#govcomms
LightNews LightNews
owenboswarva.bsky.social
GOV​.UK is now GOV·UK

Brand Guidelines www.gov.uk/government/p...

(152 MB PDF. Start as you mean to go on, GDS.)

#govtech #govcomms #designwank
The Dot Our dot is the bridge between government and the UK, by the side of users to help make information and services easier and more useful. Used within our wordmark and as a graphic device across all GOV.UK channels, the dot is a guiding hand, for life. GOV·UK
June 25, 2025 at 5:49 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Morgan McSweeney (UK Labour's Dominic Cummings knock-off) is reportedly experimenting with 'synthetic voters' – "essentially fake focus groups of AI voters who can tell ministers more quickly and cheaply what the public thinks of policies" www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-...

#govtech #govcomms
McSweeney is exercised by the fact that the civil service has 7,000 communications officers, 4,500 of whom work for arm's-length bodies and quangos and frequently attack what the government is trying to do. Like Dominic Cummings, he is enthused by the possibilities of technology to speed change, such as AI in the NHS or gamers being hired by the Ministry of Defence to fly drones. He is now experimenting with 'synthetic voters' – essentially fake focus groups of AI voters who can tell ministers more quickly and cheaply what the public thinks of policies. In the last week he has been reading The Technological Republic by Alexander Karp, co-founder of the tech firm Palantir, which argues that the West’s technical dominance over the past century has been down to collaboration between governments and tech firms.
July 3, 2025 at 11:14 AM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Another successful exchange of press releases, good to see www.gov.uk/government/n... + openai.com/global-affai...

#govtech #govcomms 🤝
July 22, 2025 at 7:23 AM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Good to see Andy Burnham has brought forward the ban on subscription traps but what is he doing about the size of Mars bars

#ripoffBritain #costofliving #govcomms
August 10, 2026 at 1:53 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
New UK Government policy announced on X/Twitter, not on GOV·UK

Interesting isn't it

#govcomms #techpolicy
Screenshot of Home Office @ukhomeoffice tweet 9:50 AM · Jun 8, 2026 Big Tech companies like Apple and Google have been given three months to activate built in safeguards on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children. This will prevent predators from exploiting and abusing victims through their devices, as well as stopping children accessing pornography. If companies do not act within three months, the government will bring forward legislation to force them to activate the technology. This will include fines for companies and, as a last resort, we are exploring criminal liability for tech bosses who fail to comply. 91% of online child sexual abuse reports recorded in 2024 contained self‑generated content. Children as young as five are being groomed, manipulated and coerced by online predators into creating and sharing explicit images. Predators then use these images to blackmail children into creating more extreme content and, in the most horrific cases, children have committed suicide on livestream or engaged in self‑harm. These features are not about surveillance or policing people's phones - they are about protecting our children from vile predators. Over‑18s will still be able to view adult content by providing proof of age. There is no data collection, no monitoring and no reporting. The device will simply block harmful content across all apps and services. This will make Britain the first country in the world where it is impossible for children to take, share or view naked pictures on their devices.
June 8, 2026 at 12:15 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
If I follow this correctly, DCMS ministerial briefs have been announced on X by somebody from techUK. DCMS itself continues to boycott X, but the platform is apparently still a better source for the latest official info than GOV·UK – where DCMS hasn't yet published the briefs?

#techpolicy #govcomms
gavinfreeguard.com Gavin Freeguard @gavinfreeguard.com · Aug 11
According to @dsonic.bsky.social over on The Other Place (h/t a civil society colleague), the DCMS ministerial briefs have been announced

Steph Peacock (who shadowed data/digital infrastructure in opposition) gets GDS, not Ian Murray (who had been minister for GDS while at DSIT)
A screenshot of a tweet by Doniya Soni-Clark which reads: Confirmed DCMS briefs! Ian Murray MP, Minister of State Responsible for: • Media (including BBC Charter Review) • Online harms and misinformation • Creative industries • Telecommunications, digital infrastructure and Ofcom • International Stephanie Peacock MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Responsible for: • Sports • Ceremonials • Tourism • Office for the Impact Economy • Government Digital Service (Digital Products & Digital Transformation) • Place - overview of DMCS’s overall impact and presence in communities and responsibility for place based programmes including the allocation of arts funding in Arts Everywhere and Town and City of Culture. Baroness Twycross, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Responsible for: • Heritage, including world and living heritage • Covid commemoration • Appointments • ALBs (general oversight and reform) • Honours • Corporate Minister A screenshot of a tweet by Doniya Soni-Clark (continued) which reads: Ruth Mackenzie, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Responsible for: • Arts Council and sponsorship • Museums and cultural property (including the museums funding in Arts Everywhere) • Libraries Vicky Foxcroft, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Responsible for: • Youth • Civil Society • Gambling • National Lottery • Digital Inclusion and Skills Baroness Lloyd, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State - Minister for Space, Cyber and Regulatory Reform joint with BSIT Responsible for: • National Cyber Security • Government Cyber Security • Spectrum Negotiations (with Minister Murray. POs will provide further guidance)
August 11, 2026 at 5:44 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
A dubious claim by Labour whip Baroness Anderson (Ruth Smeeth), that 10.8 million [UK] families use X as their main news source, has reportedly been corrected in Hansard (though it looks unchanged to me) hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2026-0...

#govcomms #techpolicy
nathanjgower.bsky.social Nathan Gower @nathanjgower.bsky.social · Jan 14
tl;dl version:

We can't access gov's data. Ofcom say 3% of population (roughly 1.8m individuals) say X is their most important news source.

Gov has corrected Hansard and now says '10.8 million families use X as a news and information source'. But it's unclear how many individuals this equates to.
January 14, 2026 at 2:17 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
"We understand you must feel like giving up – please do!"

#FOI #govcomms
The ICO is receiving record volumes of complaints and is currently assigning cases for investigation approximately nine months after their date of initial receipt. Unfortunately due to the number of cases we are receiving and the resources available to us to manage this, we do not expect this situation to improve in the near future. If you can't wait, we understand. You can withdraw this complaint at any time, just let us know.
September 1, 2026 at 9:01 AM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Social media users end up on government list for speaking out against Prevent metro.co.uk/2026/09/25/s...

UK Government monitoring X for people who publicly criticise Prevent www.rightsandsecurity.org/government-m...

Related ICO decision ico.org.uk/action-weve-...

#FOI #govcomms
Social media posts criticising government policy are being monitored and investigated by officials, Metro can reveal. Negative X and Reddit posts from unsuspecting Brits attacking the UK's anti-terror programme Prevent were added to a database of critical online comments. Metro has obtained a list of nearly 80 critical posts found and logged by the Standards and Compliance Unit (StaCU), which oversees Prevent, between March 2024 and February 2025. One campaign group whose tweet was recorded in the database said the revelations raised 'serious questions about freedom of expression and the right to dissent and protest' in the UK.
September 25, 2026 at 9:51 AM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
DWP has made a stealth edit to a page on GOV​.UK, removing a claim that there has been a 319% rise in people claiming out-of-work disability benefits www.gov.uk/government/n... vs webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/202503...

HT www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-refuses-...

#govcomms #opengov
Quote from erroneous DWP press release: Data also shows the number of working-age people on the health element of Universal Credit or claiming Employment Support Allowance (ESA) has risen to 3.1 million, a staggering 319% increase since the pandemic, reflecting the alarming rate at which young and working aged people are increasingly falling out of work and claiming incapacity benefits.
March 14, 2025 at 8:39 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
I don't really see how DCMS, as the UK Government's new "digital" department and with responsibility for information resilience and online harms, can continue to avoid putting out communications on X (unless it also manages to organise a cross-government moratorium)

#techpolicy #govcomms
July 21, 2026 at 3:32 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Tech secretary Liz Kendall has now also blogged on socials about the resignation of the UK's Information Commissioner, John Edwards www.linkedin.com/posts/liz-ke...

#FOI #dataprotection #govcomms
Screenshot of Linkin post by Liz Kendall: UPDATE ON THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER ▶️ John Edwards resigned from his post as the Information Commissioner and Chair of the Information Commission earlier today, following an independent investigation that upheld multiple allegations made against him. ▶️ I have seen evidence of the vulgar and highly sexualised language that was used in his interactions with his staff and am extremely concerned that he continues to describe these incidents as misplaced humour, including on his social media post announcing his resignation. Such conduct does not belong in the workplace, least of all exhibited by the leader of an organisation. ▶️ Multiple women shared testimony to the investigator on feeling offended, shocked and uncomfortable following interactions with Mr Edwards. I am deeply grateful to all who came forward to share their experiences as part of this investigation. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
June 19, 2026 at 9:43 PM
sarahloyd.bsky.social
Hey social media friends, join the Social Media Managers Discord if you'd like a place to chat, vent, or swap ideas about social media/comms! discord.gg/TaqfzAMd

#socialgov #govcomms #schoolpr #k12marketing #higheredmarketing
Join the Social Media Managers Discord Server!
Check out the Social Media Managers community on Discord - hang out with 7 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.
discord.gg
January 28, 2025 at 6:08 PM
socialnewsdesk.com
New to Bluesky? We have some things to keep in mind as your agency establishes a presence and gets started. 💡

#socialstrategy #govcomms #bluesky
Bluesky: Key tips local government communicators need to know
www.socialnewsdesk.com
January 27, 2025 at 4:15 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
I see that the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has quietly un-retweeted Lisa Nandy MP's final tweet from July 2nd, in which the Culture Secretary said she and her Department were leaving X

#techpolicy #govcomms
Screenshot of tweet by Lisa Nandy MP @lisanandy from July 2nd 2026: I've decided to leave this platform and my Department will too. A platform originally designed for free speech and expression now favours abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate. It isn't healthy for our democracy or our communities and I don't want to support it.
August 14, 2026 at 6:18 PM
darrentodream.bsky.social
I’m looking for more PR and Comms folks to talk strategy and tactics with!

I get so jealous seeing people in the private sector do fun things and I try so hard to make public health GovComms sexy.
November 17, 2024 at 2:56 PM
sarahloyd.bsky.social
Hey social media friends, join the Social Media Managers Discord if you'd like a place to chat, vent, or swap ideas about social media/comms! DM for the invite link (it expires after a week, so it changes)!

#socialgov #govcomms #schoolpr #k12marketing #higheredmarketing
February 11, 2025 at 11:08 AM
socialnewsdesk.com
Hi Bluesky - we're excited to be here! Check out our free ebook with holiday ideas for social media, all year long. Whether you're in #govcomms, #schoolPR or #higheredmarketing, this ebook is for you! www.socialnewsdesk.com/download-snd...
Download SND’s free e-book: Year-Round Holiday Ideas for Social Media
Get the #1 resource for social media managers and communications officers looking for great creative ideas year-round to increase engagement!
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November 21, 2024 at 5:32 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Lol press release now updated www.gov.uk/government/n...

#genAI #govAI #govcomms
Screenshot of tweet by Jon Stone @joncstone "Downing Street press release claims ethanol is used to make beer? this has google AI search result hallucination written all over it" with an image of a Downing Street press release containing the line "We will also remove the tariff on ethanol — which is used to produce beer - coming into the UK from the US, down to zero."
May 9, 2025 at 9:10 AM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Keep mashing the big button, might work, who knows

Farage would enable 'modern-day Jimmy Saviles', says Jess Phillips www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/... (£)

#OnlineSafetyAct #govcomms
August 3, 2025 at 11:13 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
OBR apologises for leak, tee-hee, as MPs scroll through details of the Budget while waiting for Reeves to announce them in the House www.bbc.com/news/article... #govcomms #infosec #clownshow
November 26, 2025 at 5:39 PM
socialnewsdesk.com
We’re excited to join local government leaders at #ICMA2025 (Oct 25–29)!

Come chat with the SND team about smarter, safer social media for government. 💬

#LocalGov #GovComms #SocialNewsDesk
Image 1
October 9, 2025 at 2:15 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Guido Fawkes has picked this up …

EXC: Ofcom Spends More Than a Million to Propagandise Online Safety Act order-order.com/2025/09/26/e...

#OnlineSafetyAct #FOI #govcomms #influencers
owenboswarva.bsky.social Owen Boswarva @owenboswarva.bsky.social · Sep 25
UK regulator Ofcom spent more than £1.1 million on communications related to the Online Safety Act, in the period from February 2024 to July 2025 www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/r... + www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/r...

#FOI #govcomms #influencers
This activity involved: ● Working with M&C Saatchi and Archetype to deliver B2B campaigns targeting regulated services to drive awareness and promote compliance with their requirements under the OSA; ● Working with M&C Saatchi and influencers (Anna Whitehouse, Nilly Dahlia, Lee Chisholm, Claire Warren) to raise awareness of and build confidence in the OSA among UK parents; ● Working with M&C Saatchi and influencers (Olivia Bentley, Ben Hurst, Olly Bowman, Sophia Smith Galer, Adam Beales) to deliver a campaign to raise awareness of and build confidence in age-assurance rules coming into effect among UK adults; ● Working with Eleven to raise awareness of the protection of children code measures under the OSA among UK teenagers; ● Partnerships with Mumsnet and influencers (Mylene Klass, Anna Whitehouse and Dr Martha Deiros Collado) to raise awareness of the protection of children code measures under the OSA; and ● An influencer partnership (Cally Jane-Beech) to promote our proposed guidance on protecting women and girls online. Taken together, these campaigns and content have achieved around 30 million impressions online (the amount of times posts have appeared in people’s social media feeds).
September 26, 2025 at 1:56 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
Remember last month when Labour whip Baroness Anderson claimed in the Lords that 10.8 million [UK] families use X as their main news source? hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2026-0...

DSIT doesn't know how that figure was arrived at www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/usag...

#FOI #govcomms #techpolicy
Your request On 6 January 2026 you asked us to provide the following information: Yesterday (5 January) in the House of Lords, Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent answering for the Government in relation to a question about the use of X (formerly Twitter), said: "Not only are 19.2 million British citizens registered with X, but 10.8 million families use X as their main news source; that is more than any other social platform, which I find genuinely extraordinary. There was no source for the numbers quoted, and the figures to not correlate with those published by Ofcom. Can you please provide the source of these figures and how you reached the numbers mentioned. We have responded to your request for recorded information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). Our response We can confirm that the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (the department) does not hold any information in scope of your request. The figures referenced in your request were supplied by the government's lead media agency, OmniGOV. Please note that Baroness Anderson is a minister within the Cabinet Office, and the information was provided to them by that department.
February 3, 2026 at 7:19 PM
owenboswarva.bsky.social
DSIT, closing down its account today, has told X users to follow DCMS for the latest updates

Except DCMS currently isn't posting, because it "left the platform" earlier this month following a decision by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP

#govcomms #joinedupgovernment
Screenshot of post on X/Twitter from Department for Science, Innovation and Technology @SciTechgovuk: Following a Machinery of Government change, @scitechgovuk's responsibilities have transferred to @biztradegovuk, @DCMS and @cabinetofficeuk. This account has closed. Please follow them for the latest updates and visit http://GOV.UK for more information. Last edited 1:43 PM · Jul 21, 2026
July 21, 2026 at 6:13 PM