SocialMediaLab.ca News, analysis & views by @philipmai.com re: the politics of tech, social media, AI, immigration, democracy, mis/disinfo, war & propaganda. Explore our suite of social media tools for public interest research: socialmedialab.ca/apps/
Mass surveillance plans, such as placing Flock technology in every Uber, risk reversing the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” into “guilty until proven innocent” a standard associated with authoritarian systems around the world.
"US to vet social media of foreign journalists applying for visas, report says" www.internazionale.it/ultime-notiz...
US to vet social media of foreign journalists applying for visas, report saysBy Simon LewisWASHINGTON, Aug 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department will vet the social media accounts of foreign journalists applying for visas to work in the United S… Leggiwww.internazionale.itAs you read this, imagine its implications for a woman's constitutional right to reproductive healthcare. "Police in Wisconsin used Flock to determine that a man “travels to Michigan frequently,” where marijuana is legal, then back to Wisconsin, where it is illegal. www.404media.co/cops-used-fl...
Cops Used Flock to Track a Man Across State Lines to Create Pretext to Search His Car for Weed"The vehicle travels to Michigan frequently which is a known source state for marijuana as it is legal there," a probable cause justification reads.www.404media.coWhat they do abroad, they will eventually do at home. Illegal acts like this used to raise all kinds of alarms in the US. "Covert Domestic Influence: How the White House is Using Disinformation Tactics on American Citizens" www.bylinesupplement.com/p/covert-dom...
Covert Domestic Influence: How the White House is Using Disinformation Tactics on American CitizensCaroline Orr Bueno reports on leaked documents suggesting Trump’s administration is engaged in an extraordinary abuse of powerwww.bylinesupplement.comRight on cue, as expected. bsky.app/profile/soci...
Social Media LabBe especially vigilant this summer. As actors ranging from the Russians and Iranians to the Cubans find themselves increasingly cornered on the battlefield, the temptation to escalate through hybrid warfare will grow as they seek to reshape the strategic landscape. bsky.app/profile/soci...
"The Leipzig drone bomb marks a dangerous escalation for Europe" www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
The Leipzig drone bomb marks a dangerous escalation for EuropeInitial evidence suggests aerial drone, found near Ukrainian cargo planes at German airport, came from Russiawww.theguardian.comSocial Media Lab"Drone found at German airport after cargo plane collides with object mid-air" www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
"Grokipedia Stopped Reviewing Edits in April. It Didn’t Tell Anyone." www.lawfaremedia.org/article/grok...
Grokipedia Stopped Reviewing Edits in April. It Didn’t Tell Anyone.A halt in Grokipedia’s edit pipeline offers a case study in how an AI-generated reference system governs its own content.www.lawfaremedia.orgQuestion: Tell me what happened at Tiananmen Square in 1989. Here are the answers from two popular open-source Chinese AI models.
Social Media Lab"Most tech analysts are aware that Chinese models have Chinese Communist Party controls built into them, but the problem is often understood too narrowly. Many assume that these models simply refuse to answer politically sensitive questions..." www.worldpoliticsreview.com/china-ai-mod...
"The Defense Department’s policy chief is drafting a new U.S. nuclear strategy that emphasizes the possible use of shorter-range tactical weapons in case of a regional war with China or Russia" www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
Pentagon drafting a new U.S. nuclear strategy in case of regional war with China or Russia, sources sayThe classified strategy informs nuclear options for the commander in chief during crises.www.nbcnews.com
This highlights a profound impact of Trump — the further normalization of violence against women. Trump got elected in spite of his long history of violence against women. He is not held accountable when he continues to abuse women. 1/2
Aaron RuparMax Miller on why he's staying in the race: "When we go back to 2015 and 2016, & people in the media looked at President Trump, & everyone came out with allegations. Dozens of women, dozens of crazy allegations, dozens of nasty criminal misconduct. And you know what he did? He stayed in the fight."
Not sure why the State Department wants to project retreat rather than leadership, raises doubts about America's long-term commitment to its allies, and hands geopolitical competitors an opportunity to fill the void.
Plans to close the U.S. Consulate in Winnipeg mean the United States will "lose touch with a broad swath of Canada," a former employee says. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
U.S. to close Winnipeg consulate as cost-saving measure, Trump administration says | CBC NewsPlans to close the U.S. Consulate in Winnipeg mean the United States will "lose touch with a broad swath of Canada," a former employee says.www.cbc.ca
This man might go to prison for allegedly wiping his phone before DHS officials could search it. No warrant for the phone, no specific claim of what 'evidence' might be on it. But he used a duress/wipe password, leading to the charge Watch more and subscribe here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmik...
"Under the second Trump administration, university autonomy is being sacrificed to authoritarian state power by means of ‘mass extortion’, according to a new report published by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP)." www.universityworldnews.com/post-mobile....
www.universityworldnews.comSocial Media Lab🤔 "US Secretary McMahon called on every postsecondary institution to publish, by the end of 2026, a clear public statement outlining its commitment to implementing reforms that will help restore public trust in higher education." #InComingLoyaltyOath www.ed.gov/about/news/p...