Elections and the art of blacklisting

In the age of AI, it’s easy to forget that it doesn’t take sophisticated tech to build an instrument of power. In the 2000s, Venezuela gave the world a masterclass on how a simple, flat database could turn a petition into a tool of repression.In this episode of Slop Happens, we unravel the dark legacy of the Tascón List —a petition for a recall referendum that turned into a political blacklist that targeted the opposition. Fast-forward to today: could the misuse of personal data, voting records, or social profiles create modern versions of these lists? We break down the risks, safeguards, and what we must do to protect our society from history repeating itself.Is the same dynamic playing out today, with government funding and contracts being tied to political loyalty? Is there a risk to signing a public petition, if there’s no guarantee that the data ever really disappears?Bianca and Claudio talk about what it takes to weaponize civic data, how the US voter registration system already exposes your party affiliation, and why signing a public petition today is a decision you might be living with for decades.New technologies, age-old tactics.