Kian Vesteinsson
@kianvest.bsky.social
tech and democracy @ Freedom House / Freedom on the Net 2023: the Repressive Power of AI out now at freedomonthenet.org
Reposted by Kian Vesteinsson
We condemn the Kremlin’s new law penalizing VPN use and online searches for so-called extremist content—yet another escalation in its campaign to isolate Russian society from the global internet and suppress access to independent information.
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Russia passes law punishing searches for 'extremist' content reut.rs/45fQaBR
Russia passes law punishing searches for 'extremist' content
Russians will face fines if they search online for "extremist" content under a new law that tightens censorship and could have sweeping ramifications for digital privacy and the fate of WhatsApp in the country.
reut.rs
July 28, 2025 at 7:40 PM
We condemn the Kremlin’s new law penalizing VPN use and online searches for so-called extremist content—yet another escalation in its campaign to isolate Russian society from the global internet and suppress access to independent information.
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Reposted by Kian Vesteinsson
In our efforts to secure a free and open internet and support those on the frontlines of digital repression, we recently partnered with @eui-schuman.bsky.social to spotlight these and more restrictive measures imposed by authoritarian regimes on anticensorship tools: freedomhouse.org/report/speci...
Tunnel Vision: Anti-censorship Tools, End-to-End Encryption and the Fight for a Free and Open Internet
Governments around the world are increasingly exerting control over the technology that people depend on to access the free and open internet.
freedomhouse.org
July 28, 2025 at 7:40 PM
In our efforts to secure a free and open internet and support those on the frontlines of digital repression, we recently partnered with @eui-schuman.bsky.social to spotlight these and more restrictive measures imposed by authoritarian regimes on anticensorship tools: freedomhouse.org/report/speci...
Great report on Tamil language content moderation from @aliyabhatia.bsky.social @monaelswah.bsky.social @cendemtech.bsky.social. Useful insights on overbroad moderation of LTTE-related content and the mechanics of T&S in South Asia - and a gorgeous cover!
May 16, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Great report on Tamil language content moderation from @aliyabhatia.bsky.social @monaelswah.bsky.social @cendemtech.bsky.social. Useful insights on overbroad moderation of LTTE-related content and the mechanics of T&S in South Asia - and a gorgeous cover!
Reposted by Kian Vesteinsson
This week’s ruling against NSO Group—an Israeli surveillance firm—is a welcome step toward securing accountability for commercial spyware abuse.
These technologies are all too often leveraged against human rights defenders & others in retaliation for their criticisms of those in power... (1/2)
These technologies are all too often leveraged against human rights defenders & others in retaliation for their criticisms of those in power... (1/2)
BREAKING: A California federal jury found Tuesday that Israeli spyware-maker NSO Group owes Meta Platforms Inc. $444,719 in compensatory damages and a staggering $167.25 million in punitive damages for hacking 1,400 WhatsApp users' devices. www.law360.com/artic...
May 9, 2025 at 6:12 PM
This week’s ruling against NSO Group—an Israeli surveillance firm—is a welcome step toward securing accountability for commercial spyware abuse.
These technologies are all too often leveraged against human rights defenders & others in retaliation for their criticisms of those in power... (1/2)
These technologies are all too often leveraged against human rights defenders & others in retaliation for their criticisms of those in power... (1/2)
Reposted by Kian Vesteinsson
I wrote a thing! It’s about how our totally legitimate desire to regulate platforms keeps leading to laws that empower *governments* in ways that are very dangerous to ordinary people.
This is not the way.
This is not the way.
Protecting democracy from threats created by Internet platforms is a laudable goal. But it is not worth the cost imposed by US legislative attempts so far: empowering the government to control legal speech online, writes Daphne Keller (@daphnek.bsky.social).
Regulated Democracy and Regulated Speech | TechPolicy.Press
The First Amendment is meant to protect us from short-sightedness about state power, writes Daphne Keller.
www.techpolicy.press
April 2, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I wrote a thing! It’s about how our totally legitimate desire to regulate platforms keeps leading to laws that empower *governments* in ways that are very dangerous to ordinary people.
This is not the way.
This is not the way.
a reflection as I leave Tallinn: it turns out it is possible to eat smoked or pickled fish for six meals in a row in this wonderful city
November 21, 2024 at 8:43 AM
a reflection as I leave Tallinn: it turns out it is possible to eat smoked or pickled fish for six meals in a row in this wonderful city
as US states pass age-verification laws for websites with adult content, I've wondered how they might be abused to restrict access to LGBTQ+ voices online. Kansas might make this explicit, with a bill defining "sexual conduct" to include "homosexuality" www.404media.co/kansas-age-v...
March 28, 2024 at 6:49 PM
as US states pass age-verification laws for websites with adult content, I've wondered how they might be abused to restrict access to LGBTQ+ voices online. Kansas might make this explicit, with a bill defining "sexual conduct" to include "homosexuality" www.404media.co/kansas-age-v...
Reposted by Kian Vesteinsson
Diktaturer tar AI till hjälp för att angripa sina motståndare. I minst 16 länder har det använts för att styra debatten, berättar @kianvest.bsky.social, @freedomhouse.bsky.social. "Jag betraktar biblioteken som den ursprungliga väktaren mot falsk information." www.biblioteksbladet.se/nyheter/digi...
February 1, 2024 at 9:22 AM
Diktaturer tar AI till hjälp för att angripa sina motståndare. I minst 16 länder har det använts för att styra debatten, berättar @kianvest.bsky.social, @freedomhouse.bsky.social. "Jag betraktar biblioteken som den ursprungliga väktaren mot falsk information." www.biblioteksbladet.se/nyheter/digi...
Reposted by Kian Vesteinsson
"AI–manipulated media misrepresenting candidates’ positions & policies have already circulated...[this] content may shape the information people consume about candidates, voting, & the election."
FH's @kianvest.bsky.social on the need for effective AI regulation.
freedomhouse.org/article/demo...
FH's @kianvest.bsky.social on the need for effective AI regulation.
freedomhouse.org/article/demo...
The Democratic Stakes of Artificial Intelligence Regulation
Recent efforts from the Biden administration offer opportunities to codify protections for human rights.
freedomhouse.org
January 19, 2024 at 4:00 PM
"AI–manipulated media misrepresenting candidates’ positions & policies have already circulated...[this] content may shape the information people consume about candidates, voting, & the election."
FH's @kianvest.bsky.social on the need for effective AI regulation.
freedomhouse.org/article/demo...
FH's @kianvest.bsky.social on the need for effective AI regulation.
freedomhouse.org/article/demo...
The Biden administration launched a landmark executive order on AI last October. For @freedomhouse.bsky.social, I wrote about the human rights stakes of the EO, and where policymakers should look next for rights-respecting AI regulation freedomhouse.org/article/demo...
The Democratic Stakes of Artificial Intelligence Regulation
Recent efforts from the Biden administration offer opportunities to codify protections for human rights.
freedomhouse.org
January 18, 2024 at 6:24 PM
The Biden administration launched a landmark executive order on AI last October. For @freedomhouse.bsky.social, I wrote about the human rights stakes of the EO, and where policymakers should look next for rights-respecting AI regulation freedomhouse.org/article/demo...