September 2026 - nexa - server-nexa.polito.it

"Americans Shrugged Off Surveillance. Then Came Flock and Data Centers."
by J.C. DE MARTIN Sept. 19, 2026

Sept. 19, 2026

*Americans Shrugged Off Surveillance. Then Came Flock and Data Centers.* Evan Selinger, Divya Ramjee / Sep 17, 2026 Why are so many people across the political spectrum resisting AI-powering data centers and Flock’s network of AI-infused surveillance cameras? The national movement—lawsuits, legislative lobbying, protests, and sabotage—is striking because Americans have already ceded so much privacy and autonomy to tech companies. We largely complain and shrug from one techlash to the next, while increasingly invasive technologies are normalized <https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/3432/>. The answer is /salience/. Data centers have been around for decades, and privacy scholars and activists have long warned about the dangers of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and community surveillance cameras. But until now, neither had the heightened level of visibility that makes people less willing to tolerate their harms. Salience is the driving force behind data center construction projects getting delayed, paused, and banned <https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2026/07/27/in-the-us-opposition-t…>; Flock cameras being vandalized <https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jul/25/flock-survei…>; and municipal and agency contracts with Flock being canceled or not renewed <https://futurism.com/future-society/flock-dozens-contracts-alprs-controvers…>. [...] continua qui: https://www.techpolicy.press/americans-shrugged-off-surveillance-then-came-…

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Lepore, "Artificial Education"
by J.C. DE MARTIN Sept. 19, 2026

Sept. 19, 2026

Oltre al merito dei suoi ragionamenti (che condivido in toto), notate come Jill Lepore <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jill_Lepore>, notissima professoressa a Harvard, critichi pubblicamente le politiche sull'IA del suo Ateneo, e lo faccia sul "The Harvard Crimson", ovvero, il quotidiano scritto e diretto dagli studenti di Harvard. Vengono in mente le parole di un grande storico: "il dissenso è la più alta forma di patriottismo". JC *ARTIFICIAL EDUCATION* Jill Lepore 16 settembre 2026 https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/9/16/lepore-harvard-artificial-inte… This August, an MIT committee of faculty, students, and staff released a remarkably thoughtful report on “AI Use in Teaching, Learning, and Research Training.” Its many cautions included the warning that “as a community, what should worry us most is that many uses of AI deprive students of the opportunity to learn.” By contrast, Harvard’s administration appears oblivious to such concerns — notoriously so. Harvard College Dean David J. Deming’s recent recommendation <https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/9/2/deming-ai-use-email/> that student use of AI in writing-intensive classes should be not only accepted but encouraged, is only the most outrageous instance. This policy was, fittingly, the leading example cited in a Chronicle of Higher Education article titled “The Ivy League’s Surrender to AI Is Insane.” Has Harvard indeed lost its mind? The comparison with the MIT report, set against a growing body of empirical research into the effects of generative AI on learning, is a good place to start answering that question. While of course noting the astounding benefits of AI in many areas of academic research, the MIT report takes careful stock of the ways in which reliance on AI risks the abandonment of crucial educational experiences, including the problem set, the take-home exam, office hours, study groups, and undergraduate research opportunities. In the latter case, the committee found that instructors were considering outsourcing research assistance to AI instead of hiring undergraduates, presumably on the grounds of cost-savings and efficiency. The committee inquired, “But if those criteria come to dominate our decisions, we all have to ask, ‘What is it that we are here together to do?’” Replacing research assistants with bots is a good illustration of the “Waymo Effect <https://wonkhe.com/blogs/the-waymo-effect-how-ai-is-quietly-making-research…>,” defined by the coiner of the term, Daniel W. Hook, chief scientific officer at Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, as “what happens when a technology removes the friction of dealing with another human being, and we experience that removal as pure gain — because the costs of the friction were always visible to us, while its benefits were not.” Getting a ride in a driverless car is convenient and fast, and if you don’t like talking to a driver or jostling with other people on the bus or the subway, it’ll seem preferable. But every time you take that ride, you’re missing out on encountering other people and, over time, you risk becoming more isolated, and lonelier, and less able to work with other people or, really, to even handle being with them. “Large language models,” Hook argues, “are the Waymo of intellectual life.” At MIT, Harvard, or any other school, supervising an undergraduate researcher is a lot of work, costs a lot of money, involves a lot of meetings, and the results are not reliably excellent. Asking Claude is easier, faster, and may produce better results. It’s also cheaper, which is no accident: Harvard allows every Harvard student and faculty member to request a Claude token budget of $2,500 per month, even as research funding is continuously threatened and the University lays off <https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/8/21/fas-layoffs-conclude-165-posit…> staff. This approach, putting speed and efficiency by way of automation above all other considerations, comes not from the priorities of intellectual inquiry or scientific experimentation but from the business models of corporations. As Hook writes, “The problem is that we have made the human conversation the expensive option and the machine conversation free, and we are surprised at what researchers, responding rationally, then choose.” But of course, the machine conversation is not free. It comes at the cost of our common life together as teachers, learners, and researchers, colleagues, mentors, and friends. Not to mention, supervising student researchers is our job. Considerably more is at stake than collaboration and community. Research into the effects of AI in education is preliminary but the results are, so far, grim. A study conducted by Microsoft suggests that knowledge workers who rely on generative artificial intelligence engage in less critical thinking. A field study published by a lead researcher from Georgia Tech reports that “on average, participants in the ChatGPT group had worse learning outcomes than those using Google, especially for higher-order critical learning.” A study of high school math students led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that students with access to ChatGPT performed better on tests, but when access was taken away they performed worse than students who had never had access. Scholars have groped for what even to call this dire diminishment of intellectual capacity. “Human enfeeblement” has been proposed, and alike “cognitive surrender” and even “cognitive extinction.” (You could also call it, “losing your mind.”) And that’s not even accounting for the losses of trust and integrity. According to a survey <https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/4/24/students-ai-usage-by-the-numbe…> last spring, more than a third of Harvard undergraduates polled used AI in ways that violated course policies. So far, and, to be sure, unintentionally, this College’s solution to that problem has been to relieve faculty of our obligation to teach and students of their obligation to learn and to make up for the attendant losses of discovery and humanity by allowing faculty to eat in the dining halls for free. Deming said two weeks ago that he would produce advisory guidelines on AI use this year, taking faculty input into account. But nothing about how the administration has approached this issue suggests that this new policy will be meaningfully debated or even answerable to evidence. What is it that we are all here together to do, again? /Jill Lepore is the David Woods ’41 Professor of American History and Professor of Law at Harvard./

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A/I: Andate e moltiplicatevi!
by 380° Sept. 17, 2026

Sept. 17, 2026

Buongiorno, fecondità, (anche) questo significa restare umani. «Andate E Moltiplicatevi! 10 100 1000 Server Nascano · Keep the Internet free» <https://keepitfree.ai/it/announcements/andate-e-moltiplicatevi-10-100-1000-…> --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- Sep 12, 2026 In questi giorni di repressione feroce, ideologica e senza alcuna base di realtà, ci avete spesso chiesto: /“Come possiamo aiutarvi?”/. La prima risposta alla domanda è immediata: se volete aiutarci, *create nuovi spazi in rete*. [...] è da quei tempi, infatti, che invitiamo alla creazione di miriadi di server autogestiti e che citiamo la frase pseudo-biblica */“Andate e moltiplicatevi, dissero le cavallette!”./* Ma se prima le nostre parole sembravano una profezia da cyberpunk paranoici, adesso si tratta di una priorità ineluttabile. Andate e moltiplicatevi, dunque. *Copiateci. Copiate quello che abbiamo fatto. Copiate il codice che abbiamo usato. Copiate l'idea a cui abbiamo cercato di dare forma. Oppure prendete i pezzi che vi piacciono e inventatevi un vostro remix.* [...] il problema non riguarda solo un piccolo gruppo di persone, ma è *un tema che va socializzato e assunto collettivamente* nel senso più ampio del termine, dagli individui, passando per i progetti autogestiti fino ad arrivare alla società nel suo complesso. [...] Sono temi molto al di là di noi, riguardano tutti coloro che non vogliono vivere sentendosi merce da manipolare, ma che vogliono determinare autonomamente la propria vita e le proprie relazioni. [...] grazie per aver raccontato quello che sta succedendo, per la solidarietà [...] ma adesso è il momento di fare un passo in più, di *spingere la nostra immaginazione oltre il ristretto orizzonte* imposto da questi tempi bui. La nostra speranza è che questo attacco alla libertà delle reti scateni una resistenza collettiva forte e creativa. [...] *COLLETTIVO AUTISTICI/INVENTATI* --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- Happy hacking! 380° -- 380° (lost in /traslation/) «Welcome to the chaos of the times If you go left and I go right Pray we make it out alive This is Karmageddon»

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Registrations open | GIG-ARTS School on Digital Governance 2027 | Salerno, Italy
by Mauro SANTANIELLO Sept. 16, 2026

Sept. 16, 2026

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce that registrations are now open for the GIG-ARTS School on Digital Governance, taking place in Salerno, Italy, from 22–26 February 2027. The GIG-ARTS School is an intensive, interdisciplinary programme bringing together academic, policy, technical and professional perspectives on how the Internet and digital technologies are developed, governed, regulated and transformed. Over five days, participants will engage with internationally recognised scholars and experts through lectures, seminars, multistakeholder roundtables and case discussions. *Main themes* The 2027 programme will address: • Internet governance and infrastructure • Platforms and artificial intelligence • Data governance and cybersecurity • Digital sovereignty • International cooperation and geopolitics • Digital law and policy The School will bring together an international faculty of 20+ scholars and practitioners, with confirmed faculty including Robin Mansell, Marianne Franklin, Julia Pohle, Francesca Musiani, Niels ten Oever, Oreste Pollicino, Daniela Piana, Edoardo Celeste, Dennis Redeker, Adio-Adet Dinika, Riccardo Nanni, Andrea Beccalli, Xiaojuan Grace Yang, Claudia Padovani, and others. The programme is designed not only to provide advanced knowledge but also to encourage discussion and networking across academic, policy, technical and professional communities. *Dates and location* 📅 22–26 February 2027 📍 Salerno, Italy 🌐 In person *Registration fees* The registration fee includes participation in the full programme, light lunches, coffee breaks and the School social event. Early Bird — €680 until 15 November 2026 Regular — €800 16 November–31 December 2026 Places are limited. *Global Access Programme* The GIG-ARTS Global Access Programme provides financial support to increase participation from underrepresented regions. It is reserved for PhD students based in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Application deadline: 15 November 2026. Eligible candidates should apply through the dedicated Global Access application form rather than the standard registration procedure. *How to register* Applicants should complete the online registration form and upload: • a valid ID document • proof of payment 👉 **Information about the School:** https://gig-arts.eu/gig-arts-school-on-digital-governance/ 👉 **Registration:** https://gig-arts.eu/registration-form-2027/ For enquiries: school(a)gig-arts.eu The 2027 edition is organised in collaboration with UNESCO and UNU-CRIS. We would be grateful if you could circulate this announcement among students, PhD researchers, early-career scholars, practitioners and colleagues who may be interested. We look forward to welcoming the next GIG-ARTS School cohort to Salerno in February 2027. GIG-ARTS School on Digital Governance

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Usa: gruppo italiano Autistici/Inventati designato terrorista
by Giacomo Tesio Sept. 16, 2026

Sept. 16, 2026

https://www.agi.it/agiprima/usa-gruppo-italiano-autisticiinventati-designat… Il dipartimento di Stato americano ha designato il collettivo italiano Autistici/Inventati (A/I) come "terrorista globale appositamente designato" (Sdgt), accusandolo di fornire infrastrutture digitali a cellule Antifa violente e ad altri gruppi dell'estrema sinistra radicale in vari Paesi. La designazione, adottata in base all'ordine esecutivo 13224, comporta il congelamento di tutti i beni del collettivo soggetti alla giurisdizione americana e il divieto per cittadini e soggetti statunitensi di effettuare transazioni con l'entità designata. Anche istituzioni finanziarie straniere potrebbero esporsi a sanzioni secondarie. Secondo Washington, A/I, gruppo basato in Italia, gestisce strumenti di comunicazione cifrata, servizi email e di hosting, videoconferenze e sistemi di anonimizzazione riservati a soggetti sottoposti a una verifica ideologica. Tali servizi sarebbero usati, afferma il governo americano, per organizzare, reclutare, diffondere propaganda, condividere informazioni su obiettivi e tattiche e rivendicare attacchi, mantenendo anonimi gli utilizzatori. Il dipartimento di Stato sostiene che il collettivo gestisca circa 16 mila caselle email, 1.500 siti web, 5.500 mailing list e 10 mila blog. Le autorità americane gli attribuiscono un ruolo centrale in una campagna transnazionale di reti dell'estrema sinistra violenta, attiva negli Stati Uniti, in Europa e nel continente americano. Washington afferma che infrastrutture riconducibili ad A/I sarebbero state utilizzate da cellule anarchiche responsabili di sabotaggi alle ferrovie in Francia, Italia, Germania e Paesi Bassi nel 2026, nonché per rivendicare il sabotaggio dell'oleodotto Transalpino (Tal) del marzo scorso. Il gruppo viene inoltre accusato di aver ospitato comunicati e manuali attribuiti a reti dell'estrema sinistra attive contro infrastrutture energetiche e ferroviarie in Germania.

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La chiusura di A/I non chiude la partita
by de petra giulio Sept. 16, 2026

Sept. 16, 2026

https://centroriformastato.it/la-chiusura-di-autistici-inventati-non-chiude…

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Bengio e il reinforcement learning
by carlo.batini＠unimib.it Sept. 16, 2026

Sept. 16, 2026

Segnalo questo contributo di Bengio sui danni e rischi potenziali causati dal reinforcement learning nei modelli lingustici https://yoshuabengio.org/en/blog/why-are-ai-agents-lying-cheating-and-coord…

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Seminario su veicoli a guida autonoma/ 25 settembre/ online
by Cristiana Sappa Sept. 15, 2026

Sept. 15, 2026

Carissimi/e, Sperando di fare cosa gradita, in calce Vi inoltro il link ad un seminario su alcuni aspetti giuridici relativi ai veicoli a guida autonoma, durante il quale si discuterà di dati e mobilità. Il relatore è Atilla Kasap, attualmente Knowledge Exchange Fellow in Law a Suffolk, che si è occupato molto del tema (v. la monografia Autonomous Vehicles, uscita con Elgar nel 2022 - https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/autonomous-vehicles-9781803924427.html?srs…) Il seminario si svolgerà online il 25 settembre, tra le 12h30 e le 14h00 circa. Per qualsiasi informazione, rimango a Vostra disposizione. Un caro saluto, Cristiana LINK: https://ieseg.zoom.us/j/85422586422#success

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moratoria?
by Alberto Cammozzo Sept. 15, 2026

Sept. 15, 2026

Cari nexiani, l'incidente OpenAI-Huggingface si profila come un "momento Chernobyl" che mette in cattiva luce la nascente industria dell'automazione della conoscenza. Avrete letto Amodei (il 'good guy') invitare alla moratoria pur senza chiamarla così. <https://darioamodei.com/post/we-must-pace-the-frontier> /We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models. Progress will still seem fast, and we must make wise use of the time we gain. [...] in parallel with the regulatory route, AI companies can and should voluntarily work together to set standards — a process that I believe will go better with the verifiability provided by permanent embedded evaluators./ Quello che Amodei non affronta è come inserire questo rallentamento nella guerra commerciale già iniziata per conquistare posizioni e tentare di remunerare investimenti ormai vertiginosi. Chi glielo dice agli investitori? Su questa lista avevamo affrontato il tema due anni e mezzo fa, constatando quanto inefficace e comunque tardivo (già all'epoca, con un livello di investimenti diverso) sarebbe stato questo approccio. <https://server-nexa.polito.it/hyperkitty/list/nexa@server-nexa.polito.it/th…> Ci sono altre vie possibili? Alberto

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132° Nexa Lunch Seminar | 23 settembre 2026, ore 13.00
by Nexa - Media Sept. 15, 2026

Sept. 15, 2026

Gentilissime, gentilissimi, Vi invitiamo a partecipare al 132° Nexa Lunch Seminar che si terrà mercoledì 23 settembre, dalle ore 13.00 alle ore 14.00, con un incontro dal titolo: "Partecipatory Counterdata Infrastructuring per l’interrogazione critica dei dati sull’export militare italiano". Ospite dell'incontro: Michele Cremaschi (Libera Università di Bolzano). L'incontro si terrà IN PRESENZA e ONLINE. SEDE FISICA dell'incontro: Centro Nexa su Internet e Società, Politecnico di Torino, Via Boggio 65/a, Torino (1° piano). Per accedere alla sala si raccomanda di suonare al citofono Portineria e di seguire le indicazioni segnalate lungo il percorso. QUI<https://nexa.polito.it/contatti> <https://nexa.polito.it/contatti> maggiori informazioni su come raggiungerci. STANZA VIRTUALE dell'incontro: https://didattica.polito.it/VClass/NexaEvent Di seguito maggiori dettagli: https://nexa.polito.it/lunch-132 Cordiali saluti, -- Valeria Bergantino Communication Manager Nexa Center for Internet & Society<https://nexa.polito.it/> DAUIN - Politecnico di Torino Via Pier Carlo Boggio, 65/A - Torino Digital Communication Assistant DAUIN - Politecnico di Torino<https://www.dauin.polito.it/> Corso Castelfidardo 34/D - Torino mail: valeria.bergantino(a)polito.it<mailto:valeria.bergantino@polito.it> tel: 3473443585

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