Welcome to this week’s “Defending Democracy”.
It’s your source for curated news affecting democracy in the cyber arena with a focus on protecting democracy. That necessitates an opinionated Butlerian jihad against big tech as well as evangelizing for open-source and the Fediverse. Since big media’s journalism wing is flailing and failing in its core duty to democracy, this is also a collection of alternative reporting on the eternal battle between autocracy and democracy. We also cover the cybersecurity world. You can’t be free without safety and privacy.
DD comes out on Thursday and is updated through the end of day on Friday. Then we start over. So take your time in perusing it and check back in over the weekend.
FYI, my opinions will be in bold. And will often involve cursing. Because humans. Especially tech bros. And fascists.
Featured Item
Well, motherfuck. One thing I hate about being a misanthrope is always being right in my opinions of my fellow citizens. I am often disappointed but never surprised. That’s because I am 60 and have lived in the confederacy my entire life. Luckily I have had depression for 34 years and am used to suffering. The world is easier to take if you don’t care if you are alive tomorrow. Or have any children.
The bad guys won a big battle this week, but this is an eternal and worldwide war. There are more battles to be fought.
Anyway, there is a reason I started this site. If you have to go down, go down swinging. So, let’s get on with it.
The response to Russia’s War Crimes and other douchebaggery
Let’s celebrate the rare good news in the battle against autocracy and its allies.
TechCrunch reports:
Meta found to have exposed info on North Korean defectors to advertisers
And are fined for it.
The Register reports:
New Jersey man admits shipping sanctions-busting tech to Russia
Operation Synergia II sees Interpol swoop on global cyber crims
The Verge reports:
The FTC orders Sitejabber to stop faking product reviews
Unfortunately, this and many other things will be reversed next year.
Apple reportedly facing first-ever EU fine over App Store rules
Finally.
404 Media reports:
Police Freak Out at iPhones Mysteriously Rebooting Themselves, Locking Cops Out
Ha. Good for Apple. ACAB.
You should subscribe to 404 Media.
Tech Policy reports:
New Findings: Researchers Consider Elections, Hate, and Misinformation
We Can’t Wait For Media Literacy Education in the Age of AI
Bleeping Computer reports:
Canada orders TikTok to shut down over national risk concerns
TechDirt opines:
We Need To Fight For Free Speech More Than Ever
The Evil Empire Strikes Back
Naked Capitalism asks:
Can We Avoid a Franken-Future with AI?
Engadget reports:
FBI warns voters about inauthentic videos relating to election security
404 Media reports:
Inside the Plan to Use AI to Purge Voter Rolls
Voted in America? This Site Doxed You
Pariah States
DarkReading report:
Iranian APT Group Targets IP Cameras, Extends Attacks Beyond Israel
Tech Policy reports:
The Weaponization of Things: Israel’s Techno-Violence, A Litmus Test for Technologists
PBS reports:
Russia and Iran ramping up influence campaigns targeting U.S. voters, federal agencies say
USA Today reports:
FBI, Georgia secretary of state blame polling place bomb threats on Russians
The Register reports:
Officials warn of Russia’s tech-for-troops deal with North Korea amid Ukraine conflict
China’s Volt Typhoon reportedly breached Singtel in ‘test-run’ for US telecom attacks
Ars Technica reports:
US Space Force warns of “mind-boggling” build-up of Chinese capabilities
Big Media
Tech Policy reports:
Content Concerns: Navigating Declining Newsfeed Quality in the 2024 Election
Dan Gillmor notes:
Extremism won, and journalism helped
On a related note, Status reports:
Joan Westenberg shares:
Why Right-Wing Media Thrives While The Left Gets Left Behind
Big Tech
Tech Policy reports:
Are Platforms Prepared for the Post-Election Period?
Of course not.
Wired reports:
What an ‘Airbnbopoly’ Game Says About Silicon Valley’s Standoff With Lina Khan
The Guardian reports:
Microsoft workers fired over Gaza vigil say company ‘crumbled under pressure’
The Verge reports:
Perplexity debuts an AI-powered election information hub
Ars Technical reports:
Facebook, Nvidia push SCOTUS to limit “nuisance” investor suits after scandals
Don’t expect a good result from the Supreme C^nts here.
MSNBC reports on:
How women’s phones became a tool for abortion surveillance
Blood in the Machine reports:
Silicon Valley got what it wanted
It’s time for this week in Must C^ntitry.
Platformer reports:
X’s plan to interfere with the election
TechCrunch reports:
Elon Musk’s false and misleading election claims have been viewed 2 billion times on X
X updates block feature, letting blocked users see your public posts
Creepers and stalkers rejoice.
The Atlantic reports:
Wired reports:
Elon Musk’s America PAC Canvassers Faced Surveillance, Sickness, and Late Pay in Arizona
Vox reports:
The growing danger of Elon Musk’s misinformation machine
Cybersecurity/Privacy
BleepingComputer reports:
ChatGPT-4o can be used for autonomous voice-based scams
Suspect behind Snowflake data-theft attacks arrested in Canada
Interpol disrupts cybercrime activity on 22,000 IP addresses, arrests 41
DarkReading reports:
Google: Big Sleep AI Agent Puts SQLite Software Bug to Bed
The Power of Process in Creating a Successful Security Posture
404 Media reports:
Inside the Massive Crime Industry That is Hacking Billion Dollar Companies
Endgadget reports:
Okta vulnerability allowed accounts with long usernames to log in without a password
Ars Technica reports:
Hundreds of code libraries posted to NPM try to install malware on dev machines
JS getting the karma it deserves.
TechCrunch reports:
Fediverse
The Fediverse Report has:
Last Week in Fediverse – ep 91
Artist Marcia X shares:
TechCrunch reports:
With this latest deal, Flipboard looks to build a news ecosystem beyond X
The Nexus of Privacy reports:
A faux “Eternal September” turns into flatness
While the Fediverse is slowly growing, Mastodon’s growth is flat. Why? Its daddy thinks it’s a shitter clone. When it isn’t.
IFTAS has:
Mastodon’s Account Recommendations Explained
Ghost has an update:
Darnell Day lists:
Six Reasons Why Political Pundits On Threads Should Flip For Flipboard
Other Federated Social Media
The Fediverse Report has:
A conceptual model of ATProto and ActivityPub
The New Stack looks at:
Bluesky’s AT Protocol: Pros and Cons for Developers
TechCrunch reports:
Bluesky gears up for Election Day as X goes pro-Trump
Cory Doctorow covers:
CTAs (aka show us some free love)
- That’s it for this week. Please share this edition of Defending Democracy.
- Follow me on the Fediverse. Or this site via the button in the footer. Or RSS.
- Or follow Battalion on Bluesky
Ringleader, Battalion
Reuben Walker
Follow me on the Fediverse
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