US designates 15-year-old Italian tech collective as terror organisation
After a dedicated fifteen-year run, Autistici/Inventati, a volunteer-led refuge, has shut its doors due to U.S. terrorism designations that resulted in the suspension of its .org domain and the closure of its bank account. This decision has profound repercussions for the thousands dependent on their mailboxes, websites, and blogs, as the collective sought to protect users from potential legal…
In 2001, Autistici/Inventati, a volunteer-run tech collective based in Italy, set up a network offering privacy-focused services for activists and campaigners. These services included email, websites, mailing lists and blogging platforms. Operating independently from mainstream commercial platforms, the group aimed to provide digital self-defence tools for those outside traditional tech ecosystems.
However, on August 26, the U.S. government labeled Autistici/Inventati (A/I) as a terror organisation, citing its alleged support to extremist groups through its services. This designation forced the Italian collective to suspend its operations, impacting an estimated 16,000 mailboxes, 1,500 websites, 5,500 mailing lists and 10,000 blogs.
Two days after the designation, the group's .org domain was placed on server hold by Public Interest Registry, a U.S.-based operator of the .org domain, due to the legal requirement to comply with the U.S. designation. The collective's bank, Banca Etica, also suspended its account, citing sanctions-related risks and criticizing the use of U.S. sanctions as political tools.
Despite initial resistance, the collective ultimately acknowledged the necessity to protect its users and the potential legal and financial consequences for individuals associated with the organisation. The shutdown of its digital services marks the end of an era for the privacy-focused tech collective, which had aimed to provide an alternative to mainstream online platforms.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
