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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 4h

Hypocrisy and asymmetric enforcement of laws and norms are common tactics for organized criminals, including leaders of “mafia states,” which are countries that have been hijacked by organized crime groups.

Former Crazy Eddie CFO @samantar.bsky.social helps explain:

youtu.be/Azsoy-PC5HY

Securities Fraud Mastermind Sam Antar: "Your Rules Don't Apply To People Like Me"

YouTube video by Cambridge Disinformation Summit

youtu.be

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 23h

After a long pause, I've just done another England Covid & NHS update as we head into the autumn/winter season.

TLDR: we're in a significant Covid wave now, the NHS is stretched, get boosted if you're eligible.

christinapagel.substack.com/p/england-is...

England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet

The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter

christinapagel.substack.com

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 4h

Hypocrisy and asymmetric enforcement of laws and norms are common tactics for organized criminals, including leaders of “mafia states,” which are countries that have been hijacked by organized crime groups.

Former Crazy Eddie CFO @samantar.bsky.social helps explain:

youtu.be/Azsoy-PC5HY

Securities Fraud Mastermind Sam Antar: "Your Rules Don't Apply To People Like Me"

YouTube video by Cambridge Disinformation Summit

youtu.be

6 6

Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 1d

Kohut (1972)

mindsplain.com/wp-content/u...

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 5h

A list of highly recommended readings to help understand today’s geopolitical and social-cultural environment.

@anneapplebaum.bsky.social
@ruthbenghiat.bsky.social
@moisesnaim.bsky.social
@marietjeschaake.bsky.social
@yuvalharari.bsky.social
@brianklaas.bsky.social

Recommended readings:

—Anne Appelbaum’s “Autocracy Inc.” to understand how organized crime syndicates have overtaken governments and are collaborating globally with aligned actors

—Moises Naim’s “Mafia States,” to understand that organized crime syndicates too frequently hijack nation states

—Marietje Schaake’s “The Tech Coup,” to understand how tech company leaders are supporting degradation of democratic and accountability institutions

Sarah Wynn-Williams’ “Careless People,” to understand the culture at the top of leading social media platforms

—Brian Klaas’ “Corruptible,” to understand why there is a disproportionate and natural selection of sociopaths in power around the world because others are often not willing to seek that level of power

—Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s “Strongmen,” to understand how authoritarians rise to power, rule with performative cruelty, and eventually fall

—Yuval Noah Harari’s “Nexus,” to understand how large human movements are often fueled by fictional or embellished stories

—Heinz Kohut (1972)’s “Thoughts on Narcissism and Narcissistic Rage,” to understand the insatiable need for narcissistic supply and narcissistic revenge that too often fuels public policy decisions

—Tilo Hartmann (2016)’s “Parasocial interaction, parasocial relationships, and well-being,” to understand the cognitive influence effects of pseudo-intimate relationships and how these can potentially be exploitative

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 20h

I support academics who support academic independence.

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 20h

MIT Rejects Proposed Federal Compact

MIT is the first institution to reject a proposal by the Trump administration that would trade preferential treatment on federal funding in exchange for far-reaching changes.

www.insidehighered.com

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 1d

From @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social’s book Strongmen.

Tools of Rule

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 1d

From @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social’s book Strongmen.

Tools of Rule

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 1d

Item six from @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social’s book Strongmen.

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 1d

Kohut (1972)

mindsplain.com/wp-content/u...

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 1d

I think it’s important to also examine favorability in the groups that are most aggrieved and potentially radicalized, as they are a force multiplier if they still strongly support, despite overall decline trends.

Sarah Posner @sarahposner.bsky.social · 1d

These are terrible numbers for Trump (via @pewresearch.org)

www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

"Majorities say trump has used his office improperly; fewer say he has improved government, U.S. standing" (graphs via Pew Research)

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 1d

I think it’s important to also examine favorability in the groups that are most aggrieved and potentially radicalized, as they are a force multiplier if they still strongly support, despite overall decline trends.

Sarah Posner @sarahposner.bsky.social · 1d

These are terrible numbers for Trump (via @pewresearch.org)

www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 2d

I recently discussed how these relationships form. Some can offer support, but they can also be manipulative and draw users away from engaging in human interaction, altering cognition with downstream negative effects on social community.

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 3d

Populist opportunists leverage intentionally visceral narratives to draw and embolden followers, establish norms, draw boundaries, and define outgroups.

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 3d

For more on these tactics:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=yEjt...

How some disinformation campaigns attempt to undermine democracy

YouTube video by Cambridge Disinformation Summit

m.youtube.com

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 3d

Populist opportunists leverage intentionally visceral narratives to draw and embolden followers, establish norms, draw boundaries, and define outgroups.

13 15 60

Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · Aug 17

We will be discussing how tech and narratives affect systemic risks at the next Cambridge Disinformation Summit.

Adam Maguire @adammaguire.bsky.social · Aug 17

Shein has been hit with two fines in recent weeks - with greenwashing a feature of both.

Fast fashion is one of the worst environmental offenders - but it’s not the only sector to try to fool consumers over its sustainability efforts.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

Green Fables: How firms have misled on sustainability

Shein has been hit with two fines relating to its misleading sustainability claims, but there's a long history of firms trying to make themselves look more eco-friendly than they actually were, writes...

www.rte.ie

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 23d

‪
@attorneynora.bsky.social led the 2025 Cambridge Disinformation Summit talk on how to legislate disinformation harms, with:

@alexandrageese.bsky.social, EU MP
Orlando Silva, Brazilian Congress
Damian Collins, former UK MP
Adam Price, Welsh MS

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvbh...

Cambridge Disinformation Summit 2025: Legislation of disinformation interventions panel

YouTube video by Cambridge Disinformation Summit

www.youtube.com

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 3d

"big lies...reinforce [demagogues'] supporters’ deeply held beliefs, test the loyalty of their close followers, or publicly demonstrate the demagogue’s power. For a big lie to serve these purposes, genuine belief in the lie is not required."

abdn.elsevierpure.com/en/publicati...

Why Demagogues Lie Big

abdn.elsevierpure.com

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Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 3d

“Mafia State leaders are not reliable partners. You cannot rely on their internal enforcement systems because their enforcement systems have been neutered, compromised, or weaponized.

…prosecution of any corrupt actions must happen…outside of their jurisdiction.”

m.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ZE...

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 4d

For more information about the increased probability of random violence (stochastic terrorism) associated with "political demagoguery," see Amman and Meloy (2024).

www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Incitement to Violence and Stochastic Terrorism: Legal, Academic, and Practical Parameters for Researchers and Investigators

In the U.S., legal incitement is generally understood as speech that is intended to incite or produce imminent lawless action, and is likely, in fact, to do so. It is an a old construct extending b...

www.tandfonline.com

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 4d

@macfarlanenews.bsky.social from CBS News interviews United States District Court Judge Esther Salas to discuss the rhetoric that influences political violence against members of the judiciary.

Scott MacFarlane @macfarlanenews.bsky.social · 4d

Judge Esther Salas, whose son was murdered in 2020, issues a dire warning today:

“Officials from top to bottom” are using rhetoric that puts judges at risk:

www.youtube.com/embed/nJO3QH...

YouTube

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 4d

Call for Papers now open for the

Cambridge Disinformation Summit, 8-10 April 2026.

Research on systemic risks from technology that affects information streams or the amplification or monetization of disinformation.

Hosted with @mctd.bsky.social.

Information: www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/events/cambr...

Cambridge disinformation summit (2026) - Cambridge Judge Business School

Connect with Cambridge Judge! Explore our full calendar of upcoming events, learn about our programmes and connect with world-class speakers.

www.jbs.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 4d

Amman and Meloy (2024) define the term "stochastic terrorism" in terms of targeted speech that increases the general probability of violence against an outgroup.

A key element is the messengers' plausible deniability of inciting violence.

doi.org/10.1080/0954...

As a practical matter stochastic terrorism is an interactive process between a public speaker who may be a charismatic leader, one or more amplifying forces such as a media platform, and one or more
ultimate receivers. The originator speaks out publicly and with hostility toward a selected outgroup or individual in order to advance a political or social goal. An unknown receiver takes it in and churns out anger, contempt or disgust, often mirroring the speaker’s hostility and combining it with his own fear and anxiety stoked by the speech; such negative emotions may be intentionally aroused by the speaker to prove the need for his leadership and generate feelings of imminent threat posed by the target of his rhetoric that will personally impact the persecuted receiver. The speaker may overtly declare the target to be a threat, or “joke” about violent solutions to the shared problem represented by the target; violence is never explicitly suggested and plausible deniability remains intact. Social and news mass media outlets wittingly or unwittingly spread and amplify the message and its themes.

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Reposted by Alan Jagolinzer

Alan Jagolinzer @jagolinzer.bsky.social · 4d

“Voters aren’t hearing” in part because many are tuned into their parasocial relationships and tuned out of other comms channels that are typically used by old school politicians.

I’ve discussed this with several MPs and MEPs and this will be a topic at the 2026 Cambridge Disinformation Summit.

Adam Payne @adampayne26.bsky.social · 4d

From Peter Kellner's latest substack:

Of 560 Labour voters present and recent past (switched since '24), *not one* said any of the following when asked about gov's best achievements

Some obv will be conscious of these things, but Labour still has a big problem, he writes: "voters aren’t hearing"

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