Kate Edwards

Influence operations often hide in plain sight. This article exposes how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses opinion articles to shape narratives and promote its agenda. Examples include state media publishing foreign "experts," ambassador-penned pieces targeting local audiences, and cross-publication of narratives between state-aligned outlets. Opinion articles themselves are a valid journalistic format, but transparency matters. Readers deserve to know when the content they consume might be state-sponsored. #InfluenceOperations #NationalSecurity #China #CCP #misinformation #disinformation #cognitivesecurity #informationintegrity https://lnkd.in/gSb8xMFk? #InfluenceOperations #NationalSecurity #China

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The center of the U.S. military-industrial complex has been shifting over the past decade from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area to Northern California—a shift that is accelerating with the rise of artificial intelligence-based systems, according to a report published Wednesday. The report—entitledHow Big Tech and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Military-Industrial Complex—was authored by Roberto J. González, a professor of cultural anthropology at San José State University, for the Costs of War Project at Brown University's Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs. The new paper comes amid the contentious rise of AI-powered lethal autonomous weapons systems, or killer robots; increasing reliance upon AI on battlefields from Gaza to Ukraine; and growing backlash from tech workers opposed to their companies' products and services being used to commit or enable war crimes.

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Local opinion: In support of sustaining Gen Z's future in the desert  by Elaina Richards, special to the Arizona Daily Star Jun 17, 2024 As Tucson grows, increasing attention is paid to my generation, Gen Z. Since 2020, in my studies of health in society, urban sustainability, and political advocacy, I have listened and participated in discussions with researchers, journalists, and my Gen Z peers about what our political priorities are, what makes us different, and where we get our news. These conversations reveal subtle but important generational differences about how Tucson can listen, learn, and act toward the future. As our hot, desert environment faces climate change head-on, Gen Z talks about climate action more than any other generation, with 67% of Gen Z nationally discussing the need for climate action on a weekly basis. When we look at Arizona’s carbon emissions by sector, over 60% of emissions come from the transportation and residential sectors, 37.1% and 26.5%, respectively. While these are essential resources, mitigating carbon emissions requires looking at the most environmentally friendly options in these sectors, and Gen Z is leading with action, not just words. For transportation, as of 2022, 72% of people in the Tucson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) reported driving alone — the least environmentally-friendly way to commute, even if the vehicle is electric — compared to carpooling, taking public transportation, or using active transportation (bikes, scooters, or walking). However, for Gen Z, the access to driving is decreasing, with reports showing only 25% of 16-year-olds in 2020 had their driver’s license, compared to 43% in 1997. This follows the trend from our Millennial predecessors, as from 2001 and 2009, the average annual number of vehicle miles traveled by young people (16 to 34-year-olds) in the U.S. decreased from 10,300 miles to 7,900 miles per capita — a drop of 23%. Perhaps this is because we are talking about climate action more than older generations. Perhaps this is because automobile accidents are a leading cause of death for children in our nation. Perhaps this is because Gen Z is also more interested in living in a walkable area — how many resources for essential needs are we able to access simply by walking or rolling out our front door without a vehicle? https://lnkd.in/gGspHtVA

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Check out the latest article I wrote for Gaming The Greenway for their Free game Friday series. This week, we delve into the topic of public libraries and provide a how-to guide on making the most of their video game collections. #gaming #publiclibraries

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From career memoirs to novels to how-to manuals to children's books, cops, firefighters and medics have written some great books. These are some of the books we see chosen by our readers most often. #Knowledge #Professionalism

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One of the challenges we face is deciphering the impact of 'tipping points' in the climate system. These crucial points are situated in remote areas, away from big cities, but their effects are very real. Through my work in filmmaking, I have had the opportunity to explore these remote locations, like CO2 towers in the Amazon Rainforest, Hawaii and more. The lived experience truly highlights the tangible effects of these environmental shifts. Check out some of the technologies tracking climate change and C02 activity which is surging to records heights. https://lnkd.in/gRtDBVif #thetippingpointsofclimatechange #climatechange #carbondioxide

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If you're concerned about local news - anywhere - this article about California and the more informed attempts to arrest the incredible decline - 68% of journalists in CA lost since 2004, as well as 25% of newspapers; with total print news circulation down more than 50% - is a good place to start. Clear and precise, taking into account the importance of local news, the need for revenue to support it and ways of doing so that don't pit journalists against the tech platforms that might provide the source of funding: https://lnkd.in/eHjVEviH

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News camerman from local TV station is taken down violently by #police at #UniversityofTexas at #Austin.  This will not improve the declining #USA ranking of 45th on the #WorldPressFreedomIndex by #ReportersWithoutBorders.  arresting reporters is one reason why the #USA is ranked 45th on #WorldPressFreedomIndex by #ReportersWithoutBorders.    The anti-war #protests are growing as more students challenge their academic institutions demanding divestment.  #Gaza #Israel #USA #CeasefireNOW Over 100 protesters arrested near #USA #Senate Majority Leader #ChuckSchumer's house in #Brooklyn. Anti-war demonstrations are growing and facing pushback from colleges using police to try to stop demonstrations. Republican Speaker of The House  Rep. #MikeJohnson and other GOP members of the #USA #Congress were booed while addressing protests at #ColumbiaUniversity. Meanwhile, 97 Journalists have been killed in #Gaza! https://t.co/Uj0EzVVacc Summary of my briefing for office of Rep. Pramila Jayapal on violations of press freedom in Gaza and declining ranking of USA on the World Press Freedom Index: https://t.co/G2sAS2o2H5 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders: https://rsf.org/en/index #pressfreedom #freepress #democracy

Are you a CALIFORNIA VOTER? Governor Newsom has proposed a 58% cut to arts program funding in the 24-25 May revise of California budget. While Newsom shared that “core services are protected,” his proposal includes decimating 100% of the funding for implementing SB 1116, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund ($12.5 million) and 38% ($10 million) of the state arts agency or California Arts Council’s $26 million in grants to arts nonprofits. California’s artists, tradition bearers, cultural organizations and creative businesses have long carried the weight of the state’s preeminence as a cultural producer and creative economy on their shoulders alone, without adequate sustained public investment. Access to arts, culture and creative expression is a core service that delivers a multitude of public impacts. These opportunities weave the social fabric of our communities, empower individuals, engage youth, vivify places, bond groups, bridge differences and transform lives, building community health while driving over 8% of the state’s economy, supporting 847,688 jobs and generating 7.3% of state tax revenue. @CAArtsAdvocates with coalition partners @ActorsEquity and @TheatreproducersofSoCal will work alongside creative industry leaders and statewide advocates to urge the Governor and Legislature to recognize the drastic nature of these cuts and the destabilizing threats they pose to the livelihoods of the creative workforce and to the promise of core California values. TAKE ACTION TODAY! Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/eWTj6kjR PLEASE send a Letter to your California Reps: https://lnkd.in/esS8BJvD Please and Thank You! #ArtsWorkIsRealWork #CAisCreative #InvestCAArts #fundCAArts #CreativeEconomy #CAC #OpposeArtsCuts

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Realistic fake content is now cheaper and faster to create than reality… the consequences for #nationalsecurity as well as civil #society are simultaneously both alarming and hard to fathom. ~ News Weekly #ArtificialIntelligence #auspol #ausnews #auspol2023 #AI #news #cybersecurity #fakenews #disinformation

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CITY OF YES CONTINUED: On WBAI Radio's Living for the City, some real truths about, and potential impacts of, Mayor Adams' City of Yes plans--something most in the MSM wont discuss, or have minimized/deliberately ignored, with Alicia Boyd, founder of Movement to Protect the People (MTOPP). City of Yes will fundamentally change the way NYC government will function and guess who will benefit the most? Certainly not the average NYer.... https://lnkd.in/eZ_yDnvX #AliciaBoyd, #MovementtoProtectthePeople, #MTOPP, #EricAdams, #NYC,  #CityofYES, #NYCDCP, #DepartmentofCityPlanning, #zoning, #LandUse,  #manufacturingdistricts, #CommercialUse, #residential, #displacement, #textamendments, #gentrification, #deregulationplan, #conditions, #casinos, #NYCCouncil, #developers, #corporations, #citylaws, #pollution,  #enforcement, #inspections, #businesslocations, #CarbonNeutrality, #EconomicOpportunities, #HousingOpportunities, #wishliist, #fires, #oversight, #existingrestrictions, #safetyproceedures, #REBNY, #noise, #environmentalreview, #protectcommunities, #RealEstateIndustry, #toxicity, #industrialized, #airquality, #waste, #publichealthhazards, #noncompliance, #commercialcorridors, #higherhealthrisks, #waterfront, #traffic, #byproducts, #protectresidents, #competition, #communitiesofcolor, #caveats, #rentregulations, #heavymanufacturingbusinesses, #AsofRight, #lightmanufacturingbusinesses, #standardsofprotection, #rooftops, #tooexpenivetoregulate, #dangerous, #officesppaceglut, #rentregulations, #insideapartmentbuildings, #vacantcommercialproperties, #leases, #separateentrances, #higherrents, #localshops, #cheapland, #outreach, #StatementofLegislativeIntent, #AfforfableforWhom?, #OneSizeFitsAll, #checksandbalances, #mayoralcontrol, #protectingsmallbizcanard, #gearedtowardscommunity, #NYCCommunityBoards, #BoroughBoards, #Councildeferrence, #removesCouncilpower, #commercialoverlays, #lifesciences, #NYCDOB, #DepartmentofBuildings, #incompetence,  #monitordevelopment, #governingbody, #labratories, #FDNY, #NoNewAllocations, #NoNewTrainingmandates, #newresponsibilites

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Want to support obs-ndi, the NDI plugin for OBS Studio? There's an amazing community of volunteers who make it all work. But it's not free - they have to eat the costs of Apple developer licenses and more. If you want to help fund development of obs-ndi and see that plugin get even better, they've set up an Open Collective page. Go show them some love! Link in the comments.

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Materials for a #medialiteracy #newsliteracy #informationliteracy class. https://lnkd.in/ePJEXp6s

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https://lnkd.in/gGxh3Ba6 *Mind Reading Technology is the New Paradigm* In the mass surveillance state, watching the civilian population in real-time is absolutely fruitless without the ability of official operators at the helm to know what you are thinking. After years in research, TESTING, and development programs, AI has evolved as the tip of the iceberg.

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Liars beware, I am now Intermediate at Digital Investigation Techniques according to AFP and Google News Initiative. This course focused on tracking election disinformation and verifying climate claims. It was interesting to see how the course's tools could be used to examine past/current elections.

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This piece by Jon Gambrell gives insight into the perceptions of Hamas' political drivers to keep on fighting. Hamas has enjoyed a significant international and regional boost in popularity. It's seeing a surge in support in the West Bank -- but in Gaza, where the consequences of its policies are acutely felt, its popularity is straining. It's reasonable to assume many Palestinian Gazans can blame both Hamas and Israel for their misery. This puts Hamas in Gaza into an increasingly tough position -- keep fighting to maintain its legitimacy outside Gaza, or find a path out of the war to preserve what remains inside Gaza. For Israel, it's evidence that military pressure is achieving a core goal -- cracking the popular sentiment in Gaza that drives Hamas' very existence there. But in the long run, it suggests not that Gazans are turning on Hamas to favor, say, the Palestinian Authority, but rather to favor no one -- a sentiment that will make governing Gaza all the more difficult. https://lnkd.in/gDUrt5Hv

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Unfortunately, they don’t have to do it because for years we have allowed them to not have to. When they offer less money, there are already non union members there to take the paltry sums. When asked to do more for less, there are willing designers that will gladly farm work out to non union shops or out of the country. When higher requests are made by members to leadership , sometimes we are asked to be happy with what we are being offered. When members resolve to stand and fight, some say that we should cut our losses and take what we can get. When candidates from disparate and unrepresented crafts ask for membership they are denied a seat at the table. All of this stuff is true because I have seen it with my own eyes. We need a culture of change in our movement. We need to create producers that come from our ranks. We need to cultivate business owners that have a vested interest in the union movement. We need to all learn to understand the economics that drive our industry as well as the greater economy and we need to start creating content that people want to watch. This isn’t about Ai taking our jobs, it is about us not creating the content that we want and being active participants in the creation of the content.

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