Frank Wales
@frankwales.bsky.social
Founding partner
@corrickwales.bsky.social
& girly swot. (Privacy+software+music+tech)*(sarcasm+puns+WTFs). Personal account; reposts aren't endorsements; IANAL HTH HAND
@corrickwales.bsky.social
& girly swot. (Privacy+software+music+tech)*(sarcasm+puns+WTFs). Personal account; reposts aren't endorsements; IANAL HTH HAND
"A 2025 study by Ibrahim, Hafner, and Rocher found that warm or empathetic models had error rates 10–30% higher than their original versions. System prompts designed to add warmth produced 12-14% drops in reliability.”
www.nngroup.com/articles/hum...
www.nngroup.com/articles/hum...
Humanizing AI Is a Trap
LLMs humanize by design. Adding personality/emotion amplifies risk. Design real tools, not fake friends.
www.nngroup.com
January 13, 2026 at 1:17 PM
"A 2025 study by Ibrahim, Hafner, and Rocher found that warm or empathetic models had error rates 10–30% higher than their original versions. System prompts designed to add warmth produced 12-14% drops in reliability.”
www.nngroup.com/articles/hum...
www.nngroup.com/articles/hum...
"Would you like nudes with your nukes?"
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the integration of Elon Musk's xAI platform, Grok, into military networks as part of a new "AI acceleration strategy" during a visit to SpaceX.
January 13, 2026 at 9:05 AM
"Would you like nudes with your nukes?"
Introducing Microsoft Copilot 365 Office Premium Family Copilot Standard for Windows Copilot app youtu.be/HU8iL0jOHO4?...
Microsoft have lost their minds
YouTube video by Tech Dregs
youtu.be
January 6, 2026 at 12:23 PM
Introducing Microsoft Copilot 365 Office Premium Family Copilot Standard for Windows Copilot app youtu.be/HU8iL0jOHO4?...
Reposted by Frank Wales
Not sure why this dross, dated Dec 1, seems to be circulating now (and why it didn't cross my feed a month ago), but wow what a terrible essay.
A few comments, in a short 🧵>>
bigthink.com/the-present/...
A few comments, in a short 🧵>>
bigthink.com/the-present/...
The rise of AI denialism
Computer scientist Louis Rosenberg argues that dismissing AI as a “bubble” or mere “slop” ignores the tectonic technological shift now unfolding.
bigthink.com
January 3, 2026 at 5:25 AM
Not sure why this dross, dated Dec 1, seems to be circulating now (and why it didn't cross my feed a month ago), but wow what a terrible essay.
A few comments, in a short 🧵>>
bigthink.com/the-present/...
A few comments, in a short 🧵>>
bigthink.com/the-present/...
Reposted by Frank Wales
The guidance for how Public Charge Point data should be published is here: www.gov.uk/government/p...
'Data must be open in line with the Open Government Licence'.
The guidance is a bit open to interpretation but I don't think could be stretched to, "Pop us an email we'll see what we can do".
'Data must be open in line with the Open Government Licence'.
The guidance is a bit open to interpretation but I don't think could be stretched to, "Pop us an email we'll see what we can do".
Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 guidance
www.gov.uk
November 3, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The guidance for how Public Charge Point data should be published is here: www.gov.uk/government/p...
'Data must be open in line with the Open Government Licence'.
The guidance is a bit open to interpretation but I don't think could be stretched to, "Pop us an email we'll see what we can do".
'Data must be open in line with the Open Government Licence'.
The guidance is a bit open to interpretation but I don't think could be stretched to, "Pop us an email we'll see what we can do".
Reposted by Frank Wales
Updating myself on how the UK's #EV chargepoint operators are publishing their data openly. Shell Ubitricity are the largest operator in the UK, so I started there.
At best, Shell have misunderstood what #opendata is, and/or the regulations don't explain how to publish ubitricity.com/en/pcpr-data...
At best, Shell have misunderstood what #opendata is, and/or the regulations don't explain how to publish ubitricity.com/en/pcpr-data...
PCPR Data Request
ubitricity.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Updating myself on how the UK's #EV chargepoint operators are publishing their data openly. Shell Ubitricity are the largest operator in the UK, so I started there.
At best, Shell have misunderstood what #opendata is, and/or the regulations don't explain how to publish ubitricity.com/en/pcpr-data...
At best, Shell have misunderstood what #opendata is, and/or the regulations don't explain how to publish ubitricity.com/en/pcpr-data...
Reposted by Frank Wales
'I just have talent, Margaret has genius.' CRM
Sexist headline of the week.
A work by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh has been sold at auction and a Scottish newspaper decided to report this by referring to her as ‘wife of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’.
A work by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh has been sold at auction and a Scottish newspaper decided to report this by referring to her as ‘wife of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’.
October 29, 2025 at 12:05 PM
'I just have talent, Margaret has genius.' CRM
If I can't stop my phone appearing in the reflection, I might as well make a feature of it
October 28, 2025 at 10:32 AM
If I can't stop my phone appearing in the reflection, I might as well make a feature of it
Reposted by Frank Wales
Alan Cumming wants his new LGBTQ+ festival to be a ‘beacon of hope’ uplifting queer and trans voices
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/10/27/alan-cumming-lgbtq-festival-to-be-a-beacon-of-hope-out-in-the-hills/?utm_content=1761646886&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/10/27/alan-cumming-lgbtq-festival-to-be-a-beacon-of-hope-out-in-the-hills/?utm_content=1761646886&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky
Alan Cumming's Scottish LGBTQ+ festival will be a 'beacon of light, hope and fun'
Alan Cumming opens up about Scotland’s Pitlochry Festival Theatre's Out in the Hills LGBTQ+ festival and Russell T Davies show, Tip Toe.
www.thepinknews.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Alan Cumming wants his new LGBTQ+ festival to be a ‘beacon of hope’ uplifting queer and trans voices
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/10/27/alan-cumming-lgbtq-festival-to-be-a-beacon-of-hope-out-in-the-hills/?utm_content=1761646886&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/10/27/alan-cumming-lgbtq-festival-to-be-a-beacon-of-hope-out-in-the-hills/?utm_content=1761646886&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky
Reposted by Frank Wales
Lower Decks pals just reminded me I designed the original Moopsy, which I had totally forgotten. The artists love to laugh at me for my crappy drawings. Enjoy.
August 4, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Lower Decks pals just reminded me I designed the original Moopsy, which I had totally forgotten. The artists love to laugh at me for my crappy drawings. Enjoy.
Reposted by Frank Wales
Written by Michael and Denise Okuda, “Lost Voyages: Phase II and the Rebirth of Star Trek” is a great documentary about Trek projects (show, movies) abandoned in the second half of the 1970s, which led to The Motion Picture. With fascinating interviews, and some cool ships.
Warmly recommended! 🖖
Warmly recommended! 🖖
And here are the new documentary films!
"“Lost Voyages: Phase II and the Rebirth of Star Trek” explores the bumpy road between the cancellation of the original Star Trek in 1969, and its remarkable rebirth ten years later on the silver screen.“
"“Lost Voyages: Phase II and the Rebirth of Star Trek” explores the bumpy road between the cancellation of the original Star Trek in 1969, and its remarkable rebirth ten years later on the silver screen.“
The Roddenberry Archive: Lost Voyages: Phase II and the Rebirth of Star Trek
YouTube video by OTOY
www.youtube.com
August 5, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Written by Michael and Denise Okuda, “Lost Voyages: Phase II and the Rebirth of Star Trek” is a great documentary about Trek projects (show, movies) abandoned in the second half of the 1970s, which led to The Motion Picture. With fascinating interviews, and some cool ships.
Warmly recommended! 🖖
Warmly recommended! 🖖
Reposted by Frank Wales
the article is like “it’s not a vacation, it’s a different thing!” btw (it’s vacation)
What is a micro-retirement? Inside the latest Gen Z trend
Burned out and ladened with debt Gen-Z is getting a jump on retirement by going on short unpaid breaks from work: "micro-retirements."
www.fastcompany.com
July 3, 2025 at 12:56 PM
the article is like “it’s not a vacation, it’s a different thing!” btw (it’s vacation)
Reposted by Frank Wales
the zoomers have rebranded vacation
July 3, 2025 at 12:47 PM
the zoomers have rebranded vacation
Reposted by Frank Wales
Extraordinarily response from the EHRC to our letter asking whether they were using AI to process consultation responses: "It is not for your client to question the manner in which that process is
being conducted while the process is ongoing."
Obviously we won't let it drop.
being conducted while the process is ongoing."
Obviously we won't let it drop.
July 13, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Extraordinarily response from the EHRC to our letter asking whether they were using AI to process consultation responses: "It is not for your client to question the manner in which that process is
being conducted while the process is ongoing."
Obviously we won't let it drop.
being conducted while the process is ongoing."
Obviously we won't let it drop.
Meanwhile, in "no-one proof-reads titles" news...
July 11, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Meanwhile, in "no-one proof-reads titles" news...
Reposted by Frank Wales
There's something bizarre about framing livestreams of the horrible things that happen in real life as a _child safety_ issue; Southport, after all, was local dads and granddads.
July 4, 2025 at 9:01 AM
There's something bizarre about framing livestreams of the horrible things that happen in real life as a _child safety_ issue; Southport, after all, was local dads and granddads.
Reposted by Frank Wales
A depressing policy exercise: read Ofcom's post-Southport proposals on how they want livestreams to be restricted, whilst remembering that it was a 17 year old girl minding her own business who filmed George Floyd's murder. Then consider these proposals in the current US political context.
July 4, 2025 at 8:56 AM
A depressing policy exercise: read Ofcom's post-Southport proposals on how they want livestreams to be restricted, whilst remembering that it was a 17 year old girl minding her own business who filmed George Floyd's murder. Then consider these proposals in the current US political context.
Reposted by Frank Wales
Boooo Paramount made me take these off Et$y but they can still be yours!!!!
Who wants a Lower Decker on their head?
(I'm beyond broke at the moment so an order would help me out enormously 🙏)
#StarTrek #StarTrekLowerDecks #crochet #cosplay
Who wants a Lower Decker on their head?
(I'm beyond broke at the moment so an order would help me out enormously 🙏)
#StarTrek #StarTrekLowerDecks #crochet #cosplay
June 25, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Boooo Paramount made me take these off Et$y but they can still be yours!!!!
Who wants a Lower Decker on their head?
(I'm beyond broke at the moment so an order would help me out enormously 🙏)
#StarTrek #StarTrekLowerDecks #crochet #cosplay
Who wants a Lower Decker on their head?
(I'm beyond broke at the moment so an order would help me out enormously 🙏)
#StarTrek #StarTrekLowerDecks #crochet #cosplay
Reposted by Frank Wales
Just went looking for something at the excellent Hagley Digital Archives, and was greeted by the message below.
They're being overrun by bots, as "AI systems increasingly target sites like ours to train machine learning models."
The web is being murdered. So aggravating.
digital.hagley.org
They're being overrun by bots, as "AI systems increasingly target sites like ours to train machine learning models."
The web is being murdered. So aggravating.
digital.hagley.org
June 24, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Just went looking for something at the excellent Hagley Digital Archives, and was greeted by the message below.
They're being overrun by bots, as "AI systems increasingly target sites like ours to train machine learning models."
The web is being murdered. So aggravating.
digital.hagley.org
They're being overrun by bots, as "AI systems increasingly target sites like ours to train machine learning models."
The web is being murdered. So aggravating.
digital.hagley.org
Reposted by Frank Wales
“It’s important to a community that wants to be an immigrant sanctuary to also be a data sanctuary, and that means to collect and retain as little information as possible about immigrants,” EFF’s Adam Schwartz told @chicagotribune.com.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration says no obligation to hand city ID records to ICE
City lawyer Mary Richardson-Lowry said the administration won’t cooperate with the subpoena because doing so would expose vulnerable applicants.
www.chicagotribune.com
June 11, 2025 at 10:21 PM
“It’s important to a community that wants to be an immigrant sanctuary to also be a data sanctuary, and that means to collect and retain as little information as possible about immigrants,” EFF’s Adam Schwartz told @chicagotribune.com.
Reposted by Frank Wales
1. The US Transgender Survey has finally been released, and the results are stunning.
- <1% of people are less satisfied after HRT.
- The most common reason for detransition, pausing transition, or stopping transition is transphobia.
The latest from S. Baum.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
- <1% of people are less satisfied after HRT.
- The most common reason for detransition, pausing transition, or stopping transition is transphobia.
The latest from S. Baum.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
Largest Trans Survey Ever: Top Reason Trans People Stop Transitioning Is Transphobia
“In almost every single case, the reason was anti-trans discrimination in the form of pressure to ‘detransition’ from one’s family, friends, or community.”
www.erininthemorning.com
June 11, 2025 at 10:11 PM
1. The US Transgender Survey has finally been released, and the results are stunning.
- <1% of people are less satisfied after HRT.
- The most common reason for detransition, pausing transition, or stopping transition is transphobia.
The latest from S. Baum.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
- <1% of people are less satisfied after HRT.
- The most common reason for detransition, pausing transition, or stopping transition is transphobia.
The latest from S. Baum.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
Reposted by Frank Wales
There is a maximum amount of time each day you're supposed to focus on the world's problems instead of your own, after which you have a legitimate need for therapy on your thought processes being self-destructive. At some point you have to stop scrubbing your hands you are bleeding into the sink.
June 11, 2025 at 11:06 PM
There is a maximum amount of time each day you're supposed to focus on the world's problems instead of your own, after which you have a legitimate need for therapy on your thought processes being self-destructive. At some point you have to stop scrubbing your hands you are bleeding into the sink.
Reposted by Frank Wales
If your DMs are “encrypted” but one org holds all the keys, you haven’t distributed trust – you’ve built a backdoor.
Juicebox only works when boundaries are real. Separation isn’t optional.
Replication != distribution.
Juicebox only works when boundaries are real. Separation isn’t optional.
Replication != distribution.
Don’t Put All Your Juice in One Box
At Juicebox, we believe key recovery should be secure, user friendly, and actually… work. That means it has to be more than cryptographic theater. It has to reflect the real world, where systems get h...
juicebox.xyz
June 6, 2025 at 1:43 PM
If your DMs are “encrypted” but one org holds all the keys, you haven’t distributed trust – you’ve built a backdoor.
Juicebox only works when boundaries are real. Separation isn’t optional.
Replication != distribution.
Juicebox only works when boundaries are real. Separation isn’t optional.
Replication != distribution.
Reposted by Frank Wales
I'd argue it's less than not great, it's bad. Since they're not using HSMs for Juicebox, and they control all the realms, they have the ability to easily brute force anyone's 4-digit PIN and get their stored secret. It's basically just backdoored.
Good discussion on Twitter’s new encrypted DMs. TL;DR the cryptography doesn’t seem bad, but it isn’t great. mjg59.dreamwidth.org/71646.html
June 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I'd argue it's less than not great, it's bad. Since they're not using HSMs for Juicebox, and they control all the realms, they have the ability to easily brute force anyone's 4-digit PIN and get their stored secret. It's basically just backdoored.
Reposted by Frank Wales
This is just a flat out lie and everyone involved is either malicious or incompetent
June 6, 2025 at 8:01 PM
This is just a flat out lie and everyone involved is either malicious or incompetent