Privacy c0mmando • Now • 53%

Binance delists Monero

Huge price impact. XMR down 30% Withdrawal supported till May 20th Some swap sites temporarily can’t do XMR, such as ExCh Some nodes are having issues connecting. If ever there was a time to test your faith, this is it. Stay strong. Stay calm. Stay rational. Given that privacy is a fundamental human need, XMR will always have value. Flash back to Bitcoin when Silk Road shut down. Would you have sold then? The teams doing atomic swaps have made good progress. Re-read our previous post on Twisting Monero’s flaws. We said then “Monero has the most vibrant peer-to-peer markets. If Monero is banned, recent technology developments with two-way atomic swaps will allow it to continue globally regardless. The Particl team has developed bi-directional atomic swaps, Elizabeth Binks has developed ETH-XMR atomic swaps, and DarkFi has a unique and completely private method as well.” As you get anxious watching the numbers drop, you might be tempted to make a quick decision. According to Psychology Today, “When we are anxious, we naturally seek comfort and control over the situation. Some social psychologists believe that the state of our feelings provides a useful source of information for making decisions.” But ironically the reason you bought XMR to begin with is because the government made you nervous. The very anxiety you experience today, is the cure XMR seeks to provide, with uncertainty over a politically and economically unstable situation. The threat of a CBDC. The unstable budget that can only be repaired through printing of money. The loss of human rights and privacy violations. The anxiety you experience today of wanting to get out, will be what the US dollar holders will feel in the future. USD is the real shitcoin. It’s Monero’s stable and resilient code that can give you comfort in a world of dramatic emotion. Today we experience the effects of regulators turning their cross-hairs on the tools of freedom. But do you believe they will stop here? Do you believe this is their last bad act? Remember that Monero has value in the face of true tyranny. So if you believe we’re going in that direction, this might be the greatest buy the dip of all time

Tyranny c0mmando • Now • 100%

Meta Oversight Board Member Says There's “Not Enough” Election Censorship

reclaimthenet.org

An influential member of Meta’s Oversight Board, a group nicknamed the “Supreme Court of Facebook,” Pamela San Martín, has argued that the level of censorship enacted by Meta during the 2020 presidential election was inadequate and that it should be stepped up for 2024. This viewpoint was [criticized](https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/free-speech/catherine-salgado/2024/02/01/what-meta-board-member-claims-2020-interference-not) by individuals in favor of freedom of expression, who cited a poll conducted by the Media Research Center suggesting that the influence of Big Tech censorship significantly affected the outcome of the election. In a [conversation with WIRED](https://www.wired.com/story/meta-disinformation-elections/), San Martín argued vociferously in favor of more stringent censorship measures ahead of future elections, including the 2024 one. San Martín’s ideas for 2024 include “adding labels to posts that are related to elections, directing people to reliable information, prohibiting paid advertisement when it calls into question the legitimacy of elections, and implementing WhatsApp forward limits.” “No election is exactly the same as the previous one,” San Martín said to the outlet. “So even though we’re addressing the problems that arose in prior elections as a starting point, it is not enough.” Her proposal centers on pre-emptive actions, which some observers see as a threat to freedom of speech online. Anti-censorship critics drew attention to San Martín’s suggestion of coordination with election officials, interpreting it as a direct call for collusion between tech giants and government authorities in matters of censorship. They argued that each election is a unique event and that relying on strategies from previous campaigns was insufficient – a sentiment San Martín herself echoed. San Martín referenced the 2020 and 2022 US and Brazilian elections, criticizing Meta for failing to adequately prevent its platforms from being manipulated for campaigning and disinformation.

Tyranny c0mmando • Now • 40%

“They Don’t Want It Discussed” – Megyn Kelly Reacts to Moderna Surveilling Her Vaccine Criticism

reclaimthenet.org

Political commentator Megyn Kelly has [reacted](https://yewtu.be/watch?v=VWhBbWGUdzI) to the fact that she was singled out and monitored by the large pharmaceutical corporation, Moderna, after sharing her adverse reactions to the COVID vaccine publicly. Last year, Kelly voiced regret over her decision to get the COVID shot which, in her case, reportedly resulted in autoimmune complications. As a healthy 52-year-old woman, Kelly, in her podcast, expressed doubt over the necessity of getting vaccinated, as she contracted COVID “many times” after. She further shared that her annual medical check-up had revealed a positive result for an autoimmune condition for the first time ever. “And she said ‘yes.’ Yes. I wasn’t the only one she’d seen that with,” Kelly noted, referring to the New York’s finest rheumatologist’s reaction to her querying whether her vaccination and subsequent COVID contraction within three weeks could be linked. Subsequently, a year later, a [separate investigation conducted by Lee Fang](https://reclaimthenet.org/new-documents-provide-more-insights-on-modernas-online-speech-monitoring-efforts) revealed that Moderna had marked Kelly under its controversial “misinformation” reporting system. Moderna utilized artificial intelligence to scrutinize millions of online conversations worldwide, influencing the narrative around vaccines. Internal documents revealed that the company paid special attention to prominent vaccine dissenters. The lobbying group for Pfizer and Moderna, Public Goods Project (PGP) has played a role in identifying supposed vaccine misinformation and aided in the removal of such content from Twitter and other social networks. PGP consistently provided Twitter with Excel spreadsheets listing accounts to promote and others to ban. This was all due to the concern that public statements from those like Kelly may fuel “vaccine hesitancy.” An alert about Kelly’s comments, which the company believe could repel those still undecided about getting vaccinated, was issued by Moderna. They voiced fears that her remarks could exacerbate the growing apprehensions about the potential correlation between autoimmune diseases and COVID-19 vaccines. Interestingly, the information conveyed by Moderna’s alert seemed to validate Kelly’s claims instead of refuting them. Revisiting the issue on her Tuesday show, Kelly recounted how Moderna was concerned she would intensify fears relating to autoimmune disorders and COVID-19 immunization. According to Kelly, Moderna was also deeply perturbed with her statements during one of her shows, in which she admitted that her general doctor had confirmed she had contracted an autoimmune illness after she got her third COVID shot. She noticed they had linked internally a National Institutes of Health report which highlighted a correlation between the COVID vaccines and autoimmune problems. “They’re admitting internally that it’s a problem, but they’re upset that I am talking about it and Alex Berenson, and Russell Brand, and Michael Shellenberger, and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya are talking about it because they don’t want it discussed,” Kelly pointed out. “And the mainstream media outlets were only too happy to comply.” In her final remarks, she lamented about the disregard of media outlets for covering all viewpoints. “They just didn’t like it,” Megyn concluded, clearly indicating the censorship she experienced, which in turn, not only underlines the significance of independent media but also reveals the blind support corporate media has per pharma’s ‘experimental shots,’ despite the rising evidence of their dangers and inefficiencies.”

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 98%

Microsoft Edge Sucks Up Chrome Data Without Permission

reclaimthenet.org

Most of those who use Microsoft products – Windows, and the Edge browser included – must by now be well conditioned to accept that the software they run and the data they believe they own isn’t really something they control. And perhaps this is why a “feature” as astonishing as Edge automatically importing tabs open in Google Chrome – even when Microsoft browser’s import tool is disabled – has been known for months, without getting fixed (assuming it was a bug). But it looks like a “bug” in the company’s thinking, one of many – not exactly a software one. It’s definitely a feature, after all. Both Edge and Chrome are based on the same Chromium engine, which should make the “operation” easier; and Microsoft and Google are birds of a feather when it comes to invasive and controversial practices and behavior toward end-users. And when they feel they have to be, they’re not particularly nice to each other, either. Some reports suggest that this “tab-stealing” feature is in fact “just” Microsoft’s way of trying to steal users from Chrome and get them to, willy-nilly, switch to Edge. A Verge [reporter](https://www.theverge.com/24054329/microsoft-edge-automatic-chrome-import-data-feature) and a Windows and Chrome (and occasionally Edge) user described the ordeal, the gist of which is that the tabs left open in their default Chrome browser got imported to Edge after a Windows update and a reboot. No surprise that the user was not prompted to consent to any of this. Here’s the Windows/Edge experience summed up in one sentence: “I didn’t even realize I was using Edge at first, and I was confused why all my (imported from Chrome) tabs were suddenly logged out.” And sure enough, the option at edge://settings/profiles/importBrowsingData was set to disable automatic access to “recent browsing data” i.e., the Borg-like assimilation of open Chrome tabs by Edge. But resistance is certainly not futile: use open-source operating systems and browsers, and root (deepest-level permissions access/decision-making) is all yours. Meanwhile, those (re)installing Windows these days will, at that stage, learn something about why the browser kerfuffle is happening. Reads an installation prompt: “With your confirmation, Microsoft Edge will regularly bring in data from other browsers available on your Windows device. This data includes your favorites, browsing history, cookies, autofill data, extensions, settings, and other browsing data.” With your confirmation – or, as users are reporting, without it. It’s Microsoft after all, and the tech dinosaur felt no urgency in responding to relevant media queries.

Tyranny c0mmando • Now • 100%

Microsoft CEO Says the Company Is Working To Address Election “Disinformation and Misinformation”

reclaimthenet.org

Concerns are growing over the role of Big Tech companies in moderating “misinformation,” particularly due to the fear that these corporations already wield significant power and influence which could potentially sway political outcomes, including elections. Many worry that the concentrated power in these tech giants allows them to arbitrarily define what constitutes misinformation, leading to a situation where they could suppress certain viewpoints or information. This raises questions about the impartiality and fairness of such moderation, especially in the context of political discourse and the democratic process. The debate is fueled by the concern that these companies, due to their size and reach, could have a disproportionate impact on public opinion and electoral processes. In an AI-focused [interview](https://yewtu.be/watch?v=740yVfgd1oY) with Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, it was revealed that Microsoft intends to combat alleged “disinformation” throughout the 2024 elections. During his conversation with NBC’s Lester Holt on NBC Nightly News’ January 30 edition, Nadella was questioned about how AI might either assist or endanger the future election. However, Nadella’s response seemed to imply a willingness to use technology for censoring content in pursuit of fighting what he identified as disinformation. Nadella stated, “This is not the first election where we dealt with disinformation or propaganda campaigns by adversaries and election interference. “We’re doing all the work across the tech industry around watermarking, detecting deep fakes and content IDs. There is going to be enough and more technology quite frankly in order to be able to identify the issues around disinformation and misinformation.”

Tyranny c0mmando • Now • 100%

Florida Bill Attempts to Make Accusations of "Transphobia" or "Racism" More Easily Liable For Defamation

reclaimthenet.org

A potentially precedent-setting bill has been proposed in the Florida Senate that could redefine defamation language surrounding terms such as “transphobic,” “homophobic,” “racist,” or “sexist.” The bill, labeled SB 1780, suggests these terms could be deemed defamatory, eliminating the need to satisfy the standard of “actual malice,” which has been a significant threshold in defamation lawsuits since the 1964 Supreme Court case, [New York Times v. Sullivan](https://reclaimthenet.org/supreme-court-upholds-actual-malice-requirement-of-defamation-cases). Designated as the “Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likeness” bill, SB 1780 would ease the path to launch defamation lawsuits and make it easier to suppress speech. We obtained a copy of the bill for you [here](https://docs.reclaimthenet.org/FL-SB-1780.pdf) (PDF). It distinctly makes the claim that any insinuation of the plaintiff being discriminatory against any person or group due to their race, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity inherently constitutes defamation. The bill, introduced by Senator Jason Brodeur, goes a step further, stating that a person facing liability for allegedly defaming someone through accusations of homophobia or transphobia would not be allowed to reference the plaintiff’s religious or scientific beliefs in their defense, potentially leading to a mandatory penalty of no less than $35,000 upon conviction. This bill is part of a twinned legislation with a sister bill – HB 757 – being simultaneously introduced in the Florida House. In terms of how the bill affects the free press, the bill also aims to undermine the dependability of anonymous sources for journalists by categorizing their testimony as “presumptively false,” thereby making those in the profession more susceptible to accusations of defamation. The proposed law sets out specific conditions under which a well-known individual can claim actual malice, clarifying that judges can infer that statements are malicious under several specific contexts such as an unnamed and anonymous source, inherently improbable allegations, reasons to doubt the truth of the report, and deliberate failure to validate or corroborate the claim, among others.

Tyranny c0mmando • Now • 66%

Transparency Troubles: The Global Disinformation Index Faces Scrutiny Over Government Ties and Biased Practices

reclaimthenet.org

The [Global Disinformation Index](https://reclaimthenet.org/biden-official-questioned-on-disinformation-blacklist) (GDI), a US government-funded pro-censorship organization, has come under fire for lacking transparency, ironically the same issue it labels non-mainstream websites for. Despite hypocritically casting aspersions on sites that reject the mainstream narrative on many issues, the GDI, as per [a report by the Washington Examiner](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/technology/2820047/state-department-disinformation-tracker-gdi-redacts-tax-forms/), exhibits a conspicuous absence of this very transparency in its operations. Billing itself as nonpartisan and objective while routinely favoring leftist narratives, the GDI has received over $100k from the State Department’s Global Engagement Center. Part of the score it assigns to online platforms stems from the possibility of controversial interests emerging from shadowy ownership structures—a principle it doesn’t appear to abide by itself. According to Mike Davis, founder and president of the Internet Accountability Project, the GDI is in breach of the law by keeping its disclosures hidden. The Washington Examiner also mentioned that the GDI is currently under congressional investigation. Adding to the mystery is the GDI’s refusal to disclose its “dynamic exclusion list,” a tool reportedly used by businesses like Microsoft and Oracle to hamstring ad placements on right-leaning outlets, thereby achieving a sort of financial strangulation of these sites. Despite providing heavily concealed tax information for its two US subsidiaries, Disinformation Index Inc. and the AN Foundation, upon request from the Examiner, details from the GDI’s tax filings on ProPublica reveal a closer relationship between the organization, the US Government, and left-wing donors. The report discloses that the State Department-funded National Endowment for Democracy and the billionaire George Soros together donated a grand total of $465,750 to the GDI in 2022. In 2023, Texas along with media outlets The Daily Wire and The Federalist [started legal proceedings against the State Department’s Global Engagement Center](https://reclaimthenet.org/texas-daily-wire-federalist-sue-state-dept-censorship), alleging governmental attempts to silence the American press through funding the GDI. The action taken was based on GDI’s activities which reportedly included blacklisting conservative media.

Tyranny c0mmando • Now • 28%

German "Fact Checker" That Received Funding From Government, Facebook, Omidyar Network, and George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, Dismisses German Farmers As “Conspiracy Theorists”

reclaimthenet.org

The expression is, “you can’t make that up” – to signal the level of the absurdity of a situation. Meanwhile, groups calling themselves “fact checkers” and those bankrolling them keep making things up. And becoming used to it aside, their work still feels as if – “you can’t make that up.” When names like the Omidyar Network, George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, and Meta start cropping up in the same sentence, you start believing anything could come out of an “alliance” of the sort. Here we have yet another supposedly “fact-checking” effort that turned into a smear campaign against people engaged in lawful protest regarding economic, social, and political issues. In this instance, in Germany. There the economy, and with it the government, has been in serious trouble ever since Germany, for political reasons, cut itself off from affordable gas. Those with the most to lose, such as farmers, have been hit the hardest. One of the recent consequences, though you may not hear much about it in legacy media, have been mass and ongoing farmer protests. At the same time, efforts are under way to ban one of the country’s most popular parties, AfD. Both have been labeled as right-wing conspiracy theorists, Covid “misinformationists,” and even Russia supporters. And this labeling work is being done by something called “Correctiv” – a group that says it is a news and fact-checking site. Correctiv gets its money from Omidyar, Soros, Meta, but also the current German government. In a report on Public, US-based author Gregor Baszak goes into the weeds of the situation, that shows a beleaguered government resorting to decidedly undemocratic moves and pondering shockingly undemocratic ideas, such as banning political opposition. Baszak talks about a Correctiv article that goes after the farmers as some sort of right wing menace, supposedly spreading not only Russian propaganda and Covid disinformation – just because of expressing anger over their business becoming unsustainable with the government’s fuel and vehicle subsidy cuts. “The (Correctiv) article does not specify what ‘Covid disinformation’ the farmers spread,” Baszak writes. “Nor does it offer any evidence of ties between the farmers and the Russian government, only that ‘some X accounts’ that support the farmers wrote posts that ‘coincided with the methods of a pro-Russian propaganda network.'” However, at least for the time being, what left-leaning German politician Sahra Wagenknecht has described as “the stupidest government in Europe” is succeeding in keeping its opponents divided by throwing damning, even false, accusations their way. Read the full report [here](https://public.substack.com/p/soros-facebook-and-omidyar-money).

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 100%

New York Judge Rejects Madison Square Garden’s Bid To Dismiss Biometric Privacy Case Involving Facial Recognition

reclaimthenet.org

A New York judge has [denied](https://docs.reclaimthenet.org/Gross-v-Madison-Square-Garden-jan-9-2024.pdf) (PDF) Madison Square Garden Entertainment’s motion to dismiss a [biometric privacy lawsuit](https://reclaimthenet.org/madison-square-garden-is-sued-facial-recognition). The litigation revolves around a contentious policy, enacted by MSGE, which deployed facial recognition technology to prohibit certain attorneys from gaining entry into the entertainment giant’s renowned venues. The lawsuit, had previously survived MSGE’s initial attempt to dismiss it. The entertainment firm once again finds itself rebuffed in the District Court for the Southern District of New York, despite raising multiple arguments pleading for a dismissal. In the core of the dispute lies MSGE’s use of facial scanning systems. Initially installed to deter individuals deemed dangerous, the company made adjustments to the dataset on June 22. Following these changes, the system [started pinpointing specified lawyers](https://reclaimthenet.org/new-york-investigates-msg-facial-recognition-entry), citing claims that these attorneys – typically tied to firms currently in litigation against MSGE—might be present on MSGE premises for lawsuit-related duties. The suit will move forward, as ruled by the presiding judge, focusing on whether MSGE’s tactics violate the city’s Biometric Identifier Information Protection Law. Even though the judge acknowledged MSGE’s rationale for wanting to dismiss the plaintiffs’ claims of civil rights violations and unjust enrichment, the alleged breach of the city’s biometrics statute remains a query. The judge found credence in the plaintiffs’ assertion that MSGE could “profit” from executing face scans on the specified attorneys, which might contravene the city’s biometric policy. This argument contends that any profits accrued by company executives from these scans – attributed to dissuading litigation and hence curbing MSGE’s significant legal costs – indeed poses a potential breach of the law.

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 100%

Russia To Expand Its Surveillance Network, Plans To Tap Into Private Surveillance Networks, Rollout Facial Recognition

reclaimthenet.org

Russia is advancing towards a China-like extensive surveillance system. The Perm region is the first to mandate that private video camera owners must integrate their devices into a regional surveillance network, a practice poised to be replicated nationwide. The initiative, driven by [a decree from Perm’s Governor Dmitry Makhonin](https://archive.ph/1ajue), took effect on January 25. This move aligns with President Vladimir Putin’s martial law declaration in Ukraine’s occupied territories in October 2022, granting regional governors augmented powers to ensure the “security” of their areas. Russia’s citizen monitoring has intensified since its Ukraine invasion. Authorities are increasingly scrutinizing social media and employing surveillance cameras to track both activists citizens. Moscow recently trialed facial recognition traffic lights. Alexander Bykov, head of Moscow’s State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, has even suggested that providing biometric data should be obligatory. Facial recognition is a critical element in Russia’s surveillance strategy. It has been used for detaining opposition activists and identifying individuals who ignored military draft summons, with arrests reported in subways and train stations. Sergey Suchkov, CEO of NtechLab, reports that facial recognition is operational in 62 regions, contributing to the Ministry of Digital Development’s “Data Economy” project, aiming to compile a comprehensive profile of citizens’ activities. Currently, private cameras are inaccessible to regional authorities, and only half of the 1.2 million street cameras are state-owned, as reported by the Digital Development department in November 2023. A major goal is to centralize street surveillance, with private cameras playing a significant role.

Tyranny c0mmando • Now • 100%

Pakistan's internet disrupted during virtual election rally

therecord.media

 Popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube, were inaccessible for parts of the weekend in Pakistan, which is gearing up for a general election next month. Pakistan’s telecommunication authority [blamed](https://twitter.com/PTAofficialpk/status/1748752018557305309) the nationwide internet disruptions, which lasted for several hours on Saturday evening, on a “technical failure” and said that the internet was restored as soon as the issue was fixed. Local media, however, [reported](https://www.express.pk/story/2593755/1/) that the issue was more political and supposedly intended to disrupt a virtual rally held by the party of the jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan ahead of the general elections in February. The internet disruptions in Pakistan started before the live stream of the event, so many users were unable to participate. This is not the first time that Pakistan has experienced internet disruptions ahead of online campaign events organized by Khan's party, also known as PTI — similar outages [occurred](https://www.livemint.com/news/world/pakistan-slow-internet-service-virtual-jalsa-organised-by-imran-khan-party-pti-what-social-media-users-say-11702828013847.html) at the beginning of January and in December. PTI [acknowledged](https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1748729357932036597) the latest outage, calling it “desperate tactics” deployed by the sitting government. The party [recommended](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistan-experiences-nationwide-internet-outage-social-media-blackout-ptis-manifesto-launch-disrupted/articleshow/106629330.cms) that Pakistani users use a virtual private network (VPN) to access blocked social media platforms, and managed to host a part of the online event on YouTube with over 7,000 participants. “No amount of oppression can quash the passion and will of the people!” the party said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Alp Toker, the director of the internet monitoring firm NetBlocks, told Agence France Presse that the outage was "remarkably systematic" and "consistent with previous restrictions imposed during PTI events." One of Pakistan’s internet providers, Nayatel, told customers in an audio message that it was acting on the instructions of Pakistani authorities, as reported by Bloomberg. A Pakistani court sentenced Khan in August to three years in jail in a corruption case, accusing him of allegedly selling state gifts. He is the country's seventh former prime minister to be arrested before completing a five-year tenure. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, blaming the country's military elites for forcing him out of office. Khan’s name was banned from the media, while thousands of PTI workers have been arrested in recent months. Khan has been prevented from conducting in-person campaigning — making online appearances essential. Russia, Iran, Belarus, and Cuba have taken social networks offline or shut off communication infrastructure in response to recent protests or opposition. The digital rights organization Access Now called the internet shutdowns in Pakistan “problematic,” especially when they occur just before the polls. “Authorities in Pakistan must uphold the people’s mandate,” the organization said.#

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 100%

Atlas of Surveillance

atlasofsurveillance.org

Documenting Police Tech in Our Communities with Open Source Research. Explore 12,090 data-points in the U.S. collected by hundreds of researchers.

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 100%

EFF adds a Street Level Surveillance hub so Americans can check spying

sls.eff.org

Welcome to the Field Guide to Police Surveillance. EFF’s Street-Level Surveillance project shines a light on the surveillance technologies that law enforcement agencies routinely deploy in our communities. These resources are designed for advocacy organizations, journalists, defense attorneys, policymakers, and members of the public who often are not getting the straight story from police representatives or the vendors marketing this equipment. Whether it’s phone-based location tracking, ubiquitous video recording, biometric data collection, or police access to people’s smart devices, law enforcement agencies follow closely behind their counterparts in the military and intelligence services in acquiring privacy-invasive technologies and getting access to consumer data. Just as analog surveillance historically has been used as a tool for oppression, we must understand the threat posed by emerging technologies to successfully defend civil liberties and civil rights in the digital age. The threats to privacy of these surveillance technologies are enormous, as law enforcement agencies at all levels of government use surveillance technologies to compile vast databases filled with our personal information or gain access to devices that can lay bare the intricacies of our daily lives. Use of these surveillance technologies can infringe on our constitutional rights, including to speak and associate freely under the First Amendment or be free from unlawful search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment. Law enforcement also tends to deploy surveillance technologies disproportionately against marginalized communities. These technologies are prone to abuse by rogue officers, and can be subject to error or vulnerability, causing damaging repercussions for those who interact with the criminal justice system. The resources contained in this hub bring together years of research, litigation, and advocacy by EFF staff and our allies, and will continue to grow as we obtain more information.

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 98%

Amazon to sunset tool that let law enforcement obtain footage from Ring doorbells

therecord.media

Amazon announced Wednesday that they will make it harder for police departments to ask for footage generated from customers’ Ring video doorbells and surveillance cameras. The practice had long been under fire from civil liberties groups and [some politicians](https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markeys-probe-into-amazon-ring-reveals-new-privacy-problems). Eric Kuhn, who helms the company’s Neighbors Platform, said Ring’s controversial “Request for Assistance” (RFA) function allowing law enforcement to ask for and obtain user footage will no longer appear in the Neighbors App. Kuhn said the company will remove the RFA button, deep-sixing a program that had let police obtain footage from users on a voluntary basis. Moving forward, law enforcement and fire departments will be forced to obtain a warrant to ask for the footage or produce evidence of an emergency unfolding in real time, [according to Bloomberg News](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-24/amazon-s-ring-to-stop-letting-police-request-video-from-users), which first reported the development.. Kuhn wrote a [blog post](https://blog.ring.com/about-ring/ring-announces-new-neighbors-app-features-sunsets-request-for-assistance-post/) saying that Amazon is “sunsetting the Request for Assistance (RFA) tool” and explaining the company’s decision. “Public safety agencies like fire and police departments can still use the Neighbors app to share helpful safety tips, updates, and community events,” Kuhn wrote. “They will no longer be able to use the RFA tool to request and receive video in the app.” The blog post noted that public safety agency posts remain public and that users will still be able to view their messages on the Neighbors app feed and on a given agency's profile. Kuhn’s post did not indicate why Ring is removing the RFA tool other than to say it is responding to customer feedback. A spokesperson for Ring told Bloomberg that the company had opted to instead invest more heavily in new Neighbors app experiences which are more in line with Amazon’s strategy for the product. The spokesperson told Bloomberg the Neighbors app will focus more on connecting communities, referring to new programs also announced Wednesday that will let consumers post clips and better inform fellow users about community happenings on a block-by-block basis. “In addition to making it easier to share different kinds of videos, photos, and stories, we’re also introducing a new feature that makes it easier for Ring customers to enjoy the most popular Ring videos from across the country,” the blog post said. It said the new tool, “Best of Ring,” will debut in the coming weeks and will be an “in-app tile featuring a curated selection of our favorite Ring videos.” Google also has recently curtailed law enforcement access to its product features, saying last month that it would no longer allow police to use its Google Maps location history feature to investigate crimes. Ring, which debuted in 2013 and was acquired by Amazon in 2018, has long been controversial on privacy grounds. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a leader in drawing attention to Ring’s practice, celebrated Wednesday’s announced change, but said it remains “deeply skeptical” about how law enforcement and Ring will decide which footage should be disclosed without a warrant due to alleged emergencies. “This is a step in the right direction, but has come after years of cozy relationships with police and irresponsible handling of data (for which they reached a settlement with the FTC),” EFF said in a [blog post](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/01/ring-announces-it-will-no-longer-facilitate-police-requests-footage-users). “Ring has been forced to make some important concessions—but we still believe the company must do more.”

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 100%

750m Indian mobile subscribers’ info for sale on dark web

www.theregister.com

Indian infosec firm CloudSEK last week claimed it found records describing 750 million Indian mobile network subscribers on the dark web, with two crime gangs offering the trove of data for just $3,000. CloudSEK named CYBO CREW affiliates CyboDevil and UNIT8200 as the vendors of a 1.8TB trove, which contains mobile subscribers' names, phone numbers, addresses, and Aadhaar details. CloudSEK stated its investigation of the trove saw threat actors claim to have "obtained the data through undisclosed asset work within law enforcement channels" rather than as a result of a leak from Indian telcos. CloudSEK said its initial analysis found that the leak affects all major telecom providers. "The leak of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) poses a huge risk to both individuals and organizations, potentially leading to financial losses, identity theft, reputational damage, and increased susceptibility to cyber attacks," stated CloudSEK.

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 96%

Privacy Companies Push Back Against EU Plot To End Online Privacy

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An urgent appeal has been relayed to ministers across the European Union by a consortium of tech companies, exacting a grave warning against backing a proposed regulation focusing on child sexual abuse as a pretense to jeopardize the security integrity of internet services relying on end-to-end encryption and end privacy for all citizens. A total of 18 organizations – predominantly comprising providers of encrypted email and messaging services – have voiced concerns about the potential experimental regulation by the European Commission (EC), singling out the “detrimental” effects on children’s privacy and security and the possible dire repercussions for cyber security. Made public on January 22, 2024, this shared [open letter](https://tuta.com/blog/open-letter-encryption-eu) argues that the EC’s draft provision known as “Chat Control,” mandating the comprehensive scanning of encrypted communications, may create cyber vulnerabilities that expose citizens and businesses to increased risk. Further inflating the issue, the letter also addresses a stalemate amongst member states, the EC, and the European Parliament, who haven’t yet reconciled differing views on the proportionality and feasibility of the EC’s mass-scanning strategy in addressing child safety concerns. Among the signatories are Proton, an encrypted email service from Switzerland; Tuta Mail and NextCloud, specializing in email and cloud storage respectively; as well as Element, a provider of encrypted communications and collaboration services. Together, they implore EU leaders to consider a more balanced version of the mandate, as suggested by the European Parliament, which experts argue to be more potent and efficient than mass scanning of encrypted services. The proposed version of the regulation by the EC pushes tech companies to inject “backdoors” or leverage “client-side scanning”, to scrutinize the content of all encrypted communications for evidence of child sexual abuse. However, these companies are forceful in their conviction that despite its purpose to combat cybercrime, the mechanism could be swiftly utilized by offenders, “compromising security for everyone.” The application of client-side scanning – juxtaposing “hash values” of encrypted messages with a “hash value” database of unlawful content residing on personal devices – has met stiff critique from the security community. In defiance of the EU’s strong standpoint towards data protection, which paved the way for ethical, privacy-centric tech companies to flourish in the European market, these tech firms believe the EC’s proposal could contradict other EU regulations like the Cyber Resilience Act (CSA) and the Cybersecurity Act, which encourage the application of end-to-end encryption to counter cyber risks. The tech firms propose alternatives to mandatory scanning they believe are more effective and prioritize data protection and security. They argue an approach aligned with the European Parliament’s proposals provides a robust framework for child protection. Moreover, they discuss the danger of such scanning technology being potentially misused by oppressive regimes to squash political dissidents. They conclude that while they are not solely resistant to solutions, they stress the importance of devising strategies closely aligned to the European Parliament’s proposals. In a statment to Reclaim The Net Matthias Pfau, founder of Tuta, adds that such legislation “to scan every chat message and every email would create a backdoor – one that could and will be abused by criminals.”

Tyranny c0mmando • Now • 100%

Oklahoma’s Anti-Pornography Bill Is a Sweeping Ban on Erotic Expression, Sexting

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An ambitious and over-reaching “anti-porn” bill is currently making its way through Oklahoma’s state legislative system, the severity of which threatens to criminalize the act of sexting or sharing intimate photos. The proposed bill, known as Oklahoma Senate Bill 1976, targets not just explicit porn but even erotic expression, and in the process, takes an extreme stance against the First Amendment. We obtained a copy of the bill for you [here](https://docs.reclaimthenet.org/SB1976-INT.pdf). (PDF) The bill bans: “any visual depiction or individual image stored or contained in any format on any medium including, but not limited to, film, motion picture, videotape, photograph, negative, undeveloped film, slide, photographic product, reproduction of a photographic product, play, or performance.” The initiated legislation, described by Reason as being so “extreme that it could even make sexting outside of a marriage a crime,” is part of a more significant push, intent on broadening the definition of what constitutes porn, even at the expense of hard-won civil liberties. Sen. Dusty Deevers (R–District 32) sponsors this proposal. Typically, adult pornography enjoys protection under First Amendment rights, barring a few exceptions, including content featuring individuals who are underage or obscene. This new stringent legislation, however, aims to navigate around the standard protections and introduce a novel classification of banned material under the dubious label of “unlawful pornography.” Sen. Deevers’ proposed legislation is incredibly comprehensive, including both visual depictions and individual images across multiple mediums in its definition of illicit porn. It seeks to forbid not only explicit sexual acts but also anything designed to excite sexual interest, such as nudity or the suggestion of sexual activity. The bill extends beyond conventional pornography, encompassing a wide array of adult content and establishing a high bar for what is considered having serious literary, artistic, educational, political, or scientific value, thereby putting sexting, and even some social media posts and private messages in its scope.

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 98%

NSA Confirms Purchasing Data on American Citizens' Internet Behavior, Circumventing the Need for Warrants

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The NSA’s long history of often legally sketchy mass surveillance continues, despite some of the agency’s activities getting exposed more than a decade ago by whistleblower Edward Snowden. Now, the National Security Agency has had to reveal, in response to a senator’s questions, that it is, as one report put it, “sidestepping” obtaining warrants first before it buys people’s information, put on sale by data brokers. This came to light in an exchange of letters between Senator Ron Wyden and several top security officials. And this time – because of NSA’s own interest being at stake – he has been able to reveal the information he obtained. Wyden’s January 25 letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines contained a fairly straight-forward request: US intelligence agencies should only buy American’s data “that has been obtained in a lawful manner.” We obtained a copy of the letter for you here. With the implication that something entirely different is happening, the senator went on to explain what: if these agencies went to communications companies themselves for the data, that would require a court order. Instead, Wyden continued, they go the roundabout way to get information (like location data) taken from people’s phones – collected via apps, and finally ending up with commercial brokers, who sell it to the likes of the NSA. And, this particular agency is also buying “Americans’ domestic internet metadata.” In other words, a comprehensive, yet legally questionable mass surveillance scheme. Wyden “reinforced” his letter to Haines by attaching NSA Director General Paul Nakasone’s December response to one of his earlier queries – a back-and-forth that has been going on for almost three years, he says, and concerned other agencies as well and their practice of data acquisition. But now that he said he would block the Senate confirmation of Nakasone’s successor – the information he received finally “got cleared” for release and pretty quickly. Nakasone confirmed the practice, and then went on to justify it by saying it only pertains to “records” of online traffic, rather than “emails and documents.” He said what the NSA purchases is “netflow data” that comes from devices where “one or both” ends of the connection is in the US. And why? It is “critical,” wrote Nakasone, in “protecting US defense contractors from cyber threats.”

Privacy c0mmando • Now • 100%

Florida Law Banning Children From Social Media and Pushing Digital ID and Online Identity Verification, Advances

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As part of a move that, at least on the surface, is aimed at protecting the privacy and well-being of young adolescents, Florida is taking legislative steps towards restricting social media access for children under sixteen. The bill, advanced in the state legislature on Wednesday, mandates rigorous age verification and calls for existing accounts of underage users to be deleted while purging any stored personal information. We obtained a copy of the bill for you [here](https://docs.reclaimthenet.org/florida-social-media-id-bill.pdf). (PDF) A bipartisan majority in the Florida house has ratified the bill with a vote of 106-13. It now awaits receipt by the Republican-majority senate. The legislation calls for age verification through an independent, third-party unrelated to the social media platform, ensuring that children under 16 can’t open new accounts. Drawn up to address platforms with potential “addictive, harmful, or deceptive design features,” this legislation is aimed at deterring persistent or compulsive usage influenced by digital design. In support of the legislation, Republican state lawmaker and bill co-sponsor Fiona McFarland equated social media usage designed to trigger dopamine releases to a “digital fentanyl.” Florida’s move comes against the backdrop of growing concern over the impact of social media on kids’ mental health and well-being. Last year, US Surgeon General [Vivek Murthy](https://reclaimthenet.org/us-surgeon-general-vivek-murthy-suggests-joe-rogan-should-be-censored) issued a warning on the potential harms of social media for children and adolescents, calling for more research into the area. The implementation of online age verification systems, increasingly requiring to the rollout of digital IDs, has sparked a significant debate about the balance between internet safety and free speech. These systems are designed to verify the age of users, ostensibly to protect younger audiences from inappropriate content or to ensure compliance with legal age restrictions. However, they often necessitate the use of digital IDs, which can include personal information like name, age, and sometimes even location. This shift towards digital IDs for age verification purposes raises concerns about the erosion of online anonymity and the ability to speak under a pseudonym.