Tim Engelhardt

@tengelhr

Mostly on human rights, digital tech. Work at UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR). Posts personal.

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Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· 26d

Referee Slavko Vinčić has the chance to do the funniest thing ever on Sunday.

Half-time interval
Players are entitled to an interval at half-time, not exceeding 15 minutes;
a short drinks break (which should not exceed one minute) is permitted at the interval of half-time in extra time. Competition rules must state the duration of the half-time interval and it may be altered only with the referee’s permission.

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Mar 14

Right to the heart of the matter, @bradmehldaumusic.com

Beginning of an essay by Brad Mehldau, published 13 March 2026.

AI and Artists
Part 1: Art is a critique of the status quo. AI is the status quo.

“Is AI an existential threat to artists?” The question is in the air, whether one expresses it explicitly or not. I propose that it’s the wrong question. It does point towards another one though, a more perennial one, that is always worth asking. That question is: “What is the meaning and value of art, right now?”

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Dec 16

Beautiful and so important indeed!

It is a new frontier of the same old struggle: The struggle to be seen, to be understood, to be granted the same presumption of humanity that is afforded so easily to others. My writing is not a product of a machine. It is a product of my history. It is the echo of a colonial legacy, the result of a rigorous education, and a testament to the effort required to master the official language of my own country.
Before you point your finger and cry "Al!", I ask you to pause. Consider the possibility that what you're seeing isn't a lack of humanity, but a form of humanity you haven't been trained to recognise. You might be looking at the result of a different education, a different history, a different standard.

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Aug 19

Last winter, Chamonix picked an “AI” generated picture for their app to represent its natural beauty…

Screenshot of official Chamonix app last winter, depicting a skier next to a mountain goat in front of a huge snowy mountain. There is a notice towards the bottom of the picture that the picture was AI generated, sublimated by humans.

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Aug 12

Keep thinking about OHCHR’s 2022 report on state surveillance (undocs.org/a/hrc/51/17) with this recommendation 👇

(c)
Take into account, when conducting human rights due diligence and
assessing the necessity and proportionality of new surveillance systems and powers, the entire legal and technological environment in which those systems or powers are or would be embedded; States should also consider risks of abuse, function creep and repurposing, including risks as a result of future political changes;

“including risks as a result of future political changes” is highlighted.

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Jun 21

Oscar Peterson and Glenn Gould once planned a show together. www.tvo.org/transcript/4...

Oscar says WE DID.
AND, UNFORTUNATELY,
IT NEVER CAME TO BE.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOING
A SHOW FOR THE CBC HERE IN
WHICH WE HADN'T REALLY
DECIDED WHAT WE WERE GOING
TO DO, BUT WE WERE GOING TO
HAVE TWO PIANOS, AND GLENN
WAS GOING TO PLAY
SOMETHING, AND OF COURSE I
WAS GOING TO PLAY SOMETHING
IN MY MEDIUM, AND I DON'T
KNOW HOW WE WERE GOING
TO BRING IT TOGETHER.
SUPPOSEDLY WE'D HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING ON THE VARIATIONS
OR ONE OF THOSE THINGS, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY, BEFORE WE
COULD GET IT
TOGETHER, HE PASSED.

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Jan 14

A lot going on in this screenshot!

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Dec 19

This is the post that keeps on giving. Countering the "freedom of speech is not freedom of reach" trope, he says beautifully, "Freedom of speech is not just freedom to whisper." Only addition from my part: you have the right to whisper, too. #encryption

Screenshot of a part of a fictitious interview between Eager Student and Scholarly Lawyer about the UK government’s Online Harms White Paper (2020).

ES. What if intermediaries had only to reduce the speed at which users’ speech circulates, or limit amplification by tools such as likes and retweets?

SL. Still an interference. People like to say that freedom of speech is not freedom of reach, but that is just a slogan. If the state interferes with the means by which speech is disseminated or amplified, it engages the right of freedom of expression. Confiscating a speaker’s megaphone at a political rally is an obvious example. Cutting off someone’s internet connection is another. The Supreme Court of India said earlier this month, in a judgment about the Kashmir internet shutdown:
“There is no dispute that freedom of speech and expression includes the right to disseminate information to as wide a section of the population as is possible. The wider range of circulation of information or its greater impact cannot restrict the content of the right nor can it justify its denial."

Seizing a printing press is not exempted from interference because the publisher has the alternative of handwriting. Freedom of speech is not just freedom to whisper.

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Nov 25

Serious question: where would the law exclude messaging services, such as Signal or WhatsApp? Been reading for a while, and to me, they would fit the definition in the draft. And they require an account too.

Definition from the proposed new Australian law that would introduce an age limit for social media platforms:

63C Age-restricted social media platform
(1) For the purposes of this Act, age-restricted social media platform
means:
(a) an electronic service that satisfies the following conditions:
(i) the sole purpose, or a significant purpose, of the service
is to enable online social interaction between 2 or more
end-users;
(ii) the service allows end-users to link to, or interact with,
some or all of the other end-users;
(iii) the service allows end-users to post material on the
service;
(iv) such other conditions (if any) as are set out in the
legislative rules; or
(b) an electronic service specified in the legislative rules;
but does not include a service mentioned in subsection (6).
Note 1: Online social interaction does not include (for example) online
business interaction.
Note 2: An age-restricted social media platform may be, but is not necessarily,
a social media service under section 13.
Note 3: For specification by class, see subsection 13(3) of the Legislation Act
2003.
(2) For the purposes of subparagraph (1)(a)(i), online social interaction
includes online interaction that enables end-users to share material
for social purposes.
Note: Social purposes does not include (for example) business purposes

63D Civil penalty for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent
age-restricted users having accounts
A provider of an age-restricted social media platform must take
reasonable steps to prevent age-restricted users having accounts
with the age-restricted social media platform

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Nov 24

The UN Committee against Torture this week published its concluding observations about Jordan. It raised concerns about the 2023 Cybercrime Law. tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/...

Screenshot of Concluding Observations: Arbitrary detentions under the new 2023 Cybercrime Law
27. While noting that the adoption of the Cybercrime Law in August 2023 (Law No.17) was motivated by the will to combat cybercrime and protect online security, the Committee is concerned that it may also criminalise legitimate online activities by organisations or individuals, as it contains vague definitions of the offences and could be used to restrict the right to freedom of expression and arbitrarily detain journalists and others (arts. 2 and 16).
28. The Committee invites the State party to assure the civic space for participation of individuals and organisations, and recommends that it amends the Cybercrime Law by clearly defining the crimes listed in the law, whose broad and vague wording, under the current version of the law, does not meet international human rights law requirements of legality, legitimate aim, necessity and proportionality for restriction of an individual liberty.

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Nov 10

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights weighs in on the #Cybercrime Convention currently before UNGA — strong human rights protections are urgently needed.

Screenshot of X post by Volker Türk: With the Cybercrime Convention on the table next week at the GA's 3rd Committee, my Office is calling for human rights to be safeguarded. Tackling cybercrime must be embedded in human rights. States must address these risks & commit to clear, robust protections.

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr· Nov 9

Gruselig. Allerdings auch eine Nachricht vom 17.9.24. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...