Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: A Risograph Journey and Data Musings
This week, we discuss how data is accessed, AI in games, and more.
Flock
Cops Used Flock to Monitor No Kings Protests Around the Country
A massive cache of Flock lookups collated by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) shows as many as 50 federal, state, and local agencies used Flock during protests over the last year.
Podcast
Podcast: The Epstein Email Dump Is a Mess
We talk the terrible format of the latest Epstein dump; how a contractor is hiring randos on LinkedIn to physically track immigrants for $300; and a new code of conduct in the adult industry.
Impact
Airlines Will Shut Down Program That Sold Your Flights Records to Government
The move comes after intense pressure from lawmakers and 404 Media’s months-long reporting about the airline industry's data selling practices.
arc
IRS Accessed Massive Database of Americans Flights Without a Warrant
A bipartisan letter reveals the IRS searched a database of hundreds of millions of travel records without first conducting a legal review. Airlines like Delta, United, American, and Southwest are selling these records to the government through a co-owned data broker.
ICE
Contractor Recruiting People on LinkedIn to Physically Track Immigrants for ICE, Will Pay $300
“The more I listened to it, the more I’m like, something doesn’t sound right,” a person who was briefed on the pilot plans told 404 Media.
ICE
This App Lets ICE Track Vehicles and Owners Across the Country
Material viewed by 404 Media shows data giant Thomson Reuters enriches license plate data with marriage, voter, and ownership records. The tool can predict where a car may be in the future.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Trolling on the Internet
This week, we discuss getting back on our AI slop bullshit, deepfakes in schools, and epistemic virtues.
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable group. “It is time to choose sides; fascism or morality? Big tech has made their choice.”
ICE
ICE Plans to Spend $180 Million on Bounty Hunters to Stalk Immigrants
Newly released documents provide more details about ICE's plan to use bounty hunters and private investigators to find the location of undocumented immigrants.
Podcast
Podcast: Inside a Small Town's Fight Against a $1.2 Billion AI Datacenter
A fight against a massive AI data center; how people are 3D-printing whistles to fight ICE; and AI's war on knowledge.
ICE
The Latest Defense Against ICE: 3D-Printed Whistles
Chicagoans are making, sharing, and printing designs for whistles that can warn people when ICE is in the area. The goal is to “prevent as many people from being kidnapped as possible.”