Month: June 2026

Whatsapp must never be public infrastructure

For the longest time I have avoided using Meta’s Whatsapp.

Recently its become more difficult with more and more services using Whatsapp as there default way to communicate. Luckily my partner has become a bit of a human bridge to some Whatsapp groups.

To be really clear this is not good! I’m very aware of the mental load women shoulder in society and relationships. I struggle with it but we have talked about it and how I do a lot in our relationship too.

I am finding it almost inconceivable that WhatsApp has become (de-factor) something like public infrastructure. It was refreshing to see a ton of people using signal, the fediverse and heck email to swap details…

Which leads me the PublicSpaces conference, where people who strategise, build and encourage; a future which is democratic and fair for everyone. Unlike a lot of conferences I have been to, this had the actual builders alongside policymakers, all considering how this can actually practically work.

Usually PublicSpaces is 2 days of conference but this year there was a extended day of conference on Friday (added the open social awards) and also a series of unconferences, social events and workshops the day before and the day afterwards. We were fully immersed and perfectly created.

Robin with a slide on a big screen saying fediverse heart matrix heart atmosphere
Foreshadowing later announcements

Robin Bjon’s opening keynote set the mood, I especially loved this quote from Audre Lorde…

But I do have hope. To face the realities of our lives is not a reason for despair—despair is a tool of your enemies. Facing the realities of our lives gives us motivation for action. For you are not powerless.

Then in the afternoon, during a panel which I was chairing came the European social stack. It was all live streamed so you will see the chaos which unfolded and myself trying to manage it (I felt I did a reasonable job)

Ultimately the European social stack is an attempt to standardise a stack of open social platforms and private messaging. Based around core principles of… Autonomy, diversity, decentralisation, democracy, open source and more.

But this isn’t some blind manifesto, this has aims which are defined. It’s also not about being in Europe but rather the values, and represents a 3rd way between the other super powers vision of the internet.

Later on the same day during the Social web awards, Rudy from Black Sky algorithms gave ActivityPub some props in his talk, similar to Robin from Eurosky. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who was impressed the two break off skies (Eurosky & Blacksky) were positioning themselves in a very different space than the big mainstream Bluesky. Reminding me, I should just move off Bluesky…

His talk was framed as a talk with dangerous ideas and honestly there was a lot of excellent ideas. For example I was looking into Blacksky cash a while back and it’s something which takes an old traditional way of sharing wealth and puts it in the modern world; but relies on strong community and democracy.

It feels like the protocol wars are cooling between Activitypub and ATProto. But better still is the formulation of a social stack, which is logical and still gives plenty of room for creativity and experimentation without taking liberties with people’s data, attention and democracy.


Looking forward to open social becoming a reality for more people. I would also add this was one of the best publicspaces conferences I have been to and likely one of the best conferences in recent times.

Where to go next in 2017?
The Eurostack adopts the European social stack live at PublicSpaces 2027?!

It’s Pebble time… 2!

Finally the Pebble time 2 came…

As most of you know I was a big Pebble fan, for many reasons but battery life is a massive plus. The Ticwatch 5 pro was doing my head in, because although it will last a day no problem. Once you add sleep tracking its a very different story.

It’s taken a little while (just under a year I think) to get back into the pebble way of doing things but after 2-3 days I have forgotten most of the affordances of Android Wear OS.

Sleep tracking is exactly what i should be, and so far I have half charged it since I got it and then one more time to full a few days before going to Amsterdam. Funny enough the temptation to charge it every morning is pretty high. So far the only thing which has caused me to really think its waterproofing and spa use.

I do wish it had better waterproofing and could handle the heat and wetness of a steam room but I am reminded how the buttons on the original Pebble 2 started caved in on itself (while in a spa).

Maybe there’s a covering which could help?

Public Service Internet monthly newsletter (June 2026)

Hands surround a white man's head while one of his own hands cover part of his saden face

We live in incredible times with such possibilities that is clear. Although its easily dismissed seeing the problems with single sign on, Google chrome forcefully downloading 4gig of a LLM and why on earth is meta smart glasses selling so well, despite privacy worries?

To quote Buckminster Fuller “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.“

You are seeing aspects of this with the dailyshow solve a male loneliness battle, Kindle owners jail breaking their devices and Flickr.org proving death is not a edge case.

The fed up partners of AI workers

Ian thinks: Although the piece about the wives of AI skilled workers Wired magazine makes clear the wider sad effect of everything centring around AI, is causing huge problems for partners, friendships and families. The domination of AI in every conversation is something I have noticed more and more. Sad times indeed.

Wrapped in optimistic from Doctorow?

Ian thinks: This piece titled comrade trump sums up a lot of the points have made about the Trump effect. Of course, its all side effects of some of the worst political policy’s in decades (it can be argued). But Cory and others are right, this disruption to the order does provide a green light for public value alternatives. Also worth watching Cory from Republica this year which touches on these these themes.

AI likely won’t cure cancer any time soon

Ian thinks: One of the biggest claims about AI is it will solve cancer. This episode breaks down the claims and puts everything in perspective. The idea of AI solving cancer gets thrown around a lot and its not just a lie but also takes resources away from existing efforts which shocked me.

The Fediverse built a bigger tent

Ian thinks: I didn’t get much time to be involved in this years Fediforum but Laurens, covered the event and pulls some good ties between it and 2mr.social. The interesting point is how its become a bigger tent for much more than the technology of the activitypub. Having the green party give a keynote and even larger conversations about sovereignty from American traditional social media; is a clear sign of maturity.

Ai psychosis one of many stories

Ian thinks: This is one so many true stories of the ongoing problem of AI psychosis. Its unreal but so dangerous. The analysis afterwards is good but doesn’t go into enough depth. You might look at it and shrug but the recent research isnt looking good either, with AI frying our brains in other ways.

The market certainly will not solve everything

Ian thinks: With the insanity of predication markets comes a crypto driven site called Dare market. Its exactly like Black Mirror’s common people. But comes from the madness of the memecoin era when people would do outrageous things to convince people to buy their memecoins. A time of corruption, foolishness and rug pulls.

Are you paying attention to the words coming out of my mouth?

Ian thinks: 404 interview the highly rated Natasha Dow Schüll, who’s excellent book Addicted by design, I quote a lot. Its great to see how relevant her book is during social media addiction then and now prediction markets. If you haven’t read her book go do it! I also noticed a lot uptick in this space with Mozilla, tech wont save us and even Jon Oliver talking about prediction markets (not available outside the USA, so here is a reaction video).

Jumping on the European sovereignty bandwagon

Ian thinks: When W Social jumped into the limelight and claimed to be the only European social network to fill a void. Many of us couldn’t believe what we were seeing. Elena’s uncovering post cuts the cord on the whole shambles which is W Social and is a clear reminder to work together not alone in darkness.

Designing for after the feed

Ian thinks: The New_public live events are always worth watching even before I started working for them. Tackling the AI monster with human and public thoughts is a good start for a conversation about a future most of us would rather make happen.

How I Became an Apocaloptimist?

Ian thinks: I recently watched the full titled  AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist. Watching with my partner and friends raised an interesting discussion. The AI doc really tears down the binary wall of AI boosters and doomers, with some practical suggestions we can all do.

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