Tag: TikTok

Indonesia’s feared ex-general Prabowo claims victory in presidential election + Notes

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Indonesia’s feared ex-general Prabowo claims victory in presidential election

But the likely victory of Prabowo — an ex-general who was kicked out from the army and subjected to a two-decade ban from the U.S. over human rights violations — raises fears of the world’s third-largest democracy sliding backward into authoritarian rule.

Related:

3 things you should know about Indonesia’s presidential elections

Continuity and its risks


Prabowo is expected to largely continue the policies of President Widodo, or “Jokowi,” as Indonesians call him. President Widodo is not up for reelection as he’s serving his final term.

Through his two five-year terms, Indonesia’s economy — Southeast Asia’s largest — has grown at about 5% a year. His infrastructure building, cash and food assistance to the poor and health and education policies have been popular.

Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel, used in making electric vehicle batteries, and Jokowi has barred the export of raw nickel, to help Indonesia move up the value chain from mining to manufacturing.

…

Prabowo is Suharto’s son-in-law. He received training in the 1980s from the U.S. military at Fort Benning, Ga. (now Fort Moore) and Fort Bragg, N.C. (now Fort Liberty).

Indonesia’s presidential election emerges as key battleground in US-China rivalry

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Microsoft, X throw their weight behind KOSA, the controversial kids’ online safety bill

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
Think of the children!

Microsoft, X throw their weight behind KOSA, the controversial kids’ online safety bill

In spite of some revisions, the bill’s many critics have warned that KOSA would dangerously sanitize the internet, empower censorship and isolate young LGBTQ people in the process. Security, privacy and free press advocates have also called attention to the bill’s potential threat to encryption. The bill was revised last year in response to some criticisms, but many concerns persist.

Related:

Snap Breaks Under Pressure, Supports Dangerous KOSA Bill That Will Put Kids In Danger

Microsoft Joins In On The ‘Screw Over LGBTQ Kids’ Party By Supporting KOSA

However the claim that KOSA is “reasonable,” “impactful,” “tailored,” or “thoughtful” is just grade-A bullshit. The law is a total mess, and will do real harm to kids beyond just being obviously unconstitutional. As we’ve pointed out multiple times, GOP support for the bill is because they know it will be used to censor LGBTQ content. The GOP’s leading “think tank,” the Heritage Foundation has publicly supported the bill because they believe censoring LGBTQ content “is protecting kids.” Meanwhile, bill co-sponsor, Marsha Blackburn (whom Smith thanks above for her “leadership,”) has similarly admitted that Congress should pass KOSA to “protect minor children from the transgender in our culture.”

Israel Has Bought a Mass Online Influence System

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Defense, intelligence and civilian bodies realized soon after October 7 they were losing the online battle to what sources call Hamas’ ‘well-oiled psychological and information warfare machine.’ So they quietly purchased digital tools to fight disinformation, despite fears of future political misuse.

Israel Has Bought a Mass Online Influence System

Israel’s stepping up their hasbara and censorship.

Democrats Ignore The First Amendment With Censorship Demand Letter To X

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

A group of over 25 Democratic members of Congress have raised allegations against X, once again ignoring the First Amendment and calling for online censorship.

Democrats Ignore The First Amendment With Censorship Demand Letter To X

It’s not about antisemitism or terrorism. Israel is losing the information war. It’s why they want to ban TikTok, as well.

Previously:

ADL Director sounds alarm over lack of support for Israel among ‘Gen Z’

Nikki Haley Reinvigorates The GOP’s Breathless TikTok Hysteria… For The Children

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

We’ve noted many times how the GOP’s obsession with TikTok is stupid, performative, and utterly hollow. For example, the party desperately wants to ban TikTok for “privacy reasons,” yet consistently opposes passing privacy laws, or regulating data brokers that traffic in far more data — at a far greater international scale — than TikTok executives could ever dream of.

Nikki Haley Reinvigorates The GOP’s Breathless TikTok Hysteria… For The Children

Related:

Osama Bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America’ goes viral

Osama Bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America’ goes viral

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Osama Bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America’ goes viral

TikTok users shared their diverse reactions, with one user expressing bewilderment, stating, “It’s wild, and everyone should read it,” while another admitted to experiencing an “existential crisis” after reading the document, claiming it changed her entire viewpoint on life.

“I will never look at life the same, I will never look at this country (USA) the same. If you have read it, let me know if you are going through an existential crisis. Because in the last 20 minutes, my entire viewpoint of the entire life I have believed and lived has changed,” wrote one user.

Wait until they see this!?

Related:

PDF: Osama bin Laden, Letter to the Americans