The eyes of the world were on the United Kingdom this weekend, but also watching the event were high-tech, police facial recognition cameras – while separately, a new suite of Chinese-made cameras scanned the procession.

The cameras scanned tens of thousands of people’s faces in real time, conducting passport-style identity checks to identify those known to police – whether a suspect, witness or victim. 

This is widely thought to have been the biggest live facial recognition operation ever in the West. The technology is more commonly seen policing the streets of Beijing, enforcing the Chinese Communist Party’s social credit system and aiding in their ethnic persecution of Uyghurs.

Perhaps too few of us are aware to be afraid. But unless Parliament fully scrutinises and challenges the use of this powerful tool, we are sleepwalking into a future we will struggle to wake up from.

https://archive.is/h7pkI

Great Twitter post (link below)

The NEW CEO Of Twitter

Last month, during an interview with Elon, Yaccarino encouraged him to allow advertisers to have influence on the platform.

Musk disagreed, stating that it was wrong for advertisers to try to shape Twitter's content.

Yaccarino persisted, requesting the reinstatement of an "influence council" for advertisers to regularly interact with Twitter's leadership.

Musk expressed concern that this could lead to public backlash.

While I understand everyone’s concerns after reading the above, I want to point a few important points:

- Working at WEF doesn’t immediately make you part of the ‘establishment’. Is every politician evil? Every banker greedy?

- If done right, and without influencing free speech, communication between Twitter and advertisers is a positive.

- Elon can fire a CEO if they don’t live up to his expectations

Having said all this, do you think she’s the right person for the job?

https://twitter.com/marionawfal/status/1657012965336285184

Dear All The People Upset Over The Post Above,

We’re here to share information with you. Some of it we won’t like. This doesn’t mean we’re gonna coddle you by pandering to comfortable opinions.

Discernment really isn’t difficult, frens 🐸💚

The Supreme Court handed Silicon Valley a massive victory on Thursday as it protected online platforms from two lawsuits that legal experts had warned could have upended the internet.

The Twitter decision was unanimous and written by Justice Clarence Thomas, who said that social media platforms are little different from other digital technologies.

“It might be that bad actors like ISIS are able to use platforms like defendants’ for illegal – and sometimes terrible – ends,” Thomas wrote. “But the same could be said of cell phones, email, or the internet generally.”

The court held that Twitter’s hosting of general terrorist speech does not create indirect legal responsibility for specific terrorist attacks, effectively raising the bar for future such claims.

https://archive.is/amgTv

EXCLUSIVE: Phillip Schofield dropped by his agent after admitting affair with much younger colleague while he was still married: Host lied to cover up relationship but says it was 'not illegal' - as he resigns from ALL his remaining ITV jobs

'Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12129347/Phillip-Schofield-ADMITS-affair-young-Morning-runner-married.html

Phillip Schofield’s agent releases bombshell statement on his sacking over a relationship he lied about.

“We have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield. These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU.

https://twitter.com/danwootton/status/1662149464205803520

US Air Force denies running simulation in which AI drone “killed” operator

The US air force has denied it has conducted an AI simulation in which a drone decided to “kill” its operator to prevent it from interfering with its efforts to achieve its mission.

A drone powered by artificial intelligence was advised to destroy an enemy’s air defence systems, and ultimately attacked anyone who interfered with that order.

“The system started realising that while they did identify the threat, at times the human operator would tell it not to kill that threat, but it got its points by killing that threat,”

“So what did it do? It killed the operator. It killed the operator because that person was keeping it from accomplishing its objective,”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/01/us-military-drone-ai-killed-operator-simulated-test

Exclusive: Critics of Covid restrictions were targeted by ‘chilling’ secret counter-disinformation team at the heart of the UK Government.

A secretive government unit worked with social media companies (including Facebook, Google and the BBC) in an attempt to curtail discussion of controversial lockdown policies during the pandemic.

The Counter-Disinformation Unit (CDU) was set up to tackle supposed domestic “threats” and was used to target those critical of lockdowns, and questioning the mass vaccination of children.

Many of the issues being raised were valid at the time and have since been proven to be well-founded. 

Much of the Government’s wider work on disinformation is shrouded in secrecy for “national security” reasons, with large parts of official documents still redacted.

MPs and freedom of speech campaigners condemned the disclosures as “truly chilling” and “a tool for censoring British citizens” akin to those of the Chinese Communist Party.

https://archive.is/CR4X3

The head of the British Army is considering scrapping centuries-old ranks such as Rifleman and Guardsman because they are masculine.

The step has been prompted by women soldiers who feel that masculine titles make them feel excluded. But other women, serving in previously male-only regiments, are leading a backlash against the plan. At a gathering of women soldiers, a corporal in the Rifles told Sir Patrick 'don't you dare take my rank of Rifleman, I'm proud of it'.

If the Army goes gender-neutral, the Navy could be forced to abandon historic ranks such as 'midshipman' and 'seaman'.

The Royal Air Force quietly scrapped the last of its gender-specific ranks last year – ‘aircraftsman’ was replaced by ‘air specialist’.

Sir Patrick, Chief of the General Staff, said as it was nations, rather than armies, which fight wars, it was essential the make-up of the Armed Forces reflected society.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12196013/Army-considers-scrapping-ranks-including-Guardsman-Rifleman-masculine.html

A celebrity chef who banned vegans from his restaurant claims business is booming.

“Sadly all vegans are now banned from FYRE (for mental health reasons)”

UK-born restaurateur John Mountain announced this week he will no longer cater to plant-based diners after an angry woman triggered a series of one-star reviews on his page following a bad experience.

Mr Mountain on Wednesday told The Project he has no regrets. 'I have nothing against nobody apart from those who want to damage my business,' he said.

Despite sparking outrage for many, Mr Mountain says business has picked up dramatically.

'Things have worked out ridiculously well... I usually do half a dozen people in this beautiful restaurant. I have 35 booked for dinner (on Wednesday night),' he said. 'Thank you so much for your vegans, I can go buy a new farm now and look after my animals beautifully.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12218093/Perth-Fyre-chef-John-Mountain-says-business-booming-vegan-ban-following-negative-review.html

This is epic! Tim Pool seems a little upset by Ron DeSantis’ lying and shilling for neocons, corporate media style.

🌶️ Spicy language alert🌶️

Just Elon casually referring to “anons”. No biggie. 🐸

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1678090467710214144