【好書耕読】烏谷昌幸『となりの陰謀論』━国際政治をも動かす陰謀論＝岩下 結(｢本屋とキッチン よりまし堂｣店主)

日本ジャーナリストクラブ（JCJ）
13 hours 13 minutes ago
　この参院選における参政党の躍進は、多くの市民を戦慄させた。それは彼らの極右的主張のみならず、荒唐無稽な陰謀論や似非科学（「メロンパン」から「文化マルクス主義」まで）を公然と語り、メディアやＳＮＳ上で、どれほど否定されようとも動じない様に、異様さを感じたからであろう。　陰謀論や似非科学は以前から存在した。とりわけコロナ禍以降、ワクチン懐疑論やマスク不要論を通じて、政治的志向を持たないように見えた隣人が、突然陰謀論を語り始める恐怖を、多くの人が経験しているはずだ。　そうした危機..
ＪＣＪ

【焦点】４９年までに米に代わり覇権国　台湾侵攻、共産党体制に動揺　米ロに次ぐ核大国　鈴木隆講演＝橋詰雅博

日本ジャーナリストクラブ（JCJ）
1 day 12 hours ago
　「習近平氏は建国（中華人民共和国）１００周年の２０４９年までに米国に代わって中国が世界の覇権国になるのを本気で追求しています」「台湾有事が起きる可能性は低いと思います。武力統一に踏み切れば、共産党体制を動揺させると習氏は考えています」――。中国の習近平国家主席を長年研究する大東文化大学東洋研究所教授の鈴木隆氏＝写真＝は８月２３日、ＪＣＪオンライン講演に出演。対米関係と台湾問題の２つの重大テーマについてこう指摘した。　集団指導体制、高度経済成長、人口増加、この３つが終焉した中..
ＪＣＪ

Watch Now: Navigating Surveillance with EFF Members

EFF update
2 days 7 hours ago

Online surveillance is everywhere—and understanding how you’re being tracked, and how to fight back, is more important than ever. That’s why EFF partnered with Women In Security and Privacy (WISP) for our annual Global Members’ Speakeasy, where we tackled online behavioral tracking and the massive data broker industry that profits from your personal information. 

Our live panel featured Rory Mir (EFF Associate Director of Community Organizing), Lena Cohen (EFF Staff Technologist), Mitch Stoltz (EFF IP Litigation Director) and Yael Grauer, Program Manager at Consumer Reports. Together, they unpacked how we arrived at a point where a handful of major tech companies dictate so much of our digital rights, how these monopolies erode privacy, and what real-world consequences come from constant data collection—and most importantly, what you can do to fight back. 

Members also joined in for a lively Q&A, exploring practical steps to opt out of some of this data collection, discussing the efficacy of privacy laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and sharing tools and tactics to reclaim control over their data. 

We're always excited to find new ways to connect with our supporters and spotlight the critical work that their donations make possible. And because we want everyone to learn from these conversations, you can now watch the full conversation on YouTube or the Internet Archive: 

WATCH THE FULL DISCUSSION

EFF’s Global Member Speakeasy: You Are the Product 

Events like the annual Global Members’ Speakeasy are just one way we like to thank our members for powering EFF’s mission. When you become a member, you’re not only supporting our legal battles, research, and advocacy for digital freedom—you’re joining a global community of people who care deeply about defending privacy and free expression for everyone. 

Join EFF today, and you’ll receive invitations for future member events, quarterly insider updates on our most important work, and some conversation-starting EFF gear to help you spread the word about online freedom. 

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and our partners at WISP for helping make this event happen. We’re already planning upcoming in-person and virtual events, and we can’t wait to see you there. 

Christian Romero

EFF Austin: Organizing and Making a Difference in Central Texas

EFF update
2 days 8 hours ago

Austin, Texas is a major tech hub with a population that’s engaged in advocacy and paying attention. Since 1991, EFF-Austin an independent nonprofit civil liberties organization, has been the proverbial beacon alerting those in central Texas to the possibilities and implications of modern technology. It is also an active member of the Electronic Frontier Alliance (EFA). On a recent visit to Texas, I got the chance to speak with Kevin Welch, President of EFF-Austin, about the organization, its work, and what lies ahead for them:

How did EFF-Austin get started, and can you share how it got its name?

EFF-Austin is concerned with emerging frontiers where technology meets society. We are a group of visionary technologists, legal professionals, academics, political activists, and concerned citizens who work to protect digital rights and educate the public about emerging technologies and their implications. Similar to our namesake, the national Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), “the dominion we defend is the vast wealth of digital information, innovation, and technology that resides online.” EFF-Austin was originally formed in 1991 with the intention that it would become the first chapter of the national Electronic Frontier Foundation. However, EFF decided not to become a chapters organization, and EFF-Austin became a separately-incorporated, independent nonprofit organization focusing on cyber liberties, digital rights, and emerging technologies.

What's the mission of EFF-Austin and what do you promote?

EFF-Austin advocates for establishment and protection of digital rights and defense of the wealth of digital information, innovation, and technology. We promote the right of all citizens to communicate and share information without unreasonable constraint. We also advocate for the fundamental right to explore, tinker, create, and innovate along the frontier of emerging technologies.

EFF-Austin has been involved in a number of initiatives and causes over the past several years, including legislative advocacy. Can you share a few of them?

We were one of the earliest local organizations that began to call out the Austin City Council over their use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs). After several years of fighting, EFF-Austin was proud to join the No ALPRs coalition as a founding member with over thirty local and state activist groups. Through our efforts, Austin decided not to renew our ALPR pilot project, becoming one of the only cities in America to reject ALPRs. Building on this success, the coalition is broadening its scope to call out other uses of surveillance in Austin, like proposed contracts for park surveillance from Liveview Technologies, as well as data privacy abuses more generally, such as the potential partnership with Valkyrie AI to non-consensually provide citizen data for model training and research purposes without sufficient oversight or guardrails. In support of these initiatives, EFF-Austin also partnered with the Austin Technology Commission to propose much stricter oversight and transparency rules around how the city of Austin engages in contracts with third party technology vendors.

EFF-Austin has also provided expert testimony on a number of major technology bills at the Texas Legislature that have since become law, including the Texas Data Privacy And Security Act (TDPSA) and the Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (TRAIGA).

How can someone local to central Texas get involved?

We conduct monthly meetups with a variety of speakers, usually the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm at Capital Factory (701 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701) in downtown Austin. These meetups can range from technology and legal explainers to digital security trainings, from digital arts profiles to shining a spotlight on surveillance. In addition, we have various one-off events, often in partnership with other local nonprofits and civic institutions, including our fellow EFA member Open Austin. We also have annual holiday parties and SXSW gatherings that are free and open to the public. We don't currently have memberships, so any and all are welcome.

While EFF-Austin events are popular and well-attended, and our impact on local technology policy is quite impressive for such a small nonprofit, we have no significant sustained funding beyond occasional outreach to our community. Any local nonprofits, activist organizations, academic initiatives, or technology companies who find themselves aligned with our cause and would like to fund our efforts are encouraged to reach out. We also always welcome the assistance of those who wish to volunteer their technical, organizational, or legal skills to our cause. In addition to emailing us at info@effaustin.org, follow us on Mastodon, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Meetup, and visit us at our website at https://effaustin.org.

Christopher Vines