John Fitzgerald

John Fitzgerald

@johnfitzg.bsky.social

digital evolution • charities • change • digital strategy • tech for good • fixing the plumbing • responsible AI • Scotland • feed may contain bikes and sailing

3.9K followers1.3K following833 posts

John Fitzgerald reposted

Shelly Dennison
@dennisonshelly.bsky.social

This is the clearest explanation of what action you need to take that I've seen so far.

Madeleine Sugden@madlinsudn.bsky.social

Useful info from SCVO for smaller charities > Critical security update to patch PHP2Shell vulnerability in websites running PHP

scvo.scotCritical security update to patch PHP2Shell vulnerability in websites running PHP - SCVOOn 21 October 2026 the PHP Foundation released a critical security patch for a new vulnerability called PHP2Shell. It affects millions of websites.

John Fitzgerald reposted

Matt Burgess (WIRED)
@mattburgess1.bsky.social

"Updating is the only safe choice" As PHP releases the details of its critical vulnerabilities, governments around the world are taking their websites offline for updates. Security researchers warn things could be real bad if systems aren't patched immediately Story with @lhn.bsky.social

wired.com‘This Is Not A Drill’: Critical PHP Vulnerabilities Are Setting the Internet on FireThe PHP Foundation has revealed two serious vulnerabilities that could impact millions of websites. Security experts warn that failure to quickly patch the flaws could have dire consequences.

John Fitzgerald reposted

Jonty
@fairless.xyz

Isn't it about time you got a new job? Come and join the amazing team I'm building up in Scotland in Energy Saving Trust. This is your chance to use your service design skills against the big bad: the climate emergency. Give me a shout w/ qs! careers.energysavingtrust.org.uk/jobs/8541312...

careers.energysavingtrust.org.uk Senior Service Designer - Energy Saving Trust £50,000-£54,000 per annum (depending on experience) The role Energy Saving Trust is looking for an experienced Senior Service Designer to establish and lead practical service design across our Oper...
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Really timely and shines a light on a big pitfall for policymakers

Eryk Salvaggio@eryk.bsky.social

The way we talk about tech is increasingly dominated by a radical intentionalist position: one that insists we can *only* observe the system by reference to its internal “beliefs,” “thoughts,” and “wants.” That’s a trap — and it must not be enshrined into policy. www.techpolicy.press/to-make-ai-r...

techpolicy.pressTo Make AI Rules, Policymakers Must Resist the Influence of ‘Radical Intentionalists’In industry rhetoric, a radical intentionalist stance dominates any interpretation of model behavior, writes Eryk Salvaggio.

John Fitzgerald reposted

The Bike Station
@thebikestation.bsky.social

Every bike we refurbish starts with a donation. Our mechanics work hard to repair bikes so they can be ridden and loved again. If you've got an unused bike, we'd love to give it a second life. Find out more: buff.ly/4oLc5Zm #RepairReuseRide #TheBikeStation

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Fantastic AI film screening + live Q&A coming up in Edinburgh this weekend

Steph Wright@elmosmoe.bsky.social

In Edinburgh on Sat 22 Aug and want to watch a fab documentary about the origins of AI and hear from amazing people discussing it afterwards? We've got the event just for you! Get your tickets now! www.our-ai-collective.info/events/ghost...

our-ai-collective.infoGhost in the Machine special screening and Q&A — Our AI CollectiveA special screening of Valerie Veatch’s acclaimed documentary, Ghost in the Machine on Saturday 22 August 2026. Organised by Our AI Collective in partnership with The Filmhouse in Edinburgh.

John Fitzgerald reposted

The Bike Station
@thebikestation.bsky.social

One donated bike. One expert repair. One more person riding. That's the power of repair and reuse. 🚲 If your bike is ready for a new adventure, donate it to The Bike Station and help keep bikes moving. #DonateABike #Reuse

John Fitzgerald reposted

Our AI Collective CIC
@our-ai-collective.bsky.social

We’re go, go, go here at Our AI Collective! We’ve been quietly setting things up since we incorporated in September 2025 but we’re now ready to say a big hello to everyone and tell you more! So hello! www.our-ai-collective.info/news-and-blo...

our-ai-collective.infoAnd here we go! — Our AI CollectiveWe’re go go go here at Our AI Collective! We’ve been quietly setting things up since we incorporated in September 2025 but we’re now ready to say a big hello to everyone and tell you more! So hello!

John Fitzgerald reposted

Connected by Data
@connectedbydata.org

🧑‍🎓 Join us to explore the methods and findings from the Generative AI in Education: Have your Say distributed dialogue. 🔗 Register here: connectedbydata.org/... 🗓️ Wednesday 22 April 🕰️ 15:00 - 16:00 💻 Zoom (1/2)

connectedbydata.orgStudent Voice on AI in EducationJoin us to explore the methods and findings from the Generative AI in Education: Have your Say distributed dialogue and to ask how we can make sure that future decisions about data and AI in education are shaped by the voices of the students affected.

John Fitzgerald reposted

samuel mehr
@mehr.nz

I have an artificial intelligence joke and whether or not you're interested, I'm gonna tell you it

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John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Well worth a look 👇

Ada Lovelace Institute@adalovelaceinst.bsky.social

Register now for our webinar on the use and impact of AI transcription tools in social care. Join us for a presentation of our recent qualitative research, followed by an expert panel discussion and Q&A. 📅 Tuesday 31 March 2026 🕛 12:00pm UK time www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/event/transc...

adalovelaceinstitute.orgTranscribing trust: the impact of AI transcription tools in social careJoin our discussion on the use and impact of AI transcription tools in social care.

John Fitzgerald reposted

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Earlier this week at The Gathering, we launched our brand new digital call to action for Scotland's voluntary sector: 'AI and Everything Else' Ten years on from our first digital call to action, what does good use of digital look like now? 🧵 [Full report on our website] scvo.scot/support/digi...

scvo.scotAI and everything else - our call to action a digitally confident Scottish voluntary sector - SCVOIn this report, we reflect on the digital progress the Scottish Voluntary Sector has made since 2022, and set out a road map of how charities can improve their digital capability
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Some vibe: "While it's exciting and curious to see what an AI agent can do without any security guardrails, this level of access is also extremely insecure"

Joe Tidy BBC News@joetidy.bsky.social

AI coding platform's flaws allow BBC reporter (me) to be hacked. The BBC has been shown a significant - and unfixed - cyber-security risk in popular AI coding platform Orchids. The case highlights the potential risks of the ongoing vibe-coding gold rush. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Earlier this week at The Gathering, we launched our brand new digital call to action for Scotland's voluntary sector: 'AI and Everything Else' Ten years on from our first digital call to action, what does good use of digital look like now? 🧵 [Full report on our website] scvo.scot/support/digi...

scvo.scotAI and everything else - our call to action a digitally confident Scottish voluntary sector - SCVOIn this report, we reflect on the digital progress the Scottish Voluntary Sector has made since 2022, and set out a road map of how charities can improve their digital capability
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John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

8. Focus on reliable, user-centred technology foundations Prioritise dependable tools, infrastructure and partnerships that enable staff and volunteers to work well, safely and confidently, today and into the future.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Earlier this week at The Gathering, we launched our brand new digital call to action for Scotland's voluntary sector: 'AI and Everything Else' Ten years on from our first digital call to action, what does good use of digital look like now? 🧵 [Full report on our website] scvo.scot/support/digi...

scvo.scotAI and everything else - our call to action a digitally confident Scottish voluntary sector - SCVOIn this report, we reflect on the digital progress the Scottish Voluntary Sector has made since 2022, and set out a road map of how charities can improve their digital capability
View full thread
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

6. Communicate clearly, accessibly and strategically in a noisy digital world Reach the right people with the right messages. Focus on accessible, user-centred content and high-impact channels rather than chasing attention, platforms or vanity metrics.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

7. Build cyber resilience as a core duty of care Recognise cyber security as a fundamental governance issue. Protect systems, data and people through leadership attention, training, planning and ongoing investment.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Earlier this week at The Gathering, we launched our brand new digital call to action for Scotland's voluntary sector: 'AI and Everything Else' Ten years on from our first digital call to action, what does good use of digital look like now? 🧵 [Full report on our website] scvo.scot/support/digi...

scvo.scotAI and everything else - our call to action a digitally confident Scottish voluntary sector - SCVOIn this report, we reflect on the digital progress the Scottish Voluntary Sector has made since 2022, and set out a road map of how charities can improve their digital capability
View full thread
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

4. Use data to drive insight, learning and impact Move beyond reactive reporting towards purposeful, ethical and secure use of data that informs decisions, improves services and clearly demonstrates difference.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

5. Approach AI with curiosity and care Explore the potential of AI through small, safe, values-led experiments. These should be grounded in good data governance, transparency, trust and human judgement, not hype or fear of missing out.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Earlier this week at The Gathering, we launched our brand new digital call to action for Scotland's voluntary sector: 'AI and Everything Else' Ten years on from our first digital call to action, what does good use of digital look like now? 🧵 [Full report on our website] scvo.scot/support/digi...

scvo.scotAI and everything else - our call to action a digitally confident Scottish voluntary sector - SCVOIn this report, we reflect on the digital progress the Scottish Voluntary Sector has made since 2022, and set out a road map of how charities can improve their digital capability
View full thread
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

2. Treat digital as a leadership and governance responsibility Boards and senior leaders must prioritise digital, data, AI and cyber risk as strategic issues, setting clear direction, realistic ambition and sustained investment over time.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

3. Invest in skills, confidence and culture – not just tools Digital confidence comes from people who are supported to learn, experiment and improve continuously. Technology alone will not fix problems rooted in ways of working, capacity or culture.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Earlier this week at The Gathering, we launched our brand new digital call to action for Scotland's voluntary sector: 'AI and Everything Else' Ten years on from our first digital call to action, what does good use of digital look like now? 🧵 [Full report on our website] scvo.scot/support/digi...

scvo.scotAI and everything else - our call to action a digitally confident Scottish voluntary sector - SCVOIn this report, we reflect on the digital progress the Scottish Voluntary Sector has made since 2022, and set out a road map of how charities can improve their digital capability
View full thread
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Used well, digital and technology can make charities more effective, resilient and responsive, enabling better outcomes for people without increasing costs. Used poorly, or ignored, they can deepen exclusion, drain capacity, increase risk and undermine impact. We call on the sector to:

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

1. Put people first in all digital change Design services, systems and communications around real user needs, accessibility and lived experience – not internal assumptions, legacy processes or supplier promises.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Earlier this week at The Gathering, we launched our brand new digital call to action for Scotland's voluntary sector: 'AI and Everything Else' Ten years on from our first digital call to action, what does good use of digital look like now? 🧵 [Full report on our website] scvo.scot/support/digi...

scvo.scotAI and everything else - our call to action a digitally confident Scottish voluntary sector - SCVOIn this report, we reflect on the digital progress the Scottish Voluntary Sector has made since 2022, and set out a road map of how charities can improve their digital capability
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Scotland’s voluntary sector is operating in a world where digital and technology are no longer optional, specialist, or “back-office” concerns. They shape how people find help, how services are delivered, how trust is built, how funding flows, and how risk is managed.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Put on your pal's spectacles and read this by Doug - clear thinking and good ideas on how to test your accessibility assumptions

Doug Belshaw@dougbelshaw.com

Stafford Beer said "the purpose of a system is what it does." Accessibility testing reveals what your system actually does—not what you intended. The tools are already in your browser: blog.dougbelshaw.com/web-accessib... #Accessibility #SystemsThinking #WebDev #WCAG #POSIWID

blog.dougbelshaw.comThe purpose of your website is what it doesOnce you test, the gaps become obvious. And once they're obvious, fixing them matters. Stafford Beer's principle applies: the purpose of the platform is what it actually does – gaps included.
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Really clearly put and very important

Eliot Higgins@eliothiggins.bsky.social

The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.

John Fitzgerald reposted

Eliot Higgins
@eliothiggins.bsky.social

Replying to @eliothiggins.bsky.social

As I've written before, people don’t trust institutions because institutions aren't doing the job. Democracy rests on three pillars: Verification, Deliberation, Accountability, which can be understood as being substantial, performative, and simulated. demos.co.uk/research/ver...

demos.co.ukVerification, Deliberation, Accountability: A new framework for tackling epistemic collapse and renewing democracyDemos is Britain’s leading cross-party think-tank. We produce original research, publish innovative thinkers and host thought-provoking events.
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

#weeknotes - Shifting some big bits of writing, three interesting AI reads and feeling restored by a wee sail www.linkedin.com/pulse/weekno... @weeknotes-bot.bsky.social

linkedin.comWeeknotes S3 E79 23/01/2026 Emerging from the writing furrow, three cool AI links, tired out!I started the week refreshed after a little sailing voyage to Aberdour, felt relatively productive but tired by the end of the week. What was happening? Monday: I ringfenced a day for finishing some b...
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

I'm going to pop out and buy this later - it looks brilliant! Well done Craig

Craig Steele@crgst.bsky.social

Out today! I popped into my local @waterstones.bsky.social and saw my new book in real life for the first time. It’s a fun guide for 8–12-year-olds that explains what's going on behind the screen when they go online. I really feel I've made the kind of book I’d have read cover-to-cover as a kid.

John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

First #weeknotes of 2026: Getting off to a good start and thanks to @dougbelshaw.com for getting me thinking about AI literac(ies) www.linkedin.com/pulse/weekno... @weeknotes-bot.bsky.social

linkedin.comWeeknotes S3 E77 09/01/2026 A short full week and a new AI links sectionBack after a really restorative break; getting up to speed quickly and trialling a new 'AI reading recommendations' section. What was happening? Monday: Still on leave! Tuesday: Back at it with my fir...
John Fitzgerald
@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Great stuff in this article, including: "Literacies develop through actual participation in the world, not instruction about it. That begins where you are. In your classroom, your home, your community, your organisation. Not with waiting for better policy."

Doug Belshaw@dougbelshaw.com

If AGI is already here, why are we still treating AI as a future "school problem"? New post on emotional AI and AI literacies (plural) that develop across classrooms, families, and communities – not just in "safety" lessons. blog.dougbelshaw.com/agi-literaci...

blog.dougbelshaw.comAGI isn't “coming” – it's already reshaping how young people thinkWe don't need to wait for better policy. We need to start with conversations right now, paying attention to what's actually needed.