John Scott-Railton Profile picture
May 22, 2023 10 tweets 6 min read Read on X
Transparency: deleted thread about an article on how CN propaganda likely decontextualized & amplified a video of the Dalai Lama.

Because, though context matters, missing from that discussion is that it's also always ok to question the behavior of people w/authority. 1/
2/ And that "you misunderstood" is so commonly used to dismiss real allegations... that calling out China's deliberate decontextualization (and longstanding attempts to erase) Tibetan culture... without also front-ending this reality didn't strike a good balance.
3/ For those seeking context, Tibet's government in exile, as well as the Dalai Lama, have been subjected to relentless attacks and propaganda by China.

Much of it targeting a western audience.

It is part of a relentless drumbeat of repression. hrw.org/video-photos/i…
4/ Another more recent component of China's propaganda strategy around Tibet and other groups?

Influencers.

It is darkly ironic that they appear on YouTube, which is blocked within China.
aspi.org.au/report/frontie… ImageImageImage
5/ Tibetans, the government in exile, and the Dalai Lama himself are the longstanding targets and victims of concerted repression by China.

And China is constantly experimenting with new tactics to censor and block their voices.
reuters.com/article/china-… Image
6/ China has also been exceptionally active on platforms like #Twitter.

Some of this activity includes amplifying & promoting government narratives about minority groups.

With Twitter's blocking efforts gone, expect loads more...

(Pic 2021)
blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/c… Image
7/ Chinese efforts to shape the discourse aren't just limited to pushing propaganda narratives about minority groups.

Researchers have found evidence of networks targeting specific individuals, like female Asian journalists, for intense attacks.

axios.com/2022/06/03/chi… Image
8/ And it's not just bot accounts. An account of an individual who has worked for Chinese state-run media quickly showed up in the replies to my original tweets... repeatedly harassing and insulting people.
9/ The fact that you find as many headlines about Tibet is no accident.

China's efforts to prevent you from hearing Tibetan news, voices, context and perspectives extend far offline... and far outside China's borders.

codastory.com/authoritarian-… ImageImageImageImage
10/ Repression in Tibet (which is ruled by the #CCP) is *extreme* and seems designed to erase Tibetan identity & culture.

The Dalai Lama and Tibet's Central Tibetan Administration (government in exile) are based in Dharamshala, India.

freedomhouse.org/country/tibet/… ImageImageImageImage

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More from @jsrailton

Jun 18
🚨NEW REPORT: exposing a new hacking tactic.

🇷🇺Russian state-backed hackers used an App-Specific Password attack against prominent Russia expert @KeirGiles & others.

It's like they know what we all expect from them...and then did the opposite 1/

By us @citizenlab & @google's GTIGImage
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2/ Let's begin: @KeirGiles gets a message purporting to be from @StateDept asking for a consultation.

The attackers send the message from a @gmail, but CC'd a bunch of email addresses @ state.gov.

Strong credibility signal to have a bunch of gov ppl on the CC line right?

Well, what the attackers were counting on is that the State Dept mailserver just accepts all email addresses without emitting a bounce.

So they seem to have just created some fake State Dept staff names and addresses.Image
3/ The attackers wait for the 2nd interaction to introduce the pivotal deception: getting @KeirGiles to 'connect to a secure platform.'

In the next days they patiently walk him through what they want him to do, even sending a very official looking (but fake) State Dept. documentImage
Image
Read 10 tweets
Jun 12
🚨NEW INVESTIGATION: We just forensically unmasked #Paragon's Apple spyware.

Zero-click targets: Journalists. In 🇪🇺Europe.

Like 🇮🇹Italian reporter @ciropellegrino.

Reopen's #Italy's spyware scandal.

Follows our @citizenlab investigation of their Android spyware. 1/ Image
2/ Back in April, @Apple sent out a threat notification to a select group of users. Some got in touch with us @citizenlab to get analyzed.

They'd been targeted with a sophisticated zero-click attack (think: no click, no attachment to open, no mistake needed...).Image
3/ While my brilliant colleague @billmarczak was working on the phone of a prominent European journalist, he made a smoking gun discovery:

Requests to server matching our P1 fingerprint for #Paragon's graphite.

Paragon's 'undetectable' Apple spyware had just been found...Image
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Read 13 tweets
Jun 9
NEW: #Italy's spyware scandal just deepened.

Just days ago, #Italy claimed to not know who targeted Journalist @fcancellato with #Paragon spyware.

But now the spyware company is dropping heavy hints that this wasn't the full story👇
2/ Last week the #Italian government published a report acknowledging that they were responsible for certain #paragon spyware cases.

But left the politically trickiest case unanswered...
3/ Paragon frames itself as the anti-NSO... a "clean" spyware company.

But it didn't take long for them to get mired in an mess scandal in #Italy.

Now it looks like they are trying to find a way to fully wash their hands of the affair...

Read 7 tweets
Jun 6
NEW: Italy admits hacking activists with #Paragon spyware.

Blow to the reputation of a mercenary spyware company that marketed itself as an ethically clean anti-NSO.

But the official investigation doesn't answer a big mystery that's bad for #Italy & Paragon 1/..

By @omerbenjImage
2/ While Italy confirms the activist cases, they deny doing the politically explosive one:

Journalist & @fanpage editor Francesco Cancellato, whose reporting has tangled with the Prime Minister.

So who pointed Paragon against @fcancellato?

None of the answers are good... Image
3/ If we take the Italian government's claims to not know who targeted Italian journalist @fcancellato at face value...

Then it is a very bad look for #Paragon to have this case unexplained.

Who pointed their Graphite spyware at this European journalist?Image
Read 6 tweets
May 20
NEW: Pegasus spyware maker NSO Group just got publicly rebuffed by the US.

They came to DC to get off the US blacklist.

It did not work out. Thanks to their own actions.

You know about the human rights issues, but let me tell you why NSO is no friend to the United States. 1/ Image
2/ First, it's important to know that NSO was shady in how they set up the meeting.

For close observers, this is no surprise.

NSO constantly thinks that they can play the United States.

Part of what got them in trouble in the first place, but let's go deeper.Image
3/ First, NSO has consistently helped foreign governments target the US government.

And hack regular US citizens.

The first cases date back a decade to when the president of Panama used it to monitor the US embassy (and his mistress).

A decade later it was still happening...Image
Read 15 tweets
May 6
BREAKING: jury awards massive $167 million in punitive damages against spyware company NSO Group.

Precedent-setting win against the notorious #Pegasus spyware maker.

Congratulations to @WhatsApp on sticking this case through since 2019. Some thoughts 1/
2/ After years of every trick & delay tactic it only took a California jury one days deliberation to the heart of the matter:

NSO makes millions hacking mostly-🇺🇸American tech companies... so that dictators can hack dissidents.

Their conduct deserved to be punished.
3/ NSO Group emerges from the trial severely damaged.

The verdict ($167,256,000 punitive, $440K+ compensatory) is big enough to make your eyes water.

The case is ALSO a huge blow to NSO's secrecy, with their business splashed all over a courtroom.

This will scare customers...
Read 14 tweets

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