On August 26, the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury designated the Italian digital collective Autistici/Inventati (A/I) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. This designation accused A/I of "materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or goods and services to or in support of, an act of terrorism." The U.S. gave A/I a wind-down deadline of September 25, allowing it time to cease operations before the designation fully takes effect. A/I has operated since 2001, offering non-commercial digital tools such as email, messaging apps, web hosting, and blogging platforms. The group describes itself as anti-fascist, anti-racist, anti-sexist, and anti-militarist, opposing both capitalism and authoritarianism. It became a legally recognized non-profit in Italy in 2018 and had served around 20,000 email accounts, 20,000 blogs, 5,000 mailing lists, and 1,500 websites. The U.S. Treasury’s action is part of a broader crackdown on digital infrastructure linked to groups designated as terrorist organizations, such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). A/I denied the allegations, stating it only provides digital tools to help activists and individuals protect their online privacy. Following the designation, one of A/I’s domains became unreachable, its donation systems were shut down, and its bank accounts were frozen. On September 6, the group announced it would shut down to protect its users from possible consequences, emphasizing that users are responsible for the content they post. Digital rights experts have raised concerns that targeting infrastructure rather than content could have serious implications. Jillian York of the Electronic Frontier Foundation warned that designating a platform as a terrorist group instead of individual users could have "enormous" consequences. A/I’s spokesperson highlighted the fragility of digital tools many people rely on without realizing how vulnerable they are. The case has also sparked discussions about the potential targeting of other privacy-focused services. While large commercial providers like ProtonMail are less likely to face similar designations due to their neutral policies and large user bases, smaller, politically aligned projects like A/I may be more at risk. Harry Halpin, CEO of Nym Technologies, stressed the need for decentralized internet infrastructure to resist such actions. A/I’s shutdown underscores the risks of relying on centralized internet infrastructure and U.S.-based financial and domain services. While the group’s servers remained operational, access to its domain was blocked at the DNS level, likely due to actions by the U.S.-based Public Interest Registry. Financial institutions like PayPal and Banca Etica also closed or suspended A/I’s accounts, despite Banca Etica’s stated commitment to human rights. The case has highlighted the need for digital sovereignty and the potential for future attacks on independent internet infrastructure. A/I’s shutdown serves as a cautionary example of how reliance on U.S.-based internet foundations can leave services vulnerable. The incident emphasizes the importance of defending independent digital infrastructure to maintain an open, free, and democratic internet.