Welcome to this week’s “Destroying Autocracy”.
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. Fuck em.
Featured Item
Nextcloud asks:
Trump’s second term: A critical turning point for open source and digital sovereignty?
You should use Nextcloud BTW.
We start and end with good news to make the middle bearable.
The response to Russia’s War Crimes and other douchebaggery
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has:
Mad at Meta? Don’t Let Them Collect and Monetize Your Personal Data
VICTORY! Federal Court (Finally) Rules Backdoor Searches of 702 Data Unconstitutional
The European Commission announces:
The Register reports:
Meta, X sign up to Euro Commish code of conduct on hate speech
This is what happens when you have proper governments, and competent governance.
Meta’s pay-or-consent model under fire from EU consumer group
Hackers game out infowar against China with the US Navy
TechCrunch reports:
Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg sanctioned by judge for allegedly deleting emails
Luckily this is in Delaware state court, so she might at least get fined for it.
404 Media reports:
Hundreds of Subreddits Are Considering Banning All Links to X
Nothing personal, but if you are still active on Shitter, you’re a c^nt.
The Markup reports:
California Is Investigating OpenAI’s Conversion To a For-Profit Company
Gov.UK announces:
CMA to investigate Apple and Google’s mobile ecosystems
The Justice Department announces:
The Evil Empire Strikes Back
The Atlantic reports:
America Is No Longer the Home of the Free Internet
404 Media reports:
The Powerful AI Tool That Cops (or Stalkers) Can Use to Geolocate Photos in Seconds
The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports:
Online Behavioral Ads Fuel the Surveillance Industry—Here’s How
Tripwire reports:
New Law Could Mean Prison for Reporting Data Leaks
The Register reports:
Trump ‘waved a white flag to Chinese hackers’ as Homeland Security axed cyber advisory boards
Pariah States
Bleeping Computer reports:
Star Blizzard hackers abuse WhatsApp to target high-value diplomats
Recorded Future reports:
“Crazy Evil” Cryptoscam Gang: Unmasking a Global Threat in 2024
Tenable reports:
Salt Typhoon: An Analysis of Vulnerabilities Exploited by this State-Sponsored Actor
Big Media
Washington Monthly reports:
Three Disturbing Signs of Fourth Estate Failure
Reuters Institute reports:
Who owns the AI tools journalists use? A new study exposes a dangerous transparency gap
Big Tech
TechCrunch reports:
FTC says partnerships like Microsoft-OpenAI raise antitrust concerns
The Register asks:
Why is Big Tech hellbent on making AI opt-out?
The Verge reports:
Welcome to the era of gangster tech regulation
This is what happens when you have shit governments, and shit governance.
Tech Policy reports:
Mark Zuckerberg’s Immoderate Proposal
Free Speech Was Never the Goal of Tech Billionaires. Power Was.
No shit.
ProPublica reports:
How Facebook Undermines Privacy Protections for Its 2 Billion WhatsApp Users
404 Media reports:
TikTok Says It’s Not Censoring ‘Free Palestine’ Comments. Users See Something Different
The Guardian reports:
Revealed: Microsoft deepened ties with Israeli military to provide tech support during Gaza war
Terror
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:
What a pardon of 2 D.C. cops says about Trump and the U.S. violence to come
Cybersecurity/Privacy
TechCrunch reports:
DOJ confirms arrested US Army soldier is linked to AT&T and Verizon hacks
Bleeping Computer reports:
FTC orders GM to stop collecting and selling driver’s data
Telegram captcha tricks you into running malicious PowerShell scripts
Sigh.
404 Media reports:
Cloudflare Issue Can Leak Chat App Users’ Broad Location
The Register reports:
HPE probes IntelBroker’s bold data theft boasts
One of Salt Typhoon’s favorite flaws still wide open on 91% of at-risk Exchange Servers
Fediverse
The Fediverse Report has:
Last Week in Fediverse – ep 100
404 Media opines:
Decentralized Social Media Is the Only Alternative to the Tech Oligarchy
They are correct and intelligent people have known this for years.
France 24 reports:
French researchers aim to ease X refugees’ path with ‘HelloQuitX’
European Digital Rights opines:
Meta and X are going rogue. Here is what Europe should do now.
Basta Media reports:
Ne laissez pas un algo vous dicter l’info
Does Stuff shares:
Teaching Mastodon Through Practical Interactions
Owncast shares its:
Owncast Newsletter January 2025
ActivityPods shares:
We Distribute reports:
NodeBB Officially Joins the Fediverse
The Challenge of Upward Momentum
Pixelfed Smashes Kickstarter Campaign Goal on Day One
Diverse Tech Geek has:
A look at Pixelfed (2025 edition)
CNET reports:
Fed Up With Instagram? How to Move Your Photos to Pixelfed
Kyle Reddoch has a review:
Surfing the Social Wave: A Beta Tester’s Insight into Flipboard’s Surf App
Shellsharks does as well:
Follow us there at @the-fediverse-vs-corporate-social-media-mobileatom@flipboard.com
Tumblr has an update:
TechCrunch reports:
Bridgy Fed, a project to connect the open social web, is now becoming a nonprofit
Threads rolls out a post scheduler, ‘markup’ feature, and more
Other Slightly Federated Social Media
The Fediverse Report has:
Last Week in Bluesky – 2025jan.c
ATProto Explained – Lexicons and video
TechCrunch reports:
Bluesky launches a custom feed for vertical videos
TechDirt has:
CTAs (aka show us some free love)
- That’s it for this week. Please share this edition of Destroying Autocracy.
- Follow me on the Fediverse. Or this site via the button in the footer. Or via RSS.
- Or follow Battalion on Bluesky.
Keep fighting!

Ringleader, Battalion
Reuben Walker
Follow me on the Fediverse
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