Jeremy Harmer
@jmh59.bsky.social
Radio amateur, heritage railway volunteer, independent privacy researcher, Internet fiddler, retired in 2018 from IT and legal after 40 years+. Dumped Facebook / Instagram / Twitter and LinkedIn early in 2024.
I don't believe that I am forced to install and sign up to twitter in order to chat to HMRC because the only other way is to wait in a phone queue or physically write to them as they don't do email.
November 20, 2025 at 11:58 AM
I don't believe that I am forced to install and sign up to twitter in order to chat to HMRC because the only other way is to wait in a phone queue or physically write to them as they don't do email.
I may be being too picky but our ISP's billing form cannot remove dashes from a sort code if someone adds them, plus their website does not work in Safari or Duck browser even with protections off - I had to use Brave. I would sack the designers if someone made that site for me.
November 1, 2025 at 7:06 PM
I may be being too picky but our ISP's billing form cannot remove dashes from a sort code if someone adds them, plus their website does not work in Safari or Duck browser even with protections off - I had to use Brave. I would sack the designers if someone made that site for me.
After asking a ChatGPT-like thing to produce some academic references and twice getting non-existing ones I asked if it had made them up: "Yes, the citations provided in my previous messages were fabricated as illustrative examples and not actual references." Useful. We're doomed.
October 6, 2025 at 10:27 AM
After asking a ChatGPT-like thing to produce some academic references and twice getting non-existing ones I asked if it had made them up: "Yes, the citations provided in my previous messages were fabricated as illustrative examples and not actual references." Useful. We're doomed.
Here we go again with the UKs attack on Apple + encryption. I've always been wary of what I put in the cloud - I mean effectively it's just someone else's computer. On the plus side this will save me £36 pa in iCloud fees once everything is finally on my local fully encrypted NAS.
October 2, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Here we go again with the UKs attack on Apple + encryption. I've always been wary of what I put in the cloud - I mean effectively it's just someone else's computer. On the plus side this will save me £36 pa in iCloud fees once everything is finally on my local fully encrypted NAS.
If we are forced to have digital ID cards let's make some demands: data shall be stored onshore and never exported elsewhere; no weakening of encryption; no politician shall in any way profit from this financially; the IDs shall be free and work on older phones; plus a way to work if no phone.
September 28, 2025 at 3:29 PM
If we are forced to have digital ID cards let's make some demands: data shall be stored onshore and never exported elsewhere; no weakening of encryption; no politician shall in any way profit from this financially; the IDs shall be free and work on older phones; plus a way to work if no phone.
Always interesting to read t&c's "The University can accept no responsibility for injury to persons (however caused)...". I'm sorry but if your building falls on my head good luck with dodging your responsibility!
September 19, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Always interesting to read t&c's "The University can accept no responsibility for injury to persons (however caused)...". I'm sorry but if your building falls on my head good luck with dodging your responsibility!
Many decades ago it became known at work that if one filed down the standard mortice key you can make it a master that fits any lock (it was a rather stupid key!). This reminds me a bit of the E2EE and lawful access debate - accessing the master key was easy.
September 9, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Many decades ago it became known at work that if one filed down the standard mortice key you can make it a master that fits any lock (it was a rather stupid key!). This reminds me a bit of the E2EE and lawful access debate - accessing the master key was easy.
"VPN software, browser extensions and internet connection issues may interfere with the functionality of the website - please turn them off if you are using any." - this is from a major UK financial website. I'm using Safari on a Mac and keep getting thrown off. Fix your website!
September 8, 2025 at 9:26 AM
"VPN software, browser extensions and internet connection issues may interfere with the functionality of the website - please turn them off if you are using any." - this is from a major UK financial website. I'm using Safari on a Mac and keep getting thrown off. Fix your website!
Playing with Tor (specifically because the university I used to work for always failed but works now) a number of .ac.uk sites work fine but notably two large red brick sites do not. Nor do they respond via https which I find incredible. Report card: D-, Must do better.
September 1, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Playing with Tor (specifically because the university I used to work for always failed but works now) a number of .ac.uk sites work fine but notably two large red brick sites do not. Nor do they respond via https which I find incredible. Report card: D-, Must do better.
"As part of our compliance program for the UK Online Safety Act and our ongoing investments in tools and technologies that help ensure age-appropriate experiences, we need you to verify your age so you can continue enjoying social features on Xbox." - er, ok but no.
August 28, 2025 at 1:08 PM
"As part of our compliance program for the UK Online Safety Act and our ongoing investments in tools and technologies that help ensure age-appropriate experiences, we need you to verify your age so you can continue enjoying social features on Xbox." - er, ok but no.
Assuming the whispers are correct and the UK government are backing off from their demands to Apple we still don't know the details, not do we know if other providers caved in to their secret demands. In this post-truth post-privacy age trust has gone way out of the window and may never return.
August 22, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Assuming the whispers are correct and the UK government are backing off from their demands to Apple we still don't know the details, not do we know if other providers caved in to their secret demands. In this post-truth post-privacy age trust has gone way out of the window and may never return.
We had a dormant company. This year the confirmation statement filing cost £34, up from £13. Soon we are forced to file a tax return electronically so buy software or pay someone (currently free via the web), and will need to verify directors IDs. So we paid £33 to close it down instead.
August 22, 2025 at 3:12 PM
We had a dormant company. This year the confirmation statement filing cost £34, up from £13. Soon we are forced to file a tax return electronically so buy software or pay someone (currently free via the web), and will need to verify directors IDs. So we paid £33 to close it down instead.
The ongoing age verification fiasco limiting access to material reminds me of a conversation I had with a school teacher 15+ years ago. She had to access material for teaching from home because the LEA firewall blocked keywords associated with sexual health so kids could not access while in class.
August 9, 2025 at 8:16 AM
The ongoing age verification fiasco limiting access to material reminds me of a conversation I had with a school teacher 15+ years ago. She had to access material for teaching from home because the LEA firewall blocked keywords associated with sexual health so kids could not access while in class.
Well thank you LV for making me spend 10 minutes filling a form with details that every car insurer accepts except you: "we can’t offer you a quote because we don’t cover that occupation and vehicle usage"
June 12, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Well thank you LV for making me spend 10 minutes filling a form with details that every car insurer accepts except you: "we can’t offer you a quote because we don’t cover that occupation and vehicle usage"
Another hotel where the safe is not fixed down and easy to carry…
June 9, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Another hotel where the safe is not fixed down and easy to carry…
Rather odd that someone who has done postal votes before but was told to re-apply (3 year rule?), has been on the electoral register for 30+ years, same address, same NIN, same name finds, after 2 failed attempts that the council cannot confirm the person's identity from all that. Third time lucky?
May 19, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Rather odd that someone who has done postal votes before but was told to re-apply (3 year rule?), has been on the electoral register for 30+ years, same address, same NIN, same name finds, after 2 failed attempts that the council cannot confirm the person's identity from all that. Third time lucky?
Reposted by Jeremy Harmer
Posted by one of my Italian connections on LI. He’s an indirect tax specialist, speaks 3 languages & must be sick of seeing this anti-immigration narrative.
Please repost if you agree. Don’t let this anti-immigration rhetoric gather more momentum.
#ImmigrantsContribute
#WeWelcomeImmigrants
Please repost if you agree. Don’t let this anti-immigration rhetoric gather more momentum.
#ImmigrantsContribute
#WeWelcomeImmigrants
May 17, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Posted by one of my Italian connections on LI. He’s an indirect tax specialist, speaks 3 languages & must be sick of seeing this anti-immigration narrative.
Please repost if you agree. Don’t let this anti-immigration rhetoric gather more momentum.
#ImmigrantsContribute
#WeWelcomeImmigrants
Please repost if you agree. Don’t let this anti-immigration rhetoric gather more momentum.
#ImmigrantsContribute
#WeWelcomeImmigrants
I do get annoyed with website designers / UI / UX experts given I have worked with good designers... so when an airline membership form wants a mandatory post code but the box will only accept numbers when it already knows I am in the UK... well, you can imagine why I get annoyed.
May 16, 2025 at 1:26 PM
I do get annoyed with website designers / UI / UX experts given I have worked with good designers... so when an airline membership form wants a mandatory post code but the box will only accept numbers when it already knows I am in the UK... well, you can imagine why I get annoyed.
Reposted by Jeremy Harmer
Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen
April 9, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen
I see a little circle has appeared in WhatsApp that leads to their Meta AI offering... at least there is a reasonably short intro page that also warns not share anything you don't want the AI to 'retain and use'. It also sets out that some AI generated messages may be 'inaccurate or inappropriate'.
April 5, 2025 at 8:05 AM
I see a little circle has appeared in WhatsApp that leads to their Meta AI offering... at least there is a reasonably short intro page that also warns not share anything you don't want the AI to 'retain and use'. It also sets out that some AI generated messages may be 'inaccurate or inappropriate'.
Sometimes hotel reviews are fun to read. Just saw one complaining the hotel does not have a private beach. It's about 2 miles from the sea!
March 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Sometimes hotel reviews are fun to read. Just saw one complaining the hotel does not have a private beach. It's about 2 miles from the sea!
Reposted by Jeremy Harmer
While so many continue to pretend that it’s not fascism that we’re seeing in the US, here’s Trump continuing his policies of Gleichschaltung. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump targets 'anti-American ideology' at Smithsonian museums
The order says that
www.bbc.co.uk
March 28, 2025 at 7:47 AM
While so many continue to pretend that it’s not fascism that we’re seeing in the US, here’s Trump continuing his policies of Gleichschaltung. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Thank you for nothing Online Safety Act. The Hamster Forum has closed: "It is with huge sadness that the forum has closed on 16th March 2025 due to the requirements of the new legislation - the Online Safety Act. ..." #OnlineSafetyAct #ofcom
March 19, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Thank you for nothing Online Safety Act. The Hamster Forum has closed: "It is with huge sadness that the forum has closed on 16th March 2025 due to the requirements of the new legislation - the Online Safety Act. ..." #OnlineSafetyAct #ofcom
RIP Mark Klein of room 641A fame... www.theregister.com/2025/03/15/r...
RIP Mark Klein, the engineer who exposed US domestic spying
: AT&T engineer, and the Deep Throat of the network age, dies at 79
www.theregister.com
March 15, 2025 at 3:54 PM
RIP Mark Klein of room 641A fame... www.theregister.com/2025/03/15/r...
Today's fiddling included moving all remaining files off of iCloud Drive so they now only exist on my fully encrypted Mac and switching sync etc. off. I'll move the photos once I get a fully encrypted NAS.
March 6, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Today's fiddling included moving all remaining files off of iCloud Drive so they now only exist on my fully encrypted Mac and switching sync etc. off. I'll move the photos once I get a fully encrypted NAS.