Gonzo Labs
Who am I?
I’m Alejandro Cuevas. I’ve spent the past 10 years doing academic research on computer security and privacy topics, primarily on topics related to cybercrime. As a teen, I spent a lot of time in online gaming, tech, and hacking communities. I also tried many ways to make money on the Internet: I sold things, did paid surveys, clicked on ads, set up money-making blogs, etc.
All of these experiences inform the work that I did to obtain my CS PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University’s Center for Information Technology Policy.
What you will find here?
I write about illicit uses of technology through academic voyeurism and gonzo social science. This means I spend a lot of time finding underground communities and markets on the Internet (forums, channels, groups, etc.) and looking at what people sell and reading what people discuss. I publish research papers about these communities: what they do, how they organize, how they are affected by laws, etc.
Some topics I cover include:
Any sort of illicit products and services sold online
Misuse of AI (e.g., for the creation of sexual imagery and political propaganda)
Cybercrime and other dodgy schemes to make money online
Fake online engagement
Cryptocurrencies
What should you expect if you subscribe?
This blog will expose you to the Internet’s underbelly. My main goal is for you to be the most interesting person at dinner, full of stories of sketchy things that take place everyday online. Additionally, by understanding how bad things happen on the Internet, my goal is for you to stay safe and make more informed choices.
For academic researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners (e.g., those working on trust and safety teams, cybercrime investigators, etc.) my goal is to give you a straightforward and ground-level view of how technology is actually (mis)used to do bad things so you can better address it through your work.
I currently put a piece every Friday before noon EST. Subscribe to never miss an update and make me a very grateful and happy individual.
Do you need to reach me?
