alec karakatsanis
@equalityalec.bsky.social
founder, Civil Rights Corps
civil rights lawyer
author of usual cruelty (2019) and
copaganda (2025)
any views expressed here are my own, and not those of civil rights corps
civil rights lawyer
author of usual cruelty (2019) and
copaganda (2025)
any views expressed here are my own, and not those of civil rights corps
Pinned
I just received the first copy of Copaganda! It will be sold anywhere books are sold. I try to explain the role of the media, the police, and academia in how we got to this authoritarian moment.
The scandal unfolding in the California courts with a District Attorney submitting fake cases, holdings, quotations, and other hallucinations is unlike anything I've seen. We first noticed the anomalies in an emergency habeas corpus petition we filed. And then it got weirder.
November 7, 2025 at 6:07 PM
The scandal unfolding in the California courts with a District Attorney submitting fake cases, holdings, quotations, and other hallucinations is unlike anything I've seen. We first noticed the anomalies in an emergency habeas corpus petition we filed. And then it got weirder.
THREAD. Today is my birthday, and it has been a difficult year for civil rights work. But it was an honor to speak about our work and about my Copaganda book at a women's prison.
November 7, 2025 at 3:21 PM
THREAD. Today is my birthday, and it has been a difficult year for civil rights work. But it was an honor to speak about our work and about my Copaganda book at a women's prison.
The DC grand jury refusing to indict on a felony and the petit jury finding him not guilty is a great example of why people in power have tried so hard for so many decades to prevent cases from getting to juries. It's one of the most important, basic forms of democracy.
November 6, 2025 at 7:51 PM
The DC grand jury refusing to indict on a felony and the petit jury finding him not guilty is a great example of why people in power have tried so hard for so many decades to prevent cases from getting to juries. It's one of the most important, basic forms of democracy.
It’s an honor to be this years keynote speaker tomorrow in Stowe, Vermont. I’ll be discussing propaganda and what we can all do about it together. If you live in Vermont come join us:
November 3, 2025 at 7:46 PM
It’s an honor to be this years keynote speaker tomorrow in Stowe, Vermont. I’ll be discussing propaganda and what we can all do about it together. If you live in Vermont come join us:
THREAD: There is no explanation for the New York Times continue this level of unethical reporting. I’ve talked to reporters and editors there and no one defends this: reporting the stated reasons of the government as its *actual* reasons.
November 3, 2025 at 3:28 AM
THREAD: There is no explanation for the New York Times continue this level of unethical reporting. I’ve talked to reporters and editors there and no one defends this: reporting the stated reasons of the government as its *actual* reasons.
I'm announcing a special last-minute event tomorrow night at Dartmouth. I'll be joined by fantastic former NPR reporter/professor Sandhya Dirks. If you know anyone nearby, encourage them to come talk about propaganda, the complicity of liberal institutions, and authoritarianism.
November 3, 2025 at 2:04 AM
I'm announcing a special last-minute event tomorrow night at Dartmouth. I'll be joined by fantastic former NPR reporter/professor Sandhya Dirks. If you know anyone nearby, encourage them to come talk about propaganda, the complicity of liberal institutions, and authoritarianism.
THREAD. We have just filed a landmark new civil rights case in Colorado in our campaign across the country to establish a constitutional right for children to hug their parents. More information to come soon, but this is a big deal.
October 30, 2025 at 3:55 PM
THREAD. We have just filed a landmark new civil rights case in Colorado in our campaign across the country to establish a constitutional right for children to hug their parents. More information to come soon, but this is a big deal.
Reposted by alec karakatsanis
A few days ago, this book was left in the book box in front of our building. I'm only on chapter three, but I'll go ahead and recommend it already. Seems like an important text.
I just received the first copy of Copaganda! It will be sold anywhere books are sold. I try to explain the role of the media, the police, and academia in how we got to this authoritarian moment.
October 30, 2025 at 1:23 AM
A few days ago, this book was left in the book box in front of our building. I'm only on chapter three, but I'll go ahead and recommend it already. Seems like an important text.
If you missed any of the events on the Copaganda book tour, this great video of the Milwaukee event just went live. Thanks so much to all the amazing people I met in Wisconsin and beyond. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfJl...
Vel Phillips Forum - A Conversation with author Alec Karakatsanis
YouTube video by Milwaukee Turners
www.youtube.com
October 28, 2025 at 11:30 PM
If you missed any of the events on the Copaganda book tour, this great video of the Milwaukee event just went live. Thanks so much to all the amazing people I met in Wisconsin and beyond. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfJl...
Almost every single New York Times story lies about this. It’s just an alternate reality, with the truth lost down the memory hole. The bipartisan support for this was because leaders in both parties were worried about the effects of TikTok on perceptions of Israel
October 26, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Almost every single New York Times story lies about this. It’s just an alternate reality, with the truth lost down the memory hole. The bipartisan support for this was because leaders in both parties were worried about the effects of TikTok on perceptions of Israel
THREAD: This was an all-white jury in rural Louisiana and a judge appointed by Trump. But when ordinary people hear about the everyday brutality pervasive inside our jails, they are outraged. But something deeper is going on here:
October 25, 2025 at 7:13 PM
THREAD: This was an all-white jury in rural Louisiana and a judge appointed by Trump. But when ordinary people hear about the everyday brutality pervasive inside our jails, they are outraged. But something deeper is going on here:
Reposted by alec karakatsanis
Understanding Copaganda and Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre and Alec Karak... www.youtube.com/live/BW9DkAc...
Understanding Copaganda and Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre and Alec Karakatsanis
YouTube video by Black Liberation Media
www.youtube.com
October 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Understanding Copaganda and Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre and Alec Karak... www.youtube.com/live/BW9DkAc...
Reposted by alec karakatsanis
LIVE NOW!
Understanding Copaganda & Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre & Alec Karakatsanis w/ @imixwhatilike.bsky.social @rjohnston815.bsky.social @equalityalec.bsky.social & Lawrence Grandpre
Understanding Copaganda & Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre and Alec Karakatsanis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW9D...
Understanding Copaganda & Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre & Alec Karakatsanis w/ @imixwhatilike.bsky.social @rjohnston815.bsky.social @equalityalec.bsky.social & Lawrence Grandpre
Understanding Copaganda & Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre and Alec Karakatsanis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW9D...
Understanding Copaganda and Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre and Alec Karakatsanis
YouTube video by Black Liberation Media
www.youtube.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:08 PM
LIVE NOW!
Understanding Copaganda & Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre & Alec Karakatsanis w/ @imixwhatilike.bsky.social @rjohnston815.bsky.social @equalityalec.bsky.social & Lawrence Grandpre
Understanding Copaganda & Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre and Alec Karakatsanis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW9D...
Understanding Copaganda & Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre & Alec Karakatsanis w/ @imixwhatilike.bsky.social @rjohnston815.bsky.social @equalityalec.bsky.social & Lawrence Grandpre
Understanding Copaganda & Violence ft Lawrence Grandpre and Alec Karakatsanis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW9D...
Reposted by alec karakatsanis
The U.S. and the Philippines are the only two countries with a for-profit bail industry, says civil rights lawyer @equalityalec.bsky.social. The insistence that people in pre-trial detention pay to get out of jail leads to "millions of coerced guilty pleas" by poor people each year, he says.
October 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
The U.S. and the Philippines are the only two countries with a for-profit bail industry, says civil rights lawyer @equalityalec.bsky.social. The insistence that people in pre-trial detention pay to get out of jail leads to "millions of coerced guilty pleas" by poor people each year, he says.
These points about how people in power--from local police to national politicians to university presidents--benefit from the New York Times helping them lie about their intentions are very important to understand and reflect on.
I have a whole chapter about this in my Copaganda book with lots of kind of funny and enraging examples. But a deeper point is why:
October 23, 2025 at 1:53 PM
These points about how people in power--from local police to national politicians to university presidents--benefit from the New York Times helping them lie about their intentions are very important to understand and reflect on.
This is driving me crazy. The New York Times calling this madness an “anti-drug operation” is one of the worst forms of propaganda: accepting stated motivations of powerful people as the truth.
October 23, 2025 at 3:16 AM
This is driving me crazy. The New York Times calling this madness an “anti-drug operation” is one of the worst forms of propaganda: accepting stated motivations of powerful people as the truth.
The “logic” that the government can assassinate random people from Colombia that it suspects of selling drugs with no process because they are at “war” means these people believe they can kill anyone they want whenever they want.
October 22, 2025 at 6:57 PM
The “logic” that the government can assassinate random people from Colombia that it suspects of selling drugs with no process because they are at “war” means these people believe they can kill anyone they want whenever they want.
Very excited to announce this major event in Los Angeles at the USC School of Journalism. It will be an important conversation about propaganda, government repression, and the role of liberal institutions like news media, pundits, universities, and nonprofits. annenberg.usc.edu/events/copag...
‘Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News’: Book Talk with Alec Karakatsanis
Join us in conversation with Alec Karakatsanis as he discusses his new book Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News. In this groundbreaking exposé, essential for understanding the
annenberg.usc.edu
October 22, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Very excited to announce this major event in Los Angeles at the USC School of Journalism. It will be an important conversation about propaganda, government repression, and the role of liberal institutions like news media, pundits, universities, and nonprofits. annenberg.usc.edu/events/copag...
One of the most sickening but important things about writing my copaganda book was digging more deeply into how elite universities are so deeply connected to manufacturing consent among educated liberals for many of the ugliest and most depraved things about our world.
October 21, 2025 at 1:19 AM
One of the most sickening but important things about writing my copaganda book was digging more deeply into how elite universities are so deeply connected to manufacturing consent among educated liberals for many of the ugliest and most depraved things about our world.
Reposted by alec karakatsanis
“LAPD wants judge to lift an order restricting use of force against the press” 😭😭😭
“Ahead of this Saturday’s No Kings protests, the Los Angeles Police Department has filed an emergency motion asking a judge to lift an injunction that restricts their use of force against the press.”
“Ahead of this Saturday’s No Kings protests, the Los Angeles Police Department has filed an emergency motion asking a judge to lift an injunction that restricts their use of force against the press.”
LAPD wants judge to lift an order restricting use of force against the press
The police department filed an emergency order ahead of this Saturday's No Kings protest.
laist.com
October 17, 2025 at 2:56 AM
“LAPD wants judge to lift an order restricting use of force against the press” 😭😭😭
“Ahead of this Saturday’s No Kings protests, the Los Angeles Police Department has filed an emergency motion asking a judge to lift an injunction that restricts their use of force against the press.”
“Ahead of this Saturday’s No Kings protests, the Los Angeles Police Department has filed an emergency motion asking a judge to lift an injunction that restricts their use of force against the press.”
Exciting reminder that I'll be doing this great event for Copaganda tonight (Friday, October 17) in Washington, DC. Please join us. www.sankofa.com/events/book-...
Book Event - copaganda: how police and the media manipulate our news | sankofa-dc
Join us at Sankofa for a discussion with author and civil rights lawyer Alec Karakatsanis! Moderated by Kristen Bonner!
www.sankofa.com
October 17, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Exciting reminder that I'll be doing this great event for Copaganda tonight (Friday, October 17) in Washington, DC. Please join us. www.sankofa.com/events/book-...
It’s a sign of how lost the liberal establishment is that its primary solution to egregious, ineffective, illegal government repression is to require ICE use more surveillance technology while it keeps doing what it does.
October 16, 2025 at 7:03 PM
It’s a sign of how lost the liberal establishment is that its primary solution to egregious, ineffective, illegal government repression is to require ICE use more surveillance technology while it keeps doing what it does.
Reposted by alec karakatsanis
I spent the week at the police surveillance convention and let me tell you my biggest observation: The name of the game now is consolidating as much information as humanely possible from surveillance devices, the internet, other governmental data, and literally a million other places. 🧵
September 26, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I spent the week at the police surveillance convention and let me tell you my biggest observation: The name of the game now is consolidating as much information as humanely possible from surveillance devices, the internet, other governmental data, and literally a million other places. 🧵
We have free copies for anyone in prison in the United States or Canada.
Thanks to @equalityalec.bsky.social for copies of "Copaganda," which shows the role media, security forces, universities and "liberal" politicians have in growing the security state and ensuring unequal justice. We'll send these to the prison book clubs we support and fulfill individual requests.
October 16, 2025 at 11:37 AM
We have free copies for anyone in prison in the United States or Canada.
Reposted by alec karakatsanis
Thanks to @equalityalec.bsky.social for copies of "Copaganda," which shows the role media, security forces, universities and "liberal" politicians have in growing the security state and ensuring unequal justice. We'll send these to the prison book clubs we support and fulfill individual requests.
October 16, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Thanks to @equalityalec.bsky.social for copies of "Copaganda," which shows the role media, security forces, universities and "liberal" politicians have in growing the security state and ensuring unequal justice. We'll send these to the prison book clubs we support and fulfill individual requests.