Aidan O’Brien
@aidanobrien.bsky.social
Talks about: internet governance, counter-violent extremism, and counter-disinformation but (mostly) movies
(He/Him)
(He/Him)
The biggest suspension of disbelief in a Bond movie is in “A View to a Kill” when the audience is expected to believe that a geriatric Roger Moore has sex with Grace Jones without her snapping him like a twig.
James Bond’s death in No Time to Die is causing a nightmare for the next film. Writers are stuck because Bond “was blown to pieces.”
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
November 11, 2025 at 1:10 PM
The biggest suspension of disbelief in a Bond movie is in “A View to a Kill” when the audience is expected to believe that a geriatric Roger Moore has sex with Grace Jones without her snapping him like a twig.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
hi, can you do me a favor?
take a picture of your pet and then take a picture again while you sing to them
thank you, this is for science
here is my contribution
take a picture of your pet and then take a picture again while you sing to them
thank you, this is for science
here is my contribution
November 10, 2025 at 11:25 PM
hi, can you do me a favor?
take a picture of your pet and then take a picture again while you sing to them
thank you, this is for science
here is my contribution
take a picture of your pet and then take a picture again while you sing to them
thank you, this is for science
here is my contribution
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Ivan just gave a solid argument for an investigation into Irish media for conflicts of interest. He just threw himself and every other Irish journalist under the bus. The public should know who else is double dealing.
It's a question of the trustworthiness of Irish journalism
It's a question of the trustworthiness of Irish journalism
‘Golden rule’ - Ivan Yates cites client confidentiality as reason he didn’t disclose media training of presidential candidate Jim Gavin
www.rte.ie/news/politic...
www.rte.ie/news/politic...
Client confidentiality reason for non-disclosure - Yates
Former broadcaster Ivan Yates has said client confidentiality was the reason he did not disclose the fact that he gave media training to former presidential candidate Jim Gavin.
www.rte.ie
November 10, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Ivan just gave a solid argument for an investigation into Irish media for conflicts of interest. He just threw himself and every other Irish journalist under the bus. The public should know who else is double dealing.
It's a question of the trustworthiness of Irish journalism
It's a question of the trustworthiness of Irish journalism
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
This is absolutely nuts
Trump did incite the January 6 riot. Splicing a video to make that point is shoddy editorial but hardly a resignation event
When BBC is needed more than ever, Telegraph/Boris Johnson running the show
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...
Trump did incite the January 6 riot. Splicing a video to make that point is shoddy editorial but hardly a resignation event
When BBC is needed more than ever, Telegraph/Boris Johnson running the show
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...
BBC director general Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness resign over Trump documentary edit
Davie says
www.bbc.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 6:12 PM
This is absolutely nuts
Trump did incite the January 6 riot. Splicing a video to make that point is shoddy editorial but hardly a resignation event
When BBC is needed more than ever, Telegraph/Boris Johnson running the show
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...
Trump did incite the January 6 riot. Splicing a video to make that point is shoddy editorial but hardly a resignation event
When BBC is needed more than ever, Telegraph/Boris Johnson running the show
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
“I want you to understand what it is like to live in Chicago during this time.”
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 9, 2025 at 5:26 PM
“I want you to understand what it is like to live in Chicago during this time.”
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
“Given the severity of the threats social media companies pose to democracy and fundamental rights, policy responses cannot merely tinker around the edges,” writes Christine Galvagna. The EU must act now—fund decentralized, public service social media to protect democracy and digital rights.
Public Service Social Media as a Democratic Safeguard | TechPolicy.Press
Christine Galvagna proposes an EU fund to support decentralized, public service focused social media networks to protect digital rights and democracy.
www.techpolicy.press
November 7, 2025 at 3:41 PM
“Given the severity of the threats social media companies pose to democracy and fundamental rights, policy responses cannot merely tinker around the edges,” writes Christine Galvagna. The EU must act now—fund decentralized, public service social media to protect democracy and digital rights.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
For years, I’ve been obsessed with a number.
What’s the #? It’s the amount Meta earns per year from scam ads. Thanks to @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social, we know it: $16 billion.
Our free @indicator.media Briefing looks at what needs to happen now that we know the number: indicator.media/p/briefing-m...
What’s the #? It’s the amount Meta earns per year from scam ads. Thanks to @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social, we know it: $16 billion.
Our free @indicator.media Briefing looks at what needs to happen now that we know the number: indicator.media/p/briefing-m...
Briefing: Meta's multi-billion dollar scam ad business
Plus: Fox News falls for racist AI slop, and a tool for investigating Discord servers.
indicator.media
November 7, 2025 at 2:10 PM
For years, I’ve been obsessed with a number.
What’s the #? It’s the amount Meta earns per year from scam ads. Thanks to @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social, we know it: $16 billion.
Our free @indicator.media Briefing looks at what needs to happen now that we know the number: indicator.media/p/briefing-m...
What’s the #? It’s the amount Meta earns per year from scam ads. Thanks to @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social, we know it: $16 billion.
Our free @indicator.media Briefing looks at what needs to happen now that we know the number: indicator.media/p/briefing-m...
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
"the law does not self-enforce. the law does not self-execute.
there are more parking ticket enforcement in Brussels than there are enforcement of the DMA" Cori
there are more parking ticket enforcement in Brussels than there are enforcement of the DMA" Cori
November 7, 2025 at 9:02 AM
"the law does not self-enforce. the law does not self-execute.
there are more parking ticket enforcement in Brussels than there are enforcement of the DMA" Cori
there are more parking ticket enforcement in Brussels than there are enforcement of the DMA" Cori
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.
November 7, 2025 at 7:39 AM
The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.
Everyone is mocking DJ Carey, but no one is blaming the mastermind of his cunning plan.
November 7, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Everyone is mocking DJ Carey, but no one is blaming the mastermind of his cunning plan.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Fantastic expose from my friend George Turner in the Guardian. So good to see George back in print.
The two of us also have a *very* exciting project due to hit the airwaves in late 2026... 🫣
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/no...
The two of us also have a *very* exciting project due to hit the airwaves in late 2026... 🫣
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/no...
Mediocre movies, millions in taxpayer cash: how scores of films from low-profile UK producer were funded mainly by public money
Creative industries are ‘crucial to the economy’ but film-making and tax have long had an uneasy relationship in Britain
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Fantastic expose from my friend George Turner in the Guardian. So good to see George back in print.
The two of us also have a *very* exciting project due to hit the airwaves in late 2026... 🫣
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/no...
The two of us also have a *very* exciting project due to hit the airwaves in late 2026... 🫣
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/no...
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Meta earns $3.5 billion every six months from showing Faceboon and Instagram users 15 billion “higher legal risk” scam ad impressions a day, internal documents state.
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Meta earns $3.5 billion every six months from showing Faceboon and Instagram users 15 billion “higher legal risk” scam ad impressions a day, internal documents state.
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Devastating news. RTÉ's documentaries have always been one of the outstanding aspects of the broadcaster's outputs.
Production will continue with outside commissions replacing the in-house team, but still.
Production will continue with outside commissions replacing the in-house team, but still.
RTÉ's in-house TV documentary unit to cease production
RTÉ's in-house TV documentary unit is to cease production in 2026.
www.rte.ie
November 6, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Devastating news. RTÉ's documentaries have always been one of the outstanding aspects of the broadcaster's outputs.
Production will continue with outside commissions replacing the in-house team, but still.
Production will continue with outside commissions replacing the in-house team, but still.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
I've not read report yet, but Witness.org is working to address the existential risk of GenAI to reporting on war crimes, drone attacks, human rights violations, etc.
Part of the answer is more contextual info in videos - e.g. weather, neighbouring buildings - to corroborate
www.gen-ai.witness.org
Part of the answer is more contextual info in videos - e.g. weather, neighbouring buildings - to corroborate
www.gen-ai.witness.org
November 6, 2025 at 12:10 PM
I've not read report yet, but Witness.org is working to address the existential risk of GenAI to reporting on war crimes, drone attacks, human rights violations, etc.
Part of the answer is more contextual info in videos - e.g. weather, neighbouring buildings - to corroborate
www.gen-ai.witness.org
Part of the answer is more contextual info in videos - e.g. weather, neighbouring buildings - to corroborate
www.gen-ai.witness.org
ReformUK can only dream that one day they will achieve this level of petty sectarian bigotry
Senior Orange Order figures have written to Britain’s King Charles to “reflect on his coronation oath” over his praying with Pope Leo last month.
www.thejournal.ie/orange-order...
www.thejournal.ie/orange-order...
Orange Order leaders wrote to Britain's King Charles over his meeting with Pope Leo
The Pope’s historic meeting with Charles has come in for criticism from unionist figures in the North and elsewhere over recent weeks.
www.thejournal.ie
November 6, 2025 at 12:16 PM
ReformUK can only dream that one day they will achieve this level of petty sectarian bigotry
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Meta's fraud problem: The social media giant projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from ads for scams and banned goods, documents seen by @Reuters show reut.rs/4qJTpdH
November 6, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Meta's fraud problem: The social media giant projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from ads for scams and banned goods, documents seen by @Reuters show reut.rs/4qJTpdH
Dear #EUpolicy & #internetpolicy sky. Does anyone have a link to, or can direct towards any policy papers regarding technical standards for labelling and watermarking Gen Ai videos and images for VLOPs?
Please And Thank You GIF
Alt: Please And Thank You Ron Swanson gif
media.tenor.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Dear #EUpolicy & #internetpolicy sky. Does anyone have a link to, or can direct towards any policy papers regarding technical standards for labelling and watermarking Gen Ai videos and images for VLOPs?
Watch how Irish political parties try to pivot and capture the Mamdani social media “magic” while studiously ignoring the underlying policies that made his campaign so appealing to voters
November 5, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Watch how Irish political parties try to pivot and capture the Mamdani social media “magic” while studiously ignoring the underlying policies that made his campaign so appealing to voters
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
The survey also found a huge gulf between levels of fear of Dublin city centre, and levels of crime respondents had experiened here. And at what, then, drives that perception that town is not safe. 5/
There’s a huge gulf between levels of fear of Dublin city centre, and levels of crime, new survey shows
The City Centre Crime Victim Survey was commissioned by Dublin Inquirer and carried out by Amarách Research.
www.dublininquirer.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:23 AM
The survey also found a huge gulf between levels of fear of Dublin city centre, and levels of crime respondents had experiened here. And at what, then, drives that perception that town is not safe. 5/
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
There's been a great deal of debate about how safe Dublin city centre is, but when we @dublininquirer.com looked for data to resolve this, we couldn't find much useful – so we commissioned a survey to try to add some facts/data to the debate. Today we've published five articles about the results. 1/
November 5, 2025 at 9:23 AM
There's been a great deal of debate about how safe Dublin city centre is, but when we @dublininquirer.com looked for data to resolve this, we couldn't find much useful – so we commissioned a survey to try to add some facts/data to the debate. Today we've published five articles about the results. 1/
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Data centres are to energy as Airbnbs are to housing.
They devour the supply, inflate the costs, and destabilise the entire system.
Societal vampires.
They devour the supply, inflate the costs, and destabilise the entire system.
Societal vampires.
November 4, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Data centres are to energy as Airbnbs are to housing.
They devour the supply, inflate the costs, and destabilise the entire system.
Societal vampires.
They devour the supply, inflate the costs, and destabilise the entire system.
Societal vampires.
Reposted by Aidan O’Brien
Being a professional full-time "opinion columnist" is akin to a career as a Victorian hat maker.
It doesn't matter how stable, thoughtful, and intelligent you are at the outset; the working conditions will inevitably turn you into a dribbling, incoherent lunatic.
It doesn't matter how stable, thoughtful, and intelligent you are at the outset; the working conditions will inevitably turn you into a dribbling, incoherent lunatic.
November 4, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Being a professional full-time "opinion columnist" is akin to a career as a Victorian hat maker.
It doesn't matter how stable, thoughtful, and intelligent you are at the outset; the working conditions will inevitably turn you into a dribbling, incoherent lunatic.
It doesn't matter how stable, thoughtful, and intelligent you are at the outset; the working conditions will inevitably turn you into a dribbling, incoherent lunatic.
Google Sheets is actually quite similar to “Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark”, because in both cases if you go near the dates you die.
November 4, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Google Sheets is actually quite similar to “Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark”, because in both cases if you go near the dates you die.