TikTok v RedNote? As TikTok's fate is once again at stake in the U.S., @kentonthibaut.bsky.social, Senior China Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Data Forensic Research Lab, explains how rival app RedNote stacks up in terms of personal security.

In this @dfrlab.bsky.social piece, Dylan Plung of NBR & I highlight the case of China IO targeting Japan to argue open societies need comprehensive digital strategies integrating domestic modernization, cybersecurity, & FIMI resilience. We provide specific recs for how to do it: shorturl.at/worXz

The popular DNA test kit company 23andMe announced yesterday that it has filed for bankruptcy and is looking for a buyer. And while the company has promised to continue protecting customer data amidst a possible sale, Wirecutter’s tech experts think you should delete your data now.

Development can be profitable AND strategic. We argue that investing in connectivity offers MASSIVE financial opportunities for the US, while countering China's growing digital footprint. We outline specific recs to make the Development Finance Corporation fit for this purpose: shorturl.at/IKxV3

President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order aimed at reducing the scope of eight federal agencies as part of his campaign to downsize the US government.

5 former Secretaries of Defense call on Congress to exercise oversight responsibility on Trump-Hegseth firing of senior military leaders: The "dismissals raise troubling questions about the administration’s desire to politicize the military and to remove legal constraints on the President’s power."

Americans flocked to Xiaohongshu (RedNote) in January due to the TikTok ban. But what's the difference between Xiaohongshu, TikTok, & Douyin? What narratives proliferate on it? What are tradeoffs between propaganda wins & information control for the CCP? Ryan DeVries & I explain: shorturl.at/UjRJE

OMB director Russ Vought has officially begun carrying out his section of Project 2025. Technical thread to follow, but it’s really important - this is a major path through which the Trump administration will illegally impound funding, refusing to carry out some of our spending laws.

#DontAbandonUkraine: The Complete Thread bsky.app/profile/benj...

In the world of privacy coverage, there has always been a central question of who is a greater threat to it: the government or corporate America. Now with DOGE, the two are merged into one: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/u...

For my 1st piece since leaving government, I partnered w/ @richardmnephew.bsky.social on a piece for @warontherocks.bsky.social. We take stock of where we are on Iran, and where we should go, including steps to prevent a nuke & reconstitution of the proxy network. warontherocks.com/2025/02/trum...

I missed this yesterday, but new Attorney General Pam Bondi used her first day on the job to disband the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force, which has been a key part of government efforts to stop adversaries from meddling in U.S. democracy: https://bit.ly/4jK0RC5

Okay, you're ready to step into the fray. This week is focused on two things: 1) getting federal level reps to push back on Elon Musk's hostile takeover of our federal bureaucracy and federal payments system (bonus points for also saying stand up to these stupid and destructive tariffs) and

It was great to work with @bellingcat.com on this piece. We discussed how Chinese companies obfuscate shady goings-on via networks of LLCs registered abroad. I also discussed data gathering practices of some companies, which are used to build datasets of valuable targets for Chinese intel agencies.

This week, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s R1 rattled the US after it was found to match OpenAI’s o1 model across a number of core tasks. DFRLab’s @kentonthibaut.bsky.social examines what DeepSeek’s breakthrough says and doesn’t say about the ‘AI race’ with China:

In this piece for @lawfare.bsky.social, I argue that focusing tech policy solely on Chinese security risks overlooks systemic flaws in the U.S. tech ecosystem that could end up undermining national security in the long run. Many thanks to the colleagues who provided great feedback for the piece!

As we wait to see the Trump admin's plans re: AI & national security, we asked industry experts what nat sec principles & policy choices in Biden's AI NSM should be carried forward, what should change, & where there is natural continuity between Trump & Biden's approaches👇 dfrlab.org/2025/01/17/a...

As I say in this Foreign Policy piece, a big problem with the TikTok conversation is it frames the risk to Americans’ data security as a problem that can be solved by a ban. But we still end up leaving a larger & arguably more consequential swath of US data unprotected & available for purchase.

The TikTok "ban" is a great TP for the CCP to undermine U.S. leadership on the open internet, especially as Xiaohongshu trends to #1 in the app store, and its CEO welcomes American "TikTok refugees." 🤦‍♀️ CCP State Media is positively GLEEFUL. We need a better approach. dfrlab.org/2024/02/14/t...

"By retrenching on its content policies, Meta is reneging on previous statements that it wanted to create a safe and open space for people on its platforms...the pullback...will inevitably be felt offline." @markscott.bsky.social on Meta's decision to axe fact-checking: tinyurl.com/3v9vrkc8