Digital Authoritarianism, Data Protection, and the Battle for Information Control - USENIX Enigma 2019

Explore a thought-provoking conference talk that delves into the rise of digital authoritarianism and its impact on global security and privacy norms. Examine how authoritarian regimes utilize automated bots, digital trolls, and cyber warriors to achieve various objectives, including data theft, destruction, and manipulation. Learn about the proliferation of this modern authoritarian playbook and its influence on international events, from economic boycotts to election interference. Discover why a strategic overhaul of information security within democracies is crucial to counter these threats. Gain insights into the need for removing stovepipes between information operations and cybersecurity, and the importance of developing a more specific terminology and strategy. Understand how this authoritarian model is reshaping the international system and redefining acceptable behavior in both war and peace. Explore recommendations for the path forward, including the roles of private and public sectors in democracies as digital defenders of security, privacy, and individual freedoms.