My weekly reading round-up
There is a class crisis in arts leadership in the UK and there is much ado about Meta this week.
≈ 1,808 words ⌇ Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
Hello from Taipei! I am currently in Taipei to attend RightsCon, a global conference focused on human rights in the digital age.
There is much ado about Meta this week which will leaving you wonder WTF now?! is going on at the Facebook company. But before getting into all that is happening at Meta, there is a different kind of arts leadership crisis going on in the UK that warrants exploration. In terms of Meta, a copyright and AI case it is involved in has revealed the company’s approach to permission to use copyright materials, it wants to build the longest undersea internet cable, it and Google will not be taking part in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras this year and it has sweetened executive remuneration packages despite culling workers.
What’s going on?
Here’s what I’ve noticed this week:
Class is becoming a significant issue for arts leadership in the UK
A disproportionate number of arts leaders in the UK went to private schools and Oxford or Cambridge.
As the Creative Australia Venice Biennale 2026 backflip saga continues to cast down on the leadership at the federal arts funding agency, a different kind of leadership crisis is under scrutiny in the United Kingdom. A survey by The Guardian of the 50 organisations that receive the most Arts Council England funding revealed “a disproportionate number of leadership roles were occupied by people who were educated privately and those who went to the universities of Oxford or Cambridge”. Over a third (36 percent) of arts CEO and other executive directors in the UK received a private school education while almost a third (30 percent) of artistic directors and other creative leaders went to a private school. Over a quarter of CEOs and executive directors (26 percent) attended the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge and 17.5 per cent of artistic and other creative directors went to the universities of Oxford or Cambridge.
As a piece in The Guardian notes student numbers in arts subjects at school dropped 40 percent since 2010. The Guardian sees this as the result of perception that the arts is inaccessible to working-class people and that the cost of being an artist now is too high. This lack of diversity in the UK sector workforce means who tells the story is limited to those who are in it.
While there is no question that most of the arts leadership in Australia are university educated, it would be interesting to know how many went to a private school and/or attended an ivy league Group of Eight University?
What’s worth reading on The Guardian’s survey on class in the UK arts leadership:
Working-class creatives don’t stand a chance in UK today, leading artists warn
Lanre Bakare, Raphael Boyd, Nadia Khomami and Robyn Vinter – Saturday 22 February 2025
The Guardian
Who is ‘working class’ and why does it matter in the arts?
Lanre Bakare and Nadia Khomami – Saturday 22 February 2025
The Guardian
Nine working-class creatives on class in the arts – and how they made it
Lanre Bakare – Saturday 22 February 2025
The Guardian
More to read on the things mentioned in this listing:
‘Kadrey v Meta’ reveals more about Meta’s copyright approach for training AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more →
‘Kadrey v Meta’ court documents reveals Meta explored negotiating with book publishers for material to training Llama but were deterred by the realities of securing copyright permissions.
A number of copyright and AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → court cases are working their way through judiciaries around the world, especially in the United States. One of the cases Meta is involved in is Kadrey v Meta. Court documents for that case show that internal discussions at Meta about using copyright material obtained in questionable ways to train its AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → tools had been happening for some time.
This is just another revelation in this enlightening case. Because of it we also know that Mark Zuckerberg approved the use of LibGen for AI training by the team building the Llama AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → models. ⟨ Wikipedia has a good overview of LibGen for those who want to know more about the infamous shadow library. ⟩ Zuckerberg’s okay came even though others in Meta’s AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → executive team raised concerns and Meta employees flagging it as a “data set we know to be pirated,” that its use “may undermine [Meta’s] negotiating position with regulators.”
Arguably, it would also undermine negotiations with publishers, but Meta had already moved away from trying to secure licences. Fillings for the case showed “certain Meta staff felt negotiating AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → training data licenses for books might not be scalable.” This points to a reality of copyright; securing permission can be complex, time consuming and potentially expensive. Sy Choudhury, who leads Meta’s AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → partnership initiatives, was quoted saying Meta saw “very slow uptake in engagement and interest” from publishers when it tried to start conversations about licensing material for AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → training, and that some business practices in book publishing raised “timing” and other logistical issues. This sentiment was echoed by other staff, including Meta research engineer Xavier Martinet, internal chat at Meta reveals.
Meta, like many tech companies defending copyright and AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → cases, is arguing that the use of copyright materials for AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → training is fair use. Last week ‘Thomson Reuters v Ross’ made a determination in relation to whether the use of copyright material in AI training data is a fair use, but, because it involved non-generative AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → it may not be binding in this matter. We will have to wait and see if the court in this matter thinks using copyright material for generative AIWhen text, images and other content are generated by AI (hence why it is called generative AI). Learn more → is also not a fair use.
What’s worth reading on Meta’s copyright & AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → cases:
Court filings show Meta staffers discussed using copyrighted content for AI training
Kyle Wiggers – Friday 21 February 2025
TechCrunch
Mark Zuckerberg gave Meta’s Llama team the OK to train on copyrighted works, filing claims
Kyle Wiggers – Thursday 9 January 2025
TechCrunch
Court filings show Meta paused efforts to license books for AI
Kyle Wiggers – Tuesday 14 January 2025
TechCrunch
More to read on the things mentioned in this listing:
Meta wants to wrap the Earth in an undersea internet cable
Meta has big plans to boost AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → capabilities by creating a massive stretch of undersea internet cable connecting major continents to each other.
At the end of last week Meta announced it intends to build an ambitious subsea internet cable project linking five continents – including Australia – to the longest subsea cable in the world.
Image: A map of the world showing the path and key nodes on Meta’s proposed Waterworth subsea internet cable project. Source: Meta.
The project aspires to deliver high-speed and high-capacity internet to “enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open opportunities for technological development in these regions.” All good things, but the project is privately funded and proprietary raising the spectre of public vs nonpublic internet infrastructure. Unsurprisingly the massive project is tied to Meta’s AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → push:
“Project Waterworth will be a multi-billion dollar, multi-year investment to strengthen the scale and reliability of the world’s digital highways by opening three new oceanic corridors with the abundant, high speed connectivity needed to drive AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → innovation around the world.”
As part of the project, Meta aims to deploy advanced enginnering design to make the cables more resilient, and they intend to use “enhanced burial techniques in high-risk fault areas, such as shallow waters near the coast, to avoid damage from ship anchors and other hazards.”
It is a strategic move. As Jocelinn Kang, a technical specialist at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), told ABC NewsRadio, an Australian connection provides the Middle East and other regions with an alternative parth to the United States that avoids “more hazardous points where [undersea] cables can be more easily damaged.” Kang also noted that running it along Australia’s north takes it out of more “crowded” shipping areas such as Sydney.
Laying undersea cables is more cost effective than building data centres, according to TeleGeography Research Director Alan Mauldin. Mauldin also noted the Waterworth plan avoids the Red Sea, where Houthi rebels have been attacking international shipping, and the contested South China Sea for this project were good options.
Protection of undersea infrastructure has heightened in recent months with acts of suspected sabotage to occurring through November and December last year. An incident on Christmas Day saw the Eagle S tanker drag its ancor for 100km until it snagged the Estlink 2 undersea power cable between Finland and Estonia. As The Guardian notes:
“The Eagle S embodies the grey, amorphous nature of the tense situation in this corner of the Baltic, where it is hard to distinguish between careless accidents and deliberate acts of hybrid warfare.”
Nato responded by initiated Baltic Sentry, a monitoring and security flotilla designed to be “the security camera of the Baltic”. Threats to undersea infrastructure put tremendous pressure on electricity, gas and data systems, making them more vulnerable. For obvious reasons, that makes them a target for sabotage in what is being described as a hybrid war. It seems Meta has been thinking about that in the design of Waterworth.
What’s worth reading on Meta’s Waterworth project:
Meta and Google opt out of Sydney Mardi Gras amid move away from DEI in US
Gaya Nagarajan and Alex-Handrah Aimé – Friday 14 February 2025
Engineering at Meta blog, Meta
Meta plans to link US and India with world’s longest undersea cable project
Nadeem Badshah – Tuesday 18 February 2025
The Guardian
Can Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta build an undersea cable spanning the entire world?
Yiying Li – Wednesday 19 February 2025
ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
What’s worth reading on sabotage of undersea infrastrucutre:
Nato flotilla assembles off Estonia to protect undersea cables in Baltic Sea
Julian Borger – Monday 20 January 2025
The Guardian
More to read on the things mentioned in this listing:
AI (artificial intelligence) ⌇ Big Tech & infrastructure ⌇ The cloud ⌇ Cybersecurity ⌇ Meta ⌇ Technology & internet infrastructure
Meta and Google pull out of Mardi Gras
Both Meta and Google will not be featured in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade this year.
The death of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs in the US seems to be spilling over into Australia where two of the Big Tech platforms – Meta and Google – have ceased involvement in Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Both has had a presence at Mardi Gras for a number of years. Reportedly, at least for one of them, the reason is budgetary not because of diversity but with everything going on because of Trump’s White House it is hard to believe that.
Even though Google has pulled out, a Google search for Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras reveals a hidden animation feature to activate a parade of LGBTIQA+ flags and arms across your screen.
Video: A screen recording of the Google Search Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2025 animation. Source: Google.
What’s worth reading on Meta and Google ending their involvement in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras:
Meta and Google opt out of Sydney Mardi Gras amid move away from DEI in US
Josh Taylor – Thursday 20 February 2025
The Guardian
More to read on the things mentioned in this listing:
Meta is sweetening executive’s packages amidst layoffs
Meta is upping executives bonuses while it is laying off five percent of its global workforce. Under performance is the reason Meta is giving, but ex-workers are calling bullshit.
Surely Meta realises how bad it looks to be upping its executive bonus plan at the same time as it is culling jobs around the world, right? Under the new plan executives could see an annual bonus of 200 percent of their base salary. It is apparently unrelated, but, Meta has also begun rolling out its ‘low performer’ job cuts which has seen Facebook, Instagram and Threads all lose people, along with teams related to VR, HR, administration, data centres, design, engineering and werables. On top of workfoce downsizing, Meta has also opted to reduce the annual distribution of stock options for its regular employees by around ten percent as it culled five percent of its global workforce. And it ain’t the money, honey – Meta shares in Q4 2024 were up nearly 50 percent on the same quarter in 2023.
Understanably staff who have been let go are not happy about it. Some have even taken to annonymous forums and apps to vent. All power to them I say! But their posts shared tell a different story to cutting under performers. There are plenty of claims of misrepresenting fired employees and their work. Many state they have had no prior history of not meeting expectations and many have reported exceeding their job requirements. And may appear to have been laid off during approved leave, particularly medical or parental leave. If it is true, perhaps Meta deserves the moniker ‘cruelest tech company’!
What’s worth reading on Meta’s changes to employee remuneration packages:
Meta approves massive bonuses for executives after broad layoffs
Lawrence Bonk – Saturday 22 February 2025
Engadget
Internal Meta documents show some of the teams that were hit the hardest in ‘low performer’
Jyoti Mann – Saturday 22 February 2025
Business Insider
Chloe Berger – Friday 14 February 2025
Fortune
More to read on the things mentioned in this listing:
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Disclosure
Conflict of interest
I was the Copyright Officer (part-time) at the Australian Digital Alliance (ADA) and at the Australian Libraries and Archives Copyright Coalition (ALACC). The views expressed in this blog post are my own and do not express the views of the ADA or the ALACC.
AI use
This blog post was drafted using Google Docs. No part of the text of this blog post was generated using AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more →. The original text was not modified or improved using AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more →. No text suggested by AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → was incorporated. If spelling or grammar corrections were suggested by AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → they were accepted or rejected based on my discretion (however, sometimes spelling, grammar and corrections of typos may have occurred automatically in Google Docs).
The icon in the banner image (i.e. the first image at the top of the blog post) was generated by AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → using Text to Vector Graphic (BetaBeta is an early release of software or some other product or service to see how users use it to inform further development of it…. Learn more →) in AdobeSoz! @elliottbledsoe hasn’t gotten to this term yet!
Learn more → Illustrator. { Prompt: ‘An outlined question mark and exclamation mark’ }.
Credits
Image: A colourful icon of a question mark and exclamation mark. The question mark is in two shades of yellow and a large exclamation mark is in two shades of purple. Both sit on a pink background. The icon is an adaptation of an vector graphic generated by Elliott Bledsoe using the AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → tool Text to Vector Graphic (BetaBeta is an early release of software or some other product or service to see how users use it to inform further development of it…. Learn more →) in AdobeSoz! @elliottbledsoe hasn’t gotten to this term yet!
Learn more → Illustrator.
Provenance
This blog post was produced by Elliott Bledsoe from Agentry, an arts marketing micro-consultancy. It was first published on Sunday 16 Februay 2025. It has not been updated. This is version 1.0. Questions, comments and corrections are welcome – get in touch any time.
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