Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Marcus Michaelsen

@mmichae1sen.bsky.social

1K followers 150 following 44 posts

Researching digital tech, human rights & authoritarian politics @citizenlab.ca. https://marcusmichaelsen.eu/

marcusmichaelsen.eu

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

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.

The Citizen Lab @citizenlab.ca · Dec 2

NEW REPORT: We investigate the rising trend of gender-based digital transnational repression by drawing on the lived experiences of 85 women human rights defenders living in exile across the globe.
Read the full report: citizenlab.ca/2024/12/the-...

No Escape: The Weaponization of Gender for the Purposes of Digital Transnational Repression - The Citizen Lab

Building upon our prior research and the contributions of other scholars to this field, the aim of this novel study is to understand the security risks and harms caused by digital transnational repres...

citizenlab.ca

2 2 11

Marcus Michaelsen @mmichae1sen.bsky.social · 1d

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

Nate Schenkkan @nateschenkkan.bsky.social · 1d

New from me in @foreignpolicy.com: how the US has gone from leading a global push against transnational repression, to proactively supporting it:

foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/08/t...

Trump Is Supporting Transnational Repression

Instead of sheltering pro-democracy dissidents, America is now returning them for arrest.

foreignpolicy.com

4 8

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Jack Sapoch @jacksapoch.bsky.social · 2d

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

26 740 1.7K

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Carnegie Endowment @carnegieendowment.org · Aug 4

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

5 7

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

mahsa alimardani @mahsaalimardani.bsky.social · 7d

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.

1 3 4

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Alberto Fittarelli @fittarelli.com · 7d

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]

1 12 16

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Philippe Dam @philippedam.bsky.social · 24d

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

3 6

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Alex Dukalskis @alexdukalskis.bsky.social · 25d

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.

4 66 54

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 29d

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

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 29d

Silicon Valley enabled brutal mass detention and surveillance in China, internal documents show

U.S. technology firms such as IBM, Dell and Cisco largely designed and built China’s surveillance state, an AP investigation finds. The tech companies deny wrongdoing.

apnews.com

2 1

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · Sep 10

Powerful interests are trying to change the internet.

It's worse than you know.

Your safety and freedoms are on the line.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz_8...

Exposing Pegasus: How the State Spies on You | John Scott-Railton

YouTube video by What Bitcoin Did

www.youtube.com

2 16 37

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Justice For Myanmar @justiceformyanmar.org · Sep 10

Leaked dataset casts light on Chinese company Geedge Networks business around the world, incl #Myanmar.

Our report exposes 13 telecom biz in Myanmar that are integral to the functioning of Geedge’s sophisticated surveillance & censorship tech on behalf of the junta. Read more👇🏽 #GreatFirewallExport

Silk Road of Surveillance | Justice For Myanmar

The 'Silk Road of Surveillance' report exposes the significant collaboration between the illegal Myanmar military junta and China's Geedge Networks in implementing a commercial version of China’s…

www.justiceformyanmar.org

8 16

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Alex Dukalskis @alexdukalskis.bsky.social · Jul 1

Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics

by me & @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social is now published by OUP in the USA (rest of world soon)

If you are interested in why you see so many dictatorships & illiberal leaders influencing world politics then this is the book for you.

2 31 75

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Nate Schenkkan @nateschenkkan.bsky.social · Jul 1

It is a heartbreaking day for many, many people who worked in the broader foreign assistance, foreign policy, and journalism worlds. USAID, RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia—all illegally closed. Hundreds of State Dept employees being laid off right now. Hundreds more grants being terminated.

7 150 480

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Hannah Neumann @hneumannmep.bsky.social · Jun 25

#TransnationalRepression does not stop at European borders. That’s why we have to come up with unified response -something we are working on with a TNR report in #DROI and later #AFET

1 5

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · Jun 25

Proud to present our study on transnational repression at the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights this morning along with my wonderful colleagues @mmichae1sen.bsky.social and @saipirafurstenberg.bsky.social. Recording here: multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/webstream...

Subcommittee on Human Rights Ordinary meeting - Multimedia Centre

The multimedia platform of the European Parliament is the official public available repository of the media production of the Secretariat of the European Parliament, managed by the Directorate-General...

multimedia.europarl.europa.eu

1 1 1

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Basma Mostafa @basmamostafa.bsky.social · Jun 25

Important work by @mmichae1sen.bsky.social on #TNR
This is not theory, my case is one of many and despite complaints, my case acknowledged by Germany&UN. Still unprotected.
This study shows why that must change!! what EU states must do to fix it!
👇
www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en...

Transnational repression of human rights defenders: The impacts on civic space and the responsibility of host states | Think Tank | European Parliament

Transnational repression of human rights defenders: The impacts on civic space and the responsibility of host states

www.europarl.europa.eu

3 3

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · Jun 22

"Transnational repression of human rights defenders: The impacts on civic space and the responsibility of host states" - Study on transnational repression with @mmichae1sen.bsky.social and @saipirafurstenberg.bsky.social now online.

Transnational repression of human rights defenders: The impacts on civic space and the responsibility of host states | Think Tank | European Parliament

Transnational repression of human rights defenders: The impacts on civic space and the responsibility of host states

www.europarl.europa.eu

7 6

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Vali Nasr @valinasr.bsky.social · Jun 19

Excellent piece by Narges Bajoghli on the dangerous fallacy of regime change in Iran time.com/7295877/issu...

The Issues With Calling for a Regime Change in Iran

"The most ardent proponents of regime change in Iran may be accelerating the very nuclear program they claim to fear."

time.com

3 18 31

Marcus Michaelsen @mmichae1sen.bsky.social · Jun 18

G7 Leaders adopt statement on transnational repression, recognising it as a threat to national security, state sovereignty and the human rights of targets. Now words must be followed by action.

Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · Jun 18

I was encouraged to see the #G7 Leaders' Statement on Transnational Repression which also calls out mitigating harms around mercenary spyware 👇🇨🇦

www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/stat...

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · Jun 12

NEW @citizenlab.ca report confirms the targeting of two more journalist with #Paragon spyware in the context of 🇮🇹

Details here: citizenlab.ca/2025/06/firs...

@billmarczak.org @jsrailton.bsky.social

Graphite Caught: First Forensic Confirmation of Paragon’s iOS Mercenary Spyware Finds Journalists Targeted - The Citizen Lab

We conducted a forensic analysis of devices belonging to two journalists who were notified by Apple that they were targeted with advanced spyware.

citizenlab.ca

1 45 63

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

✨🌈 Home of Digital Rights Defenders @teamcommunity.bsky.social · Jun 9

🌱 Spyware Accountability Initiative has an open call for proposals addressing the harms of the global #spyware industry on civil society, through regulation, #litigation, research and investigation and other means. Deadline: June 13, 2025.

Apply for funding — Spyware Accountability Initiative

2025 Call for Concept Notes

buff.ly

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · Jun 3

Canada 🇨🇦's Liberal govt has proposed a new "Border Security Bill," in large part in response to pressures from 🇺🇸

I raised concerns about that back in March 2025 👇

macleans.ca/politics/the...

The U.S. Wants Canada to Become A Police State - Macleans.ca

Appeasing Trump's border demands only emboldens authoritarians worldwide. Here's why we must resist.

macleans.ca

2 43 70

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · Jun 4

When you equip half the world's dictators with Pegasus spyware.

And get constantly caught.

And sanctioned.

Do you look in the mirror?

If you are NSO Group you do.

And you like what you see.

So you decide to add little dystopian flair.

NSO's new branding: "NSO Group: Safer Society"

3 18 62

Reposted by Marcus Michaelsen

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · Jun 4

Do you know what the date is today?

Today is the anniversary of the Tiananmen square massacre.

Dictators hope that if they make us afraid to speak the truth for long enough... we'll forget it.

This is how history is erased.

A Day to Remember, 2005, by Liu Wei
Full: vimeo.com/44078865

2 48 110