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...
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
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
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...
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)
🎉 UK govt today admitted a “serious error” in approving the hyperscale Woodlands data centre and said their decision should be “quashed”. Big win for @foxglovelegal.bsky.social and @globalactionplan.bsky.social. www.foxglove.org.uk/2026/01/22/u...
Press release: UK Government admits "serious error" in forcing through hyperscale data centre without environmental protections
This is the first time the UK government has admitted its decision to force through a new hyperscale data centre was wrong. It's a big win.
www.foxglove.org.uk
January 22, 2026 at 5:10 PM
🎉 UK govt today admitted a “serious error” in approving the hyperscale Woodlands data centre and said their decision should be “quashed”. Big win for @foxglovelegal.bsky.social and @globalactionplan.bsky.social. www.foxglove.org.uk/2026/01/22/u...
unfortunately I think this is going to be evergreen —
“It’s now been revealed that one of the most shocking ChatGPT-linked suicides happened shortly after Sam Altman claimed on X that ChatGPT 4o was safe.”
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
“It’s now been revealed that one of the most shocking ChatGPT-linked suicides happened shortly after Sam Altman claimed on X that ChatGPT 4o was safe.”
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
January 16, 2026 at 8:40 AM
unfortunately I think this is going to be evergreen —
“It’s now been revealed that one of the most shocking ChatGPT-linked suicides happened shortly after Sam Altman claimed on X that ChatGPT 4o was safe.”
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
“It’s now been revealed that one of the most shocking ChatGPT-linked suicides happened shortly after Sam Altman claimed on X that ChatGPT 4o was safe.”
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
Come and join us for a fun early evening exploration of the AI in the Street project, feat. Yasmine Boudiaf, Mukul Patel, Noortje Marres, Alex Taylor, @halcyene.bsky.social @tmsqrll.bsky.social, Dominique Barron, Annie Radcliffe and me at Newspeak House luma.com/p4fmir78
January 8, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Come and join us for a fun early evening exploration of the AI in the Street project, feat. Yasmine Boudiaf, Mukul Patel, Noortje Marres, Alex Taylor, @halcyene.bsky.social @tmsqrll.bsky.social, Dominique Barron, Annie Radcliffe and me at Newspeak House luma.com/p4fmir78
babe wake up OpenAI is appropriating feminist arguments about the invisibility of gendered domestic labour to tell you that ChatGPT, too, is undervalued www.ft.com/content/9c0e...
AI will free households from chores and boost hidden productivity, says OpenAI
Tools such as ChatGPT provide personal benefits that do not show up in traditional statistics, argues chief economist
www.ft.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:08 PM
babe wake up OpenAI is appropriating feminist arguments about the invisibility of gendered domestic labour to tell you that ChatGPT, too, is undervalued www.ft.com/content/9c0e...
While I agree with the sentiment, the phrasing "what Grok is doing" gives too much agency to what is a sophisticated computer program. The responsibility lies with the owner of the system, i.e. Musk's xAI.
Telling isn't it that all the "protect our girls" people are still on X despite what Grok is doing.
January 7, 2026 at 10:55 AM
While I agree with the sentiment, the phrasing "what Grok is doing" gives too much agency to what is a sophisticated computer program. The responsibility lies with the owner of the system, i.e. Musk's xAI.
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
Interesting story here about how the myth of rising crime in London is linked to troll accounts publishing AI bullshit
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
How social media accounts are changing 'unsafe' London's narrative
‘This isn’t about whether London is unsafe. It’s about how online narratives form, spread, and shape public perception’, says KCL expert Dr Mark J. Hill
www.standard.co.uk
January 6, 2026 at 10:15 AM
Interesting story here about how the myth of rising crime in London is linked to troll accounts publishing AI bullshit
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
It's like this government just doesn't understand that the US and its Big Tech soft power extensions can no longer be considered a reliable ally. Terrible decision www.politico.eu/article/pala...
Palantir lands biggest ever UK defense deal
The £240 million contract with the Ministry of Defence has renewed a debate about Britain’s dependence on American technology.
www.politico.eu
January 6, 2026 at 9:34 AM
It's like this government just doesn't understand that the US and its Big Tech soft power extensions can no longer be considered a reliable ally. Terrible decision www.politico.eu/article/pala...
Today programme really not covering itself in glory this morning with just how credulous it’s being about AI industry claims (not least because it’s given the guest editor spot to Mustafa Suleyman who runs an AI company)
December 29, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Today programme really not covering itself in glory this morning with just how credulous it’s being about AI industry claims (not least because it’s given the guest editor spot to Mustafa Suleyman who runs an AI company)
Chris Philp repeatedly repeatedly and exclusively referring to Alaa Abd El-Fattah as “this scumbag” while calling for him to be stripped of his citizenship on the Today programme feels like a deliberate and dumb coarsening of rhetoric
December 29, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Chris Philp repeatedly repeatedly and exclusively referring to Alaa Abd El-Fattah as “this scumbag” while calling for him to be stripped of his citizenship on the Today programme feels like a deliberate and dumb coarsening of rhetoric
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
"This is obvious, blatant and unlawful union-busting," says Foxglove's Stella Caram - important piece on TikTok by @mickeycarroll.bsky.social
news.sky.com/story/tiktok...
news.sky.com/story/tiktok...
TikTok faces legal action over moderator cuts
TikTok is being accused of threatening safety workers with redundancy days before they were due to vote on forming a union.
news.sky.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:24 PM
"This is obvious, blatant and unlawful union-busting," says Foxglove's Stella Caram - important piece on TikTok by @mickeycarroll.bsky.social
news.sky.com/story/tiktok...
news.sky.com/story/tiktok...
Reposted by Tim Squirrell
'Dame @chionwurah.bsky.social , chair of the science and technology select committee, said she was "deeply" concerned about the cuts.
"There is a real risk to the lives of TikTok users," she said.'
"There is a real risk to the lives of TikTok users," she said.'
"This is obvious, blatant and unlawful union-busting," says Foxglove's Stella Caram - important piece on TikTok by @mickeycarroll.bsky.social
news.sky.com/story/tiktok...
news.sky.com/story/tiktok...
TikTok faces legal action over moderator cuts
TikTok is being accused of threatening safety workers with redundancy days before they were due to vote on forming a union.
news.sky.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:26 PM
'Dame @chionwurah.bsky.social , chair of the science and technology select committee, said she was "deeply" concerned about the cuts.
"There is a real risk to the lives of TikTok users," she said.'
"There is a real risk to the lives of TikTok users," she said.'