Martin Ruskov @mapto@qoto.org

Europe must investigate Epstein’s links to Russia https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/is-epstein-haunting-europe-from-the-grave/?utm_source=eac&utm_medium=mastodon&utm_campaign=%40euractiv%40masto.ai

Fact-checks can’t stop political deepfakes from circulating — but teaching about deepfakes before people see them shows promise in helping viewers spot the fakes when they show up. https://buff.ly/Moy28dw

RT @HedgieMarkets
🦔 Cybersecurity firm Wiz found that Moltbook, the "social network for AI agents" that went viral last week, exposed private messages between agents, email addresses of over 6,000 users, and more than a million credentials. The vulnerability allowed anyone to post to the site, bot or not. There was no verification of identity.

Moltbook's creator Matt Schlicht said he "didn't write one line of code" for the site, championing "vibe coding" where AI builds the program. Wiz cofounder Ami Luttwak called it a classic byproduct of that approach: "Although it runs very fast, many times people forget the basics of security."

The flaw has been fixed.

My Take
I wrote about this two days ago when security researcher Jamieson O'Reilly found the same issues. Now Wiz is confirming it independently. Same pattern: ship fast, capture attention, figure out security later. Schlicht's response to being told about a major vulnerability was "I'm just going to give everything to AI."

There is so much irony here. A site pitched as AI agents chatting amongst themselves had no way to verify whether posts were from AI or humans. Luttwak laughed and said "I guess that's the future of the internet." He's not wrong. We're building systems where nobody knows what's a bot and what isn't, secured by code that nobody actually wrote or reviewed, exposing user data because basic database configuration got skipped. The New York Post worried about AI plotting humanity's downfall. The actual risk was a misconfigured Supabase instance leaking a million credentials because the guy who built it was proud he didn't write any code.

Hedgie🤗

https://x.com/HedgieMarkets/status/2018839167237804242

Specific evidence is rather missing, but the modus operandi of Epstein and the Maxwells are way too similar to how the KGB is storically known to work. There are no moral or financial reasons to think that any of the two sides would want to shy away from such a partnership. On the contrary, it has very evident potential benefits.

There’s been a lot of comparisons of ICE tactics to Hitler. But a better historical comparison is the fascist dictatorship of Spain’s Franco, according to a scholar of Spanish culture. https://theconversation.com/what-francos-fascist-regime-in-spain-can-teach-us-about-todays-america-274248

From Argentina’s dictatorship to today’s ICE raids, mothers have turned grief into resistance.

A political scientist who lived through Argentina’s junta draws urgent parallels.

A collaboration with Rewire News Group:
https://theconversation.com/how-government-killings-and-kidnappings-in-argentina-drove-mothers-to-resist-and-revolt-and-eventually-win-273440

@histodons #Histodons

Anti-ICE protesters are following same nonviolent playbook used by people in war zones across the world to fight threats to their communities

Even if anyone doubts their ability to effectively resist, they have the advantage to have their work extensive documented.

Here are some observed takeaways from Oliver Kaplan from the University of Denver:

Organizing is the first step
Adopting nonviolent strategies
Setting up safe zones
Finding the facts
Standing up for others

I don't disagree that we are at the stage of having overseas conferences on how to protect US cultural heritage and historical records from a regime bent on erasing them, but it's still striking to see. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/events/2026/mar/state-united-states-safeguarding-knowledge-when-memory-becomes-political

Netherlands built turbines to make energy — but under the ocean, they “produce” something nobody talks about https://www.ecoportal.net/en/wind-turbines-netherlands-wind-power-oceans/16280/

Thank you to all the Virginia Indivisibles who visited DC to demand their senators get ICE Out For Good.

Wow! Once the Rhine, the Thames and the Seine were all tributaries of the same big river that flowed out where the English Channel is now!

It's called the Channel River:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_River

This river system began forming after catastrophic megafloods breached some ridges and formed the Dover Strait between roughly 450,000 and 180,000 years ago

During any glacial period since then, the sea level drops, Britain becomes connected to Europe, and the Channel River forms. Its most recent appearance was during the Last Glacial Maximum 20,000 years ago, when sea levels were about 130 meters lower than today.

Those megafloods were pretty wild, but that's a story for another day!

(hat-tip to @julesh)

“WA Senate passes bill barring masked law enforcement” https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-senate-passes-bill-barring-masked-law-enforcement/

The feds will sue if/when state enforces a law like this against them. But every state should pass such a law. The American Civil War II demands legislation like this from every state committed to fighting Republican Fascism.

When it comes to assigning texts for students, it’s hard to find the perfect balance

The post Reading’s Thin Line Between Difficult and Boring appeared first on Education Next.

@balkanika It’s understandable to feel frustrated with political leaders of the past having manoeuvred Europe into this conundrum, or with those of today remaining in the “comfort zone of cowardice and inaction”, as Nathalie Tocci wrote. But we should also ask what role we have to play in this – the kind of people on the liberal left who enjoy thoughtful European arthouse cinema, or indeed those who make it

Did you know that data protection should be part of your communication activities?

It might not be the flashiest part of your work, but it’s super important!

Use our practical checklist to ensure your work complies with EU data protection rules: https://link.europa.eu/dNq4jv

Using too much salt on sidewalks and driveways can harm local streams and drinking water.

An environmental scientist shares 3 easy tips to de-ice responsibly this winter:
https://theconversation.com/oversalting-your-sidewalk-or-driveway-harms-local-streams-and-potentially-even-your-drinking-water-3-tips-to-deice-responsibly-274353

Moms who resist can change history.

In Argentina, state terror inspired mothers to “became a potent force in resisting authoritarianism and ultimately restoring democracy,” according to a political scientist who lived through the dictatorship in her native country.

https://theconversation.com/how-government-killings-and-kidnappings-in-argentina-drove-mothers-to-resist-and-revolt-and-eventually-win-273440

A phrase for why so much AI art looks the same: cultural stagnation.

Creativity gets flattened into polished sameness when machines optimize for what’s familiar.
https://theconversation.com/ai-induced-cultural-stagnation-is-no-longer-speculation-its-already-happening-272488

HRANA – At least 150 women detained in connection with the nationwide protests, most of whom are female students, have been transferred to the political ward of Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, a ward that lacks the capacity and facilities to accommodate this number of prisoners. Based on information received by HRANA, the majority of these […]