Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 3h

why I am I not there

Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 3h

When I was an undergrad in the 90s and I told my university that my sole parent was dying of a brutal illness, their response to me was “get the notes you missed from someone else. That was it. It hurts to this day. Nearly 30 years on, I can’t get used to universities actually supporting people.

A display of mental health support resources in the Strathclyde University library

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 8h

Unfollowed Sky News’ daily Trump podcast, whose hosts have got a little too sun-baked by their American lifestyles into covering the daily dystopia with that “lol, what about that!” tone.

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 22h

Just discovered that my book has been Trumped. Americans really will do anything to avoid dealing with privacy. 😉

A note on my book's sale page saying "We are currently unable to ship printed books to the US due to customs clearance issues."

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Reposted by Heather Burns

Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 23h

1/Stop everything and read/watch/bookmark this massive investigation between @motherjones.com @lighthousereports.com Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Paper Trail Media a vast global surveillance empire used to target politicians, journalists, tech CEOs, and... Jared Leto.
ow.ly/2LUF50Xb7KE

The surveillance empire that tracked world leaders, a Vatican enemy, and maybe you

We uncovered a massive data trove. It revealed the hidden world of First Wap, whose untraceable tech has targeted politicians, journalists, celebrities, and activists around the globe.

ow.ly

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Reposted by Heather Burns

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 1d

I'm sorry, is the Trump Administration talking to a tech platform?

Is it...requesting content moderation?

Today following outreach from @thejusticedept, Facebook removed a large group page that was being used to dox and target @ICEgov agents in Chicago.
The wave of violence against ICE has been driven by online apps and social media campaigns designed to put ICE officers at risk just for doing their jobs. The Department of Justice will continue engaging tech companies to eliminate platforms where radicals can incite imminent violence against federal law enforcement.

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 1d

G major baby

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 1d

So I was playing the Suzerain DLC yesterday (Rizia) and I managed to unlock the sequence of events which results in your 1950s conservative monarch having lots of sexytime with his butler. I feel this may be my peak gaming achievement. I found the side quest that leads to the magical gays.

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 1d

Hi @billgoodwin.bsky.social did you get the sense that Apple are dropping ADP for people who already had it enabled, which has been unaffected thus far, because their comments here sure seem to imply so.

Paul F Scott @paulfscott.bsky.social · 2d

'A separate case brought against the Home Office by Privacy International, Liberty and two individuals, which challenges the lawfulness of the technical capability notice, is expected to continue.' www.computerweekly.com/news/3666325...

Apple and Home Office agree to drop legal claim over encryption backdoor | Computer Weekly

Apple has agreed with the Home Office to drop its legal claim against a government order requiring it to provide intelligence and law enforcement with the capability to access encrypted data of Apple ...

www.computerweekly.com

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 1d

Those three words, in a Glaswegian accent, could be a shibboleth to get into a secret nightclub

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Reposted by Heather Burns

Paul F Scott @paulfscott.bsky.social · 2d

'A separate case brought against the Home Office by Privacy International, Liberty and two individuals, which challenges the lawfulness of the technical capability notice, is expected to continue.' www.computerweekly.com/news/3666325...

Apple and Home Office agree to drop legal claim over encryption backdoor | Computer Weekly

Apple has agreed with the Home Office to drop its legal claim against a government order requiring it to provide intelligence and law enforcement with the capability to access encrypted data of Apple ...

www.computerweekly.com

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Reposted by Heather Burns

Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 2d

The right-wing campaign group that helped topple Roe v Wade in the US is now working to roll back abortion laws in the UK, with the help of Nigel Farage.

Its first step? Trying to create a debate around "free speech"
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/w...

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 2d

I wrote a blog post a while back on how a lot of AIs sound like cocaine.

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Reposted by Heather Burns

Chris Stokel-Walker @stokel.bsky.social · 2d

What in the name of ChatGPT is this opening sentence from Liz Kendall?

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 2d

Apparently today is a Tory holiday for Margaret Thatcher’s 100th birthday, which brings to mind the greatest line ever spoken in a music interview, with the Glasgow electronica band Mogwai:

“So, Stuart, what is your song ‘George Square Thatcher Death Party’ about?”

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 3d

This is why I love the Netherlands. The British sign would be five lines long and contain multiple levels of passive aggressive pleading and apology. The Dutch just say “no balloon”.

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 3d

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

The Prophecies of Q

American conspiracy theories are entering a dangerous new phase.

www.theatlantic.com

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 3d

I’ll never forget reading @adriennelaf.bsky.social’s piece in The Atlantic, during deepest lockdown, on how the marriage of Christian Nationalism, MAGA, and QAnon was forking out of Christianity into a new religion itself, as with the Mormons etc. Five years later we’re at the Biblical battle phase.

Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 3d

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 4d

Conversation behind me on the bus: “I think newspapers are going to be coming back. See with this social media, you don’t know what’s true anymore.”

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Reposted by Heather Burns

Mike Stabile @mikestabile.bsky.social · 4d

JFC. Ron DeHaas, founder of the Christian antiporn app Covenant Eyes, has stepped down from NCOSE after his 38-year old son was charged with sexual abuse of a child.

Covenant Eyes is the app used by House Speaker Mike Johnson and his son to monitor each other's internet behavior.

Covenant Eyes Cofounder Helps Post Bond for Adult Stepson, Who Is Charged With Felony Child Sex Abuse

In August, Thomas Wideman, an adult stepson of Covenant Eyes cofounder Ron DeHaas, was arrested during a CSAM sting operation.

churchleaders.com

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 5d

@cyberleagle.bsky.social weekend reading www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-09...

Misrepresentations around human rights and immigration fuelling calls

A new report from the University of Oxford's Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, Faculty of Law, warns that misleading media coverage is shaping public debate on immigration and human rights. The

www.ox.ac.uk

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 5d

1995 me would like to sit down with 1995 Tori Amos and explain to her that 2025 me will not be able to see 2025 her because tickets sold out in 9 minutes at £160 each. We will both have opinions about this. Very opinions.

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Reposted by Heather Burns

Andrew Ambrose Mackey @andrewmackey.com · 5d

So you can imagine my excitement to hear that he and Rev. Susan Hayward are launching American Unexceptionalism, a new series exploring how people of faith around the world resist religious nationalism and authoritarianism. It premieres October 23 and will be must listen as well!

American Unexceptionalism: Global Lessons on Fighting Religious Nationalism

Listen to American Unexceptionalism: Global Lessons on Fighting Religious Nationalism on RedCircle

redcircle.com

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 5d

The “so, what’s happened in the five and a half years since we last sat down?” coffee is going to be a good one

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Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 5d

Clicked on the story, but then cheered out loud a little when I saw the byline. Welcome back, Rowland. news.sky.com/story/discor...

Discord hack shows dangers of online age checks as internet policing hopes put to the test

As the drive for age verification grows, so does the pressure on online companies to keep users' data safe and, as the Discord hack shows, that cannot be guaranteed.

news.sky.com

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