Laurie Clarke

United Kingdom

Journalist covering tech policy @POLITICOEurope. Bylines @newstatesman @WiredUK @techreview @ObserverUK [email protected]/[email protected]

Articles

The Libertarian Tech Bros’ Weird, Dystopian Plan for Guantánamo Bay

6 days ago | newrepublic.com | Laurie Clarke

The radical libertarian city builders of the tech-bro set have an audacious new proposal: They want to convert Guantánamo Bay, host to the infamous prison, into the high-tech charter city of their wildest imaginations, which will double as a “proving ground” for migrants seeking to enter the United States.
The Libertarian Tech Bros’ Weird, Dystopian Plan for Guantánamo Bay

6 days ago | yahoo.com | Laurie Clarke

The radical libertarian city builders of the tech-bro set have an audacious new proposal: They want to convert Guantánamo Bay, host to the infamous prison, into the high-tech charter city of their wildest imaginations, which will double as a “proving ground” for migrants seeking to enter the United States.
Starmer warns of online radicalization in wake of Southport murders

Jan 21, 2025 | politico.eu | Laurie Clarke

Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a fresh warning about the dangers of online radicalization, as he pointed out that the teenager who carried out July’s deadly Southport attack, Axel Rudakubana, watched violent online content before killing three young girls in a knife attack last summer. “The responsibility for this barbaric act lies, as it always does, with the vile individual who carried it out,” Starmer said on Tuesday, one day after the 18-year-old pleaded guilty to his crimes.
UK porn sites face enforcement unless kids kept out

Jan 16, 2025 | politico.eu | Laurie Clarke

LONDON — The United Kingdom’s internet regulator has warned that sites hosting pornography face enforcement action if they fail to introduce robust age checks to keep minors out. All internet sites hosting pornography must introduce those age checks by July 2025, Ofcom confirmed. “For too long, many online services which allow porn and other harmful material have ignored the fact that children are accessing their services,” Ofcom’s chief executive Melanie Dawes said.
‘Nobody was tricked into voting for Trump’: Why the disinformation panic is over

Jan 1, 2025 | politico.eu | Laurie Clarke

Last August, Zuckerberg sent a letter to congressional Republicans expressing regret that Meta had complied with pressure from the Biden administration to censor content related to Covid-19. He claimed the company was “ready to push back” next time. “Someone like Zuckerberg, he just goes with the flow in power.
Staff at Britain’s AI institute in open revolt

Dec 11, 2024 | politico.eu | Laurie Clarke

A spokesperson for the institute said in a statement: “As part of implementing our strategy, the Turing is engaged in a transformation programme which includes formal consultation with staff which is currently on-going. “At the heart of the new strategy is a move away from large numbers of individual projects, to pursuing impact at scale through a focussed portfolio of challenge-led science and innovation.
Elon Musk faces UK parliament grilling over riots

Nov 19, 2024 | politico.eu | Laurie Clarke

LONDON — Tech billionaire Elon Musk could soon be hauled before the U.K. parliament to answer for his platform X’s part in stoking the riots that tore through the country this summer.
UK’s Keir Starmer: Don’t be scared of AI

Oct 13, 2024 | politico.eu | Laurie Clarke

LONDON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that Britain “needs to run towards” the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. Speaking alongside former Google CEO Eric Schmidt at the U.K.’s International Investment Summit, Starmer said that AI would create “incredible change” in the next five to 10 years and that the government would seek to embrace it. “Are we leaning in and seeing this as an opportunity, as I do?
Tech policy: 20 people to meet at Tory conference

Sep 26, 2024 | politico.eu | Vincent Manancourt |Tom Bristow |Laurie Clarke |Joseph Bambridge

LONDON — They may have suffered a historic defeat, but many in the Conservative Party feel that instilling a renewed sense of the central role that tech will play in shaping the U.K.’s long-term prospects could be one of their most lasting contributions after 14 years in government. Building on that legacy could have a crucial role in the party’s own rebuilding efforts. If they are to succeed, the 20 politicians, advisers and thinkers listed below will have a key role in making it happen.
Elon Musk dismisses UK snub, says he doesn’t want to go anyway

Sep 25, 2024 | politico.eu | Laurie Clarke

Billionaire Elon Musk hit back Thursday at reports he was not invited to an upcoming U.K. investment summit over his incendiary social media posts about far-right riots that engulfed swathes of the country this summer. “I don’t think anyone should go to the UK when they’re releasing convicted pedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts,” Musk wrote on X in response to a post sharing the news of Britain's snub, which was first reported by the BBC.