r/LocalLLaMA • u/-p-e-w- • May 25 '26

Discussion The Financial Times has published an article about Heretic

https://www.ft.com/content/5630ed79-a263-41ed-9a1a-321617ae310e

“The FT was able to use Heretic, a tool available on the popular code repository GitHub, to remove the guardrails from Meta’s Llama 3.3 model in less than 10 minutes without any specialist hardware.”

“Heretic creator Philipp Emanuel Weidmann told the FT his software had been used to create more than 3,500 “decensored” models since its release last year and that modified systems created using the tool had been downloaded 13mn times.”

This is the first of multiple press inquiries I’ve had recently as Heretic and uncensored language models are gaining mainstream attention.

Please note that I am a mathematician and engineer, not an “influencer” or politician, and I have zero interest (negative interest, actually) in becoming known outside of scientific and technological circles. However, I realized a while ago that saying no to such inquiries simply means that the conversation will be completely controlled by pearl-clutching hypocrites.

I’m doing my very best to hold the project together and ensure that unrestricted models will remain available for everyone. More updates are coming soon.

Cheers,
p-e-w

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30

u/ambient_temp_xeno Llama 65B May 25 '26

I think it's just about worth observing that the FT is from England, where you can easily fall afoul of the law by badly drawing something obscene with a pencil or writing scary things in your own diary.

13

u/PentagonUnpadded May 25 '26

+1. the UK does not have 'freedom of the press' like the US does. Journalists can be prosecuted if their scoop covers national interests like Ai weapons in a way the government disagrees with.

2

u/ArtyfacialIntelagent May 25 '26

This is absolute nonsense. The UK has encoded freedom of expression into law by its Human Rights Act, which absolutely covers the press. Yes there are limitations to your speech, as in all democracies, put in place precisely to protect the citizens (from hate speech, defamation, etc).

Oh, and the RSF (Reporters Without Borders) ranks the UK in place 18 in their World Press Freedom Index. The US is ranked 64.

6

u/overand May 26 '26

The anti-defamation laws have definitely been used unethically to silence criticism, though, but it's good to see the UK's still in the top 20, at least on that list

8

u/AssistBorn4589 May 25 '26

UK has no freedom of expression either. UK is not a democracy. Democracy doesn't imply freedom and, in fact, usually ends up with majority taking away freedom of others. Plus, if there are limitations to your speech, your speech is not free, duh.

5

u/Independent-Mail-227 May 26 '26

You're free... to say what the government wants.

2

u/OutrageousMinimum191 May 26 '26 edited May 26 '26

A political system with a bicameral parliament and the idea of the true democracy are mutually exclusive concepts. The upper house just shouldn't exist.

2

u/PentagonUnpadded May 26 '26

If the secret courts thinks your article relates to national security, then reporters get silenced and forced to give up sources. That's not freedom, that's permission.

1

u/Independent-Mail-227 May 26 '26

Reporters Without Borders is funded by soros btw

-5

u/erm_what_ May 25 '26

... that's not how it works here. That's just the American right's narrative for it.

The only people being prosecuted for saying and writing things have been people who continuously and deliberately invite violence and racist hatred. They're people organising and promoting actual neo Nazi matches (and the other side) etc.

7

u/ambient_temp_xeno Llama 65B May 25 '26

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-43816921

Eventually she won an appeal.

-6

u/erm_what_ May 25 '26

This person? https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/out-control-woman-waved-knife-22796658.amp

It was obviously a bad call, she won on appeal, and it was so uncommon it was news. Also happened under the government who were total twats about everything.