pol106 week 10: investigating censorship, surveillance, and digital repression

definition of the vicious cycle of the internet

proposed by Deibert, when social forces lock together and create negative feedback loops

the first step of the vicious cycle

social media’s algorithmic rage farming, invasive by design

function of socmed algorithmic rage farming

most applications have a higher function of harvesting data, and algorithms are designed to be addictive to harvest as much data as possible

the second step of the vicious cycle

privatized subversion, dark PR, spyware, location tracking

function of dark PR

organized disinformation and psychological warfare campaigns

example of dark PR

Psygroup’s collusion with Trump, the IDF’s deepfake videos during its airstrikes on Tehran, Archimedes Tarva’s interference with global elections, and overall reversal of controls over factchecking and permissions for independent researchers

example of spyware

handheld devices are engineered to surveil and are exploited by government security services or the advertising industry, can leak information about protest participants, bed-downs, or telecommunications

the third step of the vicious cycle

chilling effects, paranoia, fear, cynycism, withdrawal

function of chilling effects, fear, etc.

authoritarians ultimately desire the horror people gain from realizing that they are being surveilled, as it deters device use, effect is amplified by increasing transnational capability

example of chilling effects

the surveillance of Paul Rusesabagina’s daughter by Pegasus spyware while she was advocating for her father’s release after kidnapping by the Rwandan government

the fourth (final) step of the vicious cycle

normal of impunity, spread of authoritarian practices

example of the spread of authoritarian interests

US descent into authoritarianism is facilitated by tech interests in the administration, such as DOGE making government data accessible by private operations allowing ICE and Palantir to scrape the data and identify dissidents