Meta’s Whisper Campaign

Dear Citizens,

Meta behaving badly, again. Newly unsealed court documents reportedly show an internal PR plan to discredit social psychologist Jon Haidt, including a “whisper strategy” that would recruit academics to challenge a prominent critic of social media’s effects on children. As NYU professor Jay Van Bavel warns, targeting researchers who publish unwelcome evidence is a serious threat to open academic debate. Healthy disagreement is essential; a corporate smear campaign is something else entirely. Read Van Bavel’s post here.

Here’s what else to read, watch and do this week…

👀 ONE READ: The AI Risk We Can See 👀

Roger McNamee argues that Silicon Valley’s favorite AI nightmare (machines going rogue) distracts from the harms already here: unreliable systems, hacking and fraud, deskilling, bad advice and concentrated power. His bigger warning is financial. Big AI has poured at least $1.4 trillion into infrastructure and committed trillions more before proving a viable business model, creating risks that could spread far beyond tech investors. The bubble may burst; the public should not be left holding the bag.

👉 Read the full argument here.

Bonus read: Peter Geoghegan reveals that Palantir led a closed-door review of how Britain’s Ministry of Defence buys software—while receiving a £240 million contract without competition. Its recommendations included less scrutiny and easier expansion of existing deals. A company helping write the rules that govern its own contracts? Worth your attention. Read the critical investigation here.

😠 ONE WATCH: Big Tech Bros Getting Mean! 😠

The AI love-fest may be ending. Eli the Computer Guy looks at Amazon’s decision to block Meta’s new AI agent, Mus, and what it reveals about the increasingly territorial battle between tech giants. As AI companies send agents crawling across a web they do not own, who pays for the infrastructure, who controls access and who gets to profit? The bubble may be deflating, and the Big Tech bros are no longer playing nicely.

⚡ ONE ACTION: Supercharge the Humans ⚡

This week, one for the teachers… or for parents to pass to them. Tactical Tech’s Supercharged Human Project offers practical resources for helping teenagers think critically about AI: a multilingual resource playlist, an educator field guide and an intergenerational toolkit for home or the classroom. The aim is not to pretend AI will disappear, but to protect young people’s agency, creativity, privacy and capacity to think for themselves.

👉 Explore it and sign up for new resources.

Bonus for Canadians: Bill C-22 would expand government surveillance, permit compelled access to digital services and require metadata retention for up to a year. It has passed the House and is now before the Senate. Read EFF’s warning and take action.

Bonus for the Brits! Join the Halloween-themed Privacy Parade around Finsbury Park tonight at 6PM. Bring a disguise, keep your face your own and make a playful point about the spread of facial recognition. Details here.

That’s all for this week,
Team Citizens

*PS - Join our Signal Chat if you haven’t already! 400+ people share practical advice on protecting your data, organising against Big Tech and staying ahead of what you need to know.