Luis Barrueto
@lebarrueto.bsky.social
From Guatemala, based in Berlin 🇩🇪 | 🏳️🌈 activist | Work in human rights and digital security
#IntellexaLeaks: A recent investigation offers new insights to the capacities and architecture of Predator spyware + new infection vectors (incl. attacks via advertising).
All of this while its maker, Intellexa, retained direct access to espionage victims!
securitylab.amnesty.org/latest/2025/...
All of this while its maker, Intellexa, retained direct access to espionage victims!
securitylab.amnesty.org/latest/2025/...
To Catch a Predator: Leak exposes the internal operations of Intellexa’s mercenary spyware - Amnesty International Security Lab
Drawing on leaked internal company documents, sales and marketing material, as well as training videos, the “Intellexa Leaks” investigation gives a never-before-seen glimpse of the internal operations...
securitylab.amnesty.org
December 12, 2025 at 11:54 AM
#IntellexaLeaks: A recent investigation offers new insights to the capacities and architecture of Predator spyware + new infection vectors (incl. attacks via advertising).
All of this while its maker, Intellexa, retained direct access to espionage victims!
securitylab.amnesty.org/latest/2025/...
All of this while its maker, Intellexa, retained direct access to espionage victims!
securitylab.amnesty.org/latest/2025/...
Reposted by Luis Barrueto
I am by no means a prominent public intellectual, but my inbox is increasingly filled with messages from people who have been convinced by sycophantic chatbots that they have discovered revolutionary theories that entirely upend our scientific understanding of the universe.
November 21, 2025 at 2:49 AM
I am by no means a prominent public intellectual, but my inbox is increasingly filled with messages from people who have been convinced by sycophantic chatbots that they have discovered revolutionary theories that entirely upend our scientific understanding of the universe.
Reposted by Luis Barrueto
Now we're seeing confirmation of the NSO acquisition.
Mark my words, this is the path through which Pegasus gets put on Americans iPhones & Androids.
This dictatorship-in-a-box belongs nowhere near our constitutional rights.
Mark my words, this is the path through which Pegasus gets put on Americans iPhones & Androids.
This dictatorship-in-a-box belongs nowhere near our constitutional rights.
SCOOP: Spyware maker NSO Group confirmed to us that the company has been acquired by a U.S. investment group.
NSO's spokesperson said the group "has invested tens of millions of dollars in the company and has acquired controlling ownership," but declined to say who is behind the investment.
NSO's spokesperson said the group "has invested tens of millions of dollars in the company and has acquired controlling ownership," but declined to say who is behind the investment.
Spyware maker NSO Group confirms acquisition by US investors | TechCrunch
NSO Group confirmed to TechCrunch that an unnamed group of American investors has taken “controlling ownership” of the surveillance tech maker.
techcrunch.com
October 10, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Now we're seeing confirmation of the NSO acquisition.
Mark my words, this is the path through which Pegasus gets put on Americans iPhones & Androids.
This dictatorship-in-a-box belongs nowhere near our constitutional rights.
Mark my words, this is the path through which Pegasus gets put on Americans iPhones & Androids.
This dictatorship-in-a-box belongs nowhere near our constitutional rights.
Reposted by Luis Barrueto
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has reportedly issued a presidential pardon for the imprisoned Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah.
He is set to be released once Sisi’s decision is published in the Official Gazette. www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...
He is set to be released once Sisi’s decision is published in the Official Gazette. www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...
September 22, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has reportedly issued a presidential pardon for the imprisoned Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah.
He is set to be released once Sisi’s decision is published in the Official Gazette. www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...
He is set to be released once Sisi’s decision is published in the Official Gazette. www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...
“We need a robust digital civil society to try to hold the line today and to try to make things better tomorrow. With the clear slide into tyranny, and tech so central to that slide, we need digital [civil] society more than ever”
www.wired.com/story/eff-ci...
www.wired.com/story/eff-ci...
Cindy Cohn Is Leaving the EFF, but Not the Fight for Digital Rights
After 25 years at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Cindy Cohn is stepping down as executive director. In a WIRED interview, she reflects on encryption, AI, and why she’s not ready to quit the battl...
www.wired.com
September 12, 2025 at 9:17 AM
“We need a robust digital civil society to try to hold the line today and to try to make things better tomorrow. With the clear slide into tyranny, and tech so central to that slide, we need digital [civil] society more than ever”
www.wired.com/story/eff-ci...
www.wired.com/story/eff-ci...
Reposted by Luis Barrueto
Heading to #IGF25? Drop by our Digital Safety Clinic!
We’re supporting activists, journalists & civil society to boost digital security.
📍 Lillestrøm, Norway
🗓️ June 24–27
🌍 Not there? Reach out here 👉 www.accessnow.org/help/
We’re supporting activists, journalists & civil society to boost digital security.
📍 Lillestrøm, Norway
🗓️ June 24–27
🌍 Not there? Reach out here 👉 www.accessnow.org/help/
June 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Heading to #IGF25? Drop by our Digital Safety Clinic!
We’re supporting activists, journalists & civil society to boost digital security.
📍 Lillestrøm, Norway
🗓️ June 24–27
🌍 Not there? Reach out here 👉 www.accessnow.org/help/
We’re supporting activists, journalists & civil society to boost digital security.
📍 Lillestrøm, Norway
🗓️ June 24–27
🌍 Not there? Reach out here 👉 www.accessnow.org/help/
Reposted by Luis Barrueto
Today is the 5 year anniversary to when I slowly started losing my mind during the pandemic and began dressing up as works of art.
As my Twitter account has long been abandoned, why not make a thread of my madness on BlueSky?
This was “The Maid” by Wilhelm August Lebrecht Amberg, from 1862
As my Twitter account has long been abandoned, why not make a thread of my madness on BlueSky?
This was “The Maid” by Wilhelm August Lebrecht Amberg, from 1862
April 2, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Today is the 5 year anniversary to when I slowly started losing my mind during the pandemic and began dressing up as works of art.
As my Twitter account has long been abandoned, why not make a thread of my madness on BlueSky?
This was “The Maid” by Wilhelm August Lebrecht Amberg, from 1862
As my Twitter account has long been abandoned, why not make a thread of my madness on BlueSky?
This was “The Maid” by Wilhelm August Lebrecht Amberg, from 1862
Reposted by Luis Barrueto
No Other Land Co-Director Yuval Abraham:
"The foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path. Why? Can't you see that we are intertwined? There is another way. It's not too late for life, for the living. There is no other way."
"The foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path. Why? Can't you see that we are intertwined? There is another way. It's not too late for life, for the living. There is no other way."
March 3, 2025 at 2:49 AM
No Other Land Co-Director Yuval Abraham:
"The foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path. Why? Can't you see that we are intertwined? There is another way. It's not too late for life, for the living. There is no other way."
"The foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path. Why? Can't you see that we are intertwined? There is another way. It's not too late for life, for the living. There is no other way."
Judith Butler with a warning:
“If we continue to be gripped with outrage and stilled by stupefaction by each day’s new proclamation, we will fail to discern what links them.”
And an invitation to stand back and come up with our own driving force.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
“If we continue to be gripped with outrage and stilled by stupefaction by each day’s new proclamation, we will fail to discern what links them.”
And an invitation to stand back and come up with our own driving force.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Trump is unleashing sadism upon the world. But we cannot get overwhelmed | Judith Butler
Those who celebrate his defiance and sadism are as claimed by his logic as those who are paralyzed with outrage
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Judith Butler with a warning:
“If we continue to be gripped with outrage and stilled by stupefaction by each day’s new proclamation, we will fail to discern what links them.”
And an invitation to stand back and come up with our own driving force.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
“If we continue to be gripped with outrage and stilled by stupefaction by each day’s new proclamation, we will fail to discern what links them.”
And an invitation to stand back and come up with our own driving force.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Luis Barrueto
Age verification laws are right up there with real names policies in the pantheon of "you think this is going to help people, but it's actually quite disastrously bad" ideas.
The Impact of Age Verification Measures Goes Beyond Porn Sites
As age verification bills pass across the world under the guise of “keeping children safe online,” governments are increasingly giving themselves the authority to decide what topics are deemed “safe” ...
www.eff.org
January 24, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Age verification laws are right up there with real names policies in the pantheon of "you think this is going to help people, but it's actually quite disastrously bad" ideas.
We👏cannot👏abandon👏the👏most👏vulnerable👏communities👏to👏assuage👏the👏most powerful.
Even if we did, it would never be enough.
Even if we did, it would never be enough.
For the @nytimes.com I wrote about how Enough is Enough with the incumbent president and his cabinet of folly and let’s stop coddling Trump voters and be real clear-eyed about what lies ahead. www.nytimes.com/2024/11/17/o...
Opinion | Enough
To suggest we should yield even a little to Trump’s odious politics is unacceptable. Even if we did, it would never be enough.
www.nytimes.com
November 17, 2024 at 5:40 PM
We👏cannot👏abandon👏the👏most👏vulnerable👏communities👏to👏assuage👏the👏most powerful.
Even if we did, it would never be enough.
Even if we did, it would never be enough.
The Room Next Door 🤌🏼
November 16, 2024 at 10:20 AM
The Room Next Door 🤌🏼
Worried about your digital security? It’s always the right time to take action, so here are some key steps to reinforce your digital communications.
www.wired.com/story/the-wi...
www.wired.com/story/the-wi...
The WIRED Guide to Protecting Yourself From Government Surveillance
Donald Trump has vowed to deport millions and jail his enemies. To carry out that agenda, his administration will exploit America’s digital surveillance machine. Here are some steps you can take to ev...
www.wired.com
November 15, 2024 at 10:31 PM
Worried about your digital security? It’s always the right time to take action, so here are some key steps to reinforce your digital communications.
www.wired.com/story/the-wi...
www.wired.com/story/the-wi...
In Jordan, more than 35 people –including journalists, lawyers, and members of civil society– were targeted with spyware. Access Now unearths yet another instance of NSO Group's Pegasus deployment to repress civil society and enable violations of human rights:
www.accessnow.org/publication/...
www.accessnow.org/publication/...
How Pegasus spyware crushes civic space in Jordan
Access Now launched the new investigation report to reveal how Pegasus spyware crushes civic space in Jordan.
www.accessnow.org
February 1, 2024 at 7:59 PM
In Jordan, more than 35 people –including journalists, lawyers, and members of civil society– were targeted with spyware. Access Now unearths yet another instance of NSO Group's Pegasus deployment to repress civil society and enable violations of human rights:
www.accessnow.org/publication/...
www.accessnow.org/publication/...
Andrea Long Chu warns against the freedom of speech trap:
“The very idea of free speech, especially when deployed outside of its narrow constitutional sense, tends to obfuscate the material stakes of a situation.”
nymag.com/intelligence...
“The very idea of free speech, especially when deployed outside of its narrow constitutional sense, tends to obfuscate the material stakes of a situation.”
nymag.com/intelligence...
December 23, 2023 at 10:08 AM
Andrea Long Chu warns against the freedom of speech trap:
“The very idea of free speech, especially when deployed outside of its narrow constitutional sense, tends to obfuscate the material stakes of a situation.”
nymag.com/intelligence...
“The very idea of free speech, especially when deployed outside of its narrow constitutional sense, tends to obfuscate the material stakes of a situation.”
nymag.com/intelligence...
Surprising to no one, but important research still: Verified accounts thrive as they spread dis/misinformation on Israel-Gaza, according to this ProPublica report.
They also say Community Notes is not –I would say cannot be– up to the challenge.
www.propublica.org/article/x-ve...
They also say Community Notes is not –I would say cannot be– up to the challenge.
www.propublica.org/article/x-ve...
How Verified Accounts on X Thrive While Spreading Misinformation About the Israel-Hamas Conflict
With the gutting of content moderation initiatives at X, accounts with blue checks, once a sign of authenticity, are disseminating debunked claims and gaining more followers. Community Notes, X’s fa...
www.propublica.org
December 20, 2023 at 5:07 PM
Surprising to no one, but important research still: Verified accounts thrive as they spread dis/misinformation on Israel-Gaza, according to this ProPublica report.
They also say Community Notes is not –I would say cannot be– up to the challenge.
www.propublica.org/article/x-ve...
They also say Community Notes is not –I would say cannot be– up to the challenge.
www.propublica.org/article/x-ve...
"Beginning of the end" for fossil fuels? Looks closer to our end as a species.
Worse still is that the next COP will go to another petrol state and fossil fuel groups will continue to have the upper hand, when activists and environmental defenders face crackdown.
unfccc.int/news/cop28-a...
Worse still is that the next COP will go to another petrol state and fossil fuel groups will continue to have the upper hand, when activists and environmental defenders face crackdown.
unfccc.int/news/cop28-a...
unfccc.int
December 13, 2023 at 4:41 PM
"Beginning of the end" for fossil fuels? Looks closer to our end as a species.
Worse still is that the next COP will go to another petrol state and fossil fuel groups will continue to have the upper hand, when activists and environmental defenders face crackdown.
unfccc.int/news/cop28-a...
Worse still is that the next COP will go to another petrol state and fossil fuel groups will continue to have the upper hand, when activists and environmental defenders face crackdown.
unfccc.int/news/cop28-a...
On the Oversight Board's role in Israel-Hamas conflict: "“It’s not clear why some of these exceptions are made for some conflicts and not others".
This is why human rights law should be adopted by platforms and baked into their operations:
www.wired.com/story/oversi...
This is why human rights law should be adopted by platforms and baked into their operations:
www.wired.com/story/oversi...
Israel–Hamas Conflict Sparks Meta Oversight Board’s First Emergency Case
The board is going to look at two posts removed for violating Meta’s policies against sharing graphic imagery and depicting dangerous organizations and individuals.
www.wired.com
December 8, 2023 at 9:45 AM
On the Oversight Board's role in Israel-Hamas conflict: "“It’s not clear why some of these exceptions are made for some conflicts and not others".
This is why human rights law should be adopted by platforms and baked into their operations:
www.wired.com/story/oversi...
This is why human rights law should be adopted by platforms and baked into their operations:
www.wired.com/story/oversi...
Reposted by Luis Barrueto
It’s hard to watch the horrific scenes coming from Gaza and the escalating death toll.
@marwasf.bsky.social joins @parismarx.bsky.social to discuss the info war on social media, internet shutdowns, and what people can do to support Palestinian rights.
Listen here: techwontsave.us/episode/194_...
@marwasf.bsky.social joins @parismarx.bsky.social to discuss the info war on social media, internet shutdowns, and what people can do to support Palestinian rights.
Listen here: techwontsave.us/episode/194_...
November 16, 2023 at 3:02 PM
It’s hard to watch the horrific scenes coming from Gaza and the escalating death toll.
@marwasf.bsky.social joins @parismarx.bsky.social to discuss the info war on social media, internet shutdowns, and what people can do to support Palestinian rights.
Listen here: techwontsave.us/episode/194_...
@marwasf.bsky.social joins @parismarx.bsky.social to discuss the info war on social media, internet shutdowns, and what people can do to support Palestinian rights.
Listen here: techwontsave.us/episode/194_...
New report by Access Now outlines how Palestinians have been cut off by all communication – focuses in October, but the situation continues.
Internet shutdowns and telecommunications disruptions in Gaza violate international human rights law.
Internet shutdowns and telecommunications disruptions in Gaza violate international human rights law.
Palestine unplugged: how Israel disrupts Gaza’s internet - Access Now
This report illustrates the state of Gaza's internet throughout October 2023 by looking at internet traffic by ISPs and locations.
www.accessnow.org
November 10, 2023 at 10:29 AM
New report by Access Now outlines how Palestinians have been cut off by all communication – focuses in October, but the situation continues.
Internet shutdowns and telecommunications disruptions in Gaza violate international human rights law.
Internet shutdowns and telecommunications disruptions in Gaza violate international human rights law.
Several wars, 50+ elections this year, generative AI on the rise, but we come from years in which tech firms ditched their Trust and Safety teams and outsourcing them instead.
This "means outsourcing responsibilities to teams with no power to change the way platforms actually work".
This "means outsourcing responsibilities to teams with no power to change the way platforms actually work".
Big Tech Ditched Trust and Safety. Now Startups Are Selling It Back As a Service
The burgeoning trust and safety industry promises to help tech companies navigate scrutiny and regulation. But these services bring problems of their own.
www.wired.com
November 9, 2023 at 3:40 PM
Several wars, 50+ elections this year, generative AI on the rise, but we come from years in which tech firms ditched their Trust and Safety teams and outsourcing them instead.
This "means outsourcing responsibilities to teams with no power to change the way platforms actually work".
This "means outsourcing responsibilities to teams with no power to change the way platforms actually work".
With no connection to the outside world, whatever happened inside Gaza could be shared or kept secret at the [Israeli] military’s discretion.
“More and more, a direct line is being drawn between internet shutdowns and human rights violations”- Access Now's M. Fatafta
restofworld.org/2023/exporte...
“More and more, a direct line is being drawn between internet shutdowns and human rights violations”- Access Now's M. Fatafta
restofworld.org/2023/exporte...
The chilling power of Gaza’s internet blackout
Ongoing bloodshed makes the territory’s digital ties even more important.
restofworld.org
November 2, 2023 at 11:38 AM
With no connection to the outside world, whatever happened inside Gaza could be shared or kept secret at the [Israeli] military’s discretion.
“More and more, a direct line is being drawn between internet shutdowns and human rights violations”- Access Now's M. Fatafta
restofworld.org/2023/exporte...
“More and more, a direct line is being drawn between internet shutdowns and human rights violations”- Access Now's M. Fatafta
restofworld.org/2023/exporte...