Authoritarian Tools

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  "title": "Authoritarian Tools",
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  "lastUpdated": "2026-03-13",
  "dateCreated": "2026-02-15",
  "llmSummary": "Comprehensive analysis documenting AI-enabled authoritarian tools across surveillance (350M+ cameras in China analyzing 25.9M faces daily per district), censorship (22+ countries mandating AI content removal), and social control (1.16B individuals in social credit database). Evidence shows Chinese surveillance tech deployed in 100+ countries via Digital Silk Road; 80% of global population lives in countries \"not fully free.\" Argues AI enables \"perfect autocracy\" through preemptive suppression—RAND suggests 90%+ detection of organized opposition—with \\$300B surveillance market projected by 2028.",
  "description": "AI enabling censorship, social control, and political repression through surveillance, propaganda, and predictive policing. Analysis shows 350M+ cameras in China monitoring 1.16 billion individuals, with AI surveillance deployed in 100+ countries. Global internet freedom has declined 15 consecutive years; AI may create stable \"perfect autocracy\" affecting billions.",
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    {
      "text": "Freedom House 2025",
      "url": "https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2025/uncertain-future-global-internet",
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      "text": "Freedom House 2025",
      "url": "https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2025/uncertain-future-global-internet",
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    {
      "text": "Lawfare",
      "url": "https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-authoritarian-risks-of-ai-surveillance",
      "resourceId": "ae842d471373d0fb",
      "resourceTitle": "The Authoritarian Risks of AI Surveillance"
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      "text": "Freedom House",
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      "resourceId": "ca43bd687b47f6d3",
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    {
      "text": "Freedom House 2025",
      "url": "https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2025/uncertain-future-global-internet",
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    {
      "text": "fewer people protest",
      "url": "https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-authoritarian-risks-of-ai-surveillance",
      "resourceId": "ae842d471373d0fb",
      "resourceTitle": "The Authoritarian Risks of AI Surveillance"
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      "text": "2024-25",
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    {
      "text": "47 countries",
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      "text": "\\$300 billion by 2028",
      "url": "https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2025/uncertain-future-global-internet",
      "resourceId": "ca43bd687b47f6d3",
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    {
      "text": "number of countries deploying state commentators",
      "url": "https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2025/uncertain-future-global-internet",
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        "id": "authoritarian-tools-diffusion",
        "title": "Authoritarian Tools Diffusion Model",
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      },
      {
        "id": "surveillance",
        "title": "Mass Surveillance",
        "path": "/knowledge-base/risks/surveillance/",
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      {
        "id": "authoritarian-takeover",
        "title": "AI-Enabled Authoritarian Takeover",
        "path": "/knowledge-base/risks/authoritarian-takeover/",
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        "title": "AI Surveillance and Regime Durability Model",
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        "title": "AI-Era Epistemic Security",
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{
  "eightyK": "https://80000hours.org/problem-profiles/risks-of-stable-totalitarianism/"
}