Anita Gohdes
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argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes
@argohdes.bsky.social
4.3K 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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argohdes.bsky.social
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

bildoperationen.bsky.social
Roland Meyer @bildoperationen.bsky.social · 1d
«For the far right, what’s more important is an aesthetics of domination. The Trump administration is flooding our senses without regard for coherence, in the hope we exhaust ourselves trying to make sense of something that’s completely contradictory or willfully absurd.» #MemeFascism
The End Goal of Trump’s Cringey, Nonsensical Videos
Trump’s use of the antiwar song “Fortunate Son” in a video of the military raid in Venezuela was no mistake. It’s part of a very deliberate far-right aesthetic.
newrepublic.com

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

netblocks.org
NetBlocks @netblocks.org · 2d
⚠️ Update: It has now been 24 hours since #Iran implemented a nationwide internet shutdown, with connectivity flatlining at 1% of ordinary levels. The ongoing digital blackout violates the fundamental rights and liberties of Iranians while masking regime violence ⏱
Graph from NetBlocks showing network connectivity in Iran from January 5, 2025, to January 9, 2025. The y-axis represents normalized connectivity, ranging from 0% to 100%, and the x-axis represents the dates. The green line representing Iran's connectivity remains lower than normal most of the time period due to protests, with a sharp drop on the evening of January 8. The drop in connectivity aligns with protests across the nation. The minimum and current connectivity levels are indicated as 1% and 1%, respectively. The chart has a dark background with a red horizontal arrow labeled 'SHUTDOWN', indicates the period of disruption.

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer , and 11 more

wired.com
WIRED @wired.com · 3d
Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.

If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance
Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.
www.wired.com

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 5d
Fantastic opportunity to join @felixhaass.bsky.social for a PhD position on contentious politics, political violence, or authoritarian politics at HU Berlin: www.hu-berlin.de/universitaet...
Research fellow (m/f/d) in the field of “contentious politics/political violence/autocratic politics” - Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
www.hu-berlin.de

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 6d
As of January '26 I've joined @psrm.bsky.social as an AE, focusing on IR and conflict submissions - I'm excited to join the team and to receive your manuscripts!

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 6d
After more than 5 years I'm stepping down from being an Associate Editor at the wonderful @jpeaceresearch.bsky.social. It's been an honour and I'm delighted to stay on as an Editorial Board member 🫶🏻!

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Paul Davies, Alan Richardson , and 6 more

zoandbehold.bsky.social
Rep. Zooey Zephyr @zoandbehold.bsky.social · 14d
"And I never say no"

We need to have a serious talk about the way "AI companion" apps not only prey on the vulnerable, but are priming their users to ignore consent and to conflate love with control.

We need AI regulations across so many sectors, but this area is particularly horrifying.

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

lorenzofb.bsky.social
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai @lorenzofb.bsky.social · 15d
NEW: Meet the folks at AccessNow's Digital Security Helpline, who have been investigating government spyware for more than a decade, helping journalists and dissidents all over the world.

I spoke to Hassen Selmi, who heads the incident response team, to learn how his team fights spyware abuses.
Meet the team that hunts government spyware
For years, Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline has been aiding journalists and dissidents who have been targeted with government spyware. This is how they operate.
techcrunch.com

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

apsgworkshop.bsky.social
Authoritarian Political Systems Group @apsgworkshop.bsky.social · 23d
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_...

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 24d
Speaking of wild stories

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 24d
Never tire of saying how much I appreciate the reporting @404media.co does. Yet another wild story.
josephcox.bsky.social Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 25d
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 @nicoblar.bsky.social · 25d
#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

mjgault.bsky.social
Matthew Gault @mjgault.bsky.social · 25d
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

josephcox.bsky.social
Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 25d
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

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Dec 10
Thank you Federica!

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

airwars.bsky.social
Airwars @airwars.bsky.social · Dec 10
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

hertiesecurity.bsky.social
Centre for International Security - Hertie School @hertiesecurity.bsky.social · Dec 10
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

andyguess.com
andyguess @andyguess.com · Dec 9
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

milamiceli.bsky.social
Milagros Miceli @milamiceli.bsky.social · Dec 9
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

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Dec 9
Fantastic news, congrats Tore!

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Tobias Bunde, Anita Gohdes

simonsaysnothin.bsky.social
Simon Munzert @simonsaysnothin.bsky.social · Dec 6
🚨📆🤓 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.
hertiedatascience.bsky.social 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

katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · Dec 4
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

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Dec 4
👏🏻👏🏻 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

equalityalec.bsky.social
alec karakatsanis @equalityalec.bsky.social · Dec 1
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

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Nov 28
This is going to be so good!
danaelkurd.bsky.social Dana El Kurd @danaelkurd.bsky.social · Nov 28
Cover art by Sara Qaed

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Nov 28
ahhhh so exciting!

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

danaelkurd.bsky.social
Dana El Kurd @danaelkurd.bsky.social · Nov 28
Cover art by Sara Qaed

Reposted by Anita Gohdes

yossibartal.bsky.social
Yossi Bartal @yossibartal.bsky.social · Nov 27
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.

argohdes.bsky.social
Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · Nov 27
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

boesch.bsky.social
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