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BattalionDestroying Autocracy – 27 March 2025Welcome to this week’s “Destroying Autocracy”.It’s your source for curated news affecting democracy in the cyber arena with a focus on protecting it. That necessitates an opinionated Butlerian jihad against big tech as well as evangelizing for open-source and the Fediverse. Since big media’s journalism wing is flailing and failing in its core duty to democracy, this is also a collection of alternative reporting on the eternal battle between autocracy and democracy. We also cover the cybersecurity world. You can’t be free without safety and privacy.DA comes out on Thursday and is updated through the end of day on Friday. Then we start over. So take your time in perusing it and check back in over the weekend.FYI, my opinions will be in bold. And will often involve cursing. Because humans. Especially tech bros. And fascists. Fuck ’em. Featured Item The Register reports:EU OS is a proposal for an immutable KDE-based Linux distribution with a Windows-like desktop, designed for use in European public-sector organizations.Rather than a new distro, it’s a website that documents planning such a thing, what functions the OS might need, how to deploy and manage it, and how to handle users.<a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/25/eu_os_free_govt_desktop/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EU OS drafts a locked-down Linux blueprint for Eurocrats</a>This needs to be implemented quickly and then exported to non-EU, non-fascist states as well. We start and end with good news to make the middle bearable. The response to Russia’s War Crimes and other douchebaggery The Kyiv Independent reports:<a href="https://kyivindependent.com/italy-suspends-starlink-purchase-negotiations-with-spacex-amid-musk-controversy/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Italy suspends Starlink purchase negotiations with SpaceX amid Musk controversy</a><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/voice-of-america-sues-trump-administration-over-funding-cuts/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Voice of America journalists sue Trump administration following president’s order to gut free press</a>The Register reports:<a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/25/otf_tor_lets_encrypt_funding_lawsuit/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">OTF, which backs Tor, Let’s Encrypt and more, sues to save funding from Trump cuts</a><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/26/us_defense_contractor/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US defense contractor cops to sloppy security, settles after infosec lead blows whistle</a>Wired reports:<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/trump-era-digital-expat/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How to Avoid US-Based Digital Services—and Why You Might Want To</a><a href="https://www.wired.com/story/trump-us-cloud-services-europe/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trump’s Aggression Sours Europe on US Cloud Giants</a>MIT Technology Review reports on:<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/03/25/1113696/why-the-world-is-looking-to-ditch-us-ai-models/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Why the world is looking to ditch US AI models</a>In news sure to make Cory Doctorow happy, Tech Policy reports:<a href="https://www.techpolicy.press/interoperability-in-the-eu-a-judgment-opens-the-door/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Interoperability in the EU: A Judgment Opens the Door</a>NPR reports:<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/23/nx-s1-5326573/internet-archive-wayback-machine-trump" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">As the Trump administration purges web pages, this group is rushing to save them</a>California announces:<a href="https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-urgently-issues-consumer-alert-23andme-customers" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Attorney General Bonta Urgently Issues Consumer Alert for 23andMe Customers</a>404 Media reports:<a href="https://www.404media.co/mozilla-foundation-calls-on-tech-industry-to-block-ice-contractor/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mozilla Foundation Calls on Tech Industry to Block ICE Contractor</a>The Guardian reports:<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/24/french-university-scientific-asylum-american-talent-brain-drain" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A French university is offering ‘scientific asylum’ for US talent. The brain drain has started</a>The Huffington Post reports:<a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pete-hegseth-sued-over-signal-text-debacle_n_67e2f9b5e4b074f0c26efadc" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pete Hegseth Sued Over Signal Text Debacle</a>The Kyiv Post reports:<a href="https://www.kyivpost.com/post/49510" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">First Surveillance Satellite of Planned Czechia-Ukrainian Constellation in Orbit</a>The Kyiv Independent reports:<a href="https://kyivindependent.com/89-hours-of-non-stop-work-inside-ukrainian-railways-battle-against-a-cyberattack-by-the-enemy/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">’89 hours of non-stop work’ — Ukrainian Railways’ battle against a cyberattack by ‘the enemy’</a>TechCrunch reports:<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/27/open-source-devs-are-fighting-ai-crawlers-with-cleverness-and-vengeance/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Open source devs are fighting AI crawlers with cleverness and vengeance</a>The Reader makes:<a href="https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-anti-capitalist-case-for-standards/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Anti-Capitalist Case for Standards</a> NeutralTech Policy has:<a href="https://www.techpolicy.press/scientists-respond-to-ftc-inquiry-into-tech-censorship/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scientists Respond to FTC Inquiry into Tech Censorship</a> The Evil Empire Strikes Back The Verge asks:<a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/634264/customs-border-protection-search-phone-airport-rights" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Is it safe to travel with your phone right now?</a>It’s not safe to travel to the U.S. period. Or even within it by air.DarkReading reports:<a href="https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/us-weakens-disinformation-defenses-russia-china-ramp-up" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US Weakens Disinformation Defenses, as Russia & China Ramp Up</a>Heisse reports:<a href="https://www.heise.de/news/Nach-Trump-Dekret-Kampf-um-US-Foerdermittel-fuer-Tor-F-Droid-und-Let-s-Encrypt-10328226.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US-Behörde stoppt Gelder für Let’s Encrypt und Tor ‒ Open Tech Fund wehrt sich</a>Tech Policy reports on:<a href="https://techpolicy.press/ai-surveillance-on-the-rise-in-us-but-tactics-of-repression-not-new" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AI Surveillance on the Rise in US, but Tactics of Repression Not New</a><a href="https://techpolicy.press/how-the-white-house-is-gaslighting-the-world-about-europes-digital-laws" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How the White House is Gaslighting the World About Europe’s Digital Laws</a>On a related note to The Guardian article above, Not a Tech Bro has:<a href="https://not-a-tech-bro.ghost.io/not-invented-here-2/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Not invented here</a> Pariah States BleepingComputer reports:<a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cyberattack-takes-down-ukrainian-state-railways-online-services/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cyberattack takes down Ukrainian state railway’s online services</a>DarkReading reports:<a href="https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/access-broker-russian-state-cybercrime" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Meet the Low-Key Access Broker Supercharging Russian State Cybercrime</a><a href="https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/fcc-investigates-chinese-telecom-providers-evading-operations-ban" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FCC Investigates China-Backed Tech Suppliers for Evading US Operations Ban</a><a href="https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/irans-mois-linked-apt34-spies-allies-iraq-yemen" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Iran’s MOIS-Linked APT34 Spies on Allies Iraq & Yemen</a> Big Media America2 reports:<a href="https://america2.news/the-substack-dilemma-how-creators-are-inadvertently-fueling-americas-failure/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Substack Dilemma: How Creators Are Inadvertently Fueling America’s Failure</a>Nothing personal but if you are on Substack, you’re a fascist or uninformed or an amoral c^nt.Vanity Fair reports:<a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-press-freedom-authoritarianism" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trump’s Attacks on Press Freedom Are Paving the Way for Authoritarianism</a>The Washington Examiner reports:<a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3360704/kari-lake-withdraw-cancellation-radio-free-europe-funding/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kari Lake withdraws cancellation of Radio Free Europe funding</a> Big Tech Politico reports:<a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/musks-x-suspends-opposition-accounts-turkey-protest-civil-unrest-erdogan-imamoglu-istanbul-mayor/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Musk’s X suspends opposition accounts in Turkey amid civil unrest</a>How surprising. Two set of c^nts work together.MIT Technology Review reports:<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/03/24/1113647/why-handing-over-total-control-to-ai-agents-would-be-a-huge-mistake/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Why handing over total control to AI agents would be a huge mistake</a>Tech Policy asks:<a href="https://techpolicy.press/will-ireland-be-big-techs-lapdog-yet-again" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Will Ireland be Big Tech’s Lapdog Yet Again?</a>Blood in the Machine opines:<a href="https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/openais-studio-ghibli-meme-factory" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">OpenAI’s Studio Ghibli meme factory is an insult to art itself</a>Smashing Frames calls it a:<a href="https://tante.cc/2025/03/28/vulgar-display-of-power/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vulgar Display of Power</a> Cybersecurity/Privacy The Register reports:<a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/24/nation_state_supply_chain_attack/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">As nation-state hacking becomes ‘more in your face,’ are supply chains secure?</a>BleepingComputer reports:<a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-vanhelsing-ransomware-targets-windows-arm-esxi-systems/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New VanHelsing ransomware targets Windows, ARM, ESXi systems</a>TechCrunch reports:<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/25/how-to-tell-if-your-online-accounts-have-been-hacked/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How to tell if your online accounts have been hacked</a>404 Media reports:<a href="https://www.404media.co/when-your-threat-model-is-being-a-moron-signal/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">When Your Threat Model Is Being a Moron</a><a href="https://www.404media.co/you-need-to-use-signals-nickname-feature/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">You Need to Use Signal’s Nickname Feature</a>The Verge reports:<a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/637118/vivaldi-browser-proton-vpn-integration-availability" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vivaldi bundles Proton VPN into its web browser</a> Fediverse The Fediverse Report has:<a href="https://fediversereport.com/fediverse-report-109/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fediverse Report – #109</a>Arxiv has a research paper:<a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/2502.17926" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FediverseSharing: A Novel Dataset on Cross-Platform Interaction Dynamics between Threads and Mastodon Users</a>Letterbook has a:<a href="https://letterbook.com/blog/post/2025/3/18/sandcastles.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Development Update</a>Fedihost has some how to videos:<a href="https://video.fedihost.co/w/1c888031-efa4-40c8-9bd9-6f2b20e2b3f8" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Creating A GoToSocial Instance on FediHost</a><a href="https://video.fedihost.co/w/63AETQCcEMigzTHTmTu2Wn" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Configuring A PeerTube Instance</a>Reset Digital for Good has:<a href="https://reset.org/dezentrale-youtube-alternative-peertube-nachhaltiger-dank-peer-to-peer/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dezentrale YouTube-Alternative PeerTube: Nachhaltiger dank Peer-to-Peer?</a>Elena Rossini shares:<a href="https://blog.elenarossini.com/peertube-the-fediverses-decentralized-video-platform-part-2-creator-edition/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PeerTube: the Fediverse’s decentralized video platform (part 2: creator edition)</a> Other Slightly Federated Social Media The Fediverse Report has:<a href="https://fediversereport.com/atmosphere-report-2025march-b/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ATmosphere Report – 2025march.b</a>TechCrunch reports:<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/25/a-world-without-caesars-how-the-atproto-community-is-rebuilding-the-web-to-return-power-to-the-people/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A world without Caesars: How the ATProto community is rebuilding the web to return power to the people</a>Hmm. Are they really? They sure as fuck aren’t as social media. The web, let’s hope so.Geekwire reports on:<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/the-under-the-radar-tech-revolution-that-could-change-how-the-internet-works/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The under-the-radar tech revolution that could change how the internet works</a>I think this is more accurate. CTAs (aka show us some free love) <ul><li>That’s it for this week. Please share this edition of Destroying Autocracy.</li><li><a href="https://friendica.me/profile/friendofsymfony/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Follow me on the Fediverse</a>. Or this site via the button in the footer. Or via <a href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/feed/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RSS</a>.</li><li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/battalion64.bsky.social" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Or follow Battalion on Bluesky</a>.</li></ul> Keep fighting! Ringleader, Battalion Reuben Walker <a href="https://friendica.me/profile/friendofsymfony/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Follow me on the Fediverse</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/109/" target="_blank">#109</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/activitypub/" target="_blank">#ActivityPub</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/ai/" target="_blank">#AI</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/at-proto/" target="_blank">#ATProto</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/at-protocol/" target="_blank">#ATProtocol</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/autocracy/" target="_blank">#Autocracy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/big-journalism/" target="_blank">#BigJournalism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/big-tech/" target="_blank">#BigTech</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/bluesky/" target="_blank">#Bluesky</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/democracy/" target="_blank">#Democracy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/fascism/" target="_blank">#Fascism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/fediverse/" target="_blank">#Fediverse</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/go-to-social/" target="_blank">#GoToSocial</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/mastodon/" target="_blank">#Mastodon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/peertube/" target="_blank">#Peertube</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/signal/" target="_blank">#Signal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-china/" target="_blank">#StopChina</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-iran/" target="_blank">#StopIran</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-israel/" target="_blank">#StopIsrael</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-red-america/" target="_blank">#StopRedAmerica</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-russia/" target="_blank">#StopRussia</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/support-ukraine/" target="_blank">#SupportUkraine</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/threads/" target="_blank">#Threads</a><a href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/?p=1650" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://battalion.mobileatom.net/?p=1650</a>

Lollipop Cloud<a class="u-url mention" href="https://mastodon.xyz/@ardyvee" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@ardyvee</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://ap.lollipopcloud.solutions/tag/109" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#109</a> 💓

Mitchell@<a href="https://plateia.org/user/1" class="h-card u-url p-nickname mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">maiyannah</a> @<a href="https://gs.archae.me/user/1" class="h-card u-url p-nickname mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archaeme</a> I modified the script one last time in issue #<a href="https://gnusocial.me/tag/109" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">109</a> - Please take a look and let me know cause if it is all good (I tested it and it is working on a mysqli system (Mine)) I will make a merge request.

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