Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 6h

Here's the piece we discussed:
newrepublic.com/article/2014...

Inside Stephen Miller’s Secret Plan to Normalize Trump’s Dictator Rule

He wants to supercharge searing civil tensions to get low-information voters to embrace their inner authoritarian. Exactly two Democrats appear to fully grasp this.

newrepublic.com

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Kate Clancy @kateclancy.bsky.social · 7h

I am being asked to tell my department which pieces of lab equipment should be supported with backup power because they expect rolling blackouts and brownouts in 2026 due to increased energy demands from AI. In case you're wondering how my day is going.

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Sarah Kirchberger @sarahkirchberger.bsky.social · 2d

🚨Amazing:
🇳🇴 Norway’s drone detection system protecting Oslo Airport comes from 🇨🇳 Chinese company DJI Aeroscope, with system updates coming directly from DJI in China.

Unexpectedly that 🇨🇳 system was down for a full 19h from the evening of September 22nd, which is why the airport had to be closed.

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Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 6h

I'm sorry, is the Trump Administration talking to a tech platform?

Is it...requesting content moderation?

Today following outreach from @thejusticedept, Facebook removed a large group page that was being used to dox and target @ICEgov agents in Chicago.
The wave of violence against ICE has been driven by online apps and social media campaigns designed to put ICE officers at risk just for doing their jobs. The Department of Justice will continue engaging tech companies to eliminate platforms where radicals can incite imminent violence against federal law enforcement.

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Josh Sternberg @joshsternberg.com · 7h

To see if the IT industry is keeping up with the rapidly evolving deepfake threat with equally sophisticated educational content, @briannamonsanto.bsky.social talked w/several security firms—and created deepfakes of herself.

www.itbrew.com/stories/2025...

Here’s what deepfake security awareness simulations look like in 2025

We tried out educational training content focused on AI-powered attacks from three different SAT companies.

www.itbrew.com

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SemprePhi @semprephi.bsky.social · 9h

Same as it ever was…
www.popsci.com/science/misi...

Rumors spread like viruses. The French Revolution proved it.

Historians and epidemiologists join forces to uncover some scary and relevant lessons.

www.popsci.com

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karl rove knausgård @uhactually.bsky.social · 23h

Lmao WaPo has fewer than 100K circulation now. It turns out “alienate your liberal subscriber base” is not a good strategy when the Republicans also hate you. www.forbes.com/sites/andyme...

The Washington Post Is Running Out Of Readers Willing To Pay

Once a titan of American journalism, The Washington Post now struggles to reach even 100,000 print subscribers most days.

www.forbes.com

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Tim White @twmcltd.bsky.social · 13h

Russia has today attacked humanitarian aid vehicles in Kherson region.

Tons of food was destroyed in Bilozerka when four large lorries, clearly marked with the UN WFP (World Food Programme) were bombarded by drones and artillery.

Two lorries were hit, drivers managed to escape.

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Tim White @twmcltd.bsky.social · 14h

I'm still going! And Ukraine is still free.
Day 1329 and we all do our bit to stop Russia's imperialism and worse, genocide of Ukraine, its people and culture.

Reporting, sharing, making people care who didn't before, holding politicians to account. It's all so important.
Welcome to the🧵

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Julia Davis @juliadavisnews.bsky.social · 23h

Meanwhile in Russia: decorated state TV host Vladimir Solovyov threatened Ukraine and the West with destruction.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TewC...

Vladimir Solovyov threatens Ukraine and the West with destruction

YouTube video by Russian Media Monitor

www.youtube.com

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Andrew Couts @couts.bsky.social · 20h

NEW: A stunning new study finds that satellite transmissions—from calls and texts on T-Mobile to US and Mexico military communications—were sent unencrypted for any snoop to grab. @agreenberg.bsky.social and @mattburgess1.bsky.social have the scoop: www.wired.com/story/satell...

Satellites Are Leaking the World’s Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military and Corporate Data

With just $800 in basic equipment, researchers found a stunning variety of data—including thousands of T-Mobile users’ calls and texts and even US military communications—sent by satellites unencrypte...

www.wired.com

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Katelyn Boo-urns @katelynburns.com · 1d

Holy shit go off John Oliver youtu.be/gieTx_P6INQ?...

Bari Weiss: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight

youtu.be

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auonsson @auonsson.bsky.social · 2d

Russian air defence is keeping track of when Swedish signals intelligence aircraft S102B Korpen take off from Malmen, Sweden and Russian forces are notified and warned.

Other SIGINT aircraft does not seem to cause this warning to be sent.

Go Sweden!

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Tim White @twmcltd.bsky.social · 1d

Hello again. Monday 13 October is Day 1328 of Russia's latest war. Where will be next? And when?

It is WHEN and not IF... unless Russia is beaten here.
Allowing Russia a "peace deal" where they stolen land is permitted, where their army is battle hardened and intact would be another huge blunder.

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Dr. Émile P. Torres @xriskology.bsky.social · 2d

What an incredibly weird timeline we all ended up in. www.theverge.com/news/798681/...

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Must love 🐶 @rojorurba002.bsky.social · 2d

www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Very dangerous guy

Curtis Yarvin’s Plot Against America

The reactionary blogger’s call for a monarch to rule the country once seemed like a joke. Now the right is ready to bend the knee.

www.newyorker.com

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Meredith Lowry @meredithlowry.bsky.social · 2d

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

"They used hallucinated cases."

Cathy Gellis @cathygellis.bsky.social · 2d

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

"Google dropped its opposition."

(Think about the fight against KOSA and other such garbage.)

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 2d

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

Archives banned making copies.

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Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 2d

The Senate Intelligence Authorization Act contains a major change that would allow the CIA’s top lawyer to avoid the Senate confirmation process. In an era of creeping authoritarianism this could hasten the Intelligence Community’s use as a tool of political espionage. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...

EFF and Other Organizations: Keep Key Intelligence Positions Senate

In a joint letter to the ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees, EFF has joined with 20 other organizations, including the ACLU, Brennan Center, CDT, Asian Americans

www.eff.org

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Idiokratie @idiokratie.bsky.social · Jan 9

The second network is *transnational organized crime,* where Trump is most at home. Their goal is to *collapse the US and strip it and sell it for parts,* much like the oligarch wars that followed the collapse of the USSR. This network has been active for decades as well.

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Idiokratie @idiokratie.bsky.social · Jan 9

Here's the Sarah Kendzior short primer for political rookies:
Trump is merely a front. A bulldozer used by two GOP-linked networks that often collaborate.
The first network are *hard right-wing ideologues* that have been gradually converting the USA to neo-fascism ever since the Reagan era.

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The Moscow Times @themoscowtimes.com · 2d

The coordination is part of a broader effort to weaken Russia’s economy and pressure Putin into peace talks, FT's sources said.

U.S. Intelligence Helps Ukraine Strike Russian Energy Infrastructure – FT - The Moscow Times

The United States has been providing Ukraine with intelligence to help plan long-range drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries, since this summer, the Financial Times ...

www.themoscowtimes.com

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Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · 2d

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...

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The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 2d

"In an authoritarian context, all journalism will tend toward propaganda unless it is explicitly formulated as anti-authoritarian. Unless an institution is explicitly designed to counter authoritarianism, it will end up aiding the authoritarians."

The Washington Post and CBS News are dying. The Bulwark is the future.

We drink their milkshake.

www.thebulwark.com

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tonsanx2.bsky.social @tonsanx2.bsky.social · 2d

Tja. Det er jo sikkert noen dager siden jeg hørte om menn og midtlivskrise sist...

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Dave Vetter @davidrvetter.bsky.social · 2d

Every day is a good day to point out that 92% of Reform's donations were found to come from figures and groups linked to the fossil fuel industry. @desmog.com

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party Has Accepted £2.3 Million from Fossil Fuel Interests, Climate Deniers, and Polluters Since 2019 Election

Reform UK has received more than £2.3 million from oil and gas interests, highly polluting industries, and climate science deniers since December 2019, amounting to 92 percent of the party’s donations...

www.desmog.com

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