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

Jul 26
You've been non-consensually opted into training Twitter / X's Grok AI.

Want to opt out?

✅Go here:

-or-

✅Navigate to: Settings ➡️ Privacy & Safety ➡️ Grokx.com/settings/grok_…Image
I'm hearing a lot of feedback from people struggling to opt out of Grok data sharing in on the mobile app.

Some report having success with the web version.

Again, not good. Regulators are surely paying attention.
Big Picture: Default Opt-Ins from big platforms are not good.

They typically exist because platforms want numbers & know that default opt-ins usually get much more participation than default opt-outs.

Draw your own conclusions whenever you see them being applied.
Read 4 tweets
Jul 12
STAGGERING: Nearly all @ATT customers' text & call records breached.

An unknown entity now has an NSA-level view into Americans' lives.

Damage isn't limited to AT&T customers.

But everyone they interacted with.

Also a huge national security incident given government customers on $T. 1/

By @MattEganCNN &@snlyngaas
cnn.com/2024/07/12/bus…Image
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2/ From @ATT's SEC filing. None of this is remotely reassuring.

Making matters worse, it looks like some of the data has cell site information.

That means broad stroke location information that can be translated into intelligence about peoples' locations and movements.

sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archiv…Image
3/ Attack of the dreaded third-party cloud platform. In this case, per reporting, this is again @SnowflakeDB.

If this sounds vaguely familiar it's because Snowflake has featured in reporting on a whole host of recent breaches, from #Santander to #Ticketmaster.

In other news, Snowflake finally implemented mandatory multi-factor authentication option.Image
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Read 10 tweets
Jul 11
WOW: Bolsonaro's spy services in #Brazil allegedly ran sprawling technical surveillance of:

❌Opposition leaders
❌Judges
❌journalists
❌environmental officials
❌Those investigating son for corruption...

Then used the material.. 1/

@tomphillipsin
theguardian.com/world/article/…



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2/ OF COURSE. Material allegedly surreptitiously collected by this parallel intelligence service... was then used in harassment campaigns.

This pipeline of technical surveillance to disinformation is achingly familiar to anyone that has lived under authoritarianism. Image
3/ OF COURSE: surveillance tool used in illegal spying in #Brazil was made by @Cognyte .

Commercial surveillance company $CGNT is already notorious for being used in targeting of journalists & politicians around the world...


about.fb.com/wp-content/upl…
abcnews.go.com/International/…Image
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Read 7 tweets
Jul 10
IMPORTANT: has @Apple sent you a mercenary spyware threat notification?

Latest round just went out.

Take them seriously. Get expert help.

If you a journalist, activist, dissident etc. I suggest you ✅contact @accessnow's helpline. 1/
accessnow.org/help/
2/ In my experience, @Apple's mercenary spyware threat notifications do several things:

✅ Help users take action to secure themselves
✅ Impose cost on spyware companies & customers
✅ Keep us researchers busy investigating cases

They can also have a✅deterrent effect.
@Apple 3/ I never tire of saying that @apple threat notifications have helped to change the information balance between spyware victims & those that target them.

They have also kicked off waves of scandals & discoveries of spyware abuses. Like in #Poland👇

Read 5 tweets
Jul 9
NEW: @TheJusticeDept just disrupted a Russian-run AI-enabled Twitter disinformation bot farm.

Almost 1000 accounts on @X.

Masqueraded as Americans & promoted Russian government narratives.

Fascinating sleuthing behind this 1/
justice.gov/opa/pr/justice…



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2/ The investigation behind this Russian political interference takedown is interesting.

First, the @FBI got account registration info for a slice of fake accounts on @X

They found a lot of email accounts registered on the same server.

So they went to the registrar...
Image
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@FBI @X 3/ While the domain registrar (Namecheap) had a bunch of account registration information for the @FBI, the info was a fake name and some alias information.

Strike out? No. The FBI began a subpoena cascade, starting with the Google account used to register the domain. Image
Read 10 tweets
Jul 6
Another jailed dissident goes into hospital.

One by one, Putin's goal is to eliminate them all.

Now is the time for international attention to the condition of Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Image
2/ Kara-Murza is an incredibly brave voice and thorn in Putin's side.

He was twice-poisoned and was then imprisoned after a show trial.

And he's not the only person in grave danger...
nybooks.com/online/2017/02…
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3/ Another Russian truth teller in danger?

Ilya Yashin, jailed after speaking out on Putin's invasion of #Ukraine.

He is among at least 766 political prisoners in Russia according to human rights organization @pzk_memo_eng , which maintains a list: memopzk.orgImage
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Read 4 tweets

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