Michael Spratt
@michaelspratt.eurosky.social
Data protection, risk assessments, new governance, PhD in law, recovering telecoms engineer, #redsetters #andacyclist dpiaresearch.eu
Reposted by Michael Spratt
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Hackers Had A Live Feed Of Every ID This Verification Company Scanned. For Over A Year.
From the very beginning of this recent obsession with identifying everyone online (yes, they like to call it "age" verification, but it always ends up as identity verification), we've been pointing out that it was a huge privacy nightmare waiting to happen. Or maybe it wasn't waiting. Maybe it was already happening. This week a...
www.techdirt.com
September 4, 2026 at 10:19 PM
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Age verification makes everyone less safe.
Reposted by Michael Spratt
New study finds the social cost of driving a car 1 km—including pollution, crashes, infrastructure, and noise—is more than *triple* the private cost paid by the car owner.
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
September 10, 2026 at 12:21 PM
New study finds the social cost of driving a car 1 km—including pollution, crashes, infrastructure, and noise—is more than *triple* the private cost paid by the car owner.
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
Reposted by Michael Spratt
Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Verfassungsschutz, refers to the sale of mobile app location data as a "grave privacy intrusion" and warns that foreign actors may use the data to approach or attack individuals in the security/defense industries:
www.verfassungsschutz.de/SharedDocs/p...
www.verfassungsschutz.de/SharedDocs/p...
September 9, 2026 at 9:29 AM
Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Verfassungsschutz, refers to the sale of mobile app location data as a "grave privacy intrusion" and warns that foreign actors may use the data to approach or attack individuals in the security/defense industries:
www.verfassungsschutz.de/SharedDocs/p...
www.verfassungsschutz.de/SharedDocs/p...
Reposted by Michael Spratt
I am the very model
of a modern day typographer
I know the type tonalities
from elegant to jocular
I am a master tracker
and my kerning is harmonical
I know the sacred swatches
and can name the hues Pantonical
(Full version of Modern Day Typographer now on my YouTube channel)
of a modern day typographer
I know the type tonalities
from elegant to jocular
I am a master tracker
and my kerning is harmonical
I know the sacred swatches
and can name the hues Pantonical
(Full version of Modern Day Typographer now on my YouTube channel)
Modern Day Typographer - Elle Cordova
YouTube video by Elle Cordova
youtu.be
September 8, 2026 at 10:34 PM
I am the very model
of a modern day typographer
I know the type tonalities
from elegant to jocular
I am a master tracker
and my kerning is harmonical
I know the sacred swatches
and can name the hues Pantonical
(Full version of Modern Day Typographer now on my YouTube channel)
of a modern day typographer
I know the type tonalities
from elegant to jocular
I am a master tracker
and my kerning is harmonical
I know the sacred swatches
and can name the hues Pantonical
(Full version of Modern Day Typographer now on my YouTube channel)
Reposted by Michael Spratt
More questions than answers on this one. It comes at a time when there's lot of disruption in the air (and lots of US military aircraft flying in for Trump). If anyone got eyes on it from the aircraft, please get in touch on [email protected]
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...
Aer Lingus pilot reports sighting of large drone close to Dublin Bay
Dublin Air Traffic Control notified of sighting at around 6pm on Tuesday
www.irishtimes.com
September 8, 2026 at 8:11 PM
More questions than answers on this one. It comes at a time when there's lot of disruption in the air (and lots of US military aircraft flying in for Trump). If anyone got eyes on it from the aircraft, please get in touch on [email protected]
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...
Reposted by Michael Spratt
Here is a guest on Tucker Carlson’s podcast saying that algebra is a conspiracy by the Jews to turn people into “good little goy slaves.”
I wish I was joking.
I wish I was joking.
September 8, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Here is a guest on Tucker Carlson’s podcast saying that algebra is a conspiracy by the Jews to turn people into “good little goy slaves.”
I wish I was joking.
I wish I was joking.
Reposted by Michael Spratt
Big fan of how Russia can shut down a major UK port for half a day with just 5kg of cocaine and 100 severely divorced men.
September 7, 2026 at 7:52 AM
Big fan of how Russia can shut down a major UK port for half a day with just 5kg of cocaine and 100 severely divorced men.
Reposted by Michael Spratt
Reposted by Michael Spratt
![[Scene is a kitchen - a middle aged woman called JANET is boiling peas at the stove. A younger more colourfully dressed woman named LIZ approached her.]
JANET:
Ugh...
LIZ:
What's up?
JANET:
I am so bored of cooking peas!
LIZ:
Have you tried...
AI peas?
JANET:
AI peas?
LIZ:
They're peas with AI!
[Liz holds up to us a packet of peas labelled: Pea-i AI - Peas with AI].
LIZ:
Al-powered peas harness the potential of your peas
JANET:
What
LIZ [Now a voiceover as we cut to a whizzy technology diagram of peas all connected by meaningless dotted lines]
Why not take your peas to the next level with Al Peas' new Al tools to power your peas?
[Show a techno diagram of a pea with a label reading 'AI' pointing to a random zone in it]
LIZ:
Each pea has Al in a way we haven't quite worked out yet but it's fine
[Show Janet and Liz now in a Matrix-style world of peas]
LIZ:
With Al peas you can supercharge productivity and make AI work for your peas!
JANET:
What
LIZ:
Shut up
LIZ:
Our game-changing Pea-Al gives you the freedom to unlock the potential of the power of the future of your peas workflow
From opening the bag of peas
to boiling the peas
to eating the peas
To spending millions on adding Al to the peas and then having to work out what that even means.
JANET:
Is it really necessary to-
LIZ [Grabbing Janet by the collar]:
THE PEAS HAVE GOT AI, JANET
[Cut to an advert ending screen, with the bag of peas and the slogan:
AI PEAS: Just 'Peas' for god's sake buy the AI peas.
[Ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreiayqa37f7kik7l7s7fbtfp2sir5ckb662ry2lylinyjrfa2rkvvka)
Reposted by Michael Spratt
This iconic Fabian Todorovic cartoon is still one of the best I’ve seen at illustrating the remarkable amount of space we surrender to cars, leaving little space left for everyone and everything else. The text added later makes the bonus point that many drivers still manage to complain about it.
August 20, 2026 at 7:22 AM
This iconic Fabian Todorovic cartoon is still one of the best I’ve seen at illustrating the remarkable amount of space we surrender to cars, leaving little space left for everyone and everything else. The text added later makes the bonus point that many drivers still manage to complain about it.
Reposted by Michael Spratt
wow who could have anticipated Meta’s pervert glasses would be used to ruthlessly harass women and girls, except for literally everyone smarter than paste
NEW: Teen boys are using smart glasses — mainly Meta's AI Glasses — to film themselves harassing classmates at school, following girls around and "rizzing" them or "ragebaiting" them w/ insults.
In several videos we reviewed, girls plead w/ the poster to stop filming.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
In several videos we reviewed, girls plead w/ the poster to stop filming.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Teen Boys Are Using Meta Glasses to Harass and Bully Girls at High Schools and Middle Schools
Teen boys are using Meta's AI glasses to harass and bully victims -- overwhelmingly girls -- at middle schools and high schools.
futurism.com
August 19, 2026 at 3:40 PM
wow who could have anticipated Meta’s pervert glasses would be used to ruthlessly harass women and girls, except for literally everyone smarter than paste
Ouch: Penguins 1 Humanity 0
Read that. And read it again.
It'll be pretty embarrassing if the dinosaurs went out with more dignity than us.
They can't say they knew about the meteor for decades, knew exactly what to do about it, had all the technology and resources to stop it but didn't so five of them could own everything
They can't say they knew about the meteor for decades, knew exactly what to do about it, had all the technology and resources to stop it but didn't so five of them could own everything
August 14, 2026 at 5:59 AM
Ouch: Penguins 1 Humanity 0
Reposted by Michael Spratt
Here's part 2 of our interview with the Austrian Military, about their migration of 16,000 PCs to #LibreOffice: blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2026/08... #foss #openSource #freesoftware
August 14, 2026 at 5:40 AM
Here's part 2 of our interview with the Austrian Military, about their migration of 16,000 PCs to #LibreOffice: blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2026/08... #foss #openSource #freesoftware
As we all develop “relationships” with our favourite LLMs, how much of what we receive will be glorified product placement? Must get back to that self hosted LLM project……
What happens when advertisers steer AI conversations?
Whereas search engines provided links, allowing users to compare sources, AI provides a synthesized answer. Advertisers could potentially pay to influence the answer itself.
www.carlosdiazruiz.com/blog/the-zer...
Whereas search engines provided links, allowing users to compare sources, AI provides a synthesized answer. Advertisers could potentially pay to influence the answer itself.
www.carlosdiazruiz.com/blog/the-zer...
The Perils of the “zero click” Internet: How Advertising in AI Models Threatens Free Markets and Free Speech — Dr. Diaz Ruiz
What happens when advertising no longer directs traffic to a website, but becomes part of the answer itself? The rise of AI-powered zero-click environments create avenues for advertisers to influence ...
www.carlosdiazruiz.com
August 12, 2026 at 11:03 AM
As we all develop “relationships” with our favourite LLMs, how much of what we receive will be glorified product placement? Must get back to that self hosted LLM project……
Same for #ireland - we need to crack on with building out Tonn Nua & Lí Ban off the coast of Waterford. Plus the Irish Sea sites. Cheap, secure, domestic & green energy coupled with large scale storage.
A five year old can understand this, it really isn't difficult.
Professor Rebecca Willis, Energy & Climate Governance at University of Manchester, explains why the UK should not open new oil and gas #C4News
August 11, 2026 at 8:27 AM
Same for #ireland - we need to crack on with building out Tonn Nua & Lí Ban off the coast of Waterford. Plus the Irish Sea sites. Cheap, secure, domestic & green energy coupled with large scale storage.
Reposted by Michael Spratt
We need to decide on the appropriate reward for this. Knighthood? Canonisation?
UCL Massively Crossreferenced Digital Laws now includes *pending preliminary references & AG Opinions* for all EU laws. Currently updates weekly.
Based on Eurlex data which is a bit later to update than CURIA data (if you can even find it on the new website...) homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucqnmve/law...
Based on Eurlex data which is a bit later to update than CURIA data (if you can even find it on the new website...) homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucqnmve/law...
August 6, 2026 at 11:20 AM
We need to decide on the appropriate reward for this. Knighthood? Canonisation?
Wonderful news!
For the first time, Ireland generated more electricity from renewable sources than fossil fuels in the first half of the year 🍃
The chart below makes the trend clear. Will 2026 be the first year with majority clean energy? We at Green Collective hope to be the first to report it!
The chart below makes the trend clear. Will 2026 be the first year with majority clean energy? We at Green Collective hope to be the first to report it!
August 9, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Wonderful news!
Reposted by Michael Spratt
Over to Monaco🇲🇨 where we have exclusive footage of bollards saving lives.
#WorldBollardAssociation
#WorldBollardAssociation
December 2, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Over to Monaco🇲🇨 where we have exclusive footage of bollards saving lives.
#WorldBollardAssociation
#WorldBollardAssociation
“No one gains anything by being filmed on the street without knowing it.” ‘Pervert Glasses’: Meta Struggles With Mockery And Misgivings Toward Its Star Product https://english.elpais.com/technology/2026-07-31/pervert-glasses-meta-struggles-with-mockery-and-misgivings-toward-its-star-product.html
August 4, 2026 at 5:38 AM
“No one gains anything by being filmed on the street without knowing it.” ‘Pervert Glasses’: Meta Struggles With Mockery And Misgivings Toward Its Star Product https://english.elpais.com/technology/2026-07-31/pervert-glasses-meta-struggles-with-mockery-and-misgivings-toward-its-star-product.html
https://open.substack.com/pub/nixons/p/europes-defeat “ the real threats to European integration - and thus to the continent’s long-term sovereignty, security and prosperity - from a pan-European far right fired by ethno-nationalism and a US government pathologically hostile to the EU”
August 3, 2026 at 6:43 AM
https://open.substack.com/pub/nixons/p/europes-defeat “ the real threats to European integration - and thus to the continent’s long-term sovereignty, security and prosperity - from a pan-European far right fired by ethno-nationalism and a US government pathologically hostile to the EU”
Reposted by Michael Spratt
Wow, I am positively surprised - Irish government has kicked a Microsoft procurement potentially worth €1 billion into touch amid a political debate about the nation's overreliance on US tech providers and a move to free and open source software
www.theregister.com/public-secto...
www.theregister.com/public-secto...
Ireland stalls €1B Microsoft tender amid digital sovereignty questions
Government plans another Redmond-only procurement despite calls to consider European rivals
www.theregister.com
August 2, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Wow, I am positively surprised - Irish government has kicked a Microsoft procurement potentially worth €1 billion into touch amid a political debate about the nation's overreliance on US tech providers and a move to free and open source software
www.theregister.com/public-secto...
www.theregister.com/public-secto...
Reposted by Michael Spratt
“Compounding this is a failure to grasp that the post-war rules-based order is fracturing. Legacy multilateral assumptions are being applied to a hard-power landscape, and they do not fit it.” Well written Steve
July 26, 2026 at 4:53 PM
“Compounding this is a failure to grasp that the post-war rules-based order is fracturing. Legacy multilateral assumptions are being applied to a hard-power landscape, and they do not fit it.” Well written Steve
Reposted by Michael Spratt
