Bernard Keenan
@bernardkeenan.bsky.social
Lecturer, UCL Laws. Law, theory, tech.
Interception: from postal systems to global networks (MIT 2025)
Interception: from postal systems to global networks (MIT 2025)
Pinned
Bernard Keenan
@bernardkeenan.bsky.social
· May 28
Interception: State Surveillance from Postal Systems to Global Networks
A media history of how the UK and US governments have surveilled citizens by intercepting their private communications.It may not be Big Brother (yet), but
direct.mit.edu
Open Access link:
direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...
direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Especially for the 1Ls out there, preparing for their 1st set of law school exams, I wrote this post back in 2007 about how to get a good grade on a law school issue spotter. The post, "Bad Answers, Good Answers, and Terrific Answers," is available here:
volokh.com/posts/116838...
volokh.com/posts/116838...
November 22, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Especially for the 1Ls out there, preparing for their 1st set of law school exams, I wrote this post back in 2007 about how to get a good grade on a law school issue spotter. The post, "Bad Answers, Good Answers, and Terrific Answers," is available here:
volokh.com/posts/116838...
volokh.com/posts/116838...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Excellent piece in the @lrb.co.uk by @crookedfootball.bsky.social about the Labour government's asylum plans www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/no...
Christopher Bertram | ‘Core Protection’
Refugeehood is not supposed to be like this. The ideal envisaged by the Refugee Convention is that refugee status should...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Excellent piece in the @lrb.co.uk by @crookedfootball.bsky.social about the Labour government's asylum plans www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/no...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
I also strongly had the impression from various Sources that the Labour team really thought The Market was crying out for Sensible governance, and faced with the overwhelming evidence of how Sensible they were the animal spirits would flow carrying investment along with them. It was magical thinking
What was I saying two years ago? I said: there is no plan here, they think they’ll win then everyone will be so happy at being governed by them that the economy will boom. Because that’s what happened last time, isn’t it. That’s what all the chat about the imminent sunny optimism and Good Vibes was.
Lack of planning has hit Labour’s efforts to fix public services, says thinktank
Keir Starmer accused of failing to adequately strategise while in opposition, leading to uncoordinated policymaking
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 AM
I also strongly had the impression from various Sources that the Labour team really thought The Market was crying out for Sensible governance, and faced with the overwhelming evidence of how Sensible they were the animal spirits would flow carrying investment along with them. It was magical thinking
this is excellent
Kirsty Hughes: Immigration and proposals to amend Article 8 ECHR ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/11/19/k...
Kirsty Hughes: Immigration and proposals to amend Article 8 ECHR
Backlash against the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) is heavily driven by immigration and is often a direct reaction to it. This is not a new phenomen…
ukconstitutionallaw.org
November 19, 2025 at 9:14 AM
this is excellent
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
New: this app lets ICE track vehicles and owners across the country. ICE uses phone to scan license plates, add to a database of billions of records. Thomson Reuters then enriches that with marriage, voter, other info. Can predict where a car will be in the future
www.404media.co/this-app-let...
www.404media.co/this-app-let...
This App Lets ICE Track Vehicles and Owners Across the Country
Material viewed by 404 Media shows data giant Thomson Reuters enriches license plate data with marriage, voter, and ownership records. The tool can predict where a car may be in the future.
www.404media.co
November 17, 2025 at 2:31 PM
New: this app lets ICE track vehicles and owners across the country. ICE uses phone to scan license plates, add to a database of billions of records. Thomson Reuters then enriches that with marriage, voter, other info. Can predict where a car will be in the future
www.404media.co/this-app-let...
www.404media.co/this-app-let...
generally speaking, 'safe and legal routes' preclude asylum seekers. it refers to resettlement pathways for refugees (recognised as such by UNHCR) living in refugee camps. the rhetorical move is to leverage the moral force of resettlement to delegitimise in-country asylum applicants
Labour is expected to announce the opening of new “safe and legal routes” for asylum seekers later this week. How does it think Reform and co will react to that? Will they be measured and look at the draconian policies today? Or just condemn them loudly? *How do they see this working?*
November 17, 2025 at 11:15 AM
generally speaking, 'safe and legal routes' preclude asylum seekers. it refers to resettlement pathways for refugees (recognised as such by UNHCR) living in refugee camps. the rhetorical move is to leverage the moral force of resettlement to delegitimise in-country asylum applicants
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Turns out the temporary alliance between "writing stuff" and "meaning stuff" was good actually
November 14, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Turns out the temporary alliance between "writing stuff" and "meaning stuff" was good actually
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Just to say, I am a supervisor here:
UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Responsible and Trustworthy in-the-world Natural Language Processing
www.responsiblenlp.org/2026-student...
If you are reading things like this and planning PhD project, do reach out:
www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Responsible and Trustworthy in-the-world Natural Language Processing
www.responsiblenlp.org/2026-student...
If you are reading things like this and planning PhD project, do reach out:
www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
2026 Studentships
www.responsiblenlp.org
November 14, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Just to say, I am a supervisor here:
UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Responsible and Trustworthy in-the-world Natural Language Processing
www.responsiblenlp.org/2026-student...
If you are reading things like this and planning PhD project, do reach out:
www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Responsible and Trustworthy in-the-world Natural Language Processing
www.responsiblenlp.org/2026-student...
If you are reading things like this and planning PhD project, do reach out:
www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Trump slaps Antifa with its first-ever foreign terror label, in move that explicitly cites NSPM-7.
www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trump-slap...
www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trump-slap...
Trump Slaps Antifa With First-Ever Foreign Terror Label
Move cites NSPM-7, saying four European Antifa groups espoused "anti-Christianity," "anti-capitalism," and "anti-Americanism"
www.kenklippenstein.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Trump slaps Antifa with its first-ever foreign terror label, in move that explicitly cites NSPM-7.
www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trump-slap...
www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trump-slap...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Incredible that Robbie Gibb - most influential person on BBC board by many accounts and from journalists I speak in BBC - was involved in setting up GB News.
GB News of course has breached Ofcom rules on *multiple* occasions - no sign of resignations though
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
GB News of course has breached Ofcom rules on *multiple* occasions - no sign of resignations though
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Enforced veganism’: Ofcom lets GB News flout accuracy rules, say climate campaigners
Exclusive: Regulator has received 1,221 complaints about UK broadcasters since 2020 but found no breaches of its code
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Incredible that Robbie Gibb - most influential person on BBC board by many accounts and from journalists I speak in BBC - was involved in setting up GB News.
GB News of course has breached Ofcom rules on *multiple* occasions - no sign of resignations though
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
GB News of course has breached Ofcom rules on *multiple* occasions - no sign of resignations though
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Read this thread in its entirety. And then realize that there are individuals in the US who not only approve of what ICE is doing but they also relish with glee about that kind of inhumane treatment to other human beings whose only “fault” is being a different skin color and race to theirs.
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Read this thread in its entirety. And then realize that there are individuals in the US who not only approve of what ICE is doing but they also relish with glee about that kind of inhumane treatment to other human beings whose only “fault” is being a different skin color and race to theirs.
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 3:08 AM
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
The last 15 years of HE policy in the UK:
Gov: act like you're in a market!
universities: OK
Gov: not like that!
Gov: act like you're in a market!
universities: OK
Gov: not like that!
November 6, 2025 at 8:15 AM
The last 15 years of HE policy in the UK:
Gov: act like you're in a market!
universities: OK
Gov: not like that!
Gov: act like you're in a market!
universities: OK
Gov: not like that!
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Two weeks left to apply for a PhD at UCL Laws — ranked the UK’s top law school for research quality (REF 2021). 🎓
Deadline: 18 Nov, 5pm (UK)
Apply: buff.ly/YRdH08Q
Join our research community and help shape the future of law. 🌟
#LawSky #PhDOpportunity
Deadline: 18 Nov, 5pm (UK)
Apply: buff.ly/YRdH08Q
Join our research community and help shape the future of law. 🌟
#LawSky #PhDOpportunity
Applying
Find out how to apply to study an MPhil/PhD programme at the Faculty of Laws
buff.ly
November 5, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Two weeks left to apply for a PhD at UCL Laws — ranked the UK’s top law school for research quality (REF 2021). 🎓
Deadline: 18 Nov, 5pm (UK)
Apply: buff.ly/YRdH08Q
Join our research community and help shape the future of law. 🌟
#LawSky #PhDOpportunity
Deadline: 18 Nov, 5pm (UK)
Apply: buff.ly/YRdH08Q
Join our research community and help shape the future of law. 🌟
#LawSky #PhDOpportunity
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
New from 404 Media: CBP has quietly launched a facial recognition app for local cops to do immigration enforcement. Scans their face, tells cops whether to contact ICE about this person or not. A truly rapid expansion of ICE's facial recognition app to local cops
www.404media.co/cbp-quietly-...
www.404media.co/cbp-quietly-...
CBP Quietly Launches Face Scanning App for Local Cops To Do Immigration Enforcement
The app, called Mobile Identify and available on the Google Play Store, is specifically for local and regional law enforcement agencies working with ICE on immigration enforcement.
www.404media.co
November 4, 2025 at 5:44 PM
New from 404 Media: CBP has quietly launched a facial recognition app for local cops to do immigration enforcement. Scans their face, tells cops whether to contact ICE about this person or not. A truly rapid expansion of ICE's facial recognition app to local cops
www.404media.co/cbp-quietly-...
www.404media.co/cbp-quietly-...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
As LLMs manufacture a form of scholarship, presentation doesn’t mean what it used to. D&S's Ranjit Singh looks at how this threatens the open-access research repository arXiv, how its founder is fighting to sustain its credibility, & what researchers can do to help. datasociety.net/points/on-ar...
October 30, 2025 at 2:32 PM
As LLMs manufacture a form of scholarship, presentation doesn’t mean what it used to. D&S's Ranjit Singh looks at how this threatens the open-access research repository arXiv, how its founder is fighting to sustain its credibility, & what researchers can do to help. datasociety.net/points/on-ar...
investment in telerobotics is primarily driven by immigration policy
Why would someone pay $20k for a robot controlled by a human in a remote location to do things more slowly and clumsily when the median wage for a maid or housekeeper is $33k per year, which is typically spread across 10-20 households?
October 30, 2025 at 9:28 AM
investment in telerobotics is primarily driven by immigration policy
tomorrow belongs to me
Katie Lam wins the Spectator award 'Newcomer of the Year'.
Morning.
Morning.
October 30, 2025 at 9:26 AM
tomorrow belongs to me
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
New: Videos show ICE/CBP agents are scanning peoples' faces on the street to verify citizenship. ICE has tool to instantly look up unprecedented number of databases with just a photo
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples’ Faces on the Street To Verify Citizenship
Videos on social media show officers from ICE and CBP using facial recognition technology on people in the field. One expert described the practice as “pure dystopian creep.”
www.404media.co
October 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
New: Videos show ICE/CBP agents are scanning peoples' faces on the street to verify citizenship. ICE has tool to instantly look up unprecedented number of databases with just a photo
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
'Net migration will fall very sharply in future years... Any political benefit the government may gain from this fall in immigration could be jeopardised by the economic damage that it causes'. Some eye watering estimates here from @jamesbowes01.bsky.social ukandeu.ac.uk/the-coming-c...
The coming collapse in immigration to the United Kingdom - UK in a changing Europe
James Bowes analyses the fall in net migration to the UK as a result of government policies and explores some of the political and economic consequences.
ukandeu.ac.uk
October 29, 2025 at 5:08 PM
'Net migration will fall very sharply in future years... Any political benefit the government may gain from this fall in immigration could be jeopardised by the economic damage that it causes'. Some eye watering estimates here from @jamesbowes01.bsky.social ukandeu.ac.uk/the-coming-c...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
it blows my mind that anyone is still pretending like trump is anything but a dictator, here is steve bannon talking about how they, in clear and certain terms, intends to install trump as president in 2028
October 23, 2025 at 11:22 PM
it blows my mind that anyone is still pretending like trump is anything but a dictator, here is steve bannon talking about how they, in clear and certain terms, intends to install trump as president in 2028
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
Call for papers for a workshop on Economic Aspects of the Constitution: www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_...
October 23, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Call for papers for a workshop on Economic Aspects of the Constitution: www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_...
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
what exactly are university managers doing, when they put pressure on staff to dedicate months of their time applying for these?
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 23, 2025 at 11:31 AM
what exactly are university managers doing, when they put pressure on staff to dedicate months of their time applying for these?
Reposted by Bernard Keenan
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 Bernard Keenan
The Trump administration had high hopes that its compact would be accepted by every university. Alas, it appears that every university rejected the administration except for its safety school. open.substack.com/pub/danieldr...
The Dismal Application Record of the Trump Compact
The Trump administration hoped to get accepted by some prestigious universities. It didn't work out well.
open.substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 11:21 AM
The Trump administration had high hopes that its compact would be accepted by every university. Alas, it appears that every university rejected the administration except for its safety school. open.substack.com/pub/danieldr...