Privacy Matters 

So many well respected people have LONG pointed out serious issues and concerns with FRT. Perhaps if we had a regulator that cared and had bite we might now be in a different place .. the same regulator that many years ago warned we were sleep walking into a surveillance society

‘Microsoft confirmed that at least some of the demonstrated attacks affect the currently deployed version of PhotoDNA, though specific details were withheld for safety reasons.’

Microsoft PhotoDNA is vulnerable to false positives and data leakage #Microsoft #PhotoDNA cyberinsider.com/microsoft-phot…

US lawmakers quiz Meta over ‘dangerous’ facial-recognition plans for smart glasses bit.ly/4drQEt8

It hoovers up what they call signals intelligence, so mobile phones, internet traffic, SMS, mobile phone tracking, all kinds of things. And the AI systems are being used to spot what militaries call patterns of life democracynow.org/2026/3/18/ai_w…

🚨NEWS: Essex Police has halted its use of live facial recognition after racial bias was identified. We warned about this... ⚠️"Almost a year ago, Big Brother Watch warned that Essex Police's failure to check the accuracy of its live facial recognition (LFR) algorithm would put the rights of thousands of people at risk. These warnings have now been borne out, but only after 2.5 million people across the county have had their faces scanned by intrusive technology with known bias and accuracy issues. AI surveillance that is experimental, untested, inaccurate or potentially biased has no place on our streets. It's deeply concerning that Essex Police appear to have taken this facial recognition company's claims at face value and deployed a system they had not even tested. The government should urgently reconsider its shocking plans to squander millions of pounds of public money on a five-fold increase of LFR across the country" - Jake Hurfurt [@JHurfurt]

Eid Mubarak to all who celebrate it.

Criminal liability for Chatbot conduct is edgy and full of pitfalls: but last night the House of Lords passed an amendment which, if accepted by the House of Commons, would make it an offence to make available an AI chatbot which produces language promoting, or tactics or target selection for, terrorist offences or real world violence [amendment 422D]. As I set out in the long and boring Annex to my report Terrorism Acts in 2023, this chain-of-supply type liability would produce very odd outcomes because it would hold P liable for what a Chatbot says in response to a prompt entered by D. Whilst it is right to recognise and act on the potential risks created by Chatbots, and not shy away from technically difficult legislative thinking, I don’t see how such an offence could ever be acceptable.

BREAKING: A UK police force has halted its use of live facial recognition cameras after identifying ‘accuracy and bias risks’ 🧵 1/4

NEW: British billionaire convicted in US for failing to implement adequate money-laundering controls on his cryptocurrency business is funding political base in Westminster used by “anti-woke” & rightwing activists. Fascinating fr @sandralaville @ @rowenamason theguardian.com/politics/2026/…

Since @Ofcom seems to have given up, we asked 20 experienced journalist from a wide range of backgrounds to watch multiple hours of @GBNEWS . Their conclusion: the supposedly regulated channel has, in effect, become Reform TV. How did it happen? thenewworld.co.uk/alan-rusbridge…

First, we are capable of producing at least 2,000 effective and combat-proven interceptors every day. We can produce more – it depends on investment. We need about 1,000 interceptors a day, and we can supply at least another 1,000 a day to our allies. Second, we know how to build radar and acoustic coverage to respond to how “shaheds” and other drones approach. Third, we have software that allows radars to keep working even under electronic warfare jamming. In real time, we analyze enemy frequencies and respond to them. And because of this system, we understand how effective our defense is against almost every attack drone, and we can move our positions and air defense to get better results. This iPad gives full control of the situation because we have a system for using our defense tools. If a “shahed” needs to be stopped in the Emirates – we can do it. If it needs to be stopped in Europe or the United Kingdom – we can do it. It is a matter of technology, investment, and cooperation. And the fact that we got through this winter – which Russia tried to make deadly for all our families – shows that our solutions work. From my address to the Parliament of the United Kingdom (4/7)

If the UK wants to rejoin the EU's Single Market and Customs Union "with all associated privileges and duties", they will be welcomed with open arms, says @jnbarrot French Foreign Minister #Brexit #EU

EXCL: UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell attended final talks between US and Iran - and judged Tehran's offer on its nuclear programme was significant enough to prevent rush to war @patrickwintour & @julianborger reveal theguardian.com/world/2026/mar…

From Haaretz in Israel. A description of an IDF commander murdering a 4 year old. For fun. It's beyond demonic. haaretz.com/opinion/2024-1…

Here’s the rub. This ‘consultation’ - whose announcement went completely under the radar - is open for less than 2 months. And - to repeat - it’s not a real ‘consultation’! It’s a series of leading qs that suppose we want this! Look for yourself here: …alidconsultation.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/t/haveyoursayo… 9/

The new Telegraph owner has a reputation for editorial interference and reportedly encouraged Elon Musk to support Germany’s far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). @arusbridger explains more... prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/ne…

Fantastic news in the UK today - the government has apparently ditched its plan to force creatives to 'opt out' if they don't want AI companies training on their life's work. The opt-out proposal was unfair and unworkable. Many couldn't realistically have opted out at all, and it would have affected small rights holders disproportionately negatively. We should be grateful to the government for listening to reason on this, rather than just listening to the big tech lobby. They have done the right thing by putting opt-out behind us. They should now reaffirm what the law says - that AI companies must license people's work if they want to train on it - and commit not to change that law. thetimes.com/uk/technology-…

> Don’t consult your allies about a war that will directly affect them. >Then berate them for not helping in the war they were never consulted on. >Then argue they must help because Hormuz closure would affect them. >Ask NATO for help months after floating invasion of Greenland

#Israel announces the official beginning of its ground invasion of #Lebanon - seeks now to depopulate the entire area south of the Litani river- or 10% of #Lebanese territory & home to some 300,000 - 400,000 people spread over more than 150 villages and towns.