Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sohan Dsouza

@sohandsouza.info

9.9K followers 970 following 1.1K posts

🥼 @MPIB-Berlin.bsky.social; 📚 computational social science, disinformation/polarization, crowdsourcing, OSINT; 🎓 @MIT.edu @MediaLab.bsky.social, @DFRLab.bsky.social #DigitalSherlocks; 📍 London, England; https://www.sohandsouza.info

www.sohandsouza.info

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 19d

🇬🇧🕵️🧑‍💻🧑‍🏫 The British Computer Society has published my recent presentation for them in London, on my investigations of international influence operations and misinformation spread affecting the UK, and OSINT/SOCMINT basics.
▶️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBhH...

#disinfo #misinfo #infops #OSINT #SOCMINT #UK

1 2 4

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

The Boston Globe @bostonglobe.com · 5d

MIT became the first university to reject the Trump administration’s compact of demands, after its president Sally Kornbluth said the school already “meet or exceed many standards outlined” by the federal government.

MIT becomes first school to reject proposed ‘compact’ with Trump administration - The Boston Globe

MIT president Sally Kornbluth said the university’s practices already “meet or exceed” the federal government’s list of demands.

trib.al

6 55 180

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 2d

«Reuters revealed last year the U.S. had operated a program during the pandemic to undermine Chinese vaccines in the Philippines, including through fake social-media accounts.
The Chinese embassy said at that time that Washington should “stop slandering and smearing other countries."»

#irony

Reuters @reuters.com · 9d

The Chinese embassy in Manila hired a marketing firm that ran fake social media accounts praising China, undermining the Philippines’ security alliance with the US, and criticizing Western COVID vaccines, Reuters found reut.rs/437dUqn

How China waged an infowar against U.S. interests in the Philippines

The Chinese embassy in Manila hired a marketing firm that ran fake social media accounts praising China, undermining the Philippines’ security alliance with the U.S., and criticizing Western COVID vaccines, Reuters found.

reut.rs

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · 5d

NEW: Pegasus spyware coming to America?

An ex-Adam Sandler producer with ties to China is trying to acquire NSO Group.

Again.

Simonds fronted this before in 2023 & failed. But the backers haven't given up. Why?

Where is the money coming from? 1/

www.globes.co.il/news/article...

6 42 70

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

Joe Pierre, MD @psychunseen.bsky.social · 4d

FALSE is now available at Amazon for the insanely low price of $4.36.

No better time to pick up a copy, give it a read, and write a review.

Thank you!

www.amazon.com/False-Mistru...

1 5

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 3d

The autumn weather's not been too bad these past few days too. Today was especially lovely.

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

Sarah Kirchberger @sarahkirchberger.bsky.social · 4d

🔥“Security researchers say they duped pro-🇷🇺 Russia cybercriminals into targeting a fake critical infrastructure organization, which the crew later claimed - via their Telegram group - to be a real-world attack (on what looked like) a water treatment plant to a remote attacker.”

The Register @theregister.com · 5d

Pro-Russia hacktivist group dies of cringe after falling into researchers' trap

Forescout's phony water plant fooled TwoNet into claiming a fake cyber victory – then it quietly shut up shop Security researchers say they duped pro-Russia cybercriminals into targeting a fake critical infrastructure organization, which the crew later claimed - via their Telegram group - to be a real-world attack.…

dlvr.it

1 13 36

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 4d

It’s this multiple times a day

They don't even bother to lie badly anymore.
I suppose that's the final humiliation.

6 300 1.4K

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

VoteVets @votevets.org · 5d

Is this the military or is this kindergarten? What's next, demanding your mommy sign a note explaining why you didn't eat your entire MRE?

33 110 430

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

National Secular Society @natsecsoc.bsky.social · 5d

SUCCESS! Hamit Coskun's conviction has been overturned.

Today's judgment is an important victory, reaffirming the vital principle that free speech protects the right to offend, shock, or disturb – even when it challenges deeply held religious beliefs.
www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/10...

Success! Court upholds right to free speech in Quran burning appeal

National Secular Society welcomes decision as "important victory for freedom of speech" Read More »

www.secularism.org.uk

1 7 20

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 5d

Additionally, any exclusion zone around some facility or event must be content-neutral. It is not for the state to discern, flatten, and issue official recognition for any group's notions of sanctity.

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 5d

«[…] a society where causing offence is treated as a crime, and where "harassment" and "alarm" are invoked to police speech. The result is a creeping 'heckler's veto' – where those who are "alarmed" or willing to threaten or commit violence get to decide what can and cannot be said.»

Stephen Evans @stephenmevans.bsky.social · 5d

Judgement due today in the case of a man who burned a Quran in an act of political protest. The right to express oneself – even clumsily or offensively – is a cornerstone of a free, democratic society. That's why the NSS is backing Hamit Coskun's appeal.
www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2025...

Why we’re defending Hamit Coskun – and why it matters

Ahead of this week's appeal hearing, Stephen Evans says the NSS is supporting Hamit Coskun – not to defend his actions, but to defend the vital principle that free speech must include the right to off...

www.secularism.org.uk

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

Marc Owen Jones @marcowenjones.bsky.social · 9d

New investigation. "Nobody Talks Like This: Meet 50 AI-Powered Propaganda Accounts in Sudan's Social Media War"

How 50 AI-generated accounts are flooding Twitter with pro-UAE and anti-Muslim (Brotherhood) propaganda on Sudan's civil war

marcowenjones.substack.com/p/nobody-tal... #disinformation

1 11 26

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 7d

«Even before the strike on the prison, messages and videos were posted on X in that spirit after the war broke out. "Tehran is defenseless," one user wrote, while another suggested that people in the city should storm banks and withdraw their money.»

#Israel #Iran #infops #disinfo #war

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 12d

Citizen Lab found that an online network pushed out deepfake videos during Israel's airstrikes on Tehran's Evin Prison. An investigation by TheMarker and Haaretz reveals the Persian-language online campaigns indirectly funded by Israel. www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

The Israeli influence operation in Iran pushing to reinstate the shah monarchy

Citizen Lab Found That an Online Network Pushed Out Deepfake Videos During Israel's Airstrikes on Tehran's Evin Prison. An Investigation by TheMarker and Haaretz Reveals the Persian-language Online Ca...

www.haaretz.com

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

Col. Boozy Badger @boozybadger.lawyersandliquor.com · 8d

Dunno man, seems a little misleading to write an article about Trump describing activity in Portland and Chicago as “insurrection” with a 33 year old photo of a burning donut shop taken in the 1992 LA Riots (sans caption explaining that) as the header on all your posts about it.

The picture from
The article with a picture of an armed men standing in front of a burning donut shop. You must click through to read the caption “
Two National guardsmen stand guard outside a burning donut shop in Los Angeles on April 30, 1992.
The National Guard was called in to aid police during the second day of rioting in the city.”

82 1.8K 5K

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

Ruslan Trad @ruslantrad.bsky.social · 13d

Recorded Future uncovers new details of a CopyCop operation (widely known as Storm-1516). Since March, the network has launched more than 200 fake websites (totalling over 300 domains).

CopyCop Deepens Its Playbook with New Websites and Targets

CopyCop expands Russian influence ops with 300+ fake websites targeting the US, France, Canada & more—using AI, deepfakes, and GRU-backed infrastructure.

www.recordedfuture.com

2 6

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 11d

🚨 A critically important endeavour.

Who Targets Me @whotargets.me · 15d

Google just wiped EU data from its political ad library. Meta’s ban on political ads in the EU starts soon and we're worried they might do the same.

We need a backup of the EU Meta Ad Library now. If you have data (2018–present) or skills to help, let us know:
ir96l7a6vsf.typeform.com/to/fIk9XMZT

Save the EU Ad Libraries

Meta may soon switch off ad libraries in the EU and remove data going back to 2018. Help ensure this data is archived for research.

ir96l7a6vsf.typeform.com

1 1 4

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 11d

Crackpots barrelling all the way down.

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 11d

Imitating the UK government portal stylesheet in ads for purported car finance refunds.
Sneaky.

adstransparency.google.com/advertiser/A...
find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/0805...

1 2

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 12d

Remember, it's only "political correctness" when you have to worry about being ostracized and boycotted by the citizenry, but not when you have to worry about what politicians in actual power might do with it.

CEOs stay quiet as Trump turns up the pressure

CEOs were already cautious about speaking their minds. Now, they're becoming even more tight-lipped.

www.businessinsider.com

1 3

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

New_ Public @newpublic.org · 14d

How will technology continue to shape how we talk to each other? We’re seeking a researcher to help tackle big questions like this.

Working with Co-Director @eli.bsky.social, this is a chance to engage with experts, dive into the research, and contribute directly to the field and our strategy.

Job posting graphic with coral orange background featuring white text that reads "NOW HIRING Research Fellow - AI & The Future of Social Conversation" with an abstract geometric illustration of a door or archway. Details include 20-25 hours per week, $40/hour, remote position for U.S. or Canada, working through 2/28/26.

1 6 5

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 12d

Fun with Kevin Bacon pathfinding and other network analysis tricks at the workshop, and the latest case analyses and product updates onstage, at the @neo4j.com #GraphSummit today.

#London #tech #database #graphData

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 13d

"Is an AI company implementing guardrails on problematic prompts for its public LLM service censoring you or itself?", and other fascinating questions at yesterday's @indexoncensorship.org panel discussion and magazine issue launch.

#LLMs #AI #censorship #tech #chatbots

1 1 2

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 14d

Well, since it has no fascist bigot implications, let's just name it after him henceforth.
For example, this is a photo of August Landmesser refusing to join others in doing the Musk salute:

Reposted by Sohan Dsouza

EU DisinfoLab @disinfo.eu · 16d

📢 DSA, data access: What? When? How?

A unique opportunity to hear directly from the European Commission on the new rules for data access... and clear your doubts!

2 October, 14:30–15:30 CEST
with João Vinagre, JRC, European Commission.

🔗 us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

3 7

Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · 14d

Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to incite fear of China vaccines

The covert effort began under Trump and continued into Biden’s presidency, Reuters found. Health experts say it endangered lives for possible geopolitical gain.