Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Andy Greenberg @agreenberg.bsky.social · 1d

Researchers pointed a satellite dish at the sky for 3 years and monitored what unencrypted data it picked up. The results were shocking: They obtained thousands of T-Mobile users' phone calls and texts, military and law enforcement secrets, much more: www.wired.com/story/satell... 🧵👇

Satellites Are Leaking the World’s Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military and Corporate Data

With just $800 in basic equipment, researchers found a stunning variety of data—including thousands of T-Mobile users’ calls and texts and even US military communications—sent by satellites unencrypte...

www.wired.com

17 460 880

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · 4d

Microsoft should suspend business activities that are contributing to grave human rights abuses and international crimes by the Israeli military and other Israeli government bodies.

There is no time to delay.

Israel/Palestine: Microsoft Should Avoid Contributing to Rights Abuses

Microsoft should suspend business activities that are contributing to grave human rights abuses and international crimes by the Israeli military and other Israeli government bodies, Human Rights Watch...

www.hrw.org

31 87

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · Aug 12

A federal agent used a local cop's password for Flock to do an immigration-related search without his knowledge. Illegal in Illinois and at the very least a Flock terms of service violation. Of course they're all just joking about it though:

www.404media.co/feds-used-lo...

Feds Used Local Cop's Password to Do Immigration Surveillance With Flock Cameras

A DEA agent used a local cop's password "for federal investigations in late January 2025 without [the cop's] knowledge of said use."

www.404media.co

22 310 690

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Anna Bacciarelli @abacci.bsky.social · Jul 31

The UK gov plans to experiment with facial age estimation tech on vulnerable young people. But refugee children need care, not algorithms. This tech isn't the solution - instead, it creates new potentially life-changing risks, as @techchildrights.bsky.social and I write. www.hrw.org/news/2025/07...

UK Plans AI Experiment on Children Seeking Asylum

The United Kingdom’s announcement on July 22 that it would use AI face-scanning technology to evaluate whether an asylum seeker is under age 18 threatens to harm children seeking refuge.

www.hrw.org

8 4

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Meredith Whittaker @meredithmeredith.bsky.social · Feb 19

Stand by this: www.politico.com/newsletters/...

What’s a technology that you think is overhyped?

I’m going to give a sideways answer to this, which is that the venture capital business model needs to be understood as requiring hype. You can go back to the Netscape IPO, and that was the proof point that made venture capital the financial lifeblood of the tech industry.

Venture capital looks at valuations and growth, not necessarily at profit or revenue. So you don’t actually have to invest in technology that works, or that even makes a profit, you simply have to have a narrative that is compelling enough to float those valuations. So you see this repetitive and exhausting hype cycle as a feature in this industry. A couple of years ago, you would have been asking me about the metaverse, then last year, you would have asked me about Web3 and crypto, and for each of these inflection points there’s an Andreessen Horowitz manifesto.

It’s not simply that one piece of technology is overhyped, it’s that hype is a necessary ingredient of the current business ecosystem of the tech industry. We should examine how often the financial incentive for hype is rewarded without any real social returns, without any meaningful progress in technology, without these tools and services and worlds ever actually manifesting. That’s key to understanding the growing chasm between the narrative of techno-optimists and the reality of our tech-encumbered world.

160 3.2K 9.8K

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai @lorenzofb.bsky.social · Jul 11

NEW: Spyware maker Paragon says its $2M contract with ICE is still inactive, so the company hasn’t provided its surveillance tech to the agency.

If the U.S. govt approves it, Paragon will face the dilemma of whether to work with an agency that’s very different from 2024, when contract was signed.

Can an ‘ethical’ spyware maker justify providing its tech to ICE? | TechCrunch

Analysis: In calling itself an ethical spyware vendor, Paragon has opened itself up to scrutiny of its government customers.

techcrunch.com

1 8 14

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Solomon @wearesolomon.bsky.social · Jul 8

Here is how #Frontex unlawfully shared thousands of people’s personal data with #Europol

Investigation conducted by Solomon, the French newspaper Le Monde, the Spanish newspaper El País, and the German outlet Netzpolitik.

wearesolomon.com/mag/format/i...

Frontex unlawfully shared thousands of people's personal data with Europol

Under the banner of fighting migrant smuggling, Frontex has collected, and unlawfully siphoned to Europol, personal data for years—quietly drawing thousands of migrants, as well as EU citizens aiding ...

wearesolomon.com

11 8

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · Jun 25

The CEO of Flock wrote a blog about our "recent clickbait-driven reporting and social media rumors that mischaracterize Flock’s LPR devices" then proceeded to explain how our reporting directly resulted in extensive changes to how police are allowed to use Flock

www.404media.co/flock-remove...

Flock Removes States From National Lookup Tool After ICE and Abortion Searches Revealed

Following 404 Media’s reporting and in light of new legislation, automatic license plate reader (ALPR) company Flock has stopped agencies reaching into cameras in California, Illinois, and Virginia.

www.404media.co

14 140 510

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Lauren Harper @laurenleharper.bsky.social · May 29

A must-read report form @dmehro.bsky.social that @wired.com made free to read because it is based on government documents (it's their policy to make FOIA-based reporting free as well). Thank you for making important journalism based on public records available to all.

WIRED @wired.com · May 29

At the start of the year, WIRED made a commitment to stop paywalling articles primarily based on public records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act @freedom.press. This includes this critical piece here.

The US Is storing migrant children’s DNA in a criminal database:

The US Is Storing Migrant Children’s DNA in a Criminal Database

Customs and Border Protection has swabbed the DNA of migrant children as young as 4, whose genetic data is uploaded to an FBI-run database that can track them if they commit crimes in the future.

www.wired.com

8 120 330

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · May 27

New from 404 Media: ICE is tapping into a nationwide AI camera network, data we got shows. Flock's automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) in thousands of communities. Data shows "ICE", "immigration" as reasons for use. Local cops doing lookups for ICE, no warrant www.404media.co/ice-taps-int...

ICE Taps into Nationwide AI-Enabled Camera Network, Data Shows

Flock's automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras are in more than 5,000 communities around the U.S. Local police are doing lookups in the nationwide system for ICE.

www.404media.co

16 200 290

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Privacy International @privacyinternational.org · May 23

This week, news emerged that UK police have been issued guidance on investigating unexpected pregnancy loss that includes seizing digital devices, checking internet searches and health apps, such as menstrual cycle and fertility trackers.

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

1 4 6

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Micah Lee @micahflee.com · May 22

My latest on the clean OPSEC saga: TeleMessage customers include DC Police, Andreesen Horowitz, JP Morgan, and hundreds more micahflee.com/telemessage-...

TeleMessage customers include DC Police, Andreesen Horowitz, JP Morgan, and hundreds more

I've been digging through the 410 GB of Java heap dumps from TeleMessage's archive server, provided by DDoSecrets. Here's a description of the dataset, some of my initial findings, details about an up...

micahflee.com

1 72 150

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Jason Leopold @jasonleopold.bsky.social · May 21

SCOOP: In Feb, federal agencies "lost" many #FOIA requests but you probably had no idea. It turns out that the FOIAs disappeared due to an "insider threat attack" by 2 employees at a software company who were previously convicted of hacking into the State Dept

🧵

🎁 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Probe Found Security Lapses Led to US Contractor’s Data Breach

Failures in cybersecurity practices at a software company that helps federal agencies manage investigations and FOIA requests allowed two convicted hackers to delete databases, according to internal d...

www.bloomberg.com

24 320 520

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · Apr 24

The Trump administration’s first 100 days in office have been a relentless barrage of actions that violate, threaten, or undermine human rights.

To illustrate the breadth and depth of damage, HRW has compiled 100 harmful actions during these 100 days ⤵️

US: Trump’s First 100 Days an Assault on Rights

The Trump administration’s first 100 days in office have been a relentless barrage of actions that violate, threaten, or undermine the human rights of people in the United States and abroad.

www.hrw.org

1 96 150

Reposted by Zach Campbell

deblbrown.bsky.social @deblbrown.bsky.social · Apr 16

My latest for @justsecurity.org on what Trump's call to eliminate “information silos” within government means for human rights. This dangerous and dystopian move underscores the desperate need for comprehensive privacy and data protection laws in the US @hrw.org
www.justsecurity.org/110133/what-...

DOGE's Growing Reach into Personal Data: What it Means for Human Rights

Congress should update the Privacy Act to prevent DOGE from violating U.S. international rights obligations by creating a massive database.

www.justsecurity.org

17 12

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Josh Franco @heiferbeefmountain.bsky.social · Feb 14

www.amnesty.org/en/latest/ne...

UK Encryption order threaten privacy rights

The United Kingdom government’s order to Apple to allow security authorities access to encrypted cloud data severely harms the privacy rights of users in the UK and worldwide.

www.amnesty.org

3 3

Zach Campbell @notzachcampbell.bsky.social · Feb 14

The UK should drop its order to Apple demanding access to encrypted user data. Strong encryption should be the norm, and this order threatens the rights of users worldwide

www.hrw.org/news/2025/02...

UK Encryption Order Threatens Global Privacy Rights

The United Kingdom government’s order to Apple to allow access to encrypted cloud data harms the privacy rights of users in the UK and worldwide.

www.hrw.org

2 18 41

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Tim Engelhardt @tengelhr.bsky.social · Feb 7

Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; „… without #encryption tools, lives may be endangered. In the worst cases, a Government’s ability to break into its citizens’ phones may lead to the persecution of individuals who are simply exercising their fundamental human rights.” t.co/AWG89rXGkD

https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=17138

t.co

15 17

Reposted by Zach Campbell

deblbrown.bsky.social @deblbrown.bsky.social · Feb 6

Last year my @hrw.org colleague @joeyshea.bsky.social & I attended the #UN Internet Governance Forum in Riyadh. We organized a session w/the Saudi human rights org ALQST. @linaalhathloul.bsky.social spoke remotely.

The UN censored the session & retaliated against us 👇

www.hrw.org/news/2025/02...

UN Censors Criticism of Saudi Arabia at Internet Conference

United Nations officials removed criticisms of the Saudi government from the official record of a UN-organized internet governance conference in Riyadh in December 2024, and retaliated against civil s...

www.hrw.org

1 20 29

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · Feb 6

Google announced significant changes to its artificial intelligence policy this week.

This pivot from refusing to build AI for weapons to stating an intent to create AI that supports national security ventures is stark, and it sparks serious human rights concerns.

Read more: bit.ly/4gwYBeL

9 93 170

Reposted by Zach Campbell

TechCrunch @techcrunch.com · Feb 5

Paragon spyware used to target citizens across Europe, says Italian government

tcrn.ch

1 34 110

Reposted by Zach Campbell

chiaracera.bsky.social @chiaracera.bsky.social · Feb 5

Italy’s security bill threatens fundamental rights

It criminalizes peaceful protest, with harsh penalties for activists, detainees, and migrants

Human rights bodies warn of serious risks - the Senate should listen

❌Repression is not security❌
hrw.org/news/2025/02...

2 49 97

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Anna Bacciarelli @abacci.bsky.social · Feb 4

Google has amended its responsible AI guidelines, including removing the red line in its AI Principles that the company won't design or deploy AI for "[w]eapons or other technologies whose principal purpose or implementation is to cause or directly facilitate injury to people."

Margaret Mitchell @mmitchell.bsky.social · Feb 4

Google has removed its Responsible AI Principles.
This is actually a pretty big deal.

Tracy Pizzo Frey ❌👑 @tpf.bsky.social · Feb 4

Um, Google's AI Principles are gone.

I spent 5 years working every single day to align our work with the AI Principles as originally written. They were critically important to everything we did, including what we *didn't* do.

#ResponsibleAI #EthicalAI

ai.google/responsibili...

1 1 3

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Anna Bacciarelli @abacci.bsky.social · Dec 13

Come work on tech research @hrw.org! Vacancy for a senior researcher, working with me, @deblbrown.bsky.social, @notzachcampbell.bsky.social. Scope to shape the role - expertise in platforms, internet infrastructure, data exploitation a bonus. Closes 5 Jan. job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...

Senior Researcher, Technology And Human Rights

Multiple Locations Considered

job-boards.greenhouse.io

1 7 11

Reposted by Zach Campbell

Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · Dec 3

New from 404 Media: this is huge. FTC to ban Venntel from selling sensitive location data. Sensitive locations include health facilities (think abortion); places of worship; schools; refugee shelters. Crucial because Venntel sold its data to ICE, CBP etc www.404media.co/ftc-bans-loc...

FTC Bans Location Data Company That Powers the Surveillance Ecosystem

Venntel is a primary provider of location data to the government or other companies that sell to U.S. agencies. The FTC is banning Venntel from selling data related to health clinics, refugee shelters...

www.404media.co

7 250 610