Technology
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In the Fight Against Extremism, Don’t Demonize Surveillance-Busting Tools like Signal and Bitcoin
In the past few weeks, millions of Americans have joined Signal, a free open-source encrypted chat app. Users are fleeing from WhatsApp in droves, sparked by a pop-up disclosing that the messenger will share personal data with Facebook, and by broader concerns over big tech in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
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Dictatorships Are Making the Coronavirus Outbreak Worse
China, Iran, North Korea, and other authoritarian regimes have concealed information and exacerbated the spread of the disease.
ON FEBRUARY 27, in the midst of the now-growing worldwide coronavirus outbreak, Chinese human rights activist Yaqiu Wang pointed out a tragedy: “No matter how stretched government resources are, silencing criticism will always be the Communist Party’s number one priority.”
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The ET Interviews: Anti-Authoritarian Technology
This week I am interviewing Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer of Human Rights Foundation and guest lecturer at Singularity University. I met Alex a couple of years ago when he was moderating an exceptionally interesting and lively Human Rights Foundation (HRF) panel on identity, distributed systems and human rights. Alex’s work has helped me gain a deeper appreciation for how fundamentally identity and human rights are tied together, and the importance of considering freedom and control of the most vulnerable populations when designing technology infrastructure. Alex is a deep thinker on the intersection of technology, freedom and decentralization and so I am very pleased to welcome him to Epsilon Theory. – Neville Crawley
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The First Crypto War
Think Bitcoin and crypto assets are just vehicles for speculation? They’re already having both a positive impact and negative impact when it comes to human rights, says Alex Gladstein, chief strategy officer for the Human Rights Foundation. Gladstein talks about how he first became enamored with Bitcoin because of its potential to solve hyperinflation, and why he believes Venezuela is the site of the world’s first crypto war. He also covers why repressive governments are excited by centralized cryptocurrencies, why impact investing focused on the UN sustainable goals will not address human rights issues, and why blockchain-based elections, which many believe could be fair and transparent, could instead be terribly corrupt.
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Meet the group trying to take down North Korea with USB sticks
Often referred to as “The Hermit Kingdom,” North Korea is one of the most closed societies in the world.
Its 24 million citizens live under the control of dictator Kim Jong-un and its myriad laws, which regulate everything from haircuts and dress to the use of electronics.
alexgladstein.com 