Daragh Ó Briain
@daraghobrien.bsky.social
Flumping along in the world of data since Long Ago. Posts as @castlebridge_chief here and on https://mastodon.ie. CEO @ Castlebridge.ie.
Doctoral candidate at UL looking at #DataGovernance. Author of several books on data stuff.
Not the comedian
Doctoral candidate at UL looking at #DataGovernance. Author of several books on data stuff.
Not the comedian
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Dear Microsoft: when I send an email directly to an address, that's a darned good sign the reply should not go to spam.
Really, it's not a hard concept.
Really, it's not a hard concept.
November 17, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Dear Microsoft: when I send an email directly to an address, that's a darned good sign the reply should not go to spam.
Really, it's not a hard concept.
Really, it's not a hard concept.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
November 16, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Our pedantic distant descendents will have the unenviable task of explaining that it is called the Second Dark Ages because of the absence of sources not because of *gestures at the state of everything*
November 14, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Our pedantic distant descendents will have the unenviable task of explaining that it is called the Second Dark Ages because of the absence of sources not because of *gestures at the state of everything*
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Penguin Random House emailed me last night because their ebook team was going through the citations on TRUE BELIEVER and found like 40 URLs that no longer went anywhere
I had to correct them, and luckily most were caught by the Wayback Machine, but some are just… gone
Dead Internet Theory is real
I had to correct them, and luckily most were caught by the Wayback Machine, but some are just… gone
Dead Internet Theory is real
November 14, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Penguin Random House emailed me last night because their ebook team was going through the citations on TRUE BELIEVER and found like 40 URLs that no longer went anywhere
I had to correct them, and luckily most were caught by the Wayback Machine, but some are just… gone
Dead Internet Theory is real
I had to correct them, and luckily most were caught by the Wayback Machine, but some are just… gone
Dead Internet Theory is real
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
A great paper by @alemanno.bsky.social examining the legality of Omnibus simplification legislation under the EU law, where Alberto uses the Omnibus I Simplification Directive as the case study
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
The Legality of Omnibus Legislation Under EU Law:
<div>
A Preliminary Analysis of Omnibus I Simplification Directive of CSRD and CSDD and its Legal Consequences on the EU Legal Order
</div>
This paper provides a preliminary analysis of the legal issues arising from the European Union's use of the Omnibus as the privileged legislative technique to '
papers.ssrn.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:27 PM
A great paper by @alemanno.bsky.social examining the legality of Omnibus simplification legislation under the EU law, where Alberto uses the Omnibus I Simplification Directive as the case study
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
In a recent edition of The Torment Nexus, I wrote about Wikipedia, which I argued was one of the best things the internet ever created. There is another thing that ranks right up there with Wikipedia on the list of great things, and that is the Internet Archive mathewingram.com/work/2025/11...
November 13, 2025 at 5:15 PM
In a recent edition of The Torment Nexus, I wrote about Wikipedia, which I argued was one of the best things the internet ever created. There is another thing that ranks right up there with Wikipedia on the list of great things, and that is the Internet Archive mathewingram.com/work/2025/11...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Climate breakdown is driven by a storm of lies. This lying is systemic, funded and coordinated, and operates across almost all media, old and new.
This week's column argues that we cannot fight the climate crisis without also fighting the epistemic crisis.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This week's column argues that we cannot fight the climate crisis without also fighting the epistemic crisis.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Dark forces are preventing us fighting the climate crisis – by taking knowledge hostage | George Monbiot
The fundamental problem is this: that most of the means of communication are owned or influenced by the very rich, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Climate breakdown is driven by a storm of lies. This lying is systemic, funded and coordinated, and operates across almost all media, old and new.
This week's column argues that we cannot fight the climate crisis without also fighting the epistemic crisis.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This week's column argues that we cannot fight the climate crisis without also fighting the epistemic crisis.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
“Unfortunately, touting AI as helping modestly with mundane tasks doesn't inspire big money. Companies hype AI as powerful rather than as helpful.” - from my post with cartoon teachprivacy.com/cartoon-regu... For more, subscribe to my free newsletter teachprivacy.com/newsletter/
Cartoon: Regulators vs. Venture Capitalists on AI
My latest cartoon about how tech companies promote AI to regulators and to venture capitalists. It has always struck me as outrageous how tech companies
teachprivacy.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:47 PM
“Unfortunately, touting AI as helping modestly with mundane tasks doesn't inspire big money. Companies hype AI as powerful rather than as helpful.” - from my post with cartoon teachprivacy.com/cartoon-regu... For more, subscribe to my free newsletter teachprivacy.com/newsletter/
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
The irony here is that academics don’t just write the articles for free—we also referee and edit for them for free. Something is deeply broken.
“New Zealand's eight universities spent $30-million a year on journal licences and about half of that sum went to Elsevier.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
“New Zealand's eight universities spent $30-million a year on journal licences and about half of that sum went to Elsevier.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Universities in 'battle of the century' with journal publisher Elsevier
One New Zealand university told its staff all universities in New Zealand and Australia would "lose some degree of access" to the publisher's 1600 titles from the start of next year.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 15, 2025 at 5:50 AM
The irony here is that academics don’t just write the articles for free—we also referee and edit for them for free. Something is deeply broken.
“New Zealand's eight universities spent $30-million a year on journal licences and about half of that sum went to Elsevier.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
“New Zealand's eight universities spent $30-million a year on journal licences and about half of that sum went to Elsevier.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
I wish we could get Ireland talking about this more, farmers especially. The consequences of the AMOC collapsing are nightmare fuel for farmers.
Greenland losing 30m tonnes of ice an hour,
20% more than previously thought
This is weakening critical ocean current AMOC which is at its weakest in 1,600 years
A weakening and inevitable collapse of AMOC will hugely impact climate in Europe and beyond
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
20% more than previously thought
This is weakening critical ocean current AMOC which is at its weakest in 1,600 years
A weakening and inevitable collapse of AMOC will hugely impact climate in Europe and beyond
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
Greenland losing 30m tonnes of ice an hour, study reveals, 20% more than previously thought
Climate crisis: Scientists concerned additional freshwater pouring into Atlantic may collapse ocean currents with severe consequences
www.irishtimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I wish we could get Ireland talking about this more, farmers especially. The consequences of the AMOC collapsing are nightmare fuel for farmers.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
It is my long held belief that Top Secret! is the better ZAZ movie than Airplane! even as so many people I know disagree.
November 15, 2025 at 1:45 AM
It is my long held belief that Top Secret! is the better ZAZ movie than Airplane! even as so many people I know disagree.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
The enthusiasm with which the German government wants to water down the GDPR should put to rest any assertion that Germany is a country that loves data protection
November 14, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The enthusiasm with which the German government wants to water down the GDPR should put to rest any assertion that Germany is a country that loves data protection
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
This is great entertainment. Especially the other guests laughing when Simon say “You only got us on this one. But there’s loads of other things that you haven’t got us on!”
Here I am on The Debate, on France24, discussing AI, the AI bubble and how the run of technology's history suggests that the home for these language models will be on your desk, not in data centres.
youtu.be/KFIW6ElOD7E?...
youtu.be/KFIW6ElOD7E?...
AI's insatiable appetite for cash, energy and data: Bubble ahead? • FRANCE 24 English
YouTube video by FRANCE 24 English
youtu.be
November 14, 2025 at 6:14 PM
This is great entertainment. Especially the other guests laughing when Simon say “You only got us on this one. But there’s loads of other things that you haven’t got us on!”
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
AI has really started to eat the world now
New from 404 Media: Microsoft and nuclear power company Westinghouse Nuclear want to use AI to speed up the construction of new nuclear power plants in the United States.
"may lead [..] to catastrophic nuclear consequences" and distrust of nuclear tech
www.404media.co/power-compan...
"may lead [..] to catastrophic nuclear consequences" and distrust of nuclear tech
www.404media.co/power-compan...
Power Companies Are Using AI To Build Nuclear Power Plants
Tech companies are betting big on nuclear energy to meet AIs massive power demands and they're using that AI to speed up the construction of new nuclear power plants.
www.404media.co
November 14, 2025 at 7:04 PM
AI has really started to eat the world now
With my work face on I am having a small rant about something important, and digging out an important EDPS opinion from the past.
19th November marks the 10th anniversary of #GiovanniButtarelli's call to action as #EDPS on the challenges of #DataProtection and #BigData. www.edps.europa.eu/sites/defaul...
I wonder just how badly the @ec.europa.eu will shit on his memory with their tinkering with GDPR and ePrivacy next week?
I wonder just how badly the @ec.europa.eu will shit on his memory with their tinkering with GDPR and ePrivacy next week?
www.edps.europa.eu
November 14, 2025 at 3:00 PM
With my work face on I am having a small rant about something important, and digging out an important EDPS opinion from the past.
As I have a significant birthday next year m’kiddo might be getting in touch with some of my friends and contacts for something.
The teenager has been cryptic. But if they do get in touch, it’s not a scam.
The teenager has been cryptic. But if they do get in touch, it’s not a scam.
November 14, 2025 at 12:40 AM
As I have a significant birthday next year m’kiddo might be getting in touch with some of my friends and contacts for something.
The teenager has been cryptic. But if they do get in touch, it’s not a scam.
The teenager has been cryptic. But if they do get in touch, it’s not a scam.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Firewall against extreme right is broken.
November 13, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Firewall against extreme right is broken.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Here are the Irish MEPs who just sided with the far-right (fascists, racists, sexists, homophobes, climate deniers) from across the EU
They've voted to gut protections that would have made businesses check and report their supply chains for child labour, human rights abuse or nature destruction
They've voted to gut protections that would have made businesses check and report their supply chains for child labour, human rights abuse or nature destruction
November 13, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Here are the Irish MEPs who just sided with the far-right (fascists, racists, sexists, homophobes, climate deniers) from across the EU
They've voted to gut protections that would have made businesses check and report their supply chains for child labour, human rights abuse or nature destruction
They've voted to gut protections that would have made businesses check and report their supply chains for child labour, human rights abuse or nature destruction
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
This amounts to the EU shooting itself in the foot/Fuß/pied/piede, as the case may be. Why, I wonder...
November 13, 2025 at 9:15 AM
This amounts to the EU shooting itself in the foot/Fuß/pied/piede, as the case may be. Why, I wonder...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
A Commission official has admitted to Euractiv that President von der Leyen's office "softened" the #DemocracyShield text published today "so as not to upset the US".
Our leaders only want to talk about Russia. When it comes to disinformation, the EU's biggest threat is the one who cannot be named.
Our leaders only want to talk about Russia. When it comes to disinformation, the EU's biggest threat is the one who cannot be named.
Can the EU's new Democracy Shield protect Europe from America?
It appears MAGA has successfully intimidated the Commission into defanging its new anti-disinformation tool proposed today.
davekeating.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:11 PM
A Commission official has admitted to Euractiv that President von der Leyen's office "softened" the #DemocracyShield text published today "so as not to upset the US".
Our leaders only want to talk about Russia. When it comes to disinformation, the EU's biggest threat is the one who cannot be named.
Our leaders only want to talk about Russia. When it comes to disinformation, the EU's biggest threat is the one who cannot be named.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
The Court of Justice of the European Union decided that Article 6 of the GDPR shall not apply when data processing is conducted under Article 13 of the ePrivacy Directive. See curia.europa.eu/juris/docume...
November 13, 2025 at 9:35 AM
The Court of Justice of the European Union decided that Article 6 of the GDPR shall not apply when data processing is conducted under Article 13 of the ePrivacy Directive. See curia.europa.eu/juris/docume...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Now immortalised here: www.gibiris.org/eo-blog/post...
November 13, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Now immortalised here: www.gibiris.org/eo-blog/post...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Told this to "the kids" (all college goers) universal reaction was "how is that even legal, government should stop them" and thats without the any data implications its on the principal of not being able to use a printed ticket
as always, @elaineburke.bsky.social nails it! this "100% digital" i.e. accessing digital boarding pass through their app, gives Ryanair and involved data brokers unprecedented access to your data
Something being missed a bit in the coverage of Ryanair's shift to "100% digital" boarding (which it's not) is that they are actually limiting other digital formats and favouring only their app for access to passes, which isn't a neutral utility but a data collecting e-commerce machine.
November 12, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Told this to "the kids" (all college goers) universal reaction was "how is that even legal, government should stop them" and thats without the any data implications its on the principal of not being able to use a printed ticket
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
On this date 70 years ago, (November 12, 1955) at 10:04 pm, lightning struck the Hill Valley clock tower, sending Marty McFly "Back To The Future"!
November 12, 2025 at 6:18 PM
On this date 70 years ago, (November 12, 1955) at 10:04 pm, lightning struck the Hill Valley clock tower, sending Marty McFly "Back To The Future"!
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
GDPR
November 12, 2025 at 5:41 PM
GDPR