Surveillance has been Normalized but so has Self-Censorship

ARTICLE
Presidio modela - panopticon prison in CubaRevelations like those from Snowden and the Pegasus Project have this same unexpected and counterintuitive effect. Instead of rejecting the control, we increasingly learn to adapt and self censor. The panopticon effect lies exactly in this acceptance of the new normal. Afraid to say the wrong thing, we self censure our discourse and the allowable range of ideas becomes more and more narrow. Those who fail to ‘check their words’ are cancelled and provide an example for the rest.

The Underground Episode 7: Media Watch — the Pegasus Leak

PODCAST
In this episode, Sasha and Nesim are joined by Plebity writer Rozali Telbis to discuss the recent revelations about the spyware Pegasus—produced by Israeli company NSO Group—which is used by client governments to spy on journalists, activists, political leaders, and others.

Pegasus, Pandemics, and the Normalization of Surveillance

ARTICLE
Pegasus All around the world, digital tools are being used in various ways to monitor data and control access. Privacy experts have long warned that these digital tools are not easily reversible; they are often repackaged, and repurposed for other means. As always, their calls have been ignored.