Chloe Mikolajczak

Google ending AI arms ban incredibly concerning, campaigners say The tech giant previously ruled out applications that were "likely to cause harm".

Finally, this recent development on how Google recently ended a longstanding ban on AI being used for developing weapons and surveillance tools.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

AI as Double Speak for Austerity | TechPolicy.Press Amnesty Tech's Likhita Banerji and Damini Satija say the Summit should prioritize people and communities over the whims of corporations.

This piece by @daminis.bsky.social & Likhita Banerji on how the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector is exacerbating inequality, expanding mass surveillance, and violating human rights ⤵️

www.techpolicy.press/ai-as-double...

Joint statement on Limiting AI's Environmental Impact Days before the AI Action Summit, we join 100 civil society organisations in urging policymakers and leaders to acknowledge AI’s environmental harms.

This statement by 100 NGOs on AI's impact on planetary boundaries 🌍

The statement outlines 15 demands incl: phasing out fossil fuels, computing within limits, responsible supply chains, equitable participation & transparency.

www.thegreenwebfoundation.org/news/within-...

Le Monde - (Opinion piece) Call from a hundred NGOs: ‘AI as developed is fuelling a global exploitation system’. - Mental Health Europe Press release as featured in the publication Le Monde on AI development fuelling a global exploitation system, signed by over 100 NGOs, including Mental Health Europe

🚨 As #AIActionSummit kicks off, here are some different perspectives on AI you might have missed.

Starting with this call by a hundred NGOs incl @amnestyfrance.bsky.social & @voxpublic.bsky.social : ‘AI as developed is fuelling global exploitation system’.
www.mentalhealtheurope.org/press-releas...

Orbán, Le Pen to hold ‘Make Europe Great Again’ rally in Madrid Patriots party prepping up grand far-right lovefest.

Happening Friday and Saturday in Madrid, the big European far right lovefest ❌

Theyre strategising hard on how to take the power, but so are we ✊

www.politico.eu/article/hung...

BREAKING We're challenging the @ec.europa.eu for sneakily making it harder for people to access documents.

It's an unlawful move that goes against several court rulings on access to information. Today, we're fighting for everyone's right to have a say in decisions that affect us all. 🧵

🔥 In a Europe plagued with rise of authoritarianism, the fight Serbians for accountability is not only inspirational, it’s essential.

We need to stand in solidarity with those who rise against corruption & for democracy. Because democracy’s too fragile to be one country’s struggle alone ✊

Serbia also has resources that are of great interest to European countries, especially Germany and its automotive industry. That’s why Europe is a strong supporter for a major lithium mine project led by company Rio Tinto despite large protests and strong opposition by local communities.

Some experts think that "European leaders fear that if they criticise Vučić, he will turn towards Russia and continue opening his country to Chinese businesses”.

🇪🇺 Where’s Europe?

While von der Leyen has not hesitated to express support for “the Georgian people fighting for democracy”, she has remained quiet about Serbia. Worse, she regularly praises Vučić's sense of responsibility and the country's economic potential.

Serbia is not an easy place to protest ❌

@amnesty.org report revealed the regime uses massive surveillance software (such as Pegasus) to control & repress opponents. There’s also evidence that the regime orchestrates targeted propaganda campaigns against pro-democracy organisations & activists.

The protests have prompted the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Novi Sad. But the students say their demands have NOT been met.

❌ 🇷🇸 current president is Aleksandar Vučić, authoritarian figure who’s been in place since 2012 and maintains tight control over country's media.

Since the protests started, he accused students of being 💰 by the West & tried to intimidate them. Several students were also attacked by pro-gov thugs.

The protests are entirely student led but have mobilised thousands of people in every layer of society and generations, from teachers to farmers.

Last week end, there were anti-corruption protests in almost every town in Serbia demanding accountability from the government.

🚨 On November 1st 24, the roof of a recently renovated train station in Novi Sad, 2nd largest town in #Serbia collapsed killing 15 people.

Whistleblowers revealed that the renovation led by a Chinese company was riddled with corruption leading to massive student led protest, continuing today.

Von der Leyen builds bonfire of EU’s environmental red tape Brussels hopes simplifying green compliance rules will boost Europe’s flagging economy. Green groups fear something more sinister.

🚨 The unravelling of the Green Deal is happening.

Under the excuse of “simplification & competitiveness” of rules, the EU is getting ready, under the pressure of liberals, conservatives and businesses, to re-open and weaken many of its flagship green measures ❌

www.politico.eu/article/ursu...

Thank god, we got Bernie 🔥

If you had doubts some MEPs from @eppgroup.bsky.social (conservatives) were coming for civil society, here’s your proof.

“It’s just the beginning”, Green groups are their first go, health and justice orgs could be next 🚨

#NGOs #Commission

A strong civil society is the basis of a healthy democracy. It ensures citizens voices are heard and is a barrier against disinformation. Calls to reduce civil society’s power which is already small is a tactic that reminds us of authoritarian’s playbook.

We can not let this happen.

The whole thing is basically a bunch of exagérations and manufactured doubts at a time where many are pushing against the Green Deal policies. But it’s also extremely worrying in terms of democracy.

Interestingly enough, MEP Monika Holmeier who raised the matter in the Parliament, makes a striking €75,000 per year, on top
of her MEP salary, for serving on the Supervisory Board of BayWa, an international corporation
active in sectors such as agriculture, construction, and energy.

a brown dog is sitting on a blanket and looking at the camera with the words `` wait what ? '' ALT: a brown dog is sitting on a blanket and looking at the camera with the words `` wait what ? ''

Because the grants include meetings with MEPs on topics the NGOs work on (which are not mandated by the Commission), tadam, the conservatives are saying the NGOs are paid by the commission to do its dirty work.

When NGOs apply for this public money (which can’t be 100% of their budget, co-financing is mandatory), they’re asked to explain very much in details how they’re going to spend it.

And this usually includes how many meetings they have with MEPs.

a woman is holding a bunch of money in front of an orange background with the words ring the bell on it ALT: a woman is holding a bunch of money in front of an orange background with the words ring the bell on it

Indeed, funding available for NGOs is €15.6 million annually (0.006% of EU’s total annual budget).

VS in 2024, 50 corporations with largest lobbying budgets collectively spent
almost €200 million on EU lobbying & corporate lobbyists account for 65% of meetings with the Commission.

It’s obviously completely false ❌

Basically, NGOs can apply for grant money from the Commission through a instrument for environmental action called LIFE.

Why? To foster democratic participation and level the playing field on lobbying with corporate interests.

🚨 Last week, some European conservatives have launched a full blown attack on environmental NGOs.

Claiming the 🇪🇺 Commission has paid NGOs to lobby members of the European Parliament on its behalf on Green Deal.

Here’s why it’s 100% FALSE @eeb.org @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @foeeurope.bsky.social

👏👏 100.000 people in the streets of Berlin to protest against the far right as #Musk gets cozy once again with the #AFD.

Boost for the Right Wing: Why Did a German Newspaper Help Elon Musk Interfere in German Politics? Ever since Elon Musk threw his support behind the right-wing AfD party in the pages of Die Welt, the paper and the Axel Springer publishing house has had a newsroom revolt on its hands. CEO Mathias Dö...

DER SPIEGEL learned that Die Welt journalists made several unsuccessful attempts to change the minds of the paper’s top editors... [with] more than 50 members of the newsroom - asking the paper not to publish ElonMusk's OpEd endorsing (rabidly anti-immigrant) AfD. www.spiegel.de/internationa...

No, you didn’t mishear. In his speech to the European Parliament, Mark Rutte implied Europe spends too much on social security, healthcare, and pensions. He suggested diverting some of that spending to defence and security instead of raising taxes. 🧵👇