Michael Karanicolas
@karanicolas.bsky.social
Palmer Chair in Law and Public Policy at Dalhousie Law. Formerly @ UCLA and Yale. All things tech and democracy. Dachshund enthusiast.
But what's particularly maddening about these takes, especially from commenters who have a big audience, is that it's a complete inversion of reality.
The people claiming Gaza is a genocide are the ones being consistent. That's why this side is where the international human rights consensus is.
The people claiming Gaza is a genocide are the ones being consistent. That's why this side is where the international human rights consensus is.
November 2, 2025 at 9:09 PM
But what's particularly maddening about these takes, especially from commenters who have a big audience, is that it's a complete inversion of reality.
The people claiming Gaza is a genocide are the ones being consistent. That's why this side is where the international human rights consensus is.
The people claiming Gaza is a genocide are the ones being consistent. That's why this side is where the international human rights consensus is.
There's a number of reasons why this is a dumb take - but chief among them is that the report in question actually does describe the situation as a genocide, as one can plainly see from other media coverage.
November 2, 2025 at 9:01 PM
There's a number of reasons why this is a dumb take - but chief among them is that the report in question actually does describe the situation as a genocide, as one can plainly see from other media coverage.
I am begging news orgs not to uncritically repeat the claim Reagan's remarks were "edited without permission" before you talk to a 1A lawyer, or just follow up with the Foundation to ask what legal theory holds that a public address from a former president is their IP.
apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com/article/trum...
October 24, 2025 at 12:02 PM
I am begging news orgs not to uncritically repeat the claim Reagan's remarks were "edited without permission" before you talk to a 1A lawyer, or just follow up with the Foundation to ask what legal theory holds that a public address from a former president is their IP.
apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com/article/trum...
This administration remains 100% on OPSEC.
October 21, 2025 at 12:17 AM
This administration remains 100% on OPSEC.
This site would actually be better if it had more voices from across the political spectrum, and efforts to push out right wing accounts are only entrenching Twitter/X's dominant position in the political discourse.
October 18, 2025 at 1:55 PM
This site would actually be better if it had more voices from across the political spectrum, and efforts to push out right wing accounts are only entrenching Twitter/X's dominant position in the political discourse.
The central thread to all of the Gaza-antisemitism discourse is the deliberate conflation of outrage stemming from people's actions with outrage stemming from their identity.
October 15, 2025 at 5:41 PM
The central thread to all of the Gaza-antisemitism discourse is the deliberate conflation of outrage stemming from people's actions with outrage stemming from their identity.
Next month @schulichlaw.bsky.social is hosting the inaugural Canadian Technology Law Conference, with a keynote from Justice Minister Sean Fraser, and more great speakers.
Register at www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-technology-law-conference-democracy-and-the-information-society-tickets-1748859769649
Register at www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-technology-law-conference-democracy-and-the-information-society-tickets-1748859769649
October 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Next month @schulichlaw.bsky.social is hosting the inaugural Canadian Technology Law Conference, with a keynote from Justice Minister Sean Fraser, and more great speakers.
Register at www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-technology-law-conference-democracy-and-the-information-society-tickets-1748859769649
Register at www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-technology-law-conference-democracy-and-the-information-society-tickets-1748859769649
I am struck by the Privacy Commissioner's confidence that these technologies can be implemented in a privacy protective manner. Last year, the California Privacy Protection Agency reached the opposite conclusion.
What does he know that they don't?
digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
What does he know that they don't?
digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
October 3, 2025 at 11:18 AM
I am struck by the Privacy Commissioner's confidence that these technologies can be implemented in a privacy protective manner. Last year, the California Privacy Protection Agency reached the opposite conclusion.
What does he know that they don't?
digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
What does he know that they don't?
digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
Not sure who this matters to, but David Simon seems to have had a significant evolution in his perspective re: Israel's conduct towards the Palestinians:
October 2, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Not sure who this matters to, but David Simon seems to have had a significant evolution in his perspective re: Israel's conduct towards the Palestinians:
Hey check out Clemson's position on FIRE's free speech rankings. They didn't quite crack the top ten, but a pretty good showing nonetheless:
September 15, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Hey check out Clemson's position on FIRE's free speech rankings. They didn't quite crack the top ten, but a pretty good showing nonetheless:
Guys, guys! Kim Brooks just reached out to me directly!
I'm pretty sure she wants me to personally mediate and get this whole lockout situation resolved.
#KeepDalStrong
I'm pretty sure she wants me to personally mediate and get this whole lockout situation resolved.
#KeepDalStrong
September 15, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Guys, guys! Kim Brooks just reached out to me directly!
I'm pretty sure she wants me to personally mediate and get this whole lockout situation resolved.
#KeepDalStrong
I'm pretty sure she wants me to personally mediate and get this whole lockout situation resolved.
#KeepDalStrong
Also - predictably pathetic that the NY Times uncritically parrots the governor of Utah in establishing the shooter’s “leftist” ideology, despite mounting evidence to the contrary.
I’d say they should do better, but at this point by expectations are on the floor.
I’d say they should do better, but at this point by expectations are on the floor.
September 15, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Also - predictably pathetic that the NY Times uncritically parrots the governor of Utah in establishing the shooter’s “leftist” ideology, despite mounting evidence to the contrary.
I’d say they should do better, but at this point by expectations are on the floor.
I’d say they should do better, but at this point by expectations are on the floor.
We were honoured to be joined on the picket line today by the President of the DFA (Dachshund Faculty Association).
#KeepDalStrong #solidarity
#AFairDay’sTreatsForAFairDay’sWork
#KeepDalStrong #solidarity
#AFairDay’sTreatsForAFairDay’sWork
September 4, 2025 at 6:49 PM
We were honoured to be joined on the picket line today by the President of the DFA (Dachshund Faculty Association).
#KeepDalStrong #solidarity
#AFairDay’sTreatsForAFairDay’sWork
#KeepDalStrong #solidarity
#AFairDay’sTreatsForAFairDay’sWork
Beginning to think AI abundance is just trickle down economics with extra steps.
August 25, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Beginning to think AI abundance is just trickle down economics with extra steps.
Tennis Canada responded to a petition to cancel a planned Davis Cup match against Israel by citing the need to keep sport separate from political conflicts.
Which is an odd position to take, seeing as Russia and Belarus are both banned from the Davis Cup over the Ukraine War.
Which is an odd position to take, seeing as Russia and Belarus are both banned from the Davis Cup over the Ukraine War.
August 18, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Tennis Canada responded to a petition to cancel a planned Davis Cup match against Israel by citing the need to keep sport separate from political conflicts.
Which is an odd position to take, seeing as Russia and Belarus are both banned from the Davis Cup over the Ukraine War.
Which is an odd position to take, seeing as Russia and Belarus are both banned from the Davis Cup over the Ukraine War.
Lots of attention focused on the top line $1B demand, but in my mind these aspects of the settlement would be a significantly more bitter pill to swallow for the majority of folks at UCLA.
Genuinely curious to see if the UCLA administration has the stomach for a fight after what we saw last year.
Genuinely curious to see if the UCLA administration has the stomach for a fight after what we saw last year.
August 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Lots of attention focused on the top line $1B demand, but in my mind these aspects of the settlement would be a significantly more bitter pill to swallow for the majority of folks at UCLA.
Genuinely curious to see if the UCLA administration has the stomach for a fight after what we saw last year.
Genuinely curious to see if the UCLA administration has the stomach for a fight after what we saw last year.
The government notes that the two state solution is essentially dead - so how does recognition of Palestinian statehood change the facts on the ground if Israel refuses to allow Palestinian self-determination and faces no meaningful consequence for keeping 5 million people stateless?
July 31, 2025 at 12:18 AM
The government notes that the two state solution is essentially dead - so how does recognition of Palestinian statehood change the facts on the ground if Israel refuses to allow Palestinian self-determination and faces no meaningful consequence for keeping 5 million people stateless?
The problem, as the story notes, is that like many jurisdictions in the US, Texas' freedom of information laws are effectively unenforceable. The story points to a recent court ruling as the reason, but any time you're relying on litigation to enforce FOIA rules you've already lost.
July 14, 2025 at 1:06 PM
The problem, as the story notes, is that like many jurisdictions in the US, Texas' freedom of information laws are effectively unenforceable. The story points to a recent court ruling as the reason, but any time you're relying on litigation to enforce FOIA rules you've already lost.
I’m just a small town law professor, but I can’t help but question whether the market exists to support a machine that eats a small city’s worth of energy to generate Nazi talking points.
July 6, 2025 at 7:17 PM
I’m just a small town law professor, but I can’t help but question whether the market exists to support a machine that eats a small city’s worth of energy to generate Nazi talking points.
Mark your calendars! On August 29, @schulichlaw.bsky.social will host the inaugural Canadian Technology Law Conference, under the theme of Democracy and the Information Society,
The event features a keynote from Justice Minister Sean Fraser. Register here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-t...
The event features a keynote from Justice Minister Sean Fraser. Register here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-t...
July 2, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Mark your calendars! On August 29, @schulichlaw.bsky.social will host the inaugural Canadian Technology Law Conference, under the theme of Democracy and the Information Society,
The event features a keynote from Justice Minister Sean Fraser. Register here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-t...
The event features a keynote from Justice Minister Sean Fraser. Register here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-t...
Great turnout for today’s workshop on Quantum Research and Public Policy at UCLA, organized by @cdntechlaw.bsky.social and the Center for Quantum Networks.
May 28, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Great turnout for today’s workshop on Quantum Research and Public Policy at UCLA, organized by @cdntechlaw.bsky.social and the Center for Quantum Networks.
There's still time to apply to present a paper at the Canadian Technology Law Conference!
Just email your abstract and CV along by May 5.
@suziedunn.bsky.social @schulichlaw.bsky.social @jenraso.bsky.social @f-mb.bsky.social @penney.bsky.social @schulichlaw.bsky.social
Just email your abstract and CV along by May 5.
@suziedunn.bsky.social @schulichlaw.bsky.social @jenraso.bsky.social @f-mb.bsky.social @penney.bsky.social @schulichlaw.bsky.social
May 2, 2025 at 2:37 PM
There's still time to apply to present a paper at the Canadian Technology Law Conference!
Just email your abstract and CV along by May 5.
@suziedunn.bsky.social @schulichlaw.bsky.social @jenraso.bsky.social @f-mb.bsky.social @penney.bsky.social @schulichlaw.bsky.social
Just email your abstract and CV along by May 5.
@suziedunn.bsky.social @schulichlaw.bsky.social @jenraso.bsky.social @f-mb.bsky.social @penney.bsky.social @schulichlaw.bsky.social
Lots of jubilation over Poilievre losing the election, and his seat, but this is an incredibly close vote differential given all that's at stake, and how extreme the Conservative platform was.
We must continue to be vigilant to defend Canadian democracy against both internal and external threats.
We must continue to be vigilant to defend Canadian democracy against both internal and external threats.
April 29, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Lots of jubilation over Poilievre losing the election, and his seat, but this is an incredibly close vote differential given all that's at stake, and how extreme the Conservative platform was.
We must continue to be vigilant to defend Canadian democracy against both internal and external threats.
We must continue to be vigilant to defend Canadian democracy against both internal and external threats.
FIRE is a reactionary right wing organization masquerading as a free speech organization. At this point I’d place them about a half a step above the Harper’s Letter grifters.
April 25, 2025 at 12:50 PM
FIRE is a reactionary right wing organization masquerading as a free speech organization. At this point I’d place them about a half a step above the Harper’s Letter grifters.