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Antonella Napolitano

@svaroschi.bsky.social
2.1K followers 1.2K following 554 posts

Migration and Technology Programme Manager at the International Detention Coalition Working on surveillance technology, migration, welfare. Previously at Privacy International, Open Migration, TechPresident.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
Maria Farrell @mariafarrell.eurosky.social · 09/10/2026
Mission accomplished. Silicon Valley's favourite "reformer" shuts down CHT activities that forced tiny changes to his Big Tech funders (litigation) and keeps only those that get him into high status rooms. When an individual's vanity and an entire industry's strategy of predatory delay collide.
conversationalist.org
The Prodigal Techbro
Prodigal tech bro stories skip straight from the past, when they were part of something that—surprise!—turned out to be bad, to the present, where they are now a moral authority on how to do good…
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
Senthorun S. Raj @senthorun.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
“An AI tool used to speed up the processing of thousands of asylum cases is failing basic accuracy tests…” The idea that synthetic text generating “AI” can be a useful aid in determining refugee status is ridiculous. We should challenge the automation of decision-making and erosion of our rights.
independent.co.uk
AI tool used in thousands of asylum claims failing basic accuracy tests
Exclusive: MPs, charities and rights group warn that accuracy should not be sacrificed for speed in ‘life and death’ asylum decisions
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
"as it doubles down on Harris, former employees fear resources might be diverted away from addressing what they believe are more pressing concerns about AI’s impact on democracy and civil liberties." Prodigal tech bro: not a one-way street @mariafarrell.eurosky.social www.wired.com/story/trista...
wired.com
Tristan Harris’ Tech Nonprofit Is Laying Off Most Staff and Going ‘Founder-Led’
The Center for Humane Technology helped spark a movement against excessive screen time, but internal tensions over its direction and strategy have simmered for years, sources tell WIRED.
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Well, I guess it is not so much a matter of ideology rather than keeping your seat or position of power
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Hi! Enjoy the cheese and all the good things!
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Important things are important.
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
NEWS: As of last week, I joined the @idcoalition.bsky.social to work globally on the use of technology in alternatives to detention. First stop: 13th October, at #PrivacyCamp26 with @hopeamelie.bsky.social @privacyinternational.org @biddetention.bsky.social Register: crm.edri.org/civicrm/even...
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
hahahaha
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to" (wait, is this the thread with music + politics puns?)
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
Jade Lindgaard @jadelindgaard.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
La Commission européenne et les États membres usent de manœuvres dilatoires pour ne pas rendre publics des indicateurs clés (eau, GES, électricité) des data centers. En cause: le secret des affaires. Enquête avec @lighthousereports.com et @tomasstatius.bsky.social www.mediapart.fr/journal/ecol...
mediapart.fr
Data centers : les pouvoirs publics esquivent leurs obligations de transparence
Ni l’administration française ni la Commission européenne ne respectent leurs obligations d’information du public sur les impacts environnementaux et les consommations énergétiques des data centers. …
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
Timnit Gebru @timnitgebru.blacksky.app · 30/09/2026
Friends, while they're trying to talk about fictional machine gods, don't lose sight into what they're all actually powering in real life. You can browse the the entities on the website and use the API, and learn more about it on the DAIR project site: dair-institute.org/projects/sur....
dair-institute.org
Surveillance Watch
This interactive map reveals the intricate connections between surveillance companies, their funding sources and affiliations.
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Very exciting!!
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Talk is cheap, they say... Another great investigation on power and influence by Democracy for Sale and @lighthousereports.com (always very happy to support DfS and investigative journalism outlets - if you can please do the same)
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
An excellent panel with great reporters on how to investigate and keep power accountable in environmental investigations (photo by yours truly)
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
International Detention Coalition @idcoalition.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
📢 We’re hiring: Europe Programme Officer – Balkans 📍 Open to candidates based in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia 📅 Apply by 16 October 🔗 idc.bamboohr.com/careers/47?s...
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
Nicola Kelly @nicolakellywrites.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I have spent weeks shadowing the RNLI and I can tell you, they do it out of nothing more than compassion. Wrote about the heroes I've met over the years in this free-to-read post. nicolakelly.substack.com/p/the-rnli-a...
nicolakelly.substack.com
The RNLI aren't traitors; they're heroes
I have spent weeks shadowing lifeboat crews. Here's what they do and what it's like.
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 17/09/2026
AI firms are subject to already-existing laws, Lina Khan tells @cwarzel.bsky.social: Part of the conversation around regulating AI “seems to assume that these current developments are happening in some legal vacuum,” she adds, “and that is just false.” theatln.tc/t9IwiQTz #TAF26
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International Detention Coalition @idcoalition.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
📢 We’re hiring: Europe Programme Officer IDC is looking for an experienced professional to support our programmes, advocacy and member engagement across Europe. 📍 Remote, based in Germany, the UK, Spain or the Netherlands 📅 Apply by 18 September 2026 🔗 idc.bamboohr.com/careers/46?s...
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
Timnit Gebru @timnitgebru.blacksky.app · 14/09/2026
The only person in public service who has consistently made 100% sense on issues of "AI," which is why they hate her so much.
Law enforcers already have authority to charge companies and their CEOs for creating and releasing dangerous, unvetted, or defective products. We shouldn’t let discussions about new legal regimes distract from the fact that there’s no AI exemption from laws already on the books — a point 
@FTC
 emphasized repeatedly during my tenure.

1. There is an extensive set of laws that govern dangerous and defective products. For example, releasing unvetted AI models or agents can violate consumer protection laws. Shipping flawed AI tools without implementing adequate measures to detect and stop rogue or defective AI agents can be an “unfair or deceptive” act or practice under the FTC Act (and analogous state laws). And some state AGs are already exploring holding AI firms and their CEOs criminally liable when their models participate in criminal activity.

2. Existing laws also prohibit “unfair methods of competition.” This covers instances where AI firms appropriate the competitively sensitive information of their customers, including through tracking their use of various tools. It can also cover instances where firms pursue dangerous behavior, aware that doing so may compel rivals to do the same.As the Supreme Court has noted: “A method of competition which casts upon one's competitors the burden of the loss of business unless they will descend to a practice which they are under a powerful moral compulsion not to adopt, even though it is not criminal, was thought to involve the kind of unfairness at which the [unfair methods of competition] statute was aimed."

3. The highly concentrated and interconnected structure of these markets could be creating major risks and conflicts of interest. We had started investigating these partnerships and cross-investments across the stack (and released a preliminarily overview of some findings: https://ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-issues-staff-report-ai-partnerships-investments-study). 

Both federal and state enforcers should be scrutinizing these opaque relationships and inter-dependencies. We are already seeing how these relationships could undermine accountability. For example, OpenAI could face liability given the Hugging Face incident, but Hugging Face being bought up by Nvidia means that we’re unlikely to see it file a lawsuit over this — given Nvidia’s strong incentive to see OpenAI continue full speed ahead.4. As AI tools dramatically change the landscape of cybersecurity risks and hacks, all businesses should be doubling down on having core security protections in place. Firms that fail to invest in adequate data security measures or fix known vulnerabilities can also be breaking the law. A recent analysis showed that around 1/3 of Fortune 100 companies do not even have a way to notify them about security issues. During my 
@FTC
 tenure, we sued firms for poor data security practices and held CEOs liable when they were personally responsible.

https://this.weekinsecurity.com/dozens-of-americas-largest-companies-have-no-simple-way-to-report-security-flaws/

https://ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/10/ftc-takes-action-against-drizly-its-ceo-james-cory-rellas-security-failures-exposed-data-25-million

5. As policymakers consider new legal regimes, we should be looking to lessons from prior efforts to govern major sectors, such as banking and other networks, platforms, and utilities. Tools like structural separations, nondiscrimination, and supervision could be key, and there’s a rich history of what works and what doesn’t. But we can and must pursue any new efforts alongside enforcing existing laws.
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
This media cycle on AI doomerism makes me despair. Lina Khan’s ability of cutting through the bullshit and being always on point is so welcome Full text x.com/linamkhan/st...
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Bipartisan BS accelerationism or Why the Sanders-Bannon-Coxon event is a mistake www.axios.com/2026/09/14/c... 👇
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
I am a big fan of Patrick Radden Keefe so this was definitely a treat on many levels! Definitely a must-watch!
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
A propos of nothing, let's re-read this seminal piece by @mariafarrell.eurosky.social conversationalist.org/2020/03/05/t...
conversationalist.org
The Prodigal Techbro
Prodigal tech bro stories skip straight from the past, when they were part of something that—surprise!—turned out to be bad, to the present, where they are now a moral authority on how to do good…
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Un decreto legislativo potrebbe ora fornire la base giuridica finora mancante. Il testo definitivo non è ancora in Gazzetta Ufficiale: non è quindi chiaro se, e con quali garanzie, il sistema potrà tornare in funzione @rositarijtano.bsky.social su @irpimedia.eu irpimedia.irpi.eu/riconoscimen...
irpimedia.irpi.eu
Il Garante ha “spento” il riconoscimento facciale dello Stadio Olimpico. Ma una legge potrebbe riattivarlo
Per quattro anni è stato usato senza un'adeguata base legale: documenti inediti rivelano che, nel 2025, il Garante per la privacy ha intimato al Viminale di sospenderne l’uso
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
A propos of nothing, a few days ago, I saw on my timeline one with Mahmood gleefully holding a 'Smash the boat' sign (could not bring myself to watch it in full)
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
The way they describe Signal is also either ignorant or disingenuous - like political reporters all over the world are not on press lists on messaging apps (where "disappearing messages" can also be set...)
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Or even when the Signal messages happen between govt officials and corporate actors bsky.app/profile/svar...
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Exactly. Also, whatsapp and other messaging apps have the option of set disappearing messages in chats. And lists on messaging apps have been used by political staff and reporters all over the world for years. City Hall reporters don't know about this?
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Some of the ethics concerns are obviously valid and they're not a US exclusive, nor limited to this group of people (see below an example from the EU) But the NYT does not do a good service to them, using them almost as a throwaway, without proper sourcing www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
ftm.eu
Von der Leyen faces fresh scrutiny over European leaders’ secret group chat
Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
I also don't know how to take the description of practices that have been part of political comms for at least a couple decades (think bloggers in the place of creators), the Obama campaign (and others) was widely praised for their engagement strategies. Is this new? hellgatenyc.com/mamdani-sign...
hellgatenyc.com
Ancient Blogger Explains Mamdani's New Influencer 'Scandal'
And there may be a City Council oversight hearing about it?
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
So many things about this article are baffling: singling out the use of Signal like reporters don't get info from political staffers at all level in every country on this planet, attributing paid gigs to people they did not even reach out to for comments (journalistic standards much?) And more...
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Should be followed by "My love don't cost a thing" ... no, wait...
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Then page 12 says "money" and the book ends?
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
404 Media @404media.co · 26/08/2026
Garrett Langley, Flock’s CEO, told cops that a 404 Media story about cops using Flock to track someone who self-administered an abortion was "entirely false." He's lying.
404media.co
Flock’s CEO Is Lying to Cops About 404 Media's Reporting on Abortion Case
Garrett Langley, Flock’s CEO, told cops that a 404 Media story about cops using Flock to track someone who self-administered an abortion was "entirely false." He's lying.
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
The 2027 Tech Policy Press Fellowship application is live! We’re seeking journalists, researchers, and policy professionals pursuing independent reporting and analysis that explore urgent questions at the intersection of technology and democracy. Learn more and apply by September 24.
techpolicy.press
Call for Applications: 2027 Tech Policy Press Fellowship Program
2027 Tech Policy Press fellowship applications are due on September 24, 2026.
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Thanks @linasrivastava.bsky.social for uplifting my work and that of people doing inspiring work and trying to change things. Read Lina's newsletter And this is my most recent writing on the matter: blogs.law.ox.ac.uk/border-crimi...
blogs.law.ox.ac.uk
Rethinking tech in alternatives to detention: 10 principles
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
And more schism time! www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/...
thetimes.com
Orkney monks call modern Catholicism a ‘fake religion’ in church split
Schism with the Vatican looms after the brothers of Papa Stronsay published a letter on their website insisting the Pope was not a real Catholic
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Foxglove Legal @foxglovelegal.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
"tech campaign group Foxglove, said the 'damning report' made it clear that the government and Palantir needed to 'withdraw these dodgy marketing claims and correct the record'. (1/2)
ft.com
NHS England adds caveat to pro-Palantir data after watchdog probe
Regulator urges health service to ensure communications about benefits are ‘clearly and appropriately labelled’
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
All true - and a lot of USAID money went into funding those as well as movements that in some cases went on to become political actors. However, there is quite a difference between research and policy organisations and politically affiliated organisations with connections to serving policymakers.
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Not sure about the specific case but there is a lot of blasé attitude of the kind of "Oh, I thought this was happening, therefore the people who worked hard to *actually* prove it was happening didn't do much really."
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
*this* should have been the Prospect cover story
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
"The human cost begins with the fiction of choice. A Schengen applicant cannot bypass a visa outsourcer, just as a family in Gaza cannot bypass registration to access food aid. Coercion is an inbuilt feature of the architecture." We need to go beyond requesting tech fixes to power structures.
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Saw him as Burr in New York in 2016 - ten years later, I can say: decade. (And Giles Terera in the original London cast was incredibly impressive too)
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Labour accelerationism :D
static.klipy.com
Cat Cute Cat
ALT: Cat Cute Cat
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Martha Dark @marthadark.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
@foxglovelegal.bsky.social is hiring! 🚨 1. Co-executive director (maternity cover) jobs.theguardian.com/job/10151645... 2. Digital campaigner jobs.theguardian.com/job/10148397... Please share far and wide! Thank you.
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Gareth Davies @garethtbij.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
@tbij.bsky.social has launched a long-term project exposing how hate is spread, who profits from it and how it impacts people and society. The crowdfunder is match funded up to £20,000 for the next six weeks. More details here www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/exposingth...
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Jeez 🤦‍♀️
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
It is very hard to put optimism and Home Office in the same sentence tbh
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Antonella Napolitano @svaroschi.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
It's a tournament, not a league ;) (or, if you prefer, cue in jokes about French not working on a public holiday :P)
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Reposted by Antonella Napolitano
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
New w @pamherd.bsky.social: Mamdani just announced PIT Crew — an NYC tech unit that will build digital public products. Takeaway: Mamdani is reclaiming a vision of tech in govt for progressives, one not driven by consultants and which solves real problems. 🧵 donmoynihan.substack.com/p/mamdani-in...
donmoynihan.substack.com
Mamdani invests in tech capacity to “solve real problems”
What PIT Crew says about how he is governing, and tech in government
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