Steve Feldstein
@stevenfeldstein.bsky.social
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment
Tech, geopolitics, democracy
Forthcoming book—Bytes & Bullets: Global Rivalries, Private Tech & New Shape of Modern War
https://bit.ly/BytesandBullets
Author of Rise of Digital Repression
http://bit.ly/45186if
Tech, geopolitics, democracy
Forthcoming book—Bytes & Bullets: Global Rivalries, Private Tech & New Shape of Modern War
https://bit.ly/BytesandBullets
Author of Rise of Digital Repression
http://bit.ly/45186if
Symbols matter
February 11, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Symbols matter
Grand Jury Rebuffs Justice Dept. Attempt to Indict 6 Democrats in Congress
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:44 AM
Bloodletting this morning @washingtonpost.com. Massive layoffs and gutting of media institution. What a shame www.cnn.com/2026/02/04/m...
Washington Post announces widespread layoffs, gutting numerous parts of its newsroom | CNN Business
The Washington Post is announcing mass layoffs Wednesday morning, dealing another big blow to a storied media company and a newsroom that has reached a breaking point.
www.cnn.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Bloodletting this morning @washingtonpost.com. Massive layoffs and gutting of media institution. What a shame www.cnn.com/2026/02/04/m...
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
On the latest What Next TBD: Iran’s government shut off the country’s internet for three weeks. How do we still know what’s going on? slate.trib.al/VaeK5FT
Why Dictators Take Out the Internet
Weak governments shut the internet down. Strong authoritarians don’t let it get to that point.
slate.trib.al
February 1, 2026 at 10:30 AM
On the latest What Next TBD: Iran’s government shut off the country’s internet for three weeks. How do we still know what’s going on? slate.trib.al/VaeK5FT
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
News of Ubiquiti’s technology in Russian drones made waves this week, not least because the company’s CEO owns the Memphis Grizzlies.
But Ubiquiti isn’t the only U.S. company whose products are showing up in Russian weapons. @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social explains: youtube.com/shorts/KQMC9...
But Ubiquiti isn’t the only U.S. company whose products are showing up in Russian weapons. @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social explains: youtube.com/shorts/KQMC9...
Why Are U.S. Products in Russian Weapons?
YouTube video by Carnegie Explains
youtube.com
January 30, 2026 at 5:09 PM
News of Ubiquiti’s technology in Russian drones made waves this week, not least because the company’s CEO owns the Memphis Grizzlies.
But Ubiquiti isn’t the only U.S. company whose products are showing up in Russian weapons. @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social explains: youtube.com/shorts/KQMC9...
But Ubiquiti isn’t the only U.S. company whose products are showing up in Russian weapons. @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social explains: youtube.com/shorts/KQMC9...
Imagine all the ways you could spend $35M that didn’t involve promoting a sham documentary. 🤔
Maybe use the $$ to stop laying off Amazon + @washingtonpost.com staff??
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/b...
Maybe use the $$ to stop laying off Amazon + @washingtonpost.com staff??
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/b...
Amazon’s Promotion of ‘Melania’ Has Critics Questioning Its Motives
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:30 AM
Imagine all the ways you could spend $35M that didn’t involve promoting a sham documentary. 🤔
Maybe use the $$ to stop laying off Amazon + @washingtonpost.com staff??
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/b...
Maybe use the $$ to stop laying off Amazon + @washingtonpost.com staff??
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/b...
Not enough
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/u...
White House Wobbles, Distancing Trump From Initial Response to Minnesota Killing
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:45 AM
Not enough
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/u...
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
What we are watching is a paramilitary force learning that they can kill with impunity, that the regime will smear the victim and defend them. Unless politicians and the legal system exerts accountability, it will not stop. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/past-the-b...
January 24, 2026 at 4:32 PM
What we are watching is a paramilitary force learning that they can kill with impunity, that the regime will smear the victim and defend them. Unless politicians and the legal system exerts accountability, it will not stop. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/past-the-b...
Nothing to see here
DHS (once again) announces conclusion (within 3 hours) without any investigation.
- Conclusion about federal agent's intent
- Conclusion about individual's intent
- Implicit conclusion about timing of disarming the individual and shooting him
- Conclusion about federal agent's intent
- Conclusion about individual's intent
- Implicit conclusion about timing of disarming the individual and shooting him
January 24, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Nothing to see here
Don’t be fooled. I’ve worked in human rights for two decades and ICE tactics are exactly the kind of thing US government officials used to yell at authoritarian governments to stop
January 24, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Don’t be fooled. I’ve worked in human rights for two decades and ICE tactics are exactly the kind of thing US government officials used to yell at authoritarian governments to stop
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
Once again, the government is trying to get you to believe your own eyes are lying to you. This was another murder by ICE, an agency that proves day after day it has no business policing on America’s streets.
DHS (once again) announces conclusion (within 3 hours) without any investigation.
- Conclusion about federal agent's intent
- Conclusion about individual's intent
- Implicit conclusion about timing of disarming the individual and shooting him
- Conclusion about federal agent's intent
- Conclusion about individual's intent
- Implicit conclusion about timing of disarming the individual and shooting him
January 24, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Once again, the government is trying to get you to believe your own eyes are lying to you. This was another murder by ICE, an agency that proves day after day it has no business policing on America’s streets.
Minnesotans are clear where they stand on ICE www.nytimes.com/2026/01/23/u...
Demonstrators Flood Minneapolis Streets as Hundreds of Businesses Close to Protest ICE
www.nytimes.com
January 23, 2026 at 10:02 PM
Minnesotans are clear where they stand on ICE www.nytimes.com/2026/01/23/u...
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
The strategy document only includes 3 references to democracy.
And all of them warp the traditional usages of the term, according to @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social. The first is a warning shot, while the others take aim at European governments.
And all of them warp the traditional usages of the term, according to @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social. The first is a warning shot, while the others take aim at European governments.
January 22, 2026 at 8:37 PM
The strategy document only includes 3 references to democracy.
And all of them warp the traditional usages of the term, according to @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social. The first is a warning shot, while the others take aim at European governments.
And all of them warp the traditional usages of the term, according to @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social. The first is a warning shot, while the others take aim at European governments.
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
“No matter how much a leader might behave like a character from Mean Girls, the world isn’t a giant high school.”
@lageneralista.bsky.social, @sophiabesch.bsky.social, @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social, & Stewart Patrick discussed Canadian PM Carney’s Davos speech: carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
@lageneralista.bsky.social, @sophiabesch.bsky.social, @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social, & Stewart Patrick discussed Canadian PM Carney’s Davos speech: carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
Carney’s Remarkable Message to Middle Powers
And how they can respond.
carnegieendowment.org
January 22, 2026 at 5:01 PM
“No matter how much a leader might behave like a character from Mean Girls, the world isn’t a giant high school.”
@lageneralista.bsky.social, @sophiabesch.bsky.social, @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social, & Stewart Patrick discussed Canadian PM Carney’s Davos speech: carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
@lageneralista.bsky.social, @sophiabesch.bsky.social, @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social, & Stewart Patrick discussed Canadian PM Carney’s Davos speech: carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
The levels of digital repression globally today vs 20 years ago are stark.
The world is experiencing a surge of surveillance, censorship, propaganda, shutdowns.
These two charts show the change:
The world is experiencing a surge of surveillance, censorship, propaganda, shutdowns.
These two charts show the change:
January 22, 2026 at 6:18 PM
The levels of digital repression globally today vs 20 years ago are stark.
The world is experiencing a surge of surveillance, censorship, propaganda, shutdowns.
These two charts show the change:
The world is experiencing a surge of surveillance, censorship, propaganda, shutdowns.
These two charts show the change:
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
Iran, in its 14th day of a digital blackout, isn't the only country to use this tactic to control its citizens. In 2025, an estimated 212 shutdowns occurred across 28 countries, affecting 798.12 million people, write @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social & Shreya Joshi for @thebulletin.org
Iran’s internet shutdown tells a larger story: Digital repression is on the rise
Like Iran, governments worldwide rely on internet shutdowns to suppress populations, rig elections and collectively punish their citizens.
thebulletin.org
January 22, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Iran, in its 14th day of a digital blackout, isn't the only country to use this tactic to control its citizens. In 2025, an estimated 212 shutdowns occurred across 28 countries, affecting 798.12 million people, write @stevenfeldstein.bsky.social & Shreya Joshi for @thebulletin.org
Iran’s internet shutdown tells a bigger story about the global rise of digital repression. New piece out @thebulletin.org @saragoud.bsky.social
thebulletin.org/2026/01/iran...
thebulletin.org/2026/01/iran...
Iran’s internet shutdown tells a larger story: Digital repression is on the rise
Like Iran, governments worldwide rely on internet shutdowns to suppress populations, rig elections and collectively punish their citizens.
thebulletin.org
January 22, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Iran’s internet shutdown tells a bigger story about the global rise of digital repression. New piece out @thebulletin.org @saragoud.bsky.social
thebulletin.org/2026/01/iran...
thebulletin.org/2026/01/iran...
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
Remember when Trump said he’d make America respected again? When does that happen?
Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, today: a massive protest outside the U.S. embassy against the sale/occupation of Greenland by the United States
January 17, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Remember when Trump said he’d make America respected again? When does that happen?
This is lunacy www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/u...
Trump Announces New European Tariffs in Greenland Standoff; Allies Outraged
www.nytimes.com
January 17, 2026 at 9:06 PM
This is lunacy www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/u...
“This is a military occupation, and it feels like a military occupation”
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/u...
‘Like a Military Occupation’: Clashes Rise With Federal Agents in Minneapolis
www.nytimes.com
January 14, 2026 at 1:01 AM
“This is a military occupation, and it feels like a military occupation”
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/u...
Reposted by Steve Feldstein
Drones aren't the future of warfare anymore. Conflicts from Ukraine to Sudan have made it clear: they're the present. Can states (and non-states) keep up?
@stevenfeldstein.bsky.social discusses with Jon Bateman on this week's World Unpacked: www.youtube.com/watch?v=49sg...
@stevenfeldstein.bsky.social discusses with Jon Bateman on this week's World Unpacked: www.youtube.com/watch?v=49sg...
Every War Is Now a Drone War
YouTube video by Carnegie Endowment
www.youtube.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Drones aren't the future of warfare anymore. Conflicts from Ukraine to Sudan have made it clear: they're the present. Can states (and non-states) keep up?
@stevenfeldstein.bsky.social discusses with Jon Bateman on this week's World Unpacked: www.youtube.com/watch?v=49sg...
@stevenfeldstein.bsky.social discusses with Jon Bateman on this week's World Unpacked: www.youtube.com/watch?v=49sg...