There’s no question that disinformation, propaganda, and manipulation threaten the election process. The increased transition of societies to online interactions induces those vulnerabilities. Technical developments like generative AI content and the ability to reach wide audiences only help in the creation of digital propaganda. Fortunately, we are not exactly Read More
This post about cybersecurity, cyberwarfare and international law is exploring the cross sections between technology, law, and policy. Previously I analysed some strategic documents of various States (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). So to speak: I know this landscape quite well. In 2023 the landscape is mature Read More
Europe is continuing its fight against mechanised political influence, propaganda, disinformation. Package restricting the use of targeted political ads is the new chapter. In this note, I critically analyse the proposals. This analysis will also help to understand what might lie ahead for non-political ads in the future. It’s Read More
Should technology be based on some set of moral values? Actually, technology is always based on some set of values. There is no denying that this or another way, technology is a vehicle for some kind of values. Whether these are capitalist, ordoliberal, digital Leninism, some form of digital sovereignty, Read More
Germany recently published ("Application of International Law in Cyberspace") their stance concerning the applicability of international law and rules to cybersecurity, cyberattacks, and cyberwarfare. The document is interesting and I briefly describe the important takeaways. Previously I had a look at a similar stance, for example, by the Read More
European Parliament recently called on a ban on micro-targeted ads. Such a decision made by a democratically elected body is somewhat unprecedented. Micro-targeting allows people (i.e. “advertisers”) to use platform profiling to reach the “right” audience. For example targeting content based on traits such as: Male/Female, age, the Read More
Software can officially and formally be munitions. Since December 2019 offensive software even more so. At least in the context of the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies, whose members are different countries around the world. The treaty regulates the selling of munitions Read More
Contrary to what you may read in the popular press, there are rules when it comes to cyberattacks. Today, probably all countries regulate cybercrime in domestic law. All countries agree also that international law rules apply to cyberspace, including cyberattacks and also cyberwarfare. I recently covered positions of two example Read More
The Netherlands recently released a document describing their views and position on the application of international law to cyberspace and cyberattacks. This is a very reasoned document and contains great insight. Just like a similar French document (with a big catch - see later; my analysis here), it is short Read More
You may have heard of the cliché “there are no rules in cyberwar". It is false. There are rules. The trick is how those apply. Countries rarely speak clearly how they see or would see things. Most countries accept that international law applies to cyberspace, including to cyber operations Read More
Cyber conflicts involving state actors are quickly becoming a geopolitical reality. Perhaps the most cited example, the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, is a continued source of conflict in U.S.-Russia relations. The story took another turn last October when the U.S. Cyber Command Read More
The just-published report of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on humanitarian consequences of cyber operations brings the much-needed, currently lacking expert insight and context in the debate around cyber warfare. I am also happy because I had an opportunity to co-author this report; the (now public) part of Read More
In 2009, as people grew concerned over the pervasiveness of web tracking, the idea of adding Do Not Track (DNT) to browsers gained traction across the web. By enabling the setting, the browser attaches “DNT: 1” to a web request, effectively telling the site that user does not wish to Read More
Today, disinformation is a broad problem touching national, international, and cyber security policies, as well as domains such as social sciences and technology, including technical cybersecurity and privacy. Different tactics are used by state and non-state actors, both internal and external. Various protective measures can deliver different outcomes, for the Read More
The new Russian Information Security Doctrine (Doktrina informatsionnoy bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federatsii) might appear to be a rather general document. Upon first sight, it seems that it doesn’t contain much interesting information. This view is misguided - it’s worth to look at the text of the doctrine in order Read More
On both sides of Atlantic the debate around strong cryptography frequently resurfaces. Proponents of weakening cryptography or introduction of backdoors (or "golden keys") cite national security. Technologists and activists oppose such proposals, citing freedoms and cybersecurity. Regulating cryptography is of course a bad idea. It's true Read More
Update (April 2019) It was brought to my attention that Brennan center has used some of the research described in the article to fill an amicus curiae (legal opinion to the appeal court) in a case touching election protection from disinformation operations and political advertisement transparency. The rest of the Read More