The Citizen Lab

"[I]n Russia, the anti-gay propaganda law was enacted supposedly to protect children/minors and thus, LGBTIQ website censorship is conducted for the same reason." - @irenepoet on the legal and political justifications of LGBTIQ censorship t.co/2RokE91xts

NEW REPORT No Access: LGBTIQ Website Censorship in Six Countries t.co/yswo0bdQNW

According to @lokmantsui, not all censorship has to be sensational. In fact, some of the most telling censorship is what we might call "banal" but that makes it no less harmful. t.co/ew5ftlwGaG

تقرير جديد من اللؤلؤة إلى بيغاسوس: الحكومة البحرينية الحكومة البحرينية تخترق نشطاء عبر استغلال "Zero-Click" من "NSO Group" t.co/sVA0gSiiF0

NEW REPORT From Pearl to Pegasus: Bahraini Government Hacks Activists with NSO Group Zero-Click iPhone Exploits t.co/aCvUA2YLNO

我們的最新研究分析了蘋果公司對鐫刻內容的審查。在納入研究的六個地區中，我們發現蘋果在各地執行的審核政策沒有一致的、透明的標準。一些帶有歧視性的內容被允許在某些地區鐫刻。而在中國大陸，政治敏感乃至中性的詞語也會被過濾。這些過濾規則甚至被應用在港台地區。 t.co/o4GId4vua2

"There is almost a standard set of people who will get targeted once an autocratic regime gets its hands on this kind of spyware" - @jsrailton t.co/FINxyNd3jf

我们的最新研究分析了苹果公司对镌刻内容的审查。在纳入研究的六个地区中，我们发现苹果在各地执行的审核政策没有一致的、透明的标准。一些带有歧视性的内容被允许在某些地区镌刻。而在中国大陆，政治敏感乃至中性的词语也会被过滤。这些过滤规则甚至被应用在港台地区。 t.co/0KEvGMD3Yt

NEW REPORT Engrave Danger: An Analysis of Apple Engraving Censorship across Six Regions t.co/xEtfWijRWI

The deployment of NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware is, unfortunately, not new. Since 2016, the Citizen Lab + others have documented the abuse of this government-exclusive technology. To help keep track of these developing issues, we've created a living thread for all of our reports🧵

"At the moment, tech companies are more focused on government relations that protect their own survival or bottom line. We want a race to the top, not a race to the bottom. The future of Hong Kong’s internet depends on it." - @lokmantsui t.co/KrADhCeYoP

According to @lotus_ruan and @gabriellelim, fears of Chinese disinformation are often exaggerated by overblown assessments of the effects of China’s propaganda campaigns. In other words: evidence of activity is not the same as evidence of impact. t.co/KGO1edoimC

Massive abuses of NSO's Pegasus spyware uncovered by @AmnestyTech @FbdnStories #PegasusProject We @citizenlab were asked to verify analysis and undertake a peer review of methods, and found them all sound. Here is our peer review: t.co/uBTowaYlGG

Even the most well-resourced surveillance companies make operational mistakes and leave digital traces, making their marketing claims about being stealthy and undetectable highly questionable. Read our latest investigation into spyware vendor Candiru: t.co/wiMWAuz1GV

NEW REPORT Hooking Candiru: Another Mercenary Spyware Vendor Comes into Focus t.co/wiMWAuz1GV

"It’s no surprise that racial and immigrant justice groups are rightly concerned over how [federally-collected COVID] data might be used by other agencies, like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to surveille vulnerable populations." - @wbaballard t.co/U82c80Ag9T

"The chill of national security threatens to deepen suspicions towards some of our world-leading researchers and exceptional international students, and those running universities must publicly stand up for their communities." - @caparsons t.co/JpkmTpsAjq

過去兩年間，上千張與香港民主運動有關的圖片被審查。通過我們製作的交互圖片來了解這些事件：t.co/z8VOCqtvwJ

Join @RonDeibert, in conversation with @AndresVelasco, as they discuss how to construct a communications ecosystem that supports civil society and contributes to the betterment of the world. Wednesday, July 7, 12:30 pm EST t.co/yqH4wkDatr #LSEMunk t.co/3kdAa7PuNZ

“From where I sit, ransomware is the equivalent of a new and virulent disease," says @caparsons. "It’s only going to get worse.” t.co/Ok5UMY31Xf

In the two years since heightened calls for democracy in Hong Kong began, thousands of images have been censored on Chinese social media. From calls for international support to memes, no image of the movement is off limits.

JOB POSTING: Interested in the technical, legal, and/or policy aspects of censorship and surveillance? Apply to work with the Citizen Lab as part of the @OpenTechFund Information Controls Fellowship! Deadline: June 30 t.co/WHcBp68rmd

Congratulations to @RonDeibert and all nominees who were shortlisted for the @writerstrust Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing! t.co/GpzaqTXGG5

The latest from Citizen Lab fellow, @jon_penney, looks at the chilling effects of digital surveillance and proposes a unified theory to better understand how we are deterred from fully expressing ourselves online.

How does the UN’s latest effort to secure cyberspace fall short? t.co/rIe6iXNgFE

From helping His Holiness the Dalai Lama to becoming the target of a private-intelligence firm, @RonDeibert reflects on 20 years of @citizenlab work t.co/giKQc3cYmv

Recently, NSO Group extended an invitation to meet and discuss our concerns about their ongoing spyware abuse in more detail. We do not believe this invitation is made in good faith and have declined. Here’s why:

When we talk about personal data, we're really talking about human rights. Unfortunately, by focusing on consumer interests, proposed Bill C-11 misses the mark and inadequately addresses the privacy needs of everyone in Canada. t.co/VyIohu7ujo

RESOURCE: Annotated bibliography on transnational digital repression How do states exert pressure on citizens living abroad in order to constrain political action that threatens regime stability or social and cultural norms? Read more: t.co/bjDBWXN6jW

Join @citizenlab senior researcher @jsrailton along with @lindsaysfreeman @epiraces for a conversation on the #BerkeleyProtocol. Details below 👇👇