Power User with Taylor Lorenz Undercover AI ‘College Protester’ Bots for Cops
22 snips
May 1, 2025 
Jason Koebler, co-founder of 404 Media, delves into the unsettling use of AI by police to create realistic online personas for spying on activists and protesters. He reveals how these covert methods are escalating amid recent student protests and talks about the ethical dilemmas they present. Koebler discusses the implications for civil liberties, the normalization of such surveillance, and offers insights on recognizing these bots in online spaces. A call to action highlights the urgent need for advocacy against these invasive practices.
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AI Bots Infiltrate Activist Spaces
- Massive Blue uses AI personas to infiltrate online communities and collect intelligence on protesters and immigrants.
- These bots monitor social media for trigger words and initiate responses to gather private information in DMs and chats.
Stereotyped AI Personas Deployed
- Massive Blue develops AI personas tailored to stereotypical profiles like radicalized liberals and young Muslim Americans.
- These personas are designed to seem like real individuals interested in specific political and cultural topics.
Surveillance Coded Against Activists
- Police use AI surveillance for crimes like trafficking but also target protected activities like protests.
- This technology often carries coded biases, with a focus against immigrants and leftist activists.
