Weekly round-up of cognitive security-related articles from the New York Times.
LinkedIn Co-Founder Apologizes for Deception in Alabama Senate Race
Scott Shane, New York Times, December 26th, 2018
Reid Hoffman, the tech billionaire whose money was spent on Russian-style social media deception in a Senate race last year, apologized on Wednesday, saying in a statement that he had not approved the operation and did not support such tactics in American politics.
Alabama AG to Review if Senate Race Tactics Violated Law
Associated Press in the New York Times, December 27, 2018
Alabama’s attorney general said Thursday that his office is reviewing whether allegedly deceptive social media tactics used in last year’s U.S. Senate race might have violated the law. Attorney General Steve Marshall told The Washington Post that reports about the effort are concerning. He said he wants to explore the issue, but stopped short of saying that his office is opening a formal investigation.
Inside Facebook’s Secret Rulebook for Global Political Speech
Max Fisher, New York Times, December 27th, 2018
In a glass conference room at its California headquarters, Facebook is taking on the bonfires of hate and misinformation it has helped fuel across the world, one post at a time. The social network has drawn criticism for undermining democracy and for provoking bloodshed in societies small and large. But for Facebook, it’s also a business problem.
China Thwarts U.S. Effort to Promote American Culture on Campuses
Jane Perlez and Luz Ding, Washington Post, December 30th, 2018
The American ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, wanted to make what in most nations would have been a routine trip. One of his favorite schools, Iowa State University, had opened a center to promote American culture in an inland Chinese province, and the laid-back former governor of Iowa was eager to take questions from Chinese students.
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