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Tonu Basu

@tonubasu.bsky.social
106 followers 70 following 12 posts

Tech policy, democratic accountability, multi-stakeholder institutions | Formerly led policy teams at Open Government Partnership & Access Now.

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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
theguardian.com
Foreign Office unit tracking Israel’s potential breaches of international law closes due to cuts
Exclusive: Officials warn department will also lose access to database of 26,000 verified incidents due to cuts
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
So as people, we’re ok tear-gassing children now, is it?
theguardian.com
Israeli forces fire teargas at schoolchildren holding West Bank sit-in
Incident took place on first day back at school in small village, as settlers blocked pupils’ access
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Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Just in time for Trump's scheduled war crimes, Bellingcat has updated our tool for identifying damaged buildings and structures in satellite imagery, ideally for investigating atrocities in Iran. Full details here: www.bellingcat.com/resources/20...
bellingcat.com
When Satellite Imagery Goes Dark: New Tool Shows Damage in Iran and the Gulf - bellingcat
Bellingcat is introducing an updated damage assessment tool — called the Iran Conflict Damage Proxy Map — focused on destruction in Iran and the Gulf .
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Shane Darcy @shanedarcy.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
The latest in Israel's campaign against Palestinian human rights organisations. Four years after six Palestinian civil society groups were designated as "terrorist organisations", Defence for Children International - Palestine has had to shutter its operations. www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
What is utterly shocking is not just a Head of State making a statement like this - but the absence of cohesive global leadership that speaks out against what this war represents; speaking up for hundreds of families inside and outside Iran living in absolute fear and darkness.
theguardian.com
Donald Trump says ‘a whole civilisation will die’ if Iran ignores demands
Attacks on Iran increase and Israel tells Iranians to avoid train travel as deadline to reopen strait of Hormuz looms
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New_ Public @newpublic.org · 06/04/2026
📢 Call for creative community builders who want to support local bands and musicians! Use our contact form and put “For A.B.B.” at the start of the message to get in touch: newpublic.org/contact
Occasionally we get requests that might be a great opportunity for someone in our larger community. Let’s see if we can make a connection!

Aaron Bear Berger offers:

I’m building a map-based platform that makes local music scenes visible, accessible, and financially supportive. Instead of relying on algorithms like Spotify and social media, it lets people explore real artists in their area based on what’s happening now with new releases and upcoming shows. Each artist has a simple profile where fans can listen to a track and directly support them, creating a more intentional, community-driven way to discover and sustain local music.

I’m primarily looking for collaborators right now and pressure testers, especially folks who understand building community around local culture/arts. Funding might come later, but right now I’m focused on finding partners to build this out with. Honestly, creative brainstorming / ideation could be fruitful.

Want to get in touch with Aaron? Use our contact form and put “For A.B.B.” at the start of your message. We’ll pass along your messages. Or, if you have a request to share in the next Bulletin Board, also please send that along.
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 31/03/2026
Bellingcat found 31 posts with AI-generated imagery shared on social media by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam and West Bengal in December that appeared to meet the United Nations’ definition of hate speech. www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03...
bellingcat.com
How India’s Ruling Party is Using AI to Boost Hate Speech
Bellingcat found 31 posts by the BJP that appeared to feature AI-generated images, along with either anti-immigrant or anti-Muslim hate speech, in Assam and West Bengal within a month.
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Access Now @accessnow.org · 31/03/2026
NEW | 2025 was a record year for internet shutdowns — 313 times. Authorities imposed shutdowns to control information and restrict access. The #KeepItOn coalition spent last year documenting shutdowns across the world. These are the findings ⬇️ 🧵
In 2025, we tracked more internet shutdowns than ever before.

Here's what we found, and why it matters
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Spencer Ackerman @attackerman.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
I’ve been a journalist for 27 years. I’ve reported major stories about mass surveillance, torture, war, the military-industrial complex, police black sites, etc. But this is the most important story I’ve ever had the horror/honor to work on. For it is a story about the current phase of a genocide.
wired.com
The Ghosts of Al-Shifa Hospital
Months into a supposed ceasefire in Gaza, doctors still have to smuggle in basic medical supplies—and treat new casualties of war.
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 25/03/2026
US jury orders Meta to pay $375m for endangering children aje.news/5nmctj
US jury orders Meta to pay $375m for endangering children
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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Ahead of a crucial hearing in Anthropic's legal standoff with the Pentagon, outside groups filed briefs largely rebuking the Trump administration's effort to restrict government use of the company's products. Here's a breakdown of what legal experts and advocates had to say.
techpolicy.press
Breaking Down Amicus Briefs in Anthropic’s Fight with the Pentagon
As Anthropic heads to court to stave off a Pentagon national security risk designation, outside groups filed briefs largely taking side with the AI company.
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
theguardian.com
‘There’s no ceasefire’: Gaza paramedic and father of two killed as civilian death toll since October passes 650
Despite the supposed end of the fighting last year, casualties in the territory continue to rise, with volunteer ambulance driver Abed Elrahman Hamdouna joining the long list of those killed by Israel...
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
theguardian.com
Earth being ‘pushed beyond its limits’ as energy imbalance reaches record high
State of the Climate report finds Earth’s energy has moved dangerously out of balance, with oceans absorbing vast majority of trapped heat
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Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 20/03/2026
Age verification puts all users at risk of data breaches, EFF’s Rin Alajaji told @bloomberg.com, and requiring ID for social media could chill speech, particularly from whistleblowers or activists who rely on anonymity. www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...
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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
"For 19 days, the majority of Iran’s 92 million people have been cut off from the outside world, according to watchdog groups that track internet censorship in the country, as the country’s regime has tried to suppress communication and maintain control over its population during wartime."
nytimes.com
Iran Maintains Near-Total Internet Blackout Amid U.S.-Israeli Strikes
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Rest of World @restofworld.org · 19/03/2026
restofworld.org/2025/ai-data...
restofworld.org
Governments welcomed data centers. Now they’re grappling with the fallout
The boom in AI data centers is colliding with weak power grids, soaring energy demand, and growing local pushback.
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 16/03/2026
Thousands face worsening illness after closure of key crossing halts medical evacuations.
aljazeera.com
Rafah crossing closure leaves Gaza patients trapped without treatment
Thousands face worsening illness after closure of key crossing halts medical evacuations.
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Carlos Diaz Ruiz @carlosdiazruiz.com · 25/02/2025
🧵 Thread ahead. For over a decade, the evidence shows that social media platforms, especially Meta and Google, have profited financially from spreading misinformation because they sell highly engaging content to advertisers. Below are some examples of how they profit from spreading misinformation.
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John Burn-Murdoch @jburnmurdoch.ft.com · 24/02/2025
NEW: updated long-run gap in voting between young men and women in Germany: Gender divide continues to widen, but contrary to what is often assumed, young men continue to vote roughly in line with the overall population, while young women have swung sharply left. www.ft.com/content/29fd...
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Julia Keutgen @juliakeutgen.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Extremely Polarized Democracies Often See Democracy Erode Of 52 cases where democracies became severely polarized, half experienced democratic backsliding. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
How Political Polarization Ends
History shows that, if left untreated, extreme political and social divisions are a mortal threat to democracy.
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
That point in the history of the world when self proclaimed guardians of free speech and information integrity are the likes of Meta and Delhi police. m.thewire.in/article/gove...
m.thewire.in
Delhi Police Can Now Order Social Media Companies to Remove 'Illegal Content' Under IT Act
The notification issued by the Delhi Home Department states that the L-G has notified senior police officers to issue the takedown orders.
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Great perspective from my former colleagues at OGP - the lack of oversight over Low Earth Satellites and AI can do significant (and ongoing) harm, but with the essential safeguards, the potential to tackle corruption
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Sen Ted Cruz requests documents from the Dept of Justice on whether "foreign entities are directly or indirectly engaging in political activities in an attempt to influence U.S. AI policy." 😶 The letter makes for an interesting read. www.commerce.senate.gov/services/fil...
commerce.senate.gov
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Must read! "We highlight three main affordances of ‘open’ AI - transparency, reusability, & extensibility;[...]‘open’ AI allows some forms of oversight & experimentation...openness alone does not perturb the concentration of power in AI." @ainowinstitute.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Why ‘open’ AI systems are actually closed, and why this matters - Nature
A review of the literature on artificial intelligence systems to examine openness reveals that open AI systems are actually closed, as they are highly dependent on the resources of a few large corpora...
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Aymen @zaghdoudist.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Great piece on freedom of expression in armed conflict. Proud of my friend Chantal Joris for this deep and valuable contribution to the debate on this topic. www.article19.org/free-express...
article19.org
Information saves lives: How expression protects civilians in armed conflict - ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19’s new policy sets out how international law protects people’s right to free expression during armed conflict.
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
In Dec, the UN General Assembly will adopt a new cybercrime convention, a massive blow to digital rights globally. Interestingly, both civil society & companies have criticised it. This great piece by @zaghdoudist.bsky.social highlights how cybercrime laws have been misused (in the Arab region).
accessnow.org
Lessons from the Arab region for UN cybercrime convention
The UN cybercrime convention will allow governments across the Arab region and worldwide to use cybercrime laws to violate human rights.
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
"The discrimination perpetuated by UDK and ATP’s algorithms is happening in an environment of pre-existing inequalities...within Danish society,...embedded in the design of ATP’s algorithmic models, facilitating the categorization of individuals & communities based on difference or “othering”"
amnesty.org
Denmark: AI-powered welfare system fuels mass surveillance and risks discriminating against marginalized groups – report
The Danish welfare authority, Udbetaling Danmark (UDK), risks discriminating against people with disabilities, low-income individuals, migrants, refugees, and marginalized racial groups through its us...
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عمو حسام @barracks.substack.com · 27/11/2024
My sister is on hunger strike to free her son Alaa Abd el-Fattah from jail in Egypt. We don’t want her to die | Ahdaf Soueif
theguardian.com
My sister is on hunger strike to free her son Alaa Abd el-Fattah from jail in Egypt. We don’t want her to die | Ahdaf Soueif
The British-Egyptian activist is imprisoned alongside thousands of other political detainees. We’re appealing to the UK government for help, says author Ahdaf Soueif
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Bluesky @bsky.app · 27/11/2024
Brief update on our ongoing efforts to allow users to specify consent (or not) for AI training: 🧵
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Tonu Basu @tonubasu.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
New to bsky! Talk to me about digital policy and open government (I can tell you what not to do when designing policy processes, especially if you're a government official). Always happy to exchange notes on food recommendations, Indian classical dance (or any dance really) and the sunday papers.
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