Marcus Michaelsen
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mmichae1sen.bsky.social
Marcus Michaelsen
@mmichae1sen.bsky.social
1.1K followers 150 following 45 posts
Researching digital tech, human rights & authoritarian politics @citizenlab.ca. https://marcusmichaelsen.eu/
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mmichae1sen.bsky.social
Marcus Michaelsen @mmichae1sen.bsky.social · Dec 2
More than two years in the making and the final result is amazing: our new report on digital transnational repression against women human rights defenders in exile. Discover how authoritarian regimes weaponize gender to target women activists and journalists abroad.
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
citizenlab.ca
New paper from @gabriellelim.bsky.social @noura.bsky.social et al. on the methodology of digital rights governance research and avoiding the “kitchen sink approach.”

Read it in Internet Policy Review: policyreview.info/articles/ana...
Avoiding the kitchen sink: A guide to mixed methods approaches within digital rights governance
In this article, we performed a scoping review and argue that mixed or multi-method designs can better support collaboration when thoughtfully applied. However, indiscriminately combining methods with...
policyreview.info
November 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
citizenlab.ca
AI is reshaping how we live, work, and communicate. But how will it change democracy?

On Dec 2 join #UofT's Bruce Schneier, Beth Coleman & @rondeibert.bsky.social for "Rewiring Democracy: How AI Will Transform Our Politics, Government, and Citizenship."

munkschool.utoronto.ca/event/rewiri...
November 27, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
zhubochubo.bsky.social
Transnational Repression Escalates: Sexual Violence and Threats Against Zimbabwean Journalist in Exile in Sweden ldsf.info/blog/2025/11...
Transnational Repression Escalates: Sexual Violence and Threats Against Zimbabwean Journalist in Exile in Sweden - Law and Democracy Support Foundation e.V.
Law and Democracy Support Foundation (LDSF) strongly condemns the sexual and physical assaults, threats, and surveillance targeting journalist and human rights defender Sophia Tekwani and her family i...
ldsf.info
November 27, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
noura.bsky.social
Join us tomorrow at 9:30 am EST.
citizenlab.ca The Citizen Lab @citizenlab.ca · 8d
Join us on Nov 26 to explore how gender, technology, and authoritarianism intersect to shape women’s participation in peace and security.

Get info & register: citizenlab.ca/2025/11/webi...

@amnesty.org @sheassociates.bsky.social @mmichae1sen.bsky.social @noura.bsky.social @sanstis.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
fittarelli.com
…as we @citizenlab.ca have shown time and time again. Just check our #PRISONBREAK, #JUICYJAM, #HKLEAKS, Endless Mayfly, and many more reports.
theatlantic.com The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 3d
X’s decision to show where its accounts are based “is, theoretically, a positive step in the direction of transparency”—yet Elon Musk may have instead revealed that the platform is “just a worthless, poisoned hall of mirrors,” @cwarzel.bsky.social argues.
Elon Musk’s Worthless, Poisoned Hall of Mirrors
How X blew up its own platform with a new location feature
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
alexdukalskis.bsky.social
As part of a special issue of @iojournal.bsky.social w/ an amazing cast of scholars, Rebecca Cordell & I wrote a piece on the future of human rights given the rise of authoritarian powers and alliances.

Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights | International Organization | Cambridge Core
Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights - Volume 79 Issue S1
www.cambridge.org
November 20, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
lokman.org
This is fantastic. I just enabled this on Signal Desktop, under Settings --> Chats.
signal.org Signal @signal.org · 28d
Now on Desktop: Customizable chat folders

Keep healthy boundaries between friends & family or work & leisure.

Filter 1-on-1 and group chats, put all of your unread messages one place, or make project-specific folders for related chats.

Settings > Chats
Or right-click any chat
November 19, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
noura.bsky.social
Join us next week for an interesting conversation on WPS and digital authoritarianism.
citizenlab.ca The Citizen Lab @citizenlab.ca · 8d
Join us on Nov 26 to explore how gender, technology, and authoritarianism intersect to shape women’s participation in peace and security.

Get info & register: citizenlab.ca/2025/11/webi...

@amnesty.org @sheassociates.bsky.social @mmichae1sen.bsky.social @noura.bsky.social @sanstis.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
citizenlab.ca
Join us on Nov 26 to explore how gender, technology, and authoritarianism intersect to shape women’s participation in peace and security.

Get info & register: citizenlab.ca/2025/11/webi...

@amnesty.org @sheassociates.bsky.social @mmichae1sen.bsky.social @noura.bsky.social @sanstis.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
rondeibert.bsky.social
Absolutely vile
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 9d
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 6:24 PM
mmichae1sen.bsky.social
25 years after UNSC’s landmark resolution recognizing women’s roles in peacemaking, how can we conceptualize digital transnational repression within feminist peace & security frameworks?

Join @citizenlab.ca for an insightful discussion on UNSCR 1325 in the digital age.
November 17, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
hneumannmep.bsky.social
What used to be bugs and informants is now #spyware. Bringing together victims of #Stasi surveillance and #spyware to discuss: How can we protect #freedom in the digital age?

🗓️ November 12, 18:30
#BerlinFreedomWeek

Register here 👇

www.berlin-freedom-week.com/en/event/sta...
November 11, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
hneumannmep.bsky.social
Was früher Wanzen & Spitzel waren, ist heute #Spyware. Wie schützt man #Freiheit im digitalen Zeitalter?

🗓️ 12.11., 18:30 Uhr #BerlinFreedomWeek

Infos & Anmeldung 👇

www.berlin-freedom-week.com/event/von-st...
October 27, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
natynettle.bsky.social
Today’s WhatsApp v NSO injunction is a BIG DEAL & may essentially kill Pegasus spyware *as we know it.*

To comply, NSO would have to ensure that their spyware cannot access WhatsApp messages or break WhatsApp’s encryption.

This means that NSO can no longer offer “unlimited” access to victims’ 📱s
October 18, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
krisruijgrok.bsky.social
Article ALERT:
doi.org/10.1080/1058...

Towards the Comparative Study of Domestic Influence Operations: Cyber Troops and Elite Competition in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand – Political Communication

How do domestic online influence operations vary across countries, and why?🧵
Towards the Comparative Study of Domestic Influence Operations: Cyber Troops and Elite Competition in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand
Online influence operations (IO) are typically studied as isolated cases, often independent of their political context. In this study, based on 78 in-depth interviews with industry insiders, we exp...
doi.org
October 16, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
foreignpolicy.com
The deportation of pro-democracy dissidents to their home countries is a major reversal of years of U.S. policymaking on a topic that had bipartisan support.
Trump Is Supporting Transnational Repression
Instead of sheltering pro-democracy dissidents, America is now returning them for arrest.
foreignpolicy.com
October 11, 2025 at 7:30 PM
mmichae1sen.bsky.social
As the US shifts from fighting transnational repression to facilitating it, Europe needs to step up: condemn Trumps actions and provide shelter for dissidents fleeing authoritarianism. Great piece by @nateschenkkan.bsky.social
October 9, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
jacksapoch.bsky.social
NEW: Since October 2023, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit has released dozens of 3D animations illustrating alleged Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian sites

The style is now unmistakable: satellite zoom-ins, black & white wireframes, and red-textured houses - a new visual language of war
October 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
carnegieendowment.org
During the Iran-Israel war, civilians in Iran had little access to trustworthy information. AI deepfakes circulated online exacerbated this situation. What are the implications?

@mahsaalimardani.bsky.social and @samgregory.bsky.social explained:
Iran-Israel AI War Propaganda Is a Warning to the World
The war signaled critical challenges in the growing gap between the sophistication of AI deception and analysts’ ability to detect it, heralding a frightening new phase in global conflict.
buff.ly
August 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
mahsaalimardani.bsky.social
1/Citizen Lab’s new report on PRISONBREAK is a must-read. It exposes an AI-enabled influence operation targeting Iran with deceptive media, from the infamous Evin Prison gates video to deepfake music.
October 3, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
fittarelli.com
1/ NEW REPORT: “We Say You Want a Revolution” - An AI-Enabled Influence Operation Aimed at Overthrowing the Iranian Regime. We call it PRISONBREAK. Keep reading to find out why.

THREAD 🧵
We Say You Want a Revolution: PRISONBREAK - An AI-Enabled Influence Operation Aimed at Overthrowing the Iranian Regime - The Citizen Lab
We investigate a coordinated network of inauthentic X accounts that is spreading AI-generated content to induce revolt in Iran. The network has been active since 2023, but increased activity during th...
https://citizenlab.ca/2025/10/ai-enabled-io-aimed-at-overthrowing-iranian-regime]
October 3, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
philippedam.bsky.social
3 years on, there is still complete impunity for crimes committed during & since the Woman, Life, Freedom protests in #Iran. Victims & their families deserve justice.

@hrw.org 👉 www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...
Iran: Impunity Reigns 3 Years After Crackdown on Protests
Iran’s authorities have failed to conduct effective, impartial, and independent investigations into serious human rights violations and crimes under international law during and since the 2022 Woman, ...
www.hrw.org
September 16, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
alexdukalskis.bsky.social
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.
September 15, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen
sanstis.bsky.social
Spyware installed on Kenyan filmmakers' phones in police custody - Committee to Protect Journalists
New York, September 10, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely alarmed by the installation of spyware on two Kenyan filmmakers’ phones while the devices were in police custody, and calls...
cpj.org
September 11, 2025 at 5:05 AM