4 ms·

Is it just me or is this demonizing of NGOs a very recent phenomenon trickling into the dialogue? I find it quite alarming.

deleted 1y ago
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esseph 1y ago
It is more a long the lines that large document leaks have allowed people to see how NGOs have become vehicles for State Intelligence and corporate/political power.
- mrbombastic 1y ago
  Can you point me to some leaks you are referring to? Honestly curious. I have no doubt that there are some bad actors in this space, but Non Governmental Organizations is such a wide category I find it strange that that acronym keeps popping up like some evil entity rather than calling out the individual orgs.
  - tumetab1 1y ago
    For those paying attention, NGOs supported by the EU are good example. Here's a news link https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/23/use-of-eu-funds-to-lobby-meps-was-inappropriate-commissioner-says https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/23/use-of-eu-fund... I don't have time/will to find more consolidating information but some EU-Elites regularly use NGOs to support their own policy goals, against member states governments and their populations. They always excuse themselves by saying they fund everyone... but one side of the issue usually gets more funds than the other. If I recall correctly in one "EU wants to monitor the internet" regulations, EU directly funded targeted AD campaigns to convinced some Member state populations to support it so the government would change its intended vote. They were caught and backed off. Then they funded some NGO to do it :D
UberFly 1y ago
"Non Government Organizations" that get (a lot of) public money and then get to use it in any clandestine way they feel like is worth demonizing.
TiredOfLife 1y ago
[flagged]
- no_time 1y ago
  I don't see where disinformation or Russians come in. It is well documented that some NGOs are pushing changes in internet legislation to benefit themselves and their donors financially. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(organization)#Criticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(organization)#Criticism
account42 1y ago
It's more that NGOs previously got an undeserved level of trust because most people associate doing something for free with benevolence.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

esseph 1y ago

It is more a long the lines that large document leaks have allowed people to see how NGOs have become vehicles for State Intelligence and corporate/political power.

mrbombastic 1y ago
Can you point me to some leaks you are referring to? Honestly curious. I have no doubt that there are some bad actors in this space, but Non Governmental Organizations is such a wide category I find it strange that that acronym keeps popping up like some evil entity rather than calling out the individual orgs.
- tumetab1 1y ago
  For those paying attention, NGOs supported by the EU are good example. Here's a news link https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/23/use-of-eu-funds-to-lobby-meps-was-inappropriate-commissioner-says https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/23/use-of-eu-fund... I don't have time/will to find more consolidating information but some EU-Elites regularly use NGOs to support their own policy goals, against member states governments and their populations. They always excuse themselves by saying they fund everyone... but one side of the issue usually gets more funds than the other. If I recall correctly in one "EU wants to monitor the internet" regulations, EU directly funded targeted AD campaigns to convinced some Member state populations to support it so the government would change its intended vote. They were caught and backed off. Then they funded some NGO to do it :D

UberFly 1y ago

"Non Government Organizations" that get (a lot of) public money and then get to use it in any clandestine way they feel like is worth demonizing.

TiredOfLife 1y ago

[flagged]

no_time 1y ago
I don't see where disinformation or Russians come in. It is well documented that some NGOs are pushing changes in internet legislation to benefit themselves and their donors financially. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(organization)#Criticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(organization)#Criticism

account42 1y ago

It's more that NGOs previously got an undeserved level of trust because most people associate doing something for free with benevolence.