calling on the government to expose the extent of Mandelson’s involvement in contracts awarded to Palantir. We know he may have leaked to Jeffrey Epstein. The public deserves to know if Palantir, a client of his consultancy, also benefited.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Mandelson’s links with US tech firm Palantir must be fully exposed, campaigners warn
Government faces call for transparency on former peer’s involvement amid fears he may have leaked more sensitive information
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Foxglove is calling on the government to expose the extent of Mandelson’s involvement in contracts awarded to Palantir. We know he may have leaked to Jeffrey Epstein. The public deserves to know if Palantir, a client of his consultancy, also benefited.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
do we prioritise the impending catastrophe that may make the planet inhospitable to life? or do we want these magic beans?
for this government the choice is clear: beans, every time
for this government the choice is clear: beans, every time
February 4, 2026 at 5:12 PM
do we prioritise the impending catastrophe that may make the planet inhospitable to life? or do we want these magic beans?
for this government the choice is clear: beans, every time
for this government the choice is clear: beans, every time
none of us have any money to buy things, so nobody wants to advertise to us
February 4, 2026 at 11:09 AM
none of us have any money to buy things, so nobody wants to advertise to us
The longer I think about it the more grimly funny this release is. Ofcom spends ages describing the minutiae of what's in scope of the OSA for chatbots, aligning quite well with what Grok does, then throws up its hands and says "we just can't know if Grok is in scope ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"
February 3, 2026 at 12:59 PM
The longer I think about it the more grimly funny this release is. Ofcom spends ages describing the minutiae of what's in scope of the OSA for chatbots, aligning quite well with what Grok does, then throws up its hands and says "we just can't know if Grok is in scope ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"
They have powers related to chat bots if&onlyif they produce pornographic content, search the web or allow user-to-user sharing. The former is trivially true; second unclear; the third arguable but in my view true in this case given Grok Imagine's scrolling UGC feed and in-built X sharing feature
February 3, 2026 at 12:53 PM
They have powers related to chat bots if&onlyif they produce pornographic content, search the web or allow user-to-user sharing. The former is trivially true; second unclear; the third arguable but in my view true in this case given Grok Imagine's scrolling UGC feed and in-built X sharing feature
They are not certain whether it is in scope of the OSA. From a porn perspective it certainly is (in my view). From the user-to-user sharing standpoint it's less clear but certainly arguable, given Grok Imagine has a scrolling feed of content generated by others.
February 3, 2026 at 12:51 PM
They are not certain whether it is in scope of the OSA. From a porn perspective it certainly is (in my view). From the user-to-user sharing standpoint it's less clear but certainly arguable, given Grok Imagine has a scrolling feed of content generated by others.
Here's Ofcom's statement from today, confirming that they are not investigating the Grok app. They should reconsider this; it's clearly in scope for the production of pornographic images if nothing else.
www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...
www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...
Ofcom update: Investigation into X, and scope of the Online Safety Act
Ofcom has today set out the next steps in its investigation into X, and the limitations of the UK’s Online Safety Act in relation to AI chatbots.
www.ofcom.org.uk
February 3, 2026 at 12:48 PM
Here's Ofcom's statement from today, confirming that they are not investigating the Grok app. They should reconsider this; it's clearly in scope for the production of pornographic images if nothing else.
www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...
www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...
Ofcom has just confirmed that xAI (and therefore the standalone Grok app) is not in scope for their investigation of X. They need to urgently rethink this: Grok produces sexualised images of people without their consent that can be easily shared and used for public humiliation.
New: Together with colleagues I’ve been testing Grok.
The chatbot still produces sexualized images —
even when told the subjects don’t consent.
even when told the photos will be used for public humiliation.
even when told the subjects are survivors of abuse.
www.reuters.com/business/des...
The chatbot still produces sexualized images —
even when told the subjects don’t consent.
even when told the photos will be used for public humiliation.
even when told the subjects are survivors of abuse.
www.reuters.com/business/des...
Exclusive: Despite new curbs, Elon Musk’s Grok at times produces sexualized images - even when told subjects didn’t consent
Elon Musk’s flagship artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, continues to generate sexualized images of people even when users explicitly warn that the subjects do not consent, Reuters has found.
www.reuters.com
February 3, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Ofcom has just confirmed that xAI (and therefore the standalone Grok app) is not in scope for their investigation of X. They need to urgently rethink this: Grok produces sexualised images of people without their consent that can be easily shared and used for public humiliation.
This quote from Kendall about AI is so telling. "If we can *show* that AI helps" -- not "if we can determine whether it helps".
No curiosity about whether AI is a force for good or not, just zealous certainty that the people need to be made to see that it is.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
No curiosity about whether AI is a force for good or not, just zealous certainty that the people need to be made to see that it is.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
February 3, 2026 at 10:45 AM
This quote from Kendall about AI is so telling. "If we can *show* that AI helps" -- not "if we can determine whether it helps".
No curiosity about whether AI is a force for good or not, just zealous certainty that the people need to be made to see that it is.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
No curiosity about whether AI is a force for good or not, just zealous certainty that the people need to be made to see that it is.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
A lot going on here and all ugly, but one thing I still can't get my head around is how any British government can do business with Thiel at this point.
February 3, 2026 at 9:28 AM
A lot going on here and all ugly, but one thing I still can't get my head around is how any British government can do business with Thiel at this point.
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
‼️SPAIN'S PM SANCHEZ: SPAIN WILL BAN ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MINORS UNDER 16
‼️SPAIN'S PM SANCHEZ: WE WILL CHANGE SPANISH LAW TO HOLD SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR ILLEGAL, HATEFUL CONTENT
‼️SPAIN'S PM SANCHEZ: WE WILL CHANGE SPANISH LAW TO HOLD SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR ILLEGAL, HATEFUL CONTENT
February 3, 2026 at 9:25 AM
‼️SPAIN'S PM SANCHEZ: SPAIN WILL BAN ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MINORS UNDER 16
‼️SPAIN'S PM SANCHEZ: WE WILL CHANGE SPANISH LAW TO HOLD SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR ILLEGAL, HATEFUL CONTENT
‼️SPAIN'S PM SANCHEZ: WE WILL CHANGE SPANISH LAW TO HOLD SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR ILLEGAL, HATEFUL CONTENT
In September, TikTok told Lynda and her team of moderators to apply for new jobs. They were identical, but with an "AI element". Every union member who applied, including Lynda, was rejected. Every successful applicant was not a union member.
news.sky.com/story/former...
news.sky.com/story/former...
news.sky.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:45 PM
In September, TikTok told Lynda and her team of moderators to apply for new jobs. They were identical, but with an "AI element". Every union member who applied, including Lynda, was rejected. Every successful applicant was not a union member.
news.sky.com/story/former...
news.sky.com/story/former...
We @foxglovelegal.bsky.social are supporting a second case against TikTok for union-busting. Very proud to be helping with this action.
www.foxglove.org.uk/2026/02/02/p...
www.foxglove.org.uk/2026/02/02/p...
Press release: UK TikTok hit with second union-busting lawsuit in two months - Foxglove
Social media giant TikTok has been hit with a second lawsuit alleging union-busting and unlawful redundancies in London, just weeks after the launch of a previous lawsuit by its former …
www.foxglove.org.uk
February 2, 2026 at 12:41 PM
We @foxglovelegal.bsky.social are supporting a second case against TikTok for union-busting. Very proud to be helping with this action.
www.foxglove.org.uk/2026/02/02/p...
www.foxglove.org.uk/2026/02/02/p...
the AVOCADOs are finally achieving class consciousness
February 1, 2026 at 3:47 PM
the AVOCADOs are finally achieving class consciousness
This piece by Rebecca Solnit is one of the most deeply moving explorations of what tech takes from us, how it transforms us, how it demands we become more like it and less human, that I've read www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
What technology takes from us – and how to take it back | Rebecca Solnit
The long read: Decisions outsourced, chatbots for friends, the natural world an afterthought: Silicon Valley is giving us life void of connection. There is a way out – but it’s going to take collectiv...
www.theguardian.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:21 AM
This piece by Rebecca Solnit is one of the most deeply moving explorations of what tech takes from us, how it transforms us, how it demands we become more like it and less human, that I've read www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
Big win for @foxglovelegal.bsky.social and others as the CMA announces they intend to force Google to let publishers opt out of having their content used for AI *without being penalised in search*. This is what we've been asking for since last year. Cautiously optimistic. digiday.com/media/google...
Google’s forced AI opt out: what changes — and what doesn’t — for publishers
Publishers want the CMA to impose structural remedies on Google versus behavioral ones, to address the enormous leverage the tech giant has.
digiday.com
January 29, 2026 at 2:27 PM
Big win for @foxglovelegal.bsky.social and others as the CMA announces they intend to force Google to let publishers opt out of having their content used for AI *without being penalised in search*. This is what we've been asking for since last year. Cautiously optimistic. digiday.com/media/google...
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
The CMA has said publishers should be able to opt out of Google’s AI Overviews without it affecting how they appear in search
The regulator also said the way Google decides how content is ranked in search results should be made “fair and transparent” pressgazette.co.uk/news/google-...
The regulator also said the way Google decides how content is ranked in search results should be made “fair and transparent” pressgazette.co.uk/news/google-...
CMA says UK publishers should be allowed to opt out of Google AI Overviews
The CMA has said publishers should be able to opt out of Google AI Overviews without it affecting how they appear in search results.
pressgazette.co.uk
January 28, 2026 at 12:55 PM
The CMA has said publishers should be able to opt out of Google’s AI Overviews without it affecting how they appear in search
The regulator also said the way Google decides how content is ranked in search results should be made “fair and transparent” pressgazette.co.uk/news/google-...
The regulator also said the way Google decides how content is ranked in search results should be made “fair and transparent” pressgazette.co.uk/news/google-...
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
If you're in London, last spots available for this event at Newspeak House with Noortje Marres Alex Taylor @tmsqrll.bsky.social Dominique Barron @halcyene.bsky.social Annie Radcliffe Yasmine Boudiaf and Mukul Patel, on AI infra in public spaces luma.com/p4fmir78 (cc @edsaperia.bsky.social)
AI in the street: Lessons from everyday encounters with AI innovation · Luma
What do smart bins, data centres, and delivery drones have in common — and how do everyday publics make sense of them? Join us at Newspeak House to explore AI…
luma.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:42 AM
If you're in London, last spots available for this event at Newspeak House with Noortje Marres Alex Taylor @tmsqrll.bsky.social Dominique Barron @halcyene.bsky.social Annie Radcliffe Yasmine Boudiaf and Mukul Patel, on AI infra in public spaces luma.com/p4fmir78 (cc @edsaperia.bsky.social)
Government admitted they’d failed to ensure that the developer, Greystoke, and any future operator would be held to the commitments they’d made to mitigate the climate impact of their 90MW data centre.
January 22, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Government admitted they’d failed to ensure that the developer, Greystoke, and any future operator would be held to the commitments they’d made to mitigate the climate impact of their 90MW data centre.