Our picksWhat If the Lab-Leak Theory Is Right | Mathematical Pattern of Extremism Growth | Flay DHS Budget, and more
· If the Lab-Leak Theory Is Right, What’s Next?
· Why QAnon Is Disappearing from Online View
· Governments Have Stalled for Too Long on Encrypted Messaging Regulation
· Growth of Extremist Groups Follows Mathematical Pattern: Study
· Concerns Grow over China Nuclear Reactors Shrouded in Mystery
· Biden Administration Leaves Homeland Security Budget Flat Despite Border Surge
· Biden’s First Cyber EO Deadline Is Here. What Will Change
· The Ransomware Problem Is a Bitcoin Problem
If the Lab-Leak Theory Is Right, What’s Next? (Daniel Engber, Defense One)
We know enough to acknowledge that the scenario is possible, and we should therefore act as though it’s true.
Why QAnon Is Disappearing from Online View (Ashley Gold, Axios)
Specific language about the QAnon conspiracy theory has all but disappeared from mainstream public social media platforms, new research concludes. Driving the news: Researchers from the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensics Lab found that the volume of QAnon content available online plummeted following major moderation and policy moves from Google, Facebook and Twitter. Details: Researchers analyzed more than 45 million mentions of QAnon catchphrases and related terms from April 1, 2020 to April 1, 2021 on both mainstream platforms and alternative ones such Gab and Parler. Terms included popular QAnon phrases including “the storm,” “the great awakening,” “save the children” and “WWG1WGA (Where we go one we go all).” Those terms started being used more frequently online in March 2020, peaked in June 2020 around racial justice protests, and spiked again before the January 6 Capitol riot. Other factors contributed to the reduction in QAnon content. “Q,” the shadowy figure whose posts kicked off the conspiracy theory, went silent. Some participants in the Q world masked their phrases to evade getting moderated.
Governments Have Stalled for Too Long on Encrypted Messaging Regulation (Financial Times)
My firm developed the world’s first “quantum-safe” instant messaging system in 2014. This means not even a mature quantum computer with code-breaking capabilities can decipher the encrypted text. When we made the system available through the App Store, it seemed like a victory for privacy at a time when the exploitation of user data was deemed out of control. The reality proved vastly more complex when our app appeared on an Islamic State recommended technical tools list. Cont.)
