Isabel Linzer
@isabelalinzer.bsky.social
Elections & democracy @ CDT. Stints: OHCHR, Freedom House, NDI. Posting about human rights, tech, authoritarianism, transnational repression, etc. Opinions my own.
This report is absolutely fantastic. A nuanced, expert approach to something that matters a whole heck of a lot, and is absolutely essential to get right
AI systems can unintentionally worsen mental health issues — including eating disorders. CDT’s new report, From Symptoms to Systems, maps out 6 key ways generative AI may contribute to eating disorder-related harms and offers guidance for developers, clinicians & caregivers. cdt.org/insights/fro...
November 10, 2025 at 9:38 PM
This report is absolutely fantastic. A nuanced, expert approach to something that matters a whole heck of a lot, and is absolutely essential to get right
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
Good @laurenfeiner.bsky.social story about the state of CISA that highlights potentially corrosive fears among the agency's critical infrastructure partners about the Trump administration's cuts and politicization: www.theverge.com/policy/81688...
November 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Good @laurenfeiner.bsky.social story about the state of CISA that highlights potentially corrosive fears among the agency's critical infrastructure partners about the Trump administration's cuts and politicization: www.theverge.com/policy/81688...
Two things can be true: this signals impunity for TNR and that's bad and makes people less safe, and the existing levers of accountability punish on low-level folks instead of getting to the source of the problem
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump pardons former New York cop convicted of helping Beijing harass Chinese expatriate
Michael McMahon was sentenced to 18 months in prison for what a judge called ‘a campaign of transnational repression’
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Two things can be true: this signals impunity for TNR and that's bad and makes people less safe, and the existing levers of accountability punish on low-level folks instead of getting to the source of the problem
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
BREAKING: The Supreme Court rejects a call to overturn its decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.
Supreme Court rejects call to overturn its decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide
The Supreme Court has rejected a call to overturn its landmark decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
bit.ly
November 10, 2025 at 2:41 PM
BREAKING: The Supreme Court rejects a call to overturn its decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
“‘DHS effectively collapsing different government databases into one is a privacy and practical disaster,’ said @isabelalinzer.bsky.social, elections and democracy fellow at the Center for Democracy and Technology, in a statement.“
DHS Expands Immigration Database to Include US Citizens, Voter Data
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has formalized changes to its federal immigration database, expanding its purpose to include voter registration and verification for both noncitizens and U.S. citizens.
www.meritalk.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:12 PM
“‘DHS effectively collapsing different government databases into one is a privacy and practical disaster,’ said @isabelalinzer.bsky.social, elections and democracy fellow at the Center for Democracy and Technology, in a statement.“
I missed this last week - but wow what a convergence of what it means to be online in 2025. We're at the combination political-influencers-disinformation-transnational-repression-pizza-hut 🧵 www.cnbctv18.com/world/chinas...
China's new influencer law wants only degree-holders to discuss sensitive topics - CNBC TV18
Here's everything you need to know about the new influencer law in China and why it has sparked a debate over "freedom of speech" online.
www.cnbctv18.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I missed this last week - but wow what a convergence of what it means to be online in 2025. We're at the combination political-influencers-disinformation-transnational-repression-pizza-hut 🧵 www.cnbctv18.com/world/chinas...
Stating the obvious that as a researcher, archive sites are so important to being able to do my work. Governments and companies delete their webpages. Whether intentional or not, that undermines public knowledge and accountability. Archives help make up for that gap www.theverge.com/news/815691/...
FBI subpoenas the web registrar behind Archive.is
The FBI’s trying to track down the site’s elusive owner
www.theverge.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Stating the obvious that as a researcher, archive sites are so important to being able to do my work. Governments and companies delete their webpages. Whether intentional or not, that undermines public knowledge and accountability. Archives help make up for that gap www.theverge.com/news/815691/...
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
I was one of the four people who got canned.
In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I was one of the four people who got canned.
In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
In the interim, you can subscribe to my newsletter, Straight From The Hut. No paywall, but feel free to choose the pay to support model. I'm not going anywhere — the show goes on, and I'll be back on MSNBC Saturday night. straightfromthehut.substack.com
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
NEW: DHS used to only have information on immigrants who’d had contact with the agency.
Under a new data-sharing agreement, the system added information — including full Social Security numbers — on millions of Americans not in DHS databases.
Under a new data-sharing agreement, the system added information — including full Social Security numbers — on millions of Americans not in DHS databases.
DHS Agreement Reveals Risks of Using Social Security Data for Voter Citizenship Checks
A recently released agreement gives the Department of Homeland Security access to hundreds of millions of Americans’ Social Security data. It contains alarmingly few provisions to ensure accuracy and privacy, experts say.
www.propublica.org
October 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM
NEW: DHS used to only have information on immigrants who’d had contact with the agency.
Under a new data-sharing agreement, the system added information — including full Social Security numbers — on millions of Americans not in DHS databases.
Under a new data-sharing agreement, the system added information — including full Social Security numbers — on millions of Americans not in DHS databases.
Unsolicited recommendation for Democracy Without Exception. It's actually a substack I open and read every time. Very thoughtful (and much-needed) approach to putting US democracy in a global context
democracywithoutexception.substack.com
democracywithoutexception.substack.com
Democracy Without Exception | Liz Ramey | Substack
Democracy Without Exception explores the idea that Americans are part of a global struggle for democracy. Click to read Democracy Without Exception, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers...
democracywithoutexception.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Unsolicited recommendation for Democracy Without Exception. It's actually a substack I open and read every time. Very thoughtful (and much-needed) approach to putting US democracy in a global context
democracywithoutexception.substack.com
democracywithoutexception.substack.com
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
Are people wearing inflatable frog costumes doing the Cha Cha Slide as part of protests outside of ICE detention centers in Portland "domestic terrorists"? Of course not.
cdt.org/insights/wha...
cdt.org/insights/wha...
What “Domestic Terrorism” and Non-Citizen Speech Have in Common
The Fight Must Continuestic-terrorism">The Common Thread Between Non-Citizen Speech and “Domestic Terrorism”hor">A Victory for Non-Citizen Speech ation to people in the United States through coercion,...
cdt.org
October 14, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Are people wearing inflatable frog costumes doing the Cha Cha Slide as part of protests outside of ICE detention centers in Portland "domestic terrorists"? Of course not.
cdt.org/insights/wha...
cdt.org/insights/wha...
Incredible reporting www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
The surveillance empire that tracked world leaders, a Vatican enemy, and maybe you
We uncovered a massive data trove. It revealed the hidden world of First Wap, whose untraceable tech has targeted politicians, journalists, celebrities, and activists around the globe.
www.motherjones.com
October 14, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Incredible reporting www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Whether the people in the comments on these posts understand they are viewing AI is one thing, but what about the people who casually scroll past and don't look for a watermark or notice a telltale glitch? Passive consumption is an underappreciated risk IMO gizmodo.com/fake-protest...
Fake Protest Videos Are the Latest AI Slop to Go Viral in MAGA World
Trump supporters are doubling down on AI sadism.
gizmodo.com
October 8, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Whether the people in the comments on these posts understand they are viewing AI is one thing, but what about the people who casually scroll past and don't look for a watermark or notice a telltale glitch? Passive consumption is an underappreciated risk IMO gizmodo.com/fake-protest...
"That is what this war teaches us: Even suffering has a hierarchy, and even survival has a rank... The hierarchy determines how we speak, what we share and how we live with one another. I want people outside Gaza to understand these details." www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Opinion | The Gaza I Once Knew Is Gone
After two years of war, one Gazan tells of what was lost.
www.nytimes.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:20 PM
"That is what this war teaches us: Even suffering has a hierarchy, and even survival has a rank... The hierarchy determines how we speak, what we share and how we live with one another. I want people outside Gaza to understand these details." www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Nate's piece feels especially essential this week. The US forced return of Iranians just days before we marked the anniversary of Khashoggi's assassination invites some heavy reflection on the progress that has been made, how far there remains to go, and the humanity at stake
I wanted to share some of the sources and inspirations for my new @jodemocracy.bsky.social essay this week on transnational repression. Like with anything, there are citations but then there's also stuff that doesn't make it into the piece
www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the...
www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the...
The Golden Age of Transnational Repression | Journal of Democracy
Authoritarian regimes are targeting exiles and diaspora communities in more places than ever before. Activists, journalists, and regular people living abroad must watch their backs…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
October 3, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Nate's piece feels especially essential this week. The US forced return of Iranians just days before we marked the anniversary of Khashoggi's assassination invites some heavy reflection on the progress that has been made, how far there remains to go, and the humanity at stake
Returning 400 people to Iran.. this is mass refoulement, forced return. The US is facilitating Tehran's campaign of transnational repression www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/w...
U.S. Deports Planeload of Iranians After Deal With Tehran, Officials Say
www.nytimes.com
September 30, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Returning 400 people to Iran.. this is mass refoulement, forced return. The US is facilitating Tehran's campaign of transnational repression www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/w...
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
As immigration agents have escalated their tactics, US citizens, many of them Latino men, have been stopped and in some cases taken into custody by law enforcement officers. Allison, Jenny and I took a closer look at the encounters. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/u...
‘I’m From Here!’: U.S. Citizens Are Ending Up in Trump’s Dragnet
www.nytimes.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:58 PM
As immigration agents have escalated their tactics, US citizens, many of them Latino men, have been stopped and in some cases taken into custody by law enforcement officers. Allison, Jenny and I took a closer look at the encounters. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/u...
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
My latest for @techpolicypress.bsky.social The internet is under a quiet coup. Surveillance tech once for dictators is now global, sold to governments. Democracies are complicit, civil society is shrinking. Will we defend an open internet—or let it vanish?
www.techpolicy.press/the-internet...
www.techpolicy.press/the-internet...
The Internet Coup Is Here. And the World Is Still Asleep | TechPolicy.Press
At UNGA 80, the world’s leaders have a chance to prove that they understand what is at stake, writes Konstantinos Komaitis.
www.techpolicy.press
September 23, 2025 at 10:36 AM
My latest for @techpolicypress.bsky.social The internet is under a quiet coup. Surveillance tech once for dictators is now global, sold to governments. Democracies are complicit, civil society is shrinking. Will we defend an open internet—or let it vanish?
www.techpolicy.press/the-internet...
www.techpolicy.press/the-internet...
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
Happy to announce our call for applications for the @cdt.org Non-Resident Fellows program (2026-27). You can find more information here: cdt.org/about/fellows/
Applications are due by October 6, 2025.
Applications are due by October 6, 2025.
CDT's Non-Resident Fellows
These are the people that make up CDT's Fellows – and we're incredibly grateful to have them help inform our work. Take a minute and get to know them.
cdt.org
September 17, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Happy to announce our call for applications for the @cdt.org Non-Resident Fellows program (2026-27). You can find more information here: cdt.org/about/fellows/
Applications are due by October 6, 2025.
Applications are due by October 6, 2025.
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
Author copies for
Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics
by me & @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social arrived today!
If you re-post this by Sept 30 we'll put you in a drawing & send the winner a free signed copy anywhere they happen to be on the planet.
Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics
by me & @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social arrived today!
If you re-post this by Sept 30 we'll put you in a drawing & send the winner a free signed copy anywhere they happen to be on the planet.
September 15, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Author copies for
Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics
by me & @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social arrived today!
If you re-post this by Sept 30 we'll put you in a drawing & send the winner a free signed copy anywhere they happen to be on the planet.
Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics
by me & @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social arrived today!
If you re-post this by Sept 30 we'll put you in a drawing & send the winner a free signed copy anywhere they happen to be on the planet.
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
CDT Fellow @isabelalinzer.bsky.social joins Haverford College to discuss new research & pressing questions on democracy + tech—and what it means to build an impactful career in this space.
Tues, Sept 9 | 4:30–5:30 p.m. ET
Tues, Sept 9 | 4:30–5:30 p.m. ET
"From Deepfakes to Influencers: Understanding Democracy in the Digital Age" with Isabel Linzer
Join the Libraries for a talk by Isabel Linzer, Elections and Democracy Fellow at the Center for Democracy & Technology.
www.haverford.edu
September 4, 2025 at 5:30 PM
CDT Fellow @isabelalinzer.bsky.social joins Haverford College to discuss new research & pressing questions on democracy + tech—and what it means to build an impactful career in this space.
Tues, Sept 9 | 4:30–5:30 p.m. ET
Tues, Sept 9 | 4:30–5:30 p.m. ET
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
Ahead of tomorrow's hearing on European "censorship" of Americans under the Digital Services Act, I have a new blog post explaining why that is not a thing.
You can get the gist in about two minutes of skimming the bold text, or stay for the details.
1/
cyberlaw.stanford.edu/a-primer-on-...
You can get the gist in about two minutes of skimming the bold text, or stay for the details.
1/
cyberlaw.stanford.edu/a-primer-on-...
A Primer on Cross-Border Speech Regulation and the EU’s Digital Services Act
Some U.S. politicians have recently characterized European platform and social media regulation laws as “censorship” of speech in the U.S. If this claim were true, it would be a very big deal. As some...
cyberlaw.stanford.edu
September 2, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Ahead of tomorrow's hearing on European "censorship" of Americans under the Digital Services Act, I have a new blog post explaining why that is not a thing.
You can get the gist in about two minutes of skimming the bold text, or stay for the details.
1/
cyberlaw.stanford.edu/a-primer-on-...
You can get the gist in about two minutes of skimming the bold text, or stay for the details.
1/
cyberlaw.stanford.edu/a-primer-on-...
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
📢 Save the date! #FOSO2025 is back Oct 28–29. This year we’ll explore how government “jawboning” & other pressures threaten free speech—online, in universities, media, & beyond—and what new legal protections can do to push back. cdt.org/event/the-fu...
August 28, 2025 at 7:04 PM
📢 Save the date! #FOSO2025 is back Oct 28–29. This year we’ll explore how government “jawboning” & other pressures threaten free speech—online, in universities, media, & beyond—and what new legal protections can do to push back. cdt.org/event/the-fu...
Reposted by Isabel Linzer
trump/rubio decide us will *not* participate in the human rights council universal periodic review. this is what major human rights violators do (tho many still come). it's extremely self-defeating, tho of course the UPR will still go forward.
one important point i want to emphasize.
one important point i want to emphasize.
US withdraws from key UN human rights report, draws criticism from rights advocates
The United States will not participate in a U.N. review of its human rights record, officials said, a move that rights advocates called a worrying retreat from Washington's global engagement on rights and justice issues.
www.reuters.com
August 28, 2025 at 3:22 PM
trump/rubio decide us will *not* participate in the human rights council universal periodic review. this is what major human rights violators do (tho many still come). it's extremely self-defeating, tho of course the UPR will still go forward.
one important point i want to emphasize.
one important point i want to emphasize.
