US agencies flag 'anti-tech extremism' amid AI backlash

techMay 26, 202633455

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have introduced a new domestic threat category called "anti-tech violent extremism" to track violent opposition to AI firms, data centers, and other tech infrastructure. Agency documents identify drivers including fears about job losses from automation and local opposition to data center construction, and they outline monitoring and investigative priorities for plots, threats, and sabotage. The designation lets federal agencies prioritize, share intelligence, and deploy resources to prevent attacks on critical tech infrastructure, which will shape how protests and targeted threats are investigated and addressed.

Hypervisible

@hypervisible.blacksky.app

“As people continue to organize for a better future, we're likely to see more surveillance and criminalization of this opposition, just as we have of Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street, and environmental movements in recent decades…”

20714d ago

—>realhackhistory.org5

80s cyberpunk novel plot unraveling in real time.

Andrew Couts

@couts.bsky.social

NEW: “Anti-tech extremism” is now actively being monitored by US law enforcement as frustration over AI and data centers percolate across the country, according to records obtained by @wired.com. @drboguslaw.bsky.social has the scoop. No paywall bc FOIA www.wired.com/story/us-law...

13814d ago

Von Marianne8

We the People don’t want your fucking bs data centers in our backyard using up our electricity and clean water while your AI is spying on us! is now labeled “Anti-Tech Extremism”. The American fascist oligarchy shit hole is real.

Bruce Cullen 🇨🇦🫡7

The markets will take care of it. CEOs are no longer worried about the FOMO, and realize it’s not a net benefit to most companies www.businessinsider.com/uber-coo-and...

calgontakemeaway2.bsky.social6

Lol. Anyone who disagrees with their efforts to steal our freedoms, votes, or money is considered "extremist." Ok.

Ellen Enders4

How did they think that there wouldn't be animosity towards this? The public has had little to no say. We have not been given unbiased, easy to understand explanations of how AI will make life better. We have not been given an unbiased explanation for why these massive data centers are necessary

crash2

& the public reminds that all cops are bastards

Dare Obasanjo

@carnage4life.bsky.social

Wired reports that the FBI and DHS are now monitoring a new class of threats described as “anti-tech violent extremism” resulting from the backlash against AI and data centers. It’s unclear if this is a real threat or a political move by the White House to target opponents of AI.

6814d ago

Marc B. Geoffries2

Coincidence that I got some random pro-ai followers in the past few days after joking about burning down datacenters🤔

Chris Ingraham

@cingraham.bsky.social

U.S. law enforcement is issuing warnings about "anti-tech extremism" www.wired.com/story/us-law...

1314d ago

Von Marianne

@vonmarianne.bsky.social

814d ago

Cascadia(PNW)

@cascadiarevolting.bsky.social

"The chaotic atmosphere that may result from emergent AI technology in the next five years may fuel large-scale protests that devolve into civil unrest and anti-tech violent extremist activity, especially in large urban areas such as New York City," the report reads.

Taken together, these Trump administration directives have commandeered the domestic surveillance apparatus to surveil and criminalize speech and assembly that challenges the ideology of the White House. A new focus on anti-technology extremism adds an unreported category to already public designations under a presidency that has heavily invested political and material capital in AI and data center proliferation.

AMONG THE DOCUMENTS in the tranche obtained by WIRED is a New York Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau report that warns of widespread upheaval in response to AI adoption. Of particular note is a novel term for what the bureau purports to be an emerging extremism threat.

"The chaotic atmosphere that may result from emergent AI technology in the next five years may fuel large-scale protests that devolve into civil unrest and anti-tech violent extremist activity, especially in large urban areas such as New York City," the report reads. The term "anti-tech violent extremism" does not appear in any publicly available DHS or FBI domestic extremism reports or guides and represents a novel grouping of a wide range of ideologies under a single extremist category.

414d ago

input

@feed.igeek.gamer-geek-news.com.ap.brid.gy

📰 **US Law Enforcement Warns of ‘Anti-Tech Extremism’ as AI Hatred Grows** As Americans stew over the looming risk of job-stealing AI and data centers in their back yards, the feds are raising the alarm about a new category of threat, documents obtained by WIRED show. 📰 Source: Feed: All […]

314d ago

Stephan Geering

@stephangeering.bsky.social

To take with a pinch of (political) salt but FBI and DHS reportedly monitoring for "anti-tech violent extremism" bsky.app/profile/carn...

214d ago

Warner Crocker

@warnercrocker.bsky.social

Who’d a thunk it? US Law Enforcement Warns of ‘Anti-Tech Extremism’ as AI Hatred Grows #AI www.wired.com/story/us-law...

214d ago

John Kostyack

@kostyack.bsky.social

More evidence that the Trump regime hopes to use police-state tactics to counter the fast-growing movement against data centers & other tech industry abuses: calling free speech an "emerging extremism threat." NAACP LDF's Reynolds: beware of strong opinions being treated as precursors to violence.

114d ago

Aalia Mauro

@aaliamauro.bsky.social

Here comes the next wave of government tyranny against American protesters: They'll label you as "anti-tech violent extremism" if you don't swallow the data center expansion steamrolling your local community. If they ask, tell them I’m just a clueless no-name obscure writer. What’s a datacenter?

113d ago

SagaLinked

@sagalinked.bsky.social

📰 US law enforcement warns of "anti-tech extremism" as AI hatred grows, citing looming risks to job security and data centers. 🔗 https://www.wired.com/story/us-law-enforcement-warns-of-anti-tech-extremism/ #Tech #Business

214d ago

blake

@irestartpcs.com

headlines from wired's newsletter this morning "The FBI Wants ‘Near Real-Time’ Access to US License Plate Readers" "US Law Enforcement Warns of ‘Anti-Tech Extremism’ as AI Hatred Grows" hm wonder how these are related

114d ago