Bruce Lawson

Bruce Lawson's personal site » On Apple’s pinky promises to CMA

On Apple’s pinky promises to CMA brucelawson.co.uk/2026/on-appl... (I've calmed down - a bit - after yesterdays grumpiness at Apple taking the absolute piss.)

Apple will announce any material changes to the Guidelines to developers on the same day such changes become effective. Apple will also explain the material changes alongside its announcement, and make resources available to developers to ensure they understand the relevant changes in a timely manner.

"Apple will announce any material changes to the Guidelines to developers on the same day such changes become effective." Why, you spoil us, Ambassador! Although, I guess the same day is better than 6 months afterwards when your App is suddenly booted out bc you contravened a secret new guideline.

Commitments (1) Apple will launch a dedicated interoperability feedback channel for developers to submit interoperability requests to Apple. (a) The feedback channel will consist of a web-based guided questionnaire. (b) The feedback channel will be available to developers that are members in good standing of the Developer Program and whose account membership with the Developer Program is registered in the UK (“Eligible Developers”).

Apple is not making commitments to CMA in good faith. for example, the new channel to grovel for interoperability is only for developers "registered in the UK". So bad luck, non-UK developers, or browsers HQd in Oslo, Mountain View, San Francisco. No interop for you. www.gov.uk/government/c...

European Publishers Council files formal antitrust complaint against Google over AI Overviews and AI Mode The European Publishers Council (EPC) has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission alleging that Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. are abusing their dominant position in general search service...

European Publishers Council files formal antitrust complaint against Google over AI Overviews and AI Mode www.epceurope.eu/post/europea...
ECP allages Google trains its AI on publishers' content, with no opt-out, and has turned itself from a Search to "Answer engine" with AI overviews and chatbots.

Currently cleaning two melodramatically large splodges of dog vomit, because La Daughter's useless dog decided to snarf half a decomposing kebab it found on its walk. Luckily, its owner returns from overseas tomorrow.

Irish man with valid US work permit held in ICE detention for five months Seamus Culleton has lived in US for two decades, married a citizen and runs a plastering business but faces deportation

Irish man with valid US work permit held in ICE detention for five months www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Seamus Culleton has lived in US for two decades, married a citizen and runs a plastering business but faces deportation

Google’s general search services: proposed conduct requirements The Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) promotes competition across the UK economy - removing blockers to competition whilst also stepping up action to enable legitimate, pro-growth business col...

Just back from Regulation Ravin' with the CMA - a two hour workshop on proposed conduct requirements for Google's search choice screens. There is some good stuff. Couldn't make it, but have opinions? SPEKE UR BRANEZ: connect.cma.gov.uk/google-searc...

Reform UK warns Worcestershire County Council is facing bankruptcy Worcestershire County Council is asking for £71m in emergency support.

Reform-led Worcestershire County Council is facing "effective bankruptcy". Darwin help us if the Farage's flag fetishists ever win a general election. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I wish there were a CSS selector for text content so I could do p:has:text("MAGA', "Liebour", "Convid", "Plandemic") {display:none;}

Ewwww

For those of us who are not aware of the luminaries of the VC world, who are you referring to.

In 1962, Orson Welles filmed "The Trial", based on Kafka's novel, starring Anthony Perkins as K. I had no idea this existed until a few weeks ago, so I'm watching it now. Beautiful photography.

Interesting to see that Dan Thomas, originally from Blackwood, is now the leader of Reform in Wales He succeeds Nathan Gill, recently jailed for taking Russian bribes. Interestingly, "Dan Thomas, Blackwood, Reform Wales" is an anagram of "O don't, half-mad Moscow law-breakers!" Co-incidence?

thanks Paul!

Some blue crocs with cloud prints, and some clipped add-ons: Win XP recycle bin, mouse pointer, msn butterfly, Clippy, Win XP folder and IE6 logo.

Crocs on their tote bag, with the default Win XP wallpaper

It's no secret that I disagree with Microsoft's business practices, but we can all agree that MS made the finest Operating System known to man: Windows XP. So a big Clippy-clap to @infrequently.org who sent me these magnificent commemorative Crocs (and tote bag).

Building a C compiler with a team of parallel Claudes Anthropic is an AI safety and research company that's working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.

A.I. is adept at replicating something that already exists, says A.I.Co, breathlessly. It's also very good at replicating parts of 3 books I co-wrote which were (allegedly) pirated as part of its training data. Funny, that. www.anthropic.com/engineering/...

It should do! I can't test it from UK - please let me know.

An extra bonus for Vivaldi users on iOS: today's new Vivaldi 7.8 lets you install alternate app stores, such as @altstore.io where you don't have to pay tribute to Apple. (Note, only in EU; other jurisdictions don't have Digital Markets Act, so Apple won't let you have nice things.)

Addicted to the algorithm: how Big Tech lobbies to keep us hooked on social media | Corporate Europe Observatory As the EU prepares the Digital Fairness Act to tackle the addictive nature of social media design, big tech aggressively protects its business models. With Trumpists and far-right allies likely to joi...

Addicted to the algorithm: how Big Tech lobbies to keep us hooked on social media corporateeurope.org/en/2026/02/a... "As the EU prepares the Digital Fairness Act (DFA) to tackle addictive social media design, big tech companies are coming together to aggressively protect their business models"

Vivaldi 7.8 for Mobile: Pin what matters, control what doesn’t | Vivaldi Browser Vivaldi 7.8 for Mobile brings the features you’ve been waiting for on Android, plus thoughtful improvements to iOS that make everyday browsing smoother. This release is about giving you control where…

Vivaldi 7.8 for mobile: Pin what matters, control what doesn’t vivaldi.com/blog/vivaldi...

EU Parliament Debates Digital Fairness Act Consultation MEPs press the Commission on timelines, child protection, and closing loopholes on dark patterns and design.

EU Parliament Debates Digital Fairness Act Consultation newsletter.digitalfairnessact.com/p/eu-parliam...
MEPs press the Commission on timelines, child protection, and closing loopholes on dark patterns and design.

The Tech Elites in the Epstein Files The Department of Justice has released more than 3 million documents and photos related to Jeffrey Epstein. Here’s who shows up from Big Tech the most often—and what the files reveal.

I'd definitely trust any of these fine upstanding citizens with all my personal data. Wouldn't you? www.wired.com/story/epstei...

DHS Hunts Down 67-Year-Old U.S. Citizen Who Criticized Them in Email The Department of Homeland Security is using a little-known tool to go after its critics.

Department of Homeland Security Hunts Down 67-Year-Old U.S. Citizen Who Criticized Them in Email newrepublic.com/post/206088/... 'Jon received an email from Google notifying him that an administrative subpoena had been sent “compelling the release of information related to your Google Account.”'

Me on my office chair. A brindle-coloured French bulldog on me.

I'm pretty sure Big Tech is controlling La Daughter's useless dog. How can I write excoriating feedback to bother regulators when its head is resting on my arm as it snores and farts its way through yet another nap?

Musk's X office in France raided by Paris prosecutor The Paris prosecutor says its cyber-crime unit is conducting a search of X's offices.

Les flics prennent d'assaut Twitler. The Feds love the Fediverse?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Mock-up of Sex Pistols album cover: Never mind tech oligarchs, here's Vivaldi

Are you tired of Tech Bros snooping, and forcing A.I. on you? Do you hate them spying while you're buying? Are you bored of slop while you shop, and scurf when you surf? Then new Vivaldi 7.8 is for you: no A.I., built-in tracker & ad blocking, powerful, made in Europe from punk rock and Nordic snow.

First launch of the year, sticking to the roadmap ✅

Reform UK council chair resigns after ‘illegally renting out unsafe properties’ Council said Edward Harris’s properties ‘failed to meet even most basic of living standards and legal requirements’

I'm absolutely shocked to learn that an anti-establishment Reform council chair is a slum landlord. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Latest Vivaldi release surfs a wave of anti-AI sentiment Interview: 'What we are finding is that people hate AI'

"there's discussions, there's people making choices... The fact that the EU is discussing preferring European software... that's a big deal." www.theregister.com/2026/01/29/v...

Vivaldi 7.8: No AI Slop. Just Powerful Features. | Vivaldi Browser With this release we’re raising the bar for Tab Tiling, with drag-and-drop tiling and opening links directly into tiled tabs. Alongside stability improvements and a set of carefully chosen refinements...

📣 While the entire browser industry races to add AI features nobody asked for, we’re launching the most advanced tab multitasking system ever built.

You can check it out in Vivaldi 7.8, available now.

For the love of tabs and our users! ✊🏼

vivaldi.com/blog/vivaldi...