Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Laura Edelson

Warwick History Post-Doc Club @post-doc-club.bsky.social · 10d

Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month

www.jstor.org/action/showL...

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Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 14d

The folks who manage our building put a flyer in the elevator every week. Along with the weekly weather and notes about building rules being broken, they often add a quote. This is one I snapshotted a few weeks ago:

Cropped photo of a flyer. Black text on white paper with a shine and a light reflection of the photographer behind. The top lines mention trash room, dumpster, and “Thank you for your cooperation.” The text below reads: “To do the useful thing, To say the courageous thing, To contemplate the beautiful, That is enough for one man’s life.” - T.S. Eliot

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · 21d

You’re really on to something here. But can it run Steam?

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samuelwa.de @samuelwa.de · 28d

I spoke with @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social and @chinafile.bsky.social's Jessica Batke about their recent Locknet report, which provides a brilliant, concise, detailed but accessible overview of China's online censorship system.

China Digital Times @chinadigitaltimes.net · 28d

Interview: Jessica Batke and Laura Edelson on China’s “Locknet”

"Just because there are gaps, that doesn't mean the system as a whole is not effective. The human psychological component to this is that for most people, most of the time, as long as it's inconvenient, that's enough."

Interview: Jessica Batke and Laura Edelson on China’s “Locknet”

In June, ChinaFile published a new report, "The Locknet: How China Controls Its Internet and Why It Matters"—the product of 18 months’ work by Jessica Batke, ChinaFile’s senior editor for investigatio...

chinadigitaltimes.net

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · 24d

I talked to @cbsmornings.bsky.social this morning about the rising tide of extreme content on social media in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination:

www.cbsnews.com/video/what-c...

What can be done to slow misinformation in the digital age

The killing of political activist Charlie Kirk was followed almost immediately by a flood of misinformation and graphic content online. Northeastern University professor Laura Edelson about whether th...

www.cbsnews.com

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David Gilbert @davidgilbert.bsky.social · Sep 3

NEW

X helped spread ill-informed conclusions about the motivations of the Minneapolis school shooter based on cherry-picked words or phrases to millions.

with comment from @ninajankowicz.com @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social @rothschildmd.bsky.social @maargentino.com

www.wired.com/story/disinf...

How Disinformation About the Minnesota Shooting Spread Like Wildfire on X

Under Elon Musk’s leadership, X has become the perfect platform to supercharge the spread of dangerous disinformation during breaking news events.

www.wired.com

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Sep 2

Had you not played it before? Or just prepping for Silksong?

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Yaël Eisenstat @yaeleisenstat.bsky.social · Aug 26

I'm one of the 37 targeted below by DNI Tulsi Gabbard. I haven't had a clearance nor worked in government since 2013. This is political theater & a dangerous example of government abusing its powers to punish private citizens for openly exercising their 1st Amendment rights. My full statement:

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Aug 21

Subscribing to the print edition of The Onion recently prompted me to resubscribe a print (weekend) edition of a second paper so I could give my kid a uh… more balanced experience of what ‘news’ is.

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Aug 7

I think this is also the strategy that seems most likely to be actually possible. Because even getting rid of the legal obstacles is *incredibly* challenging, and going much beyond that towards mandatory interop might not be for the foreseeable future.

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Jul 24

One of the things I was most excited that we got to do for the Locknet report was to produce these explainers of how the internet actually works. It’s not magic!

Asia Society @asiasociety.org · Jul 24

How do the components of the Internet work together?

@whiskeyocelot.bsky.social and Jessica Batke discuss what they learned over the course of their investigation into China's online censorship system.

Read the full report on @chinafile.bsky.social. locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/...

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Open Technology Fund @opentechfund.bsky.social · Jul 15

@chinafile.bsky.social’s Jessica Batke and @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social, authors of a new report that reshapes our understanding of Chinese censorship, spoke to the @washingtonpost.com about how the “Locknet” works.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Jul 15

I talked to @washingtonpost.com for this piece on China's digital ID system. It's a great example of two key features of the Locknet: 1) different aspects of the censorship system reinforce each other, and 2) pushing the policeman into citizens heads.
wapo.st/4kBkkEc

Big Brother gets new powers in China with digital ID system

China is launching a digital ID system, giving Beijing greater control over online activity and further raising concerns about surveillance and censorship.

wapo.st

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Jul 14

I didn’t know you did neuroscience but in retrospect it makes total sense for your work.

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Jul 13

After more feedback, I think it is black staining polypore- thanks!!

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Jul 13

Can anyone help me identity this mushroom? It grew up in just a few days in my garden, and it’s currently over a foot wide. I’m definitely not going to eat it, I’m just curious!

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Reposted by Laura Edelson

ProMarket @promarket.bsky.social · Jul 7

NEW: @lancierifilippo.bsky.social (@georgetownlaw.bsky.social), @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social, Stefan Bechtold (@ethz.ch) explore how the political economy of artificial intelligence regulation is shaped by the strategic behavior of governments, technology companies, and other agents.

The Politics of Fragmentation and Capture in AI Regulation - ProMarket

In new research, Filippo Lancieri, Laura Edelson, and Stefan Bechtold explore how the political economy of artificial intelligence regulation is shaped by the strategic behavior of governments, technology companies, and other agents.

www.promarket.org

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Jul 3

Can I tell you? You have won the ARG embedded in this article, the objective of which was to deduce the existance of the Locknet Monster. Congratulations! The prize is melancholy, and one drink if you ever run into me in person.

Reposted by Laura Edelson

ChinaFile @chinafile.bsky.social · Jun 30

NEW: A ChinaFile investigation into China's powerful, but leaky, internet censorship system at locknet.chinafile.com
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A collage depicting blimps, planes, drones, and ships trawling the sea and sky for digital devices and information.

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Megan Iorio @meganiorio.bsky.social · Jul 2

EPIC collaborated w/ @commonsensemedia.bsky.social, Cybersecurity for Democracy (@yaeleisenstat.bsky.social @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social) & Tech Justice Law Project on a brief telling the Ninth Circuit to deny Meta Section 230 protections for its allegedly addictive design. 11 legal scholars joined!

EPIC @epic.org · Jul 2

EPIC led a coalition of legal scholars including @commonsensemedia.bsky.social, Cybersecurity for Democracy, and Tech Justice Law Project to file a Ninth Circuit amicus brief arguing against Meta’s use of Section 230 to shield itself from lawsuits. 🧵 #Meta #SocialMedia #Section230

EPIC Leads Coalition of Tech Accountability Groups, Legal Scholars in Telling Ninth Circuit to Deny Meta Section 230 Protections for Alleged Addictive Design

epic.org

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Yaël Eisenstat @yaeleisenstat.bsky.social · Jul 2

Thanks to @epic.org for leading the way, to @comminsense.bsky.social and TJLP for this collaboration, and the below legal scholars, who signed on in support. What a team! cc: @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social & @meganiorio.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/mega...

Megan Iorio @meganiorio.bsky.social · Jul 2

The 11 legal scholars are experts on Section 230, platform governance, & digital rights, including @oliviersylvain.bsky.social, @daniellecitron.bsky.social, @brettfrischmann.bsky.social, @FrankPasquale.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy, @gaiabernstein.bsky.social, & @ariezra.bsky.social. Thank you all!

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Open Technology Fund @opentechfund.bsky.social · Jun 30

Supported by @opentechfund.bsky.social: @chinafile.bsky.social’s Jessica Batke & @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social explain that Chinese censorship isn’t simply a “firewall, but a “locknet” – a multi-level system of socio-technical controls. (1/4)
locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/...

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DeathNerd Killer @daphnek.bsky.social · Jul 2

So... I'm not saying you should sue any platforms under the DSA. But if you *did* want to do that, you'd definitely want to look at this article from @pjleerssen.bsky.social, Iris Toepoel, Anna van Duin, and @jvh.bsky.social

It's basically a tactical guide.

dsa-observatory.eu/wp-content/u...

dsa-observatory.eu

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Julia Angwin @juliaangwin.com · Jun 12

I bring you a tiny bit of good news — courts are finally reining in Big Tech in significant ways.

We could actually be on the cusp of a totally transformed tech landscape - after 30 years of total lack of constraints.

My latest for @nytopinion.nytimes.com (gift link)

Opinion | Big Tech Is Finally Losing

www.nytimes.com

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Laura Edelson @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social · Jun 4

Hey, if all AI legislation is dead, I get at least a week back to teach other things 🙃.