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Chasing Shadows, the best-selling book by Citizen Lab director Ron Deibert, is now out in paperback form on the one-year anniversary of its launch. This edition includes a new afterword describing “the disturbing descent into techno-fascism” that Deibert witnessed during his travels to the US in spring 2025, and includes an endorsement by Canadian novelist […] The post Chasing Shadows Out Now in Paperback appeared first on The Citizen Lab.
Analysis Summary
# Industry News: Citizen Lab Director Releases Updated Edition of "Chasing Shadows" with Techno-Fascism Commentary
## Summary
Citizen Lab Director Ron Deibert's best-selling book, *Chasing Shadows*, has been re-released in paperback one year after its initial launch. This new edition features an updated afterword detailing Deibert's observations on a "disturbing descent into techno-fascism" seen during his travels in the US in spring 2025, signaling growing concerns about the intersection of advanced technology and authoritarian trends. The updated release, endorsed by Margaret Atwood, aims to refocus attention on the critical societal risks highlighted by the book.
## Key Details
- **Date:** Announced January 20, 2026
- **Companies Involved:** The Citizen Lab, Book Publisher (Implied)
- **Category:** Product Launch (Book Edition Update)
## The Story
The paperback reissue of *Chasing Shadows* marks the one-year anniversary of its original publication. The primary update is a new afterword where Ron Deibert, a leading voice in digital rights and security research, reflects on developments observed in early 2025, specifically referencing alarming trends indicative of "techno-fascism" within the US context. The update positions the book as a timely commentary on accelerating geopolitical and technological risks.
## Business Impact
### For the Companies Involved
- **The Citizen Lab/Deibert:** This release generates significant media attention and publicity, reinforcing Deibert's and the Lab's status as leading authorities on digital threats, surveillance, and the governance of emerging technologies. This bolsters their reputation, which translates into increased grant funding opportunities, partnership inquiries from NGOs/governments, and demand for expert consulting/speaking engagements.
### For Competitors
- **Security Research Firms/Think Tanks:** Firms focused solely on technical threat intelligence may find this broader, socio-political framing resonates more powerfully with policymakers and high-level strategic buyers, potentially overshadowing purely technical reports.
### For Customers
- **Policymakers and Corporate Boards:** This provides accessible, highly critical analysis linking technology adoption directly to severe governance risks. It serves as a catalyst for boards and procurement teams to scrutinize the ethical and societal compliance of their technology stacks and vendor relationships.
### For the Market
- **Cyber Governance/Ethics Market:** The narrative push reinforces the growing segment of the cybersecurity market concerned with governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), especially regarding AI ethics, digital sovereignty, and countering disinformation infrastructure.
## Technical Implications
While the medium is non-technical (a book), the content focuses on the *application* of technology (surveillance, information control) leading to political ends. This underscores the necessity for technical professionals to understand the **"why"** behind threat exploitation—moving beyond mere vulnerability patching to addressing systemic misuse vectors.
## Strategic Analysis
- **Market Positioning:** Deibert and The Citizen Lab are strategically positioning themselves at the intersection of cutting-edge **applied security research and geopolitical analysis**. They are not just tracking malware; they are tracking the weaponization of technology against democratic structures.
- **Competitive Advantage:** The authority derived from deep, often adversarial, research in this space provides unparalleled credibility when commenting on major technology-related governance failures or ethical breaches.
- **Challenges:** The highly charged political language ("techno-fascism") risks polarizing the audience, potentially alienating corporate or government entities who might otherwise fund or implement their research recommendations.
## Industry Reactions
- **Analyst Opinions:** Analysts specializing in geopolitical risk and technology governance will likely view this update as essential reading, confirming the accelerating convergence of surveillance tech and authoritarian political ambition. It provides a crucial framework for understanding "Weaponized Information" market trends.
- **Expert Commentary:** Expect heightened commentary from digital rights advocates praising the urgency while technology vendors may offer measured responses focusing on their internal governance efforts.
- **Market Response:** A potential lift in interest for vendor solutions specializing in digital supply chain transparency, content provenance verification, and advanced disinformation detection.
## Future Outlook
- **Predictions and Expectations:** The updated focus suggests The Citizen Lab will continue to pivot its primary research efforts toward the ethical and political dimensions of emerging high-impact technologies (e.g., generative AI used for large-scale influence operations).
- **What to Watch For:** Increased publication frequency or research findings specifically detailing the technological mechanisms Deibert observed that contributed to the "descent" he describes.
## For Security Professionals
Cybersecurity practitioners must recognize that threat modeling is no longer purely adversarial (e.g., crime, espionage) but increasingly **ideological**. Professionals involved in threat intelligence, GRC, and security architecture must broaden their scope to include risks associated with the systemic deployment of powerful technologies by state or quasi-state actors seeking long-term control over information environments.