Battalion<p><strong>Destroying Autocracy – April 10, 2025</strong></p><p><strong>Welcome to this week’s “Destroying Autocracy”.</strong></p><p>It’s your source for curated news affecting democracy in the cyber arena with a focus on protecting it. 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.</p><p>DA 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.</p><p><strong>FYI, my opinions will be in bold. And will often involve cursing. Because humans. Especially tech bros. And fascists. Fuck ’em.</strong></p> <p><strong>Featured Item</strong></p> <p>Hamish Campbell writes:</p><p>We need to build a grassroots counterforce, grounded in the principles of the 4 opens, to cultivate digital and physical spaces of resistance. The openweb offers us a framework for doing this, a messy, imperfect garden where we plant alternatives and nurture them with care. But it only grows if people use it. We need joined-up thinking, not the fractured, piecemeal approach of the fashernista crowd. We need people to commit to using and building tools outside the corporate silos, even when it’s inconvenient. Because in the end our communities are all that matters, in the end every click, every post, every conversation shapes the landscape we inhabit.</p><p><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/the-rise-of-neofascism-and-the-need-for-a-openweb-response/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The rise of fascism and the openweb response</a></p><p><strong>This approach is a very large part of techno-anarchism.</strong></p> <p><strong>We start and end with good news to make the middle bearable.</strong></p> <p><strong>The response to Russia’s War Crimes and other douchebaggery</strong></p> <p>DevLink Tips shares:</p><p><a href="https://medium.com/@devlink/top-10-european-open-source-projects-to-watch-in-2025-3322c67a9506" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Top 10 European Open-Source Projects to Watch in 2025</a></p><p>Tech Policy reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.techpolicy.press/understanding-the-eus-digital-services-act-enforcement-against-x/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Understanding the EU’s Digital Services Act Enforcement Against X</a></p><p><a href="https://techpolicy.press/leveraging-international-standards-to-protect-us-consumers-online-no-congress-required" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Leveraging International Standards to Protect US Consumers Online, No Congress Required</a></p><p>EuroNews reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/04/08/tiktok-made-changes-ahead-of-re-run-of-romanian-election-says-eu-tech-chief" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok made changes ahead of re-run of Romanian election, says EU tech chief<br>EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen speaking at a European Parliament plenary session.</a></p><p>The Register reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/07/eu_to_target_us_tech/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EU may target US tech giants in tariff response</a></p><p>The Guardian reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/apr/04/us-authors-copyright-lawsuits-against-openai-and-microsoft-combined-in-new-york-with-newspaper-actions" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US authors’ copyright lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft combined in New York with newspaper actions</a></p><p>The BBC reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgn1lz3v4no" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple’s encryption row with UK should not be secret, court rules</a></p><p>CTV News reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/halifax-to-phase-out-use-of-x-as-official-social-media-platform/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Halifax to phase out use of X as official social media platform</a></p><p><strong>Great news from one of my favorite cities.</strong></p> <p><strong>Neutral</strong></p><p>Rest of the World reports:</p><p><a href="https://restofworld.org/2025/global-elections-ai-use/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What we learned from tracking AI use in global elections</a></p> <p><strong>The Evil Empire Strikes Back</strong></p> <p>So-called newspaper, The New York Times reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/05/us/politics/trump-loomer-haugh-cyberattacks-elections.html?unlocked_article_code=1.9U4.EtWQ.bifG0-CeRfWF&smid=url-share" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trump Weakens U.S. Cyberdefenses at a Moment of Rising Danger</a></p><p>Mother Jones reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/clearview-ai-immigration-ice-fbi-surveillance-facial-recognition-hoan-ton-that-hal-lambert-trump/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Shocking Far-Right Agenda Behind the Facial Recognition Tech Used by ICE and the FBI</a></p><p>Reuters reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/musks-doge-using-ai-snoop-us-federal-workers-sources-say-2025-04-08/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Exclusive: Musk’s DOGE using AI to snoop on U.S. federal workers, sources say</a></p><p>The Guardian reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/06/trump-musk-billionaires-influence-national-security" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Under Trump and Musk, billionaires wield unprecedented influence over US national security</a></p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/08/uk-creating-prediction-tool-to-identify-people-most-likely-to-kill" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UK creating ‘murder prediction’ tool to identify people most likely to kill</a></p><p>Citation Needed reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.citationneeded.news/issue-81/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Issue 81 – Crypto crime is legal</a></p><p><strong>Jesus.</strong></p> <p><strong>Pariah States</strong></p> <p>Bit Defender reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/russian-bots-hard-at-work-spreading-political-unrest-on-romanias-internet" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Russian bots hard at work spreading political unrest on Romania’s internet</a></p><p>Ars Technica reports:</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/04/leaked-messages-expose-trade-secrets-of-prolific-black-basta-ransomware-group/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“The girl should be calling men.” Leak exposes Black Basta’s influence tactics.</a></p><p>DarkReading reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/china-continues-harassing-ethnic-groups-spyware" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">China-Linked Hackers Continue Harassing Ethnic Groups With Spyware</a></p><p>TechCrunch reports:</p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/09/governments-identify-dozens-of-android-apps-bundled-with-spyware/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Governments identify dozens of Android apps bundled with spyware</a></p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/09/court-document-reveals-locations-of-whatsapp-victims-targeted-by-nso-spyware/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Court document reveals locations of WhatsApp victims targeted by NSO spyware</a></p> <p><strong>Big Media</strong></p> <p>Tech Policy reports:</p><p><a href="https://techpolicy.press/independent-media-has-an-infrastructural-problem" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Independent Media Has an Infrastructural Problem</a></p><p>DigiDay reports:</p><p><a href="https://digiday.com/media/former-substack-creators-say-theyre-earning-more-on-new-platforms-that-offer-larger-shares-of-subscription-revenue/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Former Substack creators say they’re earning more on new platforms that offer larger shares of subscription revenue</a></p> <p><strong>Big Tech</strong></p> <p>Speaking of, Snopes reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/04/04/heather-cox-richardson-facebook/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Historian Heather Cox Richardson said Facebook removed her posts. Here’s what we know</a></p><p><strong>My advice to her is to get the fuck off Facebook and get the fuck off Substack.</strong></p><p>The Register reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/10/apple_agrees_to_settle_unfair/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple settles unfair labor charges brought by fired engineering manager</a></p><p>Ars Technica reports:</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/04/congress-to-question-whistleblower-who-accused-meta-of-helping-china-in-ai-race/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Meta secretly helped China advance AI, ex-Facebooker will tell Congress</a></p><p>404 Media has:</p><p><a href="https://www.404media.co/careless-people-is-the-book-about-facebook-ive-wanted-for-a-decade/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘Careless People’ Is the Book About Facebook I’ve Wanted for a Decade</a></p><p>The Guardian reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/03/meta-faces-18bn-lawsuit-over-claims-it-inflamed-violence-in-ethiopia" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Meta faces £1.8bn lawsuit over claims it inflamed violence in Ethiopia</a></p><p>The Dair Institute reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.dair-institute.org/blog/tigray-social/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Social Media Platforms Are Spreading Violent Warmongering Content Encouraging All-Out War Between Ethiopia and Eritrea, Again</a></p><p>Jeremy Keith has:</p><p><a href="https://adactio.com/journal/21831" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Denial</a></p><p><strong>Nothing personal, but it you use LLMs, you are contributing to this c^ntitry.</strong></p> <p><strong>Terror</strong></p> <p>The Kyiv Independent reports:</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/neo-nazi-terrorist-group-offering-locals-payment-to-carry-out-attacks-guardian-reports/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US neo-Nazi terrorist group pays recruits to carry out attacks in Ukraine, Guardian reports</a></p><p>Mother Jones reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/joe-kent-tulsi-gabbard-national-counterterrorism-center-first-amendment-praetorian-robert-patrick-lewis/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gabbard’s Pick to Run Counterterrorism Center Aided Start of a Right-Wing Paramilitary Group</a></p> <p><strong>Cybersecurity/Privacy</strong></p> <p>Bleeping Computer reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/malicious-vscode-extensions-infect-windows-with-cryptominers/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Malicious VSCode extensions infect Windows with cryptominers</a></p><p>The Register reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/07/github_supply_chain_attack" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">That massive GitHub supply chain attack? It all started with a stolen SpotBugs token</a></p><p><strong>If you are using Microsoft software, you almost deserve this.</strong></p><p>Clubic reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.clubic.com/actualite-559848-surveillance-fin-du-chiffrement-proton-pourrait-quitter-la-suisse.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Surveillance, fin du chiffrement : Proton pourrait quitter la Suisse</a></p><p>The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency announces:</p><p><a href="https://occ.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/2025/nr-occ-2025-30.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">OCC Notifies Congress of Incident Involving Email System</a></p><p>Consumer Reports has:</p><p><a href="https://innovation.consumerreports.org/Mixed-Signals-Many-Companies-May-Be-Ignoring-Opt-Out-Requests-Under-State-Privacy-Laws.pdf" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mixed Signals: Many Companies May Be Ignoring Opt-Out Requests Under State Privacy Laws</a></p> <p><strong>Fediverse</strong></p> <p>The Fediverse Report has:</p><p><a href="https://fediversereport.com/fediverse-report-111/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fediverse Report – #111</a></p><p>IFTAS is:</p><p>[Staying the Course: Our Continuing Mission]<br>(<a href="https://about.iftas.org/2025/04/08/staying-the-course-our-continuing-mission/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://about.iftas.org/2025/04/08/staying-the-course-our-continuing-mission/</a>)</p><p><strong>If you care about the Fediverse, please join me and make a financial contribution to IFTAS.</strong></p><p>Mastodon shares:</p><p><a href="https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2025/04/trunk-tidbits-march-2025/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trunk & Tidbits, March 2025</a></p><p>CogDogBlog has:</p><p><a href="https://cogdogblog.com/2025/04/wordpress-serving-activity-pub/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WordPress Serving Posts at the Activity Pub</a></p><p>Tim Bray looks at:</p><p><a href="https://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/202x/2025/04/05/The-CoSocialist-Future" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The CoSocialist Future</a></p><p>Ghost has:</p><p><a href="https://activitypub.ghost.org/you-think-youre-following-us-but-you-might-not-be/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">You think you’re following us, but you might not be</a></p><p>TechCrunch reports:</p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/08/tapestrys-app-can-now-de-dupe-your-social-feeds/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tapestry’s app can now de-dupe your social feeds</a></p> <p><strong>CTAs (aka show us some free love)</strong></p> <ul><li>That’s it for this week. Please share this edition of Destroying Autocracy.</li><li><a href="https://friendica.me/profile/friendofsymfony/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Follow me on the Fediverse</a>. Or this site via the button in the footer. Or via <a href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/feed/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RSS</a>.</li><li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/battalion64.bsky.social" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Or follow Battalion on Bluesky</a>.</li></ul> <p>Keep fighting!</p> <p><strong><em>Ringleader, Battalion</em></strong><br>Reuben Walker<br> <a href="https://friendica.me/profile/friendofsymfony/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Follow me on the Fediverse</a></p> <p><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/111/" target="_blank">#111</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/activitypub/" target="_blank">#ActivityPub</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/ai/" target="_blank">#AI</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/at-protocol/" target="_blank">#ATProtocol</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/autocracy/" target="_blank">#Autocracy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/big-journalism/" target="_blank">#BigJournalism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/big-tech/" target="_blank">#BigTech</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/democracy/" target="_blank">#Democracy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/fascism/" target="_blank">#Fascism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/fediverse/" target="_blank">#Fediverse</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/ghost/" target="_blank">#Ghost</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/mastodon/" target="_blank">#Mastodon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-china/" target="_blank">#StopChina</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-israel/" target="_blank">#StopIsrael</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-red-america/" target="_blank">#StopRedAmerica</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-russia/" target="_blank">#StopRussia</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/support-ukraine/" target="_blank">#SupportUkraine</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/tapestry/" target="_blank">#Tapestry</a></p><p><a href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/?p=1716" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">battalion.mobileatom.net/?p=17</span><span class="invisible">16</span></a></p>