On 19 March, Co-Director James Shires held a fireside chat on “Cyber & Autocracy” with host Craig Jarvis, as part of a new GeoCyclone series. GeoCyclone is a monthly London-based community gathering bringing together government, industry, and academic representatives, to discuss crucial cybersecurity and digital policy issues.

James’ remarks addressed the increasing alignment of authoritarian practices with digital tools and platforms – a far cry from the latter’s initial, utopian portrayal as “liberation technologies”. This alignment emerges in three main areas: first, fine-grained, real-time and locally tailored filtering and censorship; second, targeted surveillance and repression against perceived threats; and, third, wider attempts to steer online conversations and narratives in a favourable direction – including disinformation and influence operations. 

Following James’ opening remarks, the hour-long Q&A discussion covered a range of geographic focuses, from the current internet blackout in Iran to Russian and Chinese movements to obtain greater control over individual communications (for example, by replacing Telegram with the government-approved “MAX” app in Russia). 

Questions also tackled issues closer to home, such as the challenges of US security cooperation during an economically and militarily unpredictable and aggressive administration, the expansion of “exceptional” counter-terrorism surveillance powers beyond their intended remit, and the UK’s difficulties in imposing its online safety and security policies on US technology companies, from access to Apple icloud storage to recent age verification measures.

GeoCyclone is not all serious discussion though. The evening also featured a cyber-themed pub quiz, testing attendees’ knowledge of cyber trivia from the cultural (1995 movie Hackers) to the operational (codenames for landmark cyber operations). We look forward to the next ones in this exciting series!