Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa
@sanjanah.bsky.social
Studying confluence of influence operations, disinfo, truth decay, information integrity & policies addressing online harms. Many thoughts, sometimes prayers.
Pinned
A ‘War of Stories’: Humanitarianism in the Disinformation Age | @heatherleson.bsky.social from the @theifrc.bsky.social invited me to pen this article mid-2024. I sent it to her months ago, and finally got around to publishing it.
Reposted by Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa
As Prof Lorna Woods tells @bbclaurak.bsky.social in her piece on risks of #ai #chatbots, the #onlinesafetyact is "clear but doesn't match the market ...
the problem is it doesn't catch all services where users engage with a chatbot one-to-one." 1/2 ⬇️
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
the problem is it doesn't catch all services where users engage with a chatbot one-to-one." 1/2 ⬇️
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
Mothers say AI chatbots encouraged their sons to kill themselves - BBC News
In her first UK interview Megan Garcia speaks to Laura Kuenssberg about the death of her teenage son.
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org
November 9, 2025 at 10:29 AM
As Prof Lorna Woods tells @bbclaurak.bsky.social in her piece on risks of #ai #chatbots, the #onlinesafetyact is "clear but doesn't match the market ...
the problem is it doesn't catch all services where users engage with a chatbot one-to-one." 1/2 ⬇️
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
the problem is it doesn't catch all services where users engage with a chatbot one-to-one." 1/2 ⬇️
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
Can think of few others as deserving as Siouxsie - who helped protect so many lives, & was NZ'er of the Year in 2021 - of our support now. She won legal case on truly awful online harassment/hate but remains 400k+ out of pocket. Absurd. Time to help her move forward www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7PB...
Support Dr Siouxsie's crowdfunding campaign!
YouTube video by Siouxsie Wiles
www.youtube.com
November 2, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Can think of few others as deserving as Siouxsie - who helped protect so many lives, & was NZ'er of the Year in 2021 - of our support now. She won legal case on truly awful online harassment/hate but remains 400k+ out of pocket. Absurd. Time to help her move forward www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7PB...
Courts don’t know what to do about AI crimes restofworld.org/2025/latin-a... @legallyfeminist.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Courts don’t know what to do about AI crimes restofworld.org/2025/latin-a... @legallyfeminist.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa
Dutch liberals, together with the Dutch center-right, fight back
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/w...
Dutch Voters Deliver Major Setback to Far-Right Party of Geert Wilders
www.nytimes.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Dutch liberals, together with the Dutch center-right, fight back
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/w...
Reposted by Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa
Luxon himself handed me the Prime Minister's science prize last year. Let me say this in plain English: he's an idiot for running a govt who budgeted more for AI than for the Marsden fund. any journo reading this can quote me on it #nzpol
September 18, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Luxon himself handed me the Prime Minister's science prize last year. Let me say this in plain English: he's an idiot for running a govt who budgeted more for AI than for the Marsden fund. any journo reading this can quote me on it #nzpol
Reposted by Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa
'Absolutely breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi': UN-bound report warns racial discrimination is worsening in NZ
'Absolutely breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi': UN-bound report warns racial discrimination is worsening in NZ
The UN-bound report says the current government is "actively and profoundly aggravating NZ's constitutionally racist foundation in a way we have not seen for at least half a century".
www.rnz.co.nz
October 29, 2025 at 6:35 AM
'Absolutely breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi': UN-bound report warns racial discrimination is worsening in NZ
Grokipedia's hard coded citation bans: Implications for future of knowledge?
www.linkedin.com/pulse/grokip... (LinkedIn)
sanjanah.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/g... (WordPress)
www.linkedin.com/pulse/grokip... (LinkedIn)
sanjanah.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/g... (WordPress)
October 29, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Grokipedia's hard coded citation bans: Implications for future of knowledge?
www.linkedin.com/pulse/grokip... (LinkedIn)
sanjanah.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/g... (WordPress)
www.linkedin.com/pulse/grokip... (LinkedIn)
sanjanah.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/g... (WordPress)
As part of erstwhile Disinfo Project, first spoke publicly, & wrote about slow but steady migration of antivaxx sentiment from mRNA, & COVID-19 to rejection of *all* vaxx, & esp. MMR, very early 2022 when harmful discourse was already evident. And now we are here. | www.rnz.co.nz/internationa...
'Alarming gaps': WHO warns NZ to urgently close measles vaccination gap among Māori and Pacific communities
The World Health Organisation has warned New Zealand to urgently close the "alarming gaps" in measles immunisation for the most at-risk communities.
www.rnz.co.nz
October 29, 2025 at 1:05 AM
As part of erstwhile Disinfo Project, first spoke publicly, & wrote about slow but steady migration of antivaxx sentiment from mRNA, & COVID-19 to rejection of *all* vaxx, & esp. MMR, very early 2022 when harmful discourse was already evident. And now we are here. | www.rnz.co.nz/internationa...
Had a good (or perhaps the better word is disturbing!), and wide-ranging conversation with journalist, and documentary filmmaker Surabhi Singh on xAI's profoundly distressing technology, & related issues. | Dangers of AI Intimacy | Who Will Ensure Protection? www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhjZ...
Dangers of AI Intimacy | Who Will Ensure Protection?
YouTube video by Newsreel Asia
www.youtube.com
October 26, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Had a good (or perhaps the better word is disturbing!), and wide-ranging conversation with journalist, and documentary filmmaker Surabhi Singh on xAI's profoundly distressing technology, & related issues. | Dangers of AI Intimacy | Who Will Ensure Protection? www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhjZ...
He’s my son’s age. Sometimes what one studies hits different. Hope he gets the guidance, support, & help he needs to escape a glut of hate I’m not surprised he’s exposed to in content feeds. | Dunedin teen arrested over online bomb threat to Kilbirnie Masjid www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/dunedin-t...
Dunedin teen arrested after Wellington mosque bomb threat due in court tomorrow
The threat named the Kilbirnie Masjid and was posted online on Thursday.
www.nzherald.co.nz
October 26, 2025 at 1:04 AM
He’s my son’s age. Sometimes what one studies hits different. Hope he gets the guidance, support, & help he needs to escape a glut of hate I’m not surprised he’s exposed to in content feeds. | Dunedin teen arrested over online bomb threat to Kilbirnie Masjid www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/dunedin-t...
AI Deepfake of Connolly Sparks Concerns Over Political Risk www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifJ-...
AI Deepfake of Connolly Sparks Concerns Over Political Risk
YouTube video by Virgin Media News
www.youtube.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:57 AM
AI Deepfake of Connolly Sparks Concerns Over Political Risk www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifJ-...
Perhaps her own brother is a much greater problem than "social media", and why the poor kids may be inclined to be partial to, & engage with the very worst of what's online. @davidfarrier.com has the receipts www.webworm.co/billionaire-...
October 25, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Perhaps her own brother is a much greater problem than "social media", and why the poor kids may be inclined to be partial to, & engage with the very worst of what's online. @davidfarrier.com has the receipts www.webworm.co/billionaire-...
Applies to New Zealand too, and there are clear, sustained, strong connections, particularly post-pandemic.
Canada, please be aware that Turning Point USA tied entities or groups in your country are in fact foreign agents attempting to subvert your democracy and harm your national security.
October 25, 2025 at 3:43 AM
Applies to New Zealand too, and there are clear, sustained, strong connections, particularly post-pandemic.
Why did our friends stop posting on social media? www.bbc.com/worklife/art...
Why did our friends stop posting on social media?
BBC Special Correspondent Katty Kay and writer Kyle Chayka discuss the ways that social media is changing – and what that means for how we live our lives online.
www.bbc.com
October 25, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Why did our friends stop posting on social media? www.bbc.com/worklife/art...
News that the ChCh terrorist can be called as a witness at the coronial inquest will be, unsurprisingly, profoundly distressing for the Muslim community in NZ, and esp. those directly impacted by the March 2019 violence. Studied some Telegram content related to this incident, & individual today.
October 24, 2025 at 4:36 AM
News that the ChCh terrorist can be called as a witness at the coronial inquest will be, unsurprisingly, profoundly distressing for the Muslim community in NZ, and esp. those directly impacted by the March 2019 violence. Studied some Telegram content related to this incident, & individual today.
The more fundamental question, hinted at by Dr @legallyfeminist.bsky.social, was one discussed at length with former Chief Censor of NZ David Shanks as far back as 2021 (i.e., pre-generative AI era) around how, and to what extent legislative or regulatory frameworks could address online harms.
A genuinely good idea - but don't let the right fool you into thinking we'll solve nonconsensual sexualised deepfakes through criminalisation! Even this bill is already behind since it was drafted #nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Bill to criminalise explicit 'deepfakes' pulled from ballot
The Deepfake Digital Harm and Exploitation Bill would amend existing laws to expand the the definition of an 'intimate visual recording'.
www.rnz.co.nz
October 24, 2025 at 3:44 AM
The more fundamental question, hinted at by Dr @legallyfeminist.bsky.social, was one discussed at length with former Chief Censor of NZ David Shanks as far back as 2021 (i.e., pre-generative AI era) around how, and to what extent legislative or regulatory frameworks could address online harms.
Reposted by Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa
A genuinely good idea - but don't let the right fool you into thinking we'll solve nonconsensual sexualised deepfakes through criminalisation! Even this bill is already behind since it was drafted #nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Bill to criminalise explicit 'deepfakes' pulled from ballot
The Deepfake Digital Harm and Exploitation Bill would amend existing laws to expand the the definition of an 'intimate visual recording'.
www.rnz.co.nz
October 23, 2025 at 6:11 AM
A genuinely good idea - but don't let the right fool you into thinking we'll solve nonconsensual sexualised deepfakes through criminalisation! Even this bill is already behind since it was drafted #nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
“One video with more than 60,000 views shows a man in body armour holding a gun before a crowd waving Australian flags.” | The AI avatars rallying Australians to their cause www.aap.com.au/factcheck/th...
The AI avatars rallying Australians to their cause
They appear to be real but the many faces calling on Australians to
www.aap.com.au
October 23, 2025 at 3:34 AM
“One video with more than 60,000 views shows a man in body armour holding a gun before a crowd waving Australian flags.” | The AI avatars rallying Australians to their cause www.aap.com.au/factcheck/th...
Artificial Intelligence not reliable news source, European media study says www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/5...
Artificial Intelligence not reliable news source, European media study says
The wide-ranging study of four platforms found 45 percent of answers had "at least one significant issue".
www.rnz.co.nz
October 23, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Artificial Intelligence not reliable news source, European media study says www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/5...
Always learn something new listening to her. Interview with Tina Ngata, Maranga Mai Working Group Lead Advisor, on the Government’s Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Amendment Bill waateanews.com/2025/10/22/t...
Tina Ngata | Maranga Mai Working Group Lead Advisor
waateanews.com
October 23, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Always learn something new listening to her. Interview with Tina Ngata, Maranga Mai Working Group Lead Advisor, on the Government’s Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Amendment Bill waateanews.com/2025/10/22/t...
This frankly sounds like the CIA operating freely on one’s desktop, and hoovering everything one searches for, and browses… | ChatGPT just came out with its own web browser. Use it with caution. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Column | ChatGPT just came out with its own web browser. Use it with caution.
OpenAI’s Atlas promises AI-powered convenience. The price? Letting ChatGPT track and store “memories” of what you do online.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 22, 2025 at 10:49 PM
This frankly sounds like the CIA operating freely on one’s desktop, and hoovering everything one searches for, and browses… | ChatGPT just came out with its own web browser. Use it with caution. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa
In which I talk with the woman who won't shut up (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/o...
Opinion | The U.S. Denounces Her. Multinationals Threaten Her. She Likes Her Odds.
www.nytimes.com
October 16, 2025 at 12:13 PM
In which I talk with the woman who won't shut up (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/o...
Reposted by Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa
AOC: And they are able to radicalize a generation of young boys in particular, away from healthy masculinity and into an insecure masculinity that requires the domination of others who are poorer, browner, darker, or a different gender than them.
October 16, 2025 at 1:36 AM
AOC: And they are able to radicalize a generation of young boys in particular, away from healthy masculinity and into an insecure masculinity that requires the domination of others who are poorer, browner, darker, or a different gender than them.
Obviously necessary to figure out cure for cancer...
Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year
October 15, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Obviously necessary to figure out cure for cancer...