Anita Gohdes

@argohdes.bsky.social

4.2K followers 600 following 240 posts

Studying repression, the internet, and contentious politics. Professor @thehertieschool. Consultant @hrdag. she/her.

Wrote a book on repression in the digital age: https://www.anitagohdes.net/book.html

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Anita Gohdes is a German academic and political scientist working at the intersection of international security and technology. She is currently Professor of International and Cyber Security at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany. .. more

Political science 43%

Sociology 29%

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Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Aug 29

Happy to share this paper with @zacharyst.bsky.social
that was just published in the AJPS.

We study how civilian behavior on social media shifts during war, focusing on one of the most horrific episodes of the Syrian conflict - the siege of Aleppo: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Abstract of paper by Anita Gohdes and Zachary Steinert Threlkeld reading: Recent research emphasizes social media’s potential for citizens to express shared grievances. In active conflict, however, social media posts indicating political loyalties can pose severe risks to civilians. We develop a theory that explains how civilians modify their online behavior as part of efforts to improve their security during conflict. After major changes in territorial control, civilians should be more likely to post positive content, and more content that supports the winning side. We study social media behavior during and after the siege of Aleppo in November 2016. We match Aleppo-based Twitter users with users from other parts of Syria and use large language models to analyze changes in online behavior after the regime’s retaking of the city. Results show that users in Aleppo post more positive and pro-Assad content, but only when self-disclosing their location.

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

Authoritarian Political Systems Group @apsgworkshop.bsky.social · 7d

RA Position!
@ozlemtuncel.bsky.social and @osamet.bsky.social are looking for support for a project on opposition coalitions in autocracies. If you are
- interested in opposition politics and electoral dynamics, and
- familiar with data collection
apply by Dec 31: gsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 8d

Speaking of wild stories

Matthew Gault @mjgault.bsky.social · 9d

background is here. it's a wild one if you haven't seen it yet

'Unauthorized' Edit to Ukraine's Frontline Maps Point to Polymarket's War Betting

It looks like someone invented a fake Russia advance in Ukraine to manipulate online gambling markets.

www.404media.co

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 8d

Never tire of saying how much I appreciate the reporting @404media.co does. Yet another wild story.

Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 9d

This is a wild hack. a16z gave a million dollars to startup called Doublespeed. They use a phone farm to flood social media with AI generated influencers and ads. A hacker remotely broke into the phone farm, unmasking the AI influencers/fake accounts, gave us the data www.404media.co/hack-reveals...

Hack Reveals the a16z-Backed Phone Farm Flooding TikTok With AI Influencers

A hacker gained control of a 1,100 mobile phone farm powering covert, AI-generated ads on TikTok.

www.404media.co

Reposted by Fabrizio Coticchia, Anita Gohdes

nicoblar.bsky.social @nicoblar.bsky.social · 9d

#ESSC2026 | Save the date! Thrilled to announce that the European Security Studies Conference is taking place on 11–12 June 2026 at @stockholm-uni.bsky.social The conference is jointly organised by COST Action NetSec, @eissnetwork.bsky.social , & @stockholm-uni.bsky.social eiss-europa.com/2026.html

EISS - 2026 Conference

eiss-europa.com

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

Matthew Gault @mjgault.bsky.social · 9d

background is here. it's a wild one if you haven't seen it yet

'Unauthorized' Edit to Ukraine's Frontline Maps Point to Polymarket's War Betting

It looks like someone invented a fake Russia advance in Ukraine to manipulate online gambling markets.

www.404media.co

Reposted by Anne Norton, Brian Keegan, Peter Jacobsen , and 1 more Anne Norton, Brian Keegan, Peter Jacobsen, Anita Gohdes

Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 9d

Hack Reveals the a16z-Backed Phone Farm Flooding TikTok With AI Influencers

A hacker gained control of a 1,100 mobile phone farm powering covert, AI-generated ads on TikTok.

www.404media.co

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 15d

Thank you Federica!

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

Airwars @airwars.bsky.social · 16d

What made the US-backed aid system in Gaza so deadly?

Our new short film reconstructs two Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distributions, showing how the militarised aid system resulted in death and injury.

Watch the full video here:

ghf.airwars.org

Surviving The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - An Airwars Investigation

For five months, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) was the main distributor of food in Gaza. Backed by the United States and Israel, more than 1,000 people were allegedly killed seeking aid at it...

ghf.airwars.org

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

Centre for International Security - Hertie School @hertiesecurity.bsky.social · 16d

On Human Rights Day, we highlight "The Politics of Human Rights" by faculty member @argohdes.bsky.social, Sabine Carey & Mark Gibney. The textbook offers a fresh, empirical take on human dignity & global responsibility.
Interview with Anita: lnkd.in/dTA9TzZ6
Order your copy here: lnkd.in/dHAfrey3

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Brendan Nyhan, Hugo Mercier , and 3 more Lisa W. Fazio, Brendan Nyhan, Hugo Mercier, Justin H. Kirkland, Jason Reifler, Anita Gohdes

andyguess @andyguess.com · 16d

The Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow to work with an interdisciplinary team (me, @bstewart.bsky.social, and @manoelhortaribeiro.bsky.social).

Link: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...

Please apply by THIS SUNDAY, Dec. 14!

We are seeking a Fellow to lead cutting-edge research on short-form video content and its societal implications.

Bridging the gap between computer vision, causal inference, and computational social science, the Fellow will focus on the large-scale analysis of TikTok data (using an existing, massive dataset).

The position involves developing novel multimodal methods to understand how short-form algorithmic content shapes public opinion, political polarization, and online culture.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of the field, combining rigorous social science research designs with state-of-the-art computational techniques.

Reposted by Timnit Gebru, Suresh Venkatasubramanian, David Murakami Wood , and 1 more Timnit Gebru, Suresh Venkatasubramanian, David Murakami Wood, Anita Gohdes

Milagros Miceli @milamiceli.bsky.social · 17d

Now imagine sharing your private fantasies with what you believe is a bot that cannot judge or remember. Just that, on the other side, is a man in a one-room home in Nairobi, pretending to be an AI companion.

That man is Michael, and this is his story: data-workers.org/michael/

The Emotional Labor Behind AI Intimacy, by Michael Geoffrey Asia.

Imagine confiding your most private fantasies to what you believe is an unfeeling algorithm that cannot judge or remember. Now imagine that on the other side of that conversation is a man sitting in a...

data-workers.org

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 17d

Fantastic news, congrats Tore!

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Tobias Bunde, Anita Gohdes

Simon Munzert @simonsaysnothin.bsky.social · 20d

🚨📆🤓 One more week to apply for our Data4Good Festival @hertieschool.bsky.social! Now in its third year, we’re bringing a fresh set of datasets for this round’s hackathon challenge. If you teach undergrads who might want to join us in Berlin in January, please help us spread the word.

Data Science Lab - Hertie School @hertiedatascience.bsky.social · Nov 21

📢 Applications for the Data4Good Festival 2026 are now open!
Join bachelor students from across Europe for a weekend of innovation, creativity, and fun in Berlin.

📅 Deadline: 12 Dec, 2025
📝 Apply now with your team, each member must register separately.
More: www.hertie-school.org/en/data4good...

Reposted by Melanie C. Green, David Darmofal, Anita Gohdes

Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 22d

For the last decade, the pervasive spread of bullshit & manipulation of online platforms have been widely recognized societal concerns. Now non US citizens studying those subjects can be labeled “censors” & denied visas or deported from the US. Censorship, indeed. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

Exclusive: Trump administration orders enhanced vetting for applicants of H-1B visa

An internal State Department memo said that anyone involved in "censorship" of free speech should be considered for rejection.

www.reuters.com

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 22d

👏🏻👏🏻 amazing! By the way, we just read some of your work in one of my courses, more pertinent than ever!

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Marc Lynch, Mark D. White , and 6 more Anna O. Law, Marc Lynch, Mark D. White, Rosemary A. Joyce, Brian Keegan, Mark Rice, Ann Bartow, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Anita Gohdes

alec karakatsanis @equalityalec.bsky.social · 25d

The news has entirely failed to grasp the unprecedented scope of the ICE and DHS budgets. Nothing like it in modern history. A galaxy of public/private surveillance and caging institutions for $100,000,000,000s unleashed on a public that will be forever changed. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

ICE Wants to Go After Dissenters as well as Immigrants

The Trump administration is being open about its plans to violate Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.

www.brennancenter.org

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 28d

This is going to be so good!

Dana El Kurd @danaelkurd.bsky.social · 28d

Cover art by Sara Qaed

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 28d

ahhhh so exciting!

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

Dana El Kurd @danaelkurd.bsky.social · 28d

Cover art by Sara Qaed

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

Yossi Bartal @yossibartal.bsky.social · 29d

Alle zwei Jahre verabschiedet die UNO eine Resolution, die ihre Haltung gegen Folter bekräftigt – normalerweise ohne Abstimmung, weil keine Gegenstimmen. In diesem Jahr wollten Israel, Argentinien und die USA jedoch demonstrativ zeigen, dass sie diesen Konsens nicht mehr mittragen.

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 29d

It's an extra special day when you get copies of your book in the mail!!!

It was an honour to be a part of this book, working with
@sabinecarey.bsky.social and Mark Gibney, and in memory of Steve Poe 📖📚

You can order it here: www.cambridge.org/highereducat...

Anita Gohdes holding a copy of the book "The Politics of Human Rights".

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

Marcus Bösch @boesch.bsky.social · Nov 24

A new feature on X has revealed that a huge number of large, divisive political accounts claiming to be Trump supporters are actually operating out of foreign countries. weaponizedspaces.substack.com/p/x-just-acc...

X Just Accidentally Exposed A Vast Covert Influence Network Targeting Americans

How a new X feature led to the most sweeping public exposure of covert foreign activity on a major platform since 2016.

weaponizedspaces.substack.com

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Nov 23

Every teacher/professor/educator should watch this - the most informative 15 mins on AI and education I’ve seen.

Ruha Benjamin @ruha9.bsky.social · Nov 22

I need everyone, esp anyone working in education or tech (but really everyone) to WATCH THIS CLIP of @drtanksley.bsky.social discussing the technologies infiltrating our schools & psyches and how she is addressing it with our young people. youtu.be/5mtcSL4S3HQ

Howard University AI Panel

YouTube video by Tiera Tanksley

youtu.be

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Joe R. Feagin, Fabián Muniesa , and 6 more Joanna Bryson, Joe R. Feagin, Fabián Muniesa, Hester Blum, Mary Rice, Tama Leaver, Manuel Puppis, Manisha Sinha, Anita Gohdes

Ruha Benjamin @ruha9.bsky.social · Nov 22

Howard University AI Panel

YouTube video by Tiera Tanksley

youtu.be

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Nov 18

Ah yes I see Twitter/X is now a very normal place on the Internet.

Juliet Turner @juliet-turner.bsky.social · Nov 17

POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success

Juliet Turner @juliet-turner.bsky.social · Nov 17

POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

Tarik Abou-Chadi @tabouchadi.bsky.social · Nov 14

Auf jeden Fall etwas ganz besonderes, wenn man in seinem Lieblingspodcast zu Gast sein darf. Mit @emcke.bsky.social habe ich über die radikale Rechte in Europa gesprochen. Darüber wie Sozialdemokraten und Konservative zu ihrem Aufstieg beigetragen haben.

open.spotify.com/episode/2MLZ...

Reposted by David M. Farrell, Anita Gohdes

Claes de Vreese @claesdevreese.bsky.social · Nov 13

The @ec.europa.eu 'Democracy Shield' plans have dropped.

The focus on free, independent media, fact-checking, literacy, election integrity etc make sense.

But: it needs to be acknowledged that many of these challenges are not from outside the EU only. Also from within.
ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

European Democracy Shield and EU Strategy for Civil Society pave the way for stronger and more resilient democracies

The Commission has presented today the European Democracy Shield, setting out a series of concrete measures to empower, protect, and promote strong and resilient democracies across the EU. An open civ...

ec.europa.eu

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers , and 6 more Lisa W. Fazio, Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Rebecca Tushnet, Michael H. Whitworth, Cailin O’Connor, Kate Starbird, Alfie Kohn, Anita Gohdes

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · Nov 12

The most horrifying AI slop of ICE raids you can possibly imagine is wildly viral on Facebook, collectively totaling tens of millions of views from a single account. First spotted by @chadloder.bsky.social

www.404media.co/ai-generated...

AI-Generated Videos of ICE Raids Are Wildly Viral on Facebook

An account is spamming horrific, dehumanizing videos of immigration enforcement because the Facebook algorithm is rewarding them for it.

www.404media.co

Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Nov 12

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