Telegram will now provide authorities with user data, including individuals’ phone numbers and IP addresses, in response to valid legal requests, CEO Pavel Durov said Monday.
Telegram will provide user data to authorities if requested in major policy change
Tag: right to privacy
The Man Behind Trump’s VP Pick: It’s Worse Than You Think
While J.D. Vance has his own controversies, his close connection to billionaire Peter Thiel, who is poised to have unprecedented influence in a new Trump administration, should deeply unsettle every American who cares about freedom, privacy and reining in the surveillance state.
H/T: The Most Revolutionary Act
Related:
Did the FBI Just Get Caught Lying to Congress About the Efficacy of “Backdoor Searches”?
As Congress debated Section 702 – the authority within the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that allows U.S. intelligence agencies to surveil foreign threats located abroad – the FBI solemnly informed lawmakers that the use of Section 702 is essential to allowing the bureau to catch domestic terror plots. In fact, the FBI claimed Section 702 was used to derail a “potentially imminent terrorist attack” against critical U.S. infrastructure.
Did the FBI Just Get Caught Lying to Congress About the Efficacy of “Backdoor Searches”?
US Government Sought Telegram Backdoor for Surveillance: Founder
Pavel Durov, founder of the social media platform Telegram, revealed in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson that the US government had sought a backdoor to potentially spy on its users.
US Government Sought Telegram Backdoor for Surveillance: Founder
Measure seeking sale or closure of TikTok passes with House foreign aid bill
April 20 (UPI) — A potential U.S. ban of the popular social media video app TikTok inched closer to reality Saturday after the House passed the legislation tucked within a long-sought foreign aid package.
Measure seeking sale or closure of TikTok passes with House foreign aid bill
House Votes To Extend Warrantless Spying Powers
Auto Makers Are Selling Data On Your Driving Habits To Your Insurer Without Properly Informing You
from the I-can’t-drive-55 dept
Last September, Mozilla came out with a privacy study indicating that the auto industry was the worst tech industry the organization tracked. Mozilla found that not only does the industry hoover up a ton of data from your use of vehicles, it collects and monetizes most of the data on your phone. Often without transparency or adequate safeguards:
“All 25 car brands we researched earned our *Privacy Not Included warning label — making cars the official worst category of products for privacy that we have ever reviewed.“
Auto Makers Are Selling Data On Your Driving Habits To Your Insurer Without Properly Informing You
Someone tell Rep. Mike Gallagher that China is buying our data! /s
Related:
Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies
Data Broker That Trafficked In Abortion Clinic Location Data Also Helps The Air Force With ‘Targeting’
Case in point: a data broker by the name of SafeGraph was busted in 2022 selling the app-gleaned location data of users who had visited abortion clinics. Journalists found that the company was selling a week of granular location data of clinic visitors for as little as $160, documenting not just which clinic they visited and how long they stayed, but where they went before and after.
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At the same time, SafeGraph contracts with government agencies like the CDC to help do things like track the effectiveness of pandemic lockdowns. And there’s ongoing, emerging data indicating that the company has a fairly robust relationship with the U.S. Air Force that involves providing data for, among other things, “targeting cycle and decisions” in “contested geographies.”:
“Geospatial Data to Navigate Contested Geographies,” the documents and public procurement records, dated May 2023, read. “Improving AFCENT and 9AF Targeting Cycle and Decisions.” 9AF, or Ninth Air Force, is responsible for missions with partner nations in Southwest Asia.”
Related:
Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central):
USAFCENT Area of Responsibility
Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
Microsoft, X throw their weight behind KOSA, the controversial kids’ online safety bill
Microsoft, X throw their weight behind KOSA, the controversial kids’ online safety bill
In spite of some revisions, the bill’s many critics have warned that KOSA would dangerously sanitize the internet, empower censorship and isolate young LGBTQ people in the process. Security, privacy and free press advocates have also called attention to the bill’s potential threat to encryption. The bill was revised last year in response to some criticisms, but many concerns persist.
Related:
Snap Breaks Under Pressure, Supports Dangerous KOSA Bill That Will Put Kids In Danger
Microsoft Joins In On The ‘Screw Over LGBTQ Kids’ Party By Supporting KOSA
However the claim that KOSA is “reasonable,” “impactful,” “tailored,” or “thoughtful” is just grade-A bullshit. The law is a total mess, and will do real harm to kids beyond just being obviously unconstitutional. As we’ve pointed out multiple times, GOP support for the bill is because they know it will be used to censor LGBTQ content. The GOP’s leading “think tank,” the Heritage Foundation has publicly supported the bill because they believe censoring LGBTQ content “is protecting kids.” Meanwhile, bill co-sponsor, Marsha Blackburn (whom Smith thanks above for her “leadership,”) has similarly admitted that Congress should pass KOSA to “protect minor children from the transgender in our culture.”
Well, That’s Everyone: Senator Wyden Letter Confirms The NSA Is Buying US Persons’ Data From Data Brokers
Buying domestic data from data brokers is just something the government does all the time. Bypassing restraints enacted by the Supreme Court, federal agencies (along with local law enforcement agencies) are hoovering up whatever domestic data they can from private companies all too happy to be part of the problem.
Well, That’s Everyone: Senator Wyden Letter Confirms The NSA Is Buying US Persons’ Data From Data Brokers
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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