Mathew Guest

The Misleading Panic over Misinformation People can’t agree on how to define misinformation and its related terms, making regulation nearly impossible. Instead, free expression serves as a better tool for discovering truth.

🧵 THREAD: Why the Cato Institute’s new paper on “misinformation panic” is dangerously wrong, and why it completely misunderstands the real crisis we face.
www.cato.org/policy-analy...

Fascinating piece by Netanyahu’s former bodyguard. A terrifying reflection on the dangers of unchecked power.

🧵 Several people have raised questions about what I meant by "deservedly so" when referring to the decline of institutional trust. It's a fair question, so I want to explain that, because it sits at the heart of my work on how democracies collapse when their epistemic foundations rot.

If universities sink, then so will Starmer Some Labour figures believe Britain has too many unis. But if they start failing, local economies – and Starmer’s re-election prospects – will go with them

www.theneweuropean.co.uk/james-ball-i...

Great piece in @theneweuropean.bsky.social on ‘If universities sink, then so will Starmer’. Would @therestpolitics.bsky.social consider picking this up? Not enough discussion about the economic significance of universities and risks uk govt is taking in ignoring them. @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social

CAMPAIGNING LAWYER CALLS ON PRIME MINISTER TO END SHOCKING IPP SCANDAL Campaigning Lawyer and CEO of CAMPAIGN FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Peter Stefanovic – who’s films have been watched hundreds of millions of times online – has posted a new film, this time callin…

CAMPAIGNING LAWYER CALLS ON PRIME MINISTER TO END SHOCKING IPP SCANDAL

thecriminaljusticeblog.com/2025/05/28/c...

Quakers first British church to state belief that genocide underway in Gaza At their annual gathering this weekend, Quakers in Britain became the first British church to state their belief that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza.

An important statement of truth to power. I hope other organisations will feel able to join Quakers in calling out the suffering in Gaza for what it is.

Why did 30 Met officers kick the door down at a teenage tea and biscuits meeting in a Quaker house? When six young women hired a room to discuss the war in Gaza, the gathering ended with 30 officers storming in to make arrests

Whether the raid on a Quaker Meeting House is down to an overly zealous Met or excessively cautious govt, @teamlabouruk.bsky.social needs to work harder in reclaiming its reputation as a party of social justice. This is not a good look…

7 actions to take now to defend our right to protest After the meeting for worship outside New Scotland Yard, ​Joe Cox suggests 7 things people can do next.

We have been uplifted by the incredible reaction to the police raid on Westminster Meeting House.

Many Friends have asked us what actions they could now take to push back against the erosion of protest rights in the UK.

Here are 7 ideas 👇

www.quaker.org.uk/blog/7-actio...

Astonishing to hear of this alarming development in Trump’s America. Sadly not surprising though… #EDI #Trump

Hopefully @teamlabouruk.bsky.social will see this as an opportunity to sharply differentiate itself from its shambolic Tory predecessors. Time to repeal their draconian laws. @ukparliament.parliament.uk should be in business of enabling democratic participation, not closing it down. #freespeech

Quakers condemn ‘aggressive’ Met Police arrests at London meeting house More than 30 officers made the arrests at a welcome talk held in Westminster

This story just gets worse by the day. Being allowed to engage in ‘Plotting’ (i.e. planning) disruptive, but peaceful, protest is surely a precondition of a functional liberal democracy. Where are the human rights lawyers when you need them…oh, hang on… www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...

Justin Welby: Former Archbishop of Canterbury forgives serial abuser John Smyth - BBC News In his first interview since resigning, the former Archbishop of Canterbury reflects on the scandal which led him to quit.

Whether due to limited religious literacy or motivation by click bait, BBC should know better. Welby’s forgiveness is not the story, as he tries to make clear himself. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Great tool from @dkernohan.bsky.social at @wonkhe.bsky.social for identifying proportions of commuter students at UK universities. About time we used evidence based knowledge to address the needs of this neglected group.

ICYMI - one day conference on #religion, #disability & #neurodivergence. Online & in London. Social science research & practice. Also welcome: teachers, religious leaders/community, theologians, practitioners, anyone with an interest in how we learn & share knowledge about disability & religion.

Religion news 3 March 2025 - Religion Media Centre The importance of Jewish heritage for President Zelensky; JD Vance in conciliatory tone with Catholic bishops; Government sets up group set up to define Islamophobia; Pope is stable but with ‘risk of ...

Great to see UK govt taking Islamophobia seriously again, especially with group under solid leadership of Dominic Grieve. #islam

All the best with your new adventure Siobhan!! Hopefully our paths will cross again before too long!

Absolutely. The office itself is in danger of falling into disrepute. The soft power of ex-presidents across the two parties could exert some desperately needed pressure right now.

New report from Rights & Security International on #Prevent duty. Suggests UK govt have more work to do to ensure Prevent doesn’t remain an engine of racial & religious prejudice. www.rightsandsecurity.org/impact/entry...

Ros Atkins on...24 hours on Elon Musk's X timeline The BBC's Analysis editor, Ros Atkins, investigates Elon Musk's recent posts on X about grooming gangs - and looks at how one day unfolded on his timeline.

Elon Musk has had a lot to say about the grooming gangs scandal. We looked at 24 hours on Musk's X timeline and found a range of false and misleading information being amplified. www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

Exciting news: applications are open for two paid Student Interfaith Leaders @durham-university.bsky.social. Deadline: 12 January 👉 durham.taleo.net/careersectio... @shaidmahmood.bsky.social @mathewjguest.bsky.social @profgrahamtowl.bsky.social

Delighted that the @bsasocrel.bsky.social 50th anniversary conference will be held at @durham-university.bsky.social on 14th-16th July 2025. Promises to be a major celebration of the past, forum for addressing the challenges of the present, and an opportunity to look to the future.

Participatory Disinfotainment: When Lies Are Interesting and Truth Is Boring The entertainment value of falsehoods transforms passive consumers of information into active co-creators and spreaders of disinformation.

Writing up my notes on 'Participatory Disinfotainment' for my Substack

👉 People create false narratives that are emotionally engaging or entertaining—so much so that we amplify them, even if we know they’re wrong, drawing others into engaging them further.

Posts on Monday Nov 25th @ 10am Eastern ⏲️

Persistently absent from the debate about student support are university chaplains, who provide massive levels of support across the HE sector - including £4.5million worth of voluntary labour annually, quite aside from 200+ FTE paid chaplains. www.churchofengland.org/sites/defaul...

Well this is refreshing…