Battalion 👊🗡️⛓️💥<p><strong>Destroying Autocracy – July 24, 2025</strong></p><p><strong>Welcome to this week’s “Destroying Autocracy”.</strong></p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p><strong>FYI, my opinions will be in bold. And will often involve cursing. Because humans. Especially tech bros. And fascists. Fuck ’em.</strong></p> <p><strong>Featured Item</strong></p> <p>TechDirt writes:</p><p>Over the last year or so I’ve seen a disturbing tendency in tech/startup/VC worlds to buy into the neoreactionary view that for startups to be successful they need to get on board the Trump train.</p><p>Yes, there are the big name folks who everyone knows about and who didn’t really surprise anyone—Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, David Sacks, Elon Musk (pre-fallout)—but the more troubling trend has been watching younger entrepreneurs and VCs listen to their podcasts, read their posts and books, and slowly nod along to the idea that democracy is holding back innovation.</p><p><a href="https://www.techdirt.com/2025/07/17/fascism-for-first-time-founders/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Fascism For First Time Founders</a></p> <p><strong>We start and end with good news to make the middle bearable.</strong></p> <p><strong>The response to Russia’s War Crimes, Techno Feudalism, and other douchebaggery</strong></p> <p>BleepingComputer reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ukraine-arrests-suspected-admin-of-xss-russian-hacking-forum/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ukraine arrests suspected admin of XSS Russian hacking forum</a></p><p>Radio Free Europe reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-donetsk-drone-russia-vulnerable-electronic-warfare/33481799.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Drone Attacks Even The Odds For Ukrainian Frontline Units</a></p><p>BitDefender reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/europol-targets-kremlin-backed-cybercrime-gang-noname057-16" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Europol targets Kremlin-backed cybercrime gang NoName057(16)</a></p><p>Bruce Lawson reports:</p><p><a href="https://brucelawson.co.uk/2025/cma-designates-google-and-apple-proposes-measures/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">CMA designates Google and Apple, proposes measures</a></p><p>TechCentral reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.techcentral.ie/italy-takes-tech-giants-meta-x-and-linkedin-to-court-over-unpaid-tax/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Italy takes Meta, X and LinkedIn to court over unpaid tax</a></p><p>404 Media reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.404media.co/hacker-plants-computer-wiping-commands-in-amazons-ai-coding-agent/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Hacker Plants Computer ‘Wiping’ Commands in Amazon’s AI Coding Agent</a></p><p><a href="https://www.404media.co/archivists-recreate-pre-trump-cdc-website-are-hosting-it-in-europe/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Archivists Recreate Pre-Trump CDC Website, Are Hosting It in Europe</a></p><p>The Register reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/21/ssmis_satellite_decoder/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Radio geeks reveal how to access crucial hurricane data after US Department of Defense cut it off</a></p><p>The Register reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/24/ai_copyright_bill_floated/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">AI data-suckers would have to ask permission first under new bill</a></p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/24/laptop_farmer_north_korean_it_scam_sentenced/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Laptop farmer behind $17M North Korean IT worker scam locked up for 8.5 years</a></p><p>TechPolicy reports:</p><p><a href="https://techpolicy.press/the-case-for-europes-backing-of-digital-civil-society-groups" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Case for Europe’s Backing of Digital Civil Society Groups</a></p><p>Open_Future shares:</p><p><a href="https://openfuture.eu/blog/licensing-levies-and-the-limits-of-copyright/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Licensing, Levies, and the Limits of Copyright</a></p><p>Open Forum Europe announces:</p><p><a href="https://openforumeurope.org/ofe-launches-landmark-study-calling-for-an-eu-sovereign-tech-fund-to-secure-europes-digital-future/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">OFE Publishes Landmark Study Calling on Funding Europe’s Open Digital Infrastructure through an EU Sovereign Tech Fund (EU-STF)</a></p><p>DarkReading reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/stop-ai-bot-traffic-protecting-organizations" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Stop AI Bot Traffic: Protecting Your Organization’s Website</a></p><p>Speaking of your websites, LocalGhost has:</p><p><a href="https://localghost.dev/blog/this-page-is-under-construction/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">This page is under construction: a love letter to the personal website</a></p><p>Hamish Campbell has:</p><p><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/the-open-media-network-more-than-just-a-tech-project/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Open Media Network: More Than Just a Tech Project</a></p><p><strong>This is what your site could be a part of.</strong></p> <p><strong>Neutral</strong></p> <p>TechPolicy reports:</p><p><a href="https://techpolicy.press/brazil-has-a-bridge-to-defending-the-internet" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Brazil Has a Bridge to Defending the Internet</a></p><p>The Financial Times:</p><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/3a3e6dbc-591d-4087-9ad3-11af04f0176f" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">UK government seeks way out of clash with US over Apple encryption</a></p><p><strong>When you have three sets of c^nts involved, it’s hard to know who to route for.</strong></p><p>TechPolicy opines:</p><p><a href="https://techpolicy.press/enforcement-of-eus-tech-laws-should-not-be-traded-away" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Enforcement of EU’s Tech Laws Should Not Be Traded Away</a></p><p><strong>And they are right.</strong></p> <p><strong>The Evil Empire (AKA Autocracy) Strikes Back</strong></p> <p>So-called newspaper, The Wall Street Journal reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/white-house-prepares-executive-order-targeting-woke-ai-e68e8e24?mod=RSSMSN" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">White House Prepares Executive Order Targeting ‘Woke AI’</a></p><p>MIT Technology Review reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/07/24/1120645/americas-ai-watchdog-is-losing-its-bite/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">America’s AI watchdog is losing its bite</a></p><p>The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/axons-draft-one-designed-defy-transparency" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Axon’s Draft One is Designed to Defy Transparency</a></p><p>EuroNews reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/07/22/uk-online-legislation-could-threaten-wikipedia-volunteer-safety-group-to-argue-in-court" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">UK online legislation could threaten Wikipedia volunteer safety, group to argue in court</a></p> <p><strong>Pariah States</strong></p> <p>The Register reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/20/uk_microsoft_snooping_russia/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">UK uncovers novel Microsoft snooping malware, blames and sanctions GRU cyberspies</a></p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/22/engineer_admits_trade_theft/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Silicon Valley engineer admits theft of US missile tech secrets</a></p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/21/muddywaters_android_iran/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Four new Android spyware samples linked to Iran’s intel agency</a></p><p>TechCrunch reports:</p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/18/a-surveillance-vendor-was-caught-exploiting-a-new-ss7-attack-to-track-peoples-phone-locations/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">A surveillance vendor was caught exploiting a new SS7 attack to track people’s phone locations</a></p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/21/hackers-exploiting-sharepoint-zero-day-seen-targeting-government-agencies-say-researchers/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Hackers exploiting SharePoint zero-day seen targeting government agencies</a></p><p>BleepingComputer reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-sharepoint-toolshell-attacks-linked-to-chinese-hackers/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Microsoft links Sharepoint ToolShell attacks to Chinese hackers</a></p> <p><strong>Big Media</strong></p> <p>Today in Tabs reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.todayintabs.com/p/billionaires-destroyed-american-news-media-on-purpose-7d91" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Billionaires Destroyed American News Media On Purpose</a></p><p>Mother Jones reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/07/stephen-colbert-cancelled-cbs-trump-paramount/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Colbert’s Cancellation Is a Dark Warning</a></p><p>Akademie shares:</p><p><a href="https://akademie.dw.de/dataset-investigation/#/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Investigating AI datasets: A journalist’s guide</a></p> <p><strong>Big Tech</strong></p> <p>Where’s Your ‘Ed shares:</p><p><a href="https://www.wheresyoured.at/the-haters-gui/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Hater’s Guide To The AI Bubble</a></p><p><strong>🙂</strong></p><p>The Next Web reports:</p><p><a href="https://thenextweb.com/news/chatgpt-advises-women-to-ask-for-lower-salaries-finds-new-study" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">ChatGPT advises women to ask for lower salaries, study finds</a></p><p>404 Media reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.404media.co/a-startup-is-selling-data-hacked-from-peoples-computers-to-debt-collectors/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">A Startup is Selling Data Hacked from Peoples’ Computers to Debt Collectors</a></p><p><a href="https://www.404media.co/spotify-publishes-ai-generated-songs-from-dead-artists-without-permission/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Spotify Publishes AI-Generated Songs From Dead Artists Without Permission</a></p><p><a href="https://www.404media.co/googles-ai-is-destroying-search-the-internet-and-your-brain/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Google’s AI Is Destroying Search, the Internet, and Your Brain</a></p><p><a href="https://www.404media.co/grindr-no-zionists-error-message/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Grindr Won’t Let Users Say ‘No Zionists’</a></p><p>EuroNews reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/07/23/meta-ran-ads-that-fundraised-for-israeli-defence-forces-analysis-shows" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Meta ran ads that fundraised for Israeli Defence Forces, analysis shows</a></p><p><a href="https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/07/23/meta-wont-sign-eus-ai-code-but-who-will" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Meta won’t sign EU’s AI Code, but who will?</a></p><p>The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/amazon-ring-cashes-techno-authoritarianism-and-mass-surveillance" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Amazon Ring Cashes in on Techno-Authoritarianism and Mass Surveillance</a></p><p>Ars Technica reports:</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/07/researcher-threatens-x-with-lawsuit-after-falsely-linking-him-to-french-probe/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Researcher threatens X with lawsuit after falsely linking him to French probe</a></p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/07/xai-workers-balked-over-training-request-to-help-give-grok-a-face-docs-show/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">xAI workers balked over training request to help “give Grok a face,” docs show</a></p><p>TechCrunch reports:</p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/19/microsoft-says-it-will-no-longer-use-engineers-in-china-for-department-of-defense-work/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Microsoft says it will no longer use engineers in China for Department of Defense work</a></p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/19/for-privacy-and-security-think-twice-before-granting-ai-access-to-your-personal-data/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">For privacy and security, think twice before granting AI access to your personal data</a></p> <p><strong>Terror</strong></p> <p>The Register reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/23/irl_com_recruits_teens/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">IRL Com recruits teens for real-life stabbings, shootings, FBI warns</a></p> <p><strong>Cybersecurity/Privacy</strong></p> <p>TechCrunch reports:</p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/21/serial-spyware-founder-scott-zuckerman-wants-the-ftc-to-unban-him-from-the-surveillance-industry/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Serial spyware founder Scott Zuckerman wants the FTC to unban him from the surveillance industry</a></p><p>BleepingComputer reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisa-and-fbi-warn-of-escalating-interlock-ransomware-attacks/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">CISA and FBI warn of escalating Interlock ransomware attacks</a></p><p>DarkReading reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/translating-cyber-risk-boardroom" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Translating Cyber-Risk for the Boardroom</a></p> <p><strong>Fediverse</strong></p> <p>Connected Places has:</p><p><a href="https://connectedplaces.online/reports/fediverse-report-126/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Fediverse Report – #126 July 22, 2025</a></p><p>Bonfire is:</p><p><a href="https://github.com/bonfire-networks/bonfire-app/issues/1444" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Exploring a Bonfire Geosocial Extension</a></p><p>MarkWrites reflects on:</p><p><a href="https://markwrites.io/being-a-mastodon-moderator" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Being a Mastodon Moderator</a></p><p>Mastodon announces:</p><p><a href="https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2025/07/a-nudge-to-fund-our-future/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">A nudge to fund our future</a></p><p><strong>If you are on the Fediverse please donate to your instance’s maintainers. Especially if they ask nicely.</strong></p><p>Aphyr opines:</p><p><a href="https://aphyr.com/posts/389-the-future-of-forums-is-lies-i-guess" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Future of Forums is Lies, I Guess</a></p><p>Fediverse favorite, Elena Rossini shares:</p><p><a href="https://news.elenarossini.com/the-future-is-federated-year-2/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Future is Federated: Year 2</a></p><p>ActivityPub for WordPress has an update:</p><p><a href="https://activitypub.blog/2025/07/23/7-1-0-polishing-tables/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">7.1.0 — Polishing Tables</a></p><p>We Distribute has details:</p><p><a href="https://wedistribute.org/2025/07/wordpress-activitypub-v-7-1-0-introduces-following-capabilities/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">WordPress-ActivityPub v 7.1.0 Introduces Following Capabilities</a></p><p>Randall Black show us:</p><p><a href="https://randallblack.com/how-to-install-and-set-up-castopod-for-your-podcast/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">How to Install and Set Up Castopod for Your Podcast</a></p><p>TechCrunch reports:</p><p><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/22/threads-adds-improved-content-performance-metrics-for-creators/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Threads adds improved content performance metrics for creators</a></p> <p><strong>Slightly Federated Social Media</strong></p><p>The Register reports:</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/21/opinion_column_age_verification/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Selling your digital soul to use Bluesky’s DMs isn’t just a bad idea, it’s the law</a></p> <p><strong>CTAs (aka show us some free love)</strong></p> <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" 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" target="_blank">RSS</a>.</li></ul> <p>Keep fighting!</p> <p class=""><strong><em>Ringleader, Battalion</em></strong><br>Reuben Walker<br> <a href="https://friendica.me/profile/friendofsymfony/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Follow me on the Fediverse</a></p> <p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/126/" target="_blank">#126</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/activitypub/" target="_blank">#ActivityPub</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/ai/" target="_blank">#AI</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/autocracy/" target="_blank">#Autocracy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/big-journalism/" target="_blank">#BigJournalism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/big-tech/" target="_blank">#BigTech</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/bluesky/" target="_blank">#Bluesky</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/castopod/" target="_blank">#Castopod</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/democracy/" target="_blank">#Democracy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/fascism/" target="_blank">#Fascism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/fediverse/" target="_blank">#Fediverse</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/mastodon/" target="_blank">#Mastodon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-china/" target="_blank">#StopChina</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-israel/" target="_blank">#StopIsrael</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-red-america/" target="_blank">#StopRedAmerica</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/stop-russia/" target="_blank">#StopRussia</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/support-ukraine/" target="_blank">#SupportUkraine</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/technoanarchism/" target="_blank">#TechnoAnarchism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/technofeudalism/" target="_blank">#TechnoFeudalism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/threads/" target="_blank">#Threads</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/tag/wordpress/" target="_blank">#WordPress</a></p><p><a href="https://battalion.mobileatom.net/?p=2151" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">battalion.mobileatom.net/?p=21</span><span class="invisible">51</span></a></p>