A Trifecta Strategy Emerges
Dear Citizen,
Another hot mess week in Washington. But around the world, signs are emerging that we’re not taking the Tech Coup lying down. From London’s Tesla Takedown to US federal workers resigning rather than “dismantle public services,” the impacts of the tech bros’ dangerous takeover is sinking in.
For your Friday, here’s a couple more things to know – and one big new way to get involved.
# THE VANGUARD # HISTORY LESSONS
Things are pretty bad, right? They are – but this isn’t the first time we’ve had to fight authoritarianism. In this must-watch virtual conversation, Free Press and the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism looked to lessons from global leaders who have taken on authoritarian regimes in Hungary, the Philippines and Poland.
Moderated by Free Press co-CEO Jessica Gonzalez, our experts Maria Ressa and Heidi Beirich are joined by Polish Sociologist Rafal Pankowski and Hungarian political scientist András Bíró-Nagy in an urgent discussion about preserving democracy against all odds.
# ONE CLICK # IT ALL GOES BACK TO GAMERGATE
If it seems like DOGE is as much about hating women and racial retribution than “government efficiency,” it’s not an accident. In Salon this week, Amanda Marcotte writes that the roots of DOGE can be clearly traced back to Gamergate, the first major crowd-sourced harassment campaign of the social media era. She writes:
DOGE owes everything to Gamergate, from its aesthetics to its tactics to its manpower, which largely draws on the same young men — now 10 years older — who were radicalized to the far-right via social media.
What Elon Musk’s war on federal workers owes to Gamergate
# ONE ACTION # STATE OF PLAY
As Trump’s nominations sail through, the new Administration and Congress are looking more like a 4chan message board than a functioning government. You’d be right to be disspirited by the odds of getting anything done nationally.
Luckily, three terrific allies – Accountable Tech, Fight for the Future and UltraViolet – have a different plan. State legislatures have the power to enact a firewall between government and Big Tech, safeguard our sensitive personal data, curtail Big Tech’s incentives for the collection and retention of data, and empower people with control over their own data. And 15 states have a “governing Trifecta,” meaning Democratic majorities in state legislatures and a Democratic Governor.
Looking for an action to take today? Join our allies in calling on the leadership of these 15 states to create a firewall against the Tech Bros, by taking immediate legislative action to safeguard our privacy, safety, and security. Click below to act:
That’s it for this week.
Hang in there,
The Citizens Team
The piece was originally published in our newsletter, The Citizens Dispatch. Subscribe now to get access to our reporting as well as notifications about events and workshops in your inbox.