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No Suma Cero

@nosumacero.bsky.social

780 followers 460 following 17K posts

Non-zero-sum games. @NSC Information operations & digital authoritarianism. Freedom of expression & Data protection. Digital rights & Tech policy. Social media & Conflict. Networked movements. Civil resistance. Latin America. Democracy+Tech Initiative. AC.

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No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Mar 31

"The Control of the Information Environment as a Pillar of Authoritarian Consolidation" stresses that understanding the information environment is paramount when studying authoritarian regimes.
www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edi...

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Reposted by No Suma Cero

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · Aug 31

2/ The UK's age verification law forces law-abiding citizens to hand over personal data / scan their faces as they browse.

Compelling folks to participate a massive clandestine census of browsing activity.

As these troves of data grow, they expose everyone to the risk of new breaches. And worse.

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Reposted by No Suma Cero

Bluesky @bsky.app · Aug 22

Unfortunately, Bluesky is unavailable in Mississippi right now, due to a new state law that requires age verification for all users.

While intended for child safety, we think this law poses broader challenges & creates significant barriers that limit free speech & harm smaller platforms like ours.

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Reposted by No Suma Cero

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · Aug 13

Post images & videos of the inside your house at your peril.

This new tool uses pictures taken inside your house to identify your exact location.

As a service.

It will be abused to target people.

For theft. Stalking. And worse.

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Reposted by No Suma Cero

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · Aug 7

My prediction for the UK's Age Verification?

The failure to protect children will become obvious.

But the systems that force grownups to provide their IDs before sharing political views will persist.

Because too many bureaucrats and certain big corporations benefit.

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Reposted by No Suma Cero

Rodolfo Rico @rodoarico.bsky.social · Aug 2

Voy a dictar éste taller durante el mes de agosto. 50 dólares, 12 horas en dos fines de semana.
¿Quieres saber más? No dejes de preguntar.

Flyer Taller investigación digital en profundidad por rodoarico (Rodolfo A. Rico)

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No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Aug 7

Ultimately, China aims to bolster support among the Global Majority for a state-centered model of global AI governance, advancing Beijing’s geopolitical interests. To compete effectively, the US must also address the needs of these countries.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Aug 7

China's approach to the Global Majority positions AI as a catalyst for economic and social development, linking it to the UN SDGs. This strategy aligns with China’s long-standing foreign policy of advocating for global norms tailored to diiferent developmental stages and models.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Aug 7

China sees AI as a geopolitical asset. China’s technology policy is based on a mutually reinforcing relationship between technology and diplomacy, carried out consistently. Its strategy emphasizes sovereign computing power, data control, and state-led development.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Aug 7

The US and China champion different approaches to AI governance. US views AI primarily as an economic engine, emphasizing innovation and private enterprise, with a focus on achieving market dominance.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Aug 7

The US and China are engaged in a high-stakes competition to shape the future of AI. Experts from the @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social examine the two great powers contrasting AI action plans, revealing insights into each nation's vision for global AI leadership.
www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-at...

Reading between the lines of the dueling US and Chinese AI action plans

Washington and Beijing recently released plans for advancing artificial intelligence. Atlantic Council experts answer six big questions about the two publications.

www.atlanticcouncil.org

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No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 15

Peer-review or LLM-review: A few instances of scholarly misconduct in computer science preprints.

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Scientists reportedly hiding AI text prompts in academic papers to receive positive peer reviews

Research papers found carrying hidden white text giving instructions not to highlight negatives as concern grows over use of large language models for peer review

www.theguardian.com

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 6

Indeed...

Reposted by No Suma Cero

Journal of Democracy @jodemocracy.bsky.social · Jun 28

When students "organize strikes despite official warnings, they are asserting that citizens have rights that transcend the state’s claimed authority to regulate every aspect of social life."

www.journalofdemocra...

Why Cuba’s Student Movement Is Rising | Journal of Democracy

Cuba’s dictatorship has kept student movements under its thumb for decades. But the regime’s repressive tactics have inadvertently breathed new life into a new generation of student activists.

www.journalofdemocracy.org

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No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 6

Despite being designated a terrorist organization by the US Department of State, which theoretically prevents them from operating on major social media platforms like Meta, YouTube, and X, the ELN maintains a vast digital footprint. @dfrlab.bsky.social identified over one hundred active entities.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 6

The ELN's digital assets amplify the narratives of Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran.
This shows how terrorist organizations can become digital allies for authoritarian state actors, creating significant information vulnerabilities.

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No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 6

The ELN's operations span Colombia and extend into Venezuela, where they engage in criminal activities like killings, kidnappings, extortions, and drug trafficking. Recently, they were involved in bloody confrontations in Catatumbo, resulting in 126 deaths and 66,000 displaced individuals.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 6

The ELN digitized their clandestine radio network, Ranpal (Radio Nacional Patria Libre). In some Venezuelan border states, ELN stations are reportedly the only ones on air.
Audio from ELN-affiliated media is now available on platforms, such as Amazon Music and iVoox.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 6

The ELN leverages its online presence not just for propaganda, but also to perpetrate and justify crimes against civilians or attack rival organizations.
They use platforms like TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, and X for recruitment and to justify armed clashes.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 6

A recent @dfrlab.bsky.social analysis reveals how the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia's oldest and largest active guerrilla group and a US-designated terrorist organization, has developed a sophisticated digital strategy. #ELN #Disinformation #Colombia
dfrlab.org/2025/06/17/k...

Kremlin-affiliated outlets find digital ally in Colombia's oldest guerrilla group

US-designated terrorist organization ELN oversees a vast digital operation that promotes pro-Kremlin and anti-US content.

dfrlab.org

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No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 6

We have plenty of Ethiopian food in DC, and there is also an excellent Ethiopian restaurant in Ann Arbor.
However, the combination of Ethiopian & Caribbean cuisines sounds enticing, so we might check out Umana Yana.

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 5

A “statistically improbable restaurant” dataset may come in handy for our planned mid-August road trip from Michigan to Maine. I would love recommendations for our few boring night stops, like Albany, NY.

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No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jul 1

The real AI existential threat.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

The A.I. Race Is Splitting the World Into Haves and Have-Nots

As countries race to power artificial intelligence, a yawning gap is opening around the world.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by No Suma Cero

Luis Fernando García @luisfgarcia.bsky.social · Jun 25

In Mexico 🇲🇽, Sheinbaum's government is pushing through Congress sweeping legal reforms that will establish mass identification and surveillance systems of the population.

Here is a thread 🧵 summarizing the scope and reach of these reforms:

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No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jun 23

A feed dedicated to following the updates on #IGF2025.

ændra. @aendra.com · Jun 23

I've created a custom feed for #igf2025, all posts with the hashtag will show up here and you can pin it:

bsky.app/profile/did:...

No Suma Cero @nosumacero.bsky.social · Jun 23

Let's discuss South-South collaboration networks and the sustainability of the digital rights ecosystem.
#IGF2025