UK Gov Comms
@ukgovcomms.bsky.social
*Not* a government account.
A Bluesky account for sharing best practice of government communications in the UK. Run by @bowsy.co.uk.
A Bluesky account for sharing best practice of government communications in the UK. Run by @bowsy.co.uk.
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
NEW: @Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into X over the use of the Grok to manipulate images of women and children in removing their clothes.
“We have decided to open a formal investigation to establish whether X has failed to comply with its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act.
“We have decided to open a formal investigation to establish whether X has failed to comply with its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act.
January 12, 2026 at 11:12 AM
NEW: @Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into X over the use of the Grok to manipulate images of women and children in removing their clothes.
“We have decided to open a formal investigation to establish whether X has failed to comply with its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act.
“We have decided to open a formal investigation to establish whether X has failed to comply with its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act.
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
This week’s weeknote is about letting go. Of drafts turning into artefacts. Of things you could keep perfecting forever. Of the comforting illusion of control.
sharonodea.com/2026/01/11/w...
sharonodea.com/2026/01/11/w...
Weeknote 2026/01
Snowy Amsterdam this week (photo: Sharon O’Dea) Amsterdam was briefly hit by snow this week, which meant Schiphol ground to a halt and the city centre instantly transformed into an ice rink —…
sharonodea.com
January 11, 2026 at 6:54 PM
This week’s weeknote is about letting go. Of drafts turning into artefacts. Of things you could keep perfecting forever. Of the comforting illusion of control.
sharonodea.com/2026/01/11/w...
sharonodea.com/2026/01/11/w...
And if you happen to know what the National Data Library is...
Seriously though, this is such a thankless role. Until a Chief Data Officer is given the teeth to force departments to change how data is stored, hard-coupled to other systems and made available across government nothing will change.
Seriously though, this is such a thankless role. Until a Chief Data Officer is given the teeth to force departments to change how data is stored, hard-coupled to other systems and made available across government nothing will change.
Head of Product for data.gov.uk
Irregular reminder that while everyone will say they want a single, national, data portal that - outside of political need - most ppl want a single portal w/data relevant to them & that fits into their workflows
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi...
Irregular reminder that while everyone will say they want a single, national, data portal that - outside of political need - most ppl want a single portal w/data relevant to them & that fits into their workflows
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi...
January 11, 2026 at 7:29 PM
And if you happen to know what the National Data Library is...
Seriously though, this is such a thankless role. Until a Chief Data Officer is given the teeth to force departments to change how data is stored, hard-coupled to other systems and made available across government nothing will change.
Seriously though, this is such a thankless role. Until a Chief Data Officer is given the teeth to force departments to change how data is stored, hard-coupled to other systems and made available across government nothing will change.
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
In other news, with an annual profit of £800,000 and fewer than 100 employees Twitter UK is about as significant economically as a single large Tesco Extra.
January 11, 2026 at 5:06 PM
In other news, with an annual profit of £800,000 and fewer than 100 employees Twitter UK is about as significant economically as a single large Tesco Extra.
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
Modest proposal: any minister claiming the government “needs” to be on X should have to read out the top ten comments on their department’s most recent post.
How government engagement on X works. A wholly typical post and a wholly typical reply.
January 9, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Modest proposal: any minister claiming the government “needs” to be on X should have to read out the top ten comments on their department’s most recent post.
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For less technical ppl these proposed changes to gov.uk reduce the ability for users to share from gov.uk to X
Govt comms teams/ministers could make different decisions - if they wanted - & users could still share links - with a few more button presses - if they wanted to debate things on X
Govt comms teams/ministers could make different decisions - if they wanted - & users could still share links - with a few more button presses - if they wanted to debate things on X
Think I’ve found the right repos to propose these for removal:
github.com/alphagov/gov...
github.com/alphagov/fro...
github.com/alphagov/e-p...
github.com/alphagov/gov...
github.com/alphagov/fro...
github.com/alphagov/e-p...
January 9, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
More MPs are coming off X and I assume that means they will be posting more on here
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
January 9, 2026 at 9:21 PM
More MPs are coming off X and I assume that means they will be posting more on here
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
Happy Friday, some weeknotes: weeknot.es/weeknotes-s2... @weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Weeknotes S22 Ep1
Back at work after Christmas and new years. It was a good opportunity for a break and I felt like I made the most of it. Some very…
weeknot.es
January 9, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Happy Friday, some weeknotes: weeknot.es/weeknotes-s2... @weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
The government doesn't even have to leave Twitter straight away – it could issue a diktat that everything posted on Twitter has to be posted simultaneously over here, as that would still give journalists/Westminster types an incentive to move over.
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked WhatsApp messages show Labour MPs urging govt to leave X, arguing that it should "show direction to others in the UK"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
January 9, 2026 at 4:16 PM
The government doesn't even have to leave Twitter straight away – it could issue a diktat that everything posted on Twitter has to be posted simultaneously over here, as that would still give journalists/Westminster types an incentive to move over.
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
New minister appointed - to a role he's kind of already doing: Josh Simons, currently at CO, going to DSIT.
The FT reported that he'd be taking on digital ID full time- that programme moved from DSIT to CO, so not clear if that is indeed what he is doing (or if govt is just as confused as me...)
The FT reported that he'd be taking on digital ID full time- that programme moved from DSIT to CO, so not clear if that is indeed what he is doing (or if govt is just as confused as me...)
January 9, 2026 at 4:21 PM
New minister appointed - to a role he's kind of already doing: Josh Simons, currently at CO, going to DSIT.
The FT reported that he'd be taking on digital ID full time- that programme moved from DSIT to CO, so not clear if that is indeed what he is doing (or if govt is just as confused as me...)
The FT reported that he'd be taking on digital ID full time- that programme moved from DSIT to CO, so not clear if that is indeed what he is doing (or if govt is just as confused as me...)
Excellent!
January 9, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Excellent!
This sort of thing, new out today, is great : www.gov.uk/guidance/gov....
GOV.UK ID Check app: accessibility statement
How we've tested the accessibility of the GOV.UK ID Check app, issues we've found, and how you can report problems.
www.gov.uk
January 9, 2026 at 1:21 PM
This sort of thing, new out today, is great : www.gov.uk/guidance/gov....
This is really good - but I wonder how to measure the number of policy making civil servants who are aware of this kind of thing?
publicpolicydesign.blog.gov.uk/2026/01/08/t...
publicpolicydesign.blog.gov.uk/2026/01/08/t...
The power of patterns
Design leader, Joanna Goodwin, writes about Wales's newest government design system.
publicpolicydesign.blog.gov.uk
January 8, 2026 at 6:39 PM
This is really good - but I wonder how to measure the number of policy making civil servants who are aware of this kind of thing?
publicpolicydesign.blog.gov.uk/2026/01/08/t...
publicpolicydesign.blog.gov.uk/2026/01/08/t...
Celebrating another separate new app based on another separate login service.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Government modernises exam records with new app
Every year 11 student in England to be able to see their GCSE exam results on a new app from summer 2026.
www.gov.uk
January 8, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Celebrating another separate new app based on another separate login service.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Saying this while still having government and political accounts on X.
www.politico.eu/article/keir...
www.politico.eu/article/keir...
Keir Starmer takes aim at Elon Musk’s X over Grok deepfakes
“This is wrong, it’s unlawful, we’re not going to tolerate it,” the U.K. prime minister said.
www.politico.eu
January 8, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Saying this while still having government and political accounts on X.
www.politico.eu/article/keir...
www.politico.eu/article/keir...
Thank you for posting this @louisehaighmp.bsky.social . There was a suggestion of crowd-sourcing a list of government organisations, MPs and Lords who still have accounts on X. Please let us know your thoughts on that. Thanks.
I call on my party and my government to remove themselves entirely from X and communicate with the public where they actually participate online and can be protected from such illegality.
January 8, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Thank you for posting this @louisehaighmp.bsky.social . There was a suggestion of crowd-sourcing a list of government organisations, MPs and Lords who still have accounts on X. Please let us know your thoughts on that. Thanks.
Just discovered that for 6 months the UK has has a "Public Sector AI Adoption Unit" in GDS. No page on GOV.UK and no public postings of any kind that I can find. Does anyone know what it's up to or how many people are in it?
January 8, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Just discovered that for 6 months the UK has has a "Public Sector AI Adoption Unit" in GDS. No page on GOV.UK and no public postings of any kind that I can find. Does anyone know what it's up to or how many people are in it?
Reposted by UK Gov Comms
Or indeed YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit TikTok, Facebook.....
I doubt Labour will be interested in a tiny platform like Bluesky ( or Mastodon)
I doubt Labour will be interested in a tiny platform like Bluesky ( or Mastodon)
January 7, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Or indeed YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit TikTok, Facebook.....
I doubt Labour will be interested in a tiny platform like Bluesky ( or Mastodon)
I doubt Labour will be interested in a tiny platform like Bluesky ( or Mastodon)
If someone were to FOI the actual stats that the government has gotten from its various X accounts for the last year do you think they'd get a reasonable response?
The most telling thing about the grok business is that the government refuse to take any meaningful action.
VAWG and CSAM are less important than whatever reason they have for not acting be it fear, greed, stupidity or corruption.
This is a truly bizarre situation. I can recall nothing like it.
VAWG and CSAM are less important than whatever reason they have for not acting be it fear, greed, stupidity or corruption.
This is a truly bizarre situation. I can recall nothing like it.
January 7, 2026 at 3:54 PM
If someone were to FOI the actual stats that the government has gotten from its various X accounts for the last year do you think they'd get a reasonable response?
Not yet, but we could crowdsource on if someone set up a location...
Is there a list anywhere of the main UK organisations and MPs and public figures who remain on X? So we know.
The most telling thing about the grok business is that the government refuse to take any meaningful action.
VAWG and CSAM are less important than whatever reason they have for not acting be it fear, greed, stupidity or corruption.
This is a truly bizarre situation. I can recall nothing like it.
VAWG and CSAM are less important than whatever reason they have for not acting be it fear, greed, stupidity or corruption.
This is a truly bizarre situation. I can recall nothing like it.
January 7, 2026 at 3:53 PM
Not yet, but we could crowdsource on if someone set up a location...
The UK government still using X as an official communications platform when Bluesky is available is absolutely unconscionable.
Keir Starmer's spokesman tells me that X and Grok's creation of sexual deepfakes of children is "completely unacceptable" but again won't commit to taking direct action against them, or to stop posting there.
Says "all options are on the table" but suggests it's a matter for Ofcom, not Government
Says "all options are on the table" but suggests it's a matter for Ofcom, not Government
January 7, 2026 at 2:59 PM
The UK government still using X as an official communications platform when Bluesky is available is absolutely unconscionable.
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I've quickly done a pivot table on this by department (discrepancy in overall numbers *I think* is my dataset doesn't have withdrawn questions) data.mysociety.org/datasette/?m...
🧵Sky News has a piece running today about a big increase in written parliamentary questions. @samcoatessky.bsky.social says a
senior government source has suggested MPs may be using AI to submit written questions to ministers.
news.sky.com/story/number...
senior government source has suggested MPs may be using AI to submit written questions to ministers.
news.sky.com/story/number...
Number of written questions to government departments doubles in a year
A senior government source has suggested MPs may be using AI to submit written questions to ministers.
news.sky.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:50 PM
I've quickly done a pivot table on this by department (discrepancy in overall numbers *I think* is my dataset doesn't have withdrawn questions) data.mysociety.org/datasette/?m...