Nostr notes by zeruch

"Smart speakers, doorbells, fitness trackers, smart ...

2026-06-26T02:54:17Z

"Smart speakers, doorbells, fitness trackers, smart TVs...even your insulin pump can now connect to the internet. But what are we really giving away in exchange for the convenience? Anna Maria Mandalari has spent years testing over 210 internet-connected devices in one of the world's largest IoT (Internet of Things) research labs — and the findings are unsettling. "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCAqdqo-SJU

#privacy #surveillancecapitalism #enshittification

"CEO said a thing!" #journalism involves parroting the ...

2026-03-30T16:25:09Z

"CEO said a thing!" #journalism involves parroting the claims of a business leader or executive with absolutely no context, correction, or challenge whatsoever, no matter how elaborate the delusion."

This contributes significantly to the unhealthy hype cycle we're vertigo-ing in.

https://karlbode.com/ceo-said-a-thing-journalism/

"Since 15 September, IFTAS has been tracking a coordinated ...

2026-01-19T09:30:25Z

"Since 15 September, IFTAS has been tracking a coordinated network of over 300 accounts operating across #Mastodon. These accounts are engaged in a high-volume #propaganda campaign, promoting pro-#Russian narratives and linking to Telegram channels associated with known state-aligned #disinformation operations."

It's now over 1400

https://about.iftas.org/2025/10/05/coordinated-pro-russian-propaganda-network-targeting-activitypub-and-atproto-services/

quoting
note1rs0…97et

Indicators of compromise (IOCs) that identify accounts as likely being part of the network include:
a single follow (the bsky.brid.gy @ bsky.brid.gy account), or first follow is the bridge
followers and following hidden from public
registration after September 8, 2025
linking to pro-Russia Telegram channels, or Russian news sources
posts that cut off mid-sentence
masquerading as legitimate news organisations
disposable email domains used for the account registration

The accounts are created and left alone for a short period, and will have no posts for up to week, sometimes more.

Once in use, the account will likely follow a dozen or so accounts on servers that are listed on the [AUD Denylist](https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/ ).

*Update November 21: with over 750 accounts and growing, we will no longer be updating the daily accounts tracker and instead will be focussing on identifying the domains known to be wholly unmanaged or unmaintained, please see the [IFTAS Abandoned and Unmanaged Domain (AUD) Denylist](https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/ ) page for more details.*

*Update October 25: Accounts are still being created (571 observed so far), and a number of servers are either unwilling or unresponsive in removing these accounts. A list of servers recommended for limiting or defederating is now available at https://about.iftas.org/library/known-spam-fediverse-services/#Unmanaged_Unmaintained_Abandoned_Servers*

*Update October 14: Accounts are still being created, and unused accounts registered earlier are being activated.*

Since 15 September, IFTAS has been tracking a coordinated network of over 300 accounts operating across Mastodon. These accounts are engaged in a high-volume propaganda campaign, promoting pro-Russian narratives and linking to Telegram channels associated with known state-aligned disinformation operations.

We became aware of a related investigation by the [Antibot4Navalny](https://bsky.app/profile/antibot4navalny.bsky.social ) research team that observed these accounts bridging to Bluesky, and we have since collaborated to enhance our investigations and share our findings. Their [public post](https://bsky.app/profile/antibot4navalny.bsky.social/post/3m22256476k25 ) provides further context.

Antibot4Navalny’s observations identified additional impacted services we were unaware of, and highlighted that accounts were still being created. Furthermore, thanks to their specific expertise in this area, this helped clarify and confirm that what we were seeing was indeed the work of a coordinated campaign with an increased likelihood of it being a state-sponsored or state-approved campaign.

We have been contacting affected Mastodon administrators, and are now moving to a public advisory to inform the broader network.

The network includes accounts impersonating reputable news outlets such as BBC News, Euronews, and Meduza, designed to give credibility to Telegram propaganda links. We believe it may be connected to the “[Pravda/Portal Kombat](https://www.sgdsn.gouv.fr/files/files/Publications/20240214_NP_SGDSN_VIGINUM_PORTAL-KOMBAT-NETWORK_PART2_ENG_VF.pdf )” pro-Russia propaganda network.

Accounts are hosted across numerous Mastodon instances and bridged into Bluesky, creating the appearance of independent sources. Activity on Bluesky helped reveal aggregate patterns, identical usernames, posting schedules, and content themes more clearly than across decentralised Mastodon services.

This campaign appears to mimic tactics observed in earlier influence operations, blending low-cost automation with impersonation and volume-based amplification.

We are sharing data with participants of the [Social Web ISAC](https://connect.iftas.org/library/iftas-documentation/social-web-information-sharing-and-analysis-centre/ ), and we issued a [public advisory](https://mastodon.iftas.org/@iftas/115322867312262878 ) along with a [list of observed usernames](https://about.iftas.org/library/known-spam-fediverse-services/#Coordinated_Network_Spam_Accounts ).

We are aware of accounts hosted on abandoned or unmanaged services, we may issue a Limit recommendation for those domains at a later date.

If you provide or can link to tools that may benefit administrators in identifying and/or managing these accounts, please let us know.

**Further Reading:**
https://www.sgdsn.gouv.fr/files/files/20240212_NP_SGDSN_VIGINUM_PORTAL-KOMBAT-NETWORK_ENG_VF.pdf">PORTAL KOMBAT A structured and coordinated pro-Russian propaganda network
https://www.sgdsn.gouv.fr/files/files/Publications/20240214_NP_SGDSN_VIGINUM_PORTAL-KOMBAT-NETWORK_PART2_ENG_VF.pdf">PORTAL KOMBAT A structured and coordinated pro-Russian propaganda network (Part 2)
https://checkfirst.network/pravda-network-worldwide-expansion-and-llm-wikipedia-pollution/">“Pravda” Network: Worldwide Expansion and LLM, Wikipedia Pollution
https://www.americansunlight.org/updates/new-report-russian-propaganda-may-be-flooding-ai-models">Russian propaganda may be flooding AI models

"'Requiem for an Exit' withholds catharsis... the ...

2025-09-18T22:30:07Z

"'Requiem for an Exit' withholds catharsis... the requiem it delivers is not for the machine, nor for the dead, but for the myths we continue to uphold: that progress ensures salvation, that intelligence guarantees ethics, that technology can redeem the human"

https://calls.ars.electronica.art/2025/prix/winners/15487/

#art #robotics #ethics

unless I can strip out recall/copilot, I don't care.

2025-05-20T18:58:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…hd5h
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unless I can strip out recall/copilot, I don't care.

nope. Can't expect higher prices when you refuse to get the ...

2024-11-07T21:59:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…rvxw
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nope. Can't expect higher prices when you refuse to get the service.

given that we both spent decades in a community that coined ...

2024-08-22T00:06:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…eevj
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given that we both spent decades in a community that coined lovely software like GIMP, maybe I'm just generally immune to it all.

I think that's the thing, I don't view the word as cute. ...

2024-08-21T15:04:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…e657
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I think that's the thing, I don't view the word as cute. I actually see it as succinct and easily discoverable/discernible. I'm probably biased because I'm in the Bay Area and as far as words go, this is generally far less prudish. But I understand where you're coming from.

If someone could come up with an equivalent pithy term that conveyed the meaning well I'd be all for it. I just can't figure out what that is.

a few years ago I would have agreed with you, but now I'm ...

2024-08-21T06:13:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…fqp9
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a few years ago I would have agreed with you, but now I'm kind of ok with the general use, as 1. it's already well established and frankly easily understood (just like how even in polite wonkish circles the term 'ratfuck' is still employed, along with 'boner' in quite a mundane manner) and 2. if we can constantly dance around or otherwise just caveat the profligate use of expletives by our pols these days, then fixating on the term itself seems moot.

as trite as this sounds, when Cory Doctorow coined the term ...

2024-08-19T04:17:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…rql8
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as trite as this sounds, when Cory Doctorow coined the term enshittification, he really hit a single atom-wide bullseye.

The industry has started to congeal into something that's going to continue to extract value until it implodes again. Such that until regulatory policy forces less stupid behavior, we are going to be subject to endless short-termism, declining product quality and support, and total ham-fisted PR debacles by overpaid c-suite toddlers with sociopathy and objectivism.