Micah Lee
@micahflee.com
Doing what I can to keep activists, journalists, and researchers safe and productive — writing at https://micahflee.com — author of HACKS, LEAKS, AND REVELATIONS https://hacksandleaks.com — signal: micah.01
Apple and WhatsApp vow to defend users in US as spyware companies make inroads with Trump administration www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Tech giants vow to defend users in US as spyware companies make inroads with Trump administration
Apple and WhatsApp say they will keep warning users if their phones are targeted by governments using hacking software against them
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Apple and WhatsApp vow to defend users in US as spyware companies make inroads with Trump administration www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Micah Lee
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 3:08 AM
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
Reposted by Micah Lee
“Every participant who was detained by authorities & had biometrics enabled, said they were violently forced to unlock their phone. […]”
The research is clear: those with biometrics lost the power to resist device searches. Only using passcodes had some ability to refuse, delay, or obscure access.
The research is clear: those with biometrics lost the power to resist device searches. Only using passcodes had some ability to refuse, delay, or obscure access.
"Research shows that features like Face ID and fingerprints enable violent, forced phone access by police and authorities" the-decenter.ghost.io/the-body-as-... by Afsaneh Rigot
The Body as a Password: The Cost of Face ID
Convenience is costing people their freedom. Research shows that features like Face ID and fingerprints enable violent, forced phone access by police and authorities, writes Afsaneh Rigot.
the-decenter.ghost.io
November 7, 2025 at 7:47 AM
“Every participant who was detained by authorities & had biometrics enabled, said they were violently forced to unlock their phone. […]”
The research is clear: those with biometrics lost the power to resist device searches. Only using passcodes had some ability to refuse, delay, or obscure access.
The research is clear: those with biometrics lost the power to resist device searches. Only using passcodes had some ability to refuse, delay, or obscure access.
Reposted by Micah Lee
There is something deeply broken about an economy that creates trillionaires while people get buried under the cost of living and 42 million go hungry. The ultra-rich should realize that my Billionaires Income Tax, aimed at ensuring they pay their fair share, represents the moderate path forward.
Tesla shareholders have approved a pay package that could make CEO Elon Musk, already the world’s richest person, the world’s first trillionaire. https://cnn.it/43KZnkA
November 7, 2025 at 1:57 AM
There is something deeply broken about an economy that creates trillionaires while people get buried under the cost of living and 42 million go hungry. The ultra-rich should realize that my Billionaires Income Tax, aimed at ensuring they pay their fair share, represents the moderate path forward.
The courts have spoken. It’s officially legal* to throw sandwiches at ICE agents
BREAKING: A man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during Trump’s law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C., is found not guilty of assault.
Man who threw sandwich at federal agent in Washington is found not guilty of assault charge
A former Justice Department employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in Washington has been found not guilty of assault.
bit.ly
November 6, 2025 at 8:15 PM
The courts have spoken. It’s officially legal* to throw sandwiches at ICE agents
MTG is not even a person. MTG is a collectible card game.
Please stop falling for the MTG is a new person con.
Please.
Please.
November 6, 2025 at 5:49 PM
MTG is not even a person. MTG is a collectible card game.
"Research shows that features like Face ID and fingerprints enable violent, forced phone access by police and authorities" the-decenter.ghost.io/the-body-as-... by Afsaneh Rigot
The Body as a Password: The Cost of Face ID
Convenience is costing people their freedom. Research shows that features like Face ID and fingerprints enable violent, forced phone access by police and authorities, writes Afsaneh Rigot.
the-decenter.ghost.io
November 6, 2025 at 4:53 PM
"Research shows that features like Face ID and fingerprints enable violent, forced phone access by police and authorities" the-decenter.ghost.io/the-body-as-... by Afsaneh Rigot
Reposted by Micah Lee
Khan's appointment sends a message to the tech industry, whose most powerful players have already been critical of Mamdani, a Democratic socialist.
Lina Khan to co-chair NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's transition team | TechCrunch
Khan's appointment sends a message to the tech industry, whose most powerful players have already been critical of Mamdani, a Democratic socialist.
techcrunch.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Khan's appointment sends a message to the tech industry, whose most powerful players have already been critical of Mamdani, a Democratic socialist.
Reposted by Micah Lee
i will be at mozfest with @trevortimm.bsky.social - come say hi!
👋 Come watch our Freedom of the Press Foundation talk on "lessons from a decade of building whistleblower tech" later this week at Barcelona's #MozFest.
It's kicking off the conference at 9 a.m. local time on Friday.
It's kicking off the conference at 9 a.m. local time on Friday.
Mozilla Festival Schedule
For 15 years, Mozilla Festival has been the home for big ideas, bold conversations, and the movement for a better internet. From November 7th to 9th, we’re bringing that energy back to Barcelona, and you're invited to be a part of it.
schedule.mozillafestival.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:45 PM
i will be at mozfest with @trevortimm.bsky.social - come say hi!
Reposted by Micah Lee
gotta be one of my favorite recent conversations. i recommend it (not because i'm in it, but because @micahflee.com broke this down so anyone could understand both the 'technical' side and the political side of why this means so much to people.)
I was interviewed on the Kill Switch podcast about @iceblock.app, the mutual aid group @norcalresist.bsky.social, and the insane situation we’re in where Apple and Google are collaborating with Trump to censor apps at will podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/k...
maybe ICEBlock was 'activism theater,' but is banning it protecting us?
Podcast Episode · kill switch · 10/22/2025 · 35m
podcasts.apple.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:40 PM
gotta be one of my favorite recent conversations. i recommend it (not because i'm in it, but because @micahflee.com broke this down so anyone could understand both the 'technical' side and the political side of why this means so much to people.)
Reposted by Micah Lee
O'DONNELL: Why did you pardon Changpeng Zhao?
TRUMP: Are you ready? I don't know who he is
O'DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a $2b purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And they you pardoned him.
TRUMP: Here's the thing -- I know nothing about it
TRUMP: Are you ready? I don't know who he is
O'DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a $2b purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And they you pardoned him.
TRUMP: Here's the thing -- I know nothing about it
November 3, 2025 at 12:56 AM
O'DONNELL: Why did you pardon Changpeng Zhao?
TRUMP: Are you ready? I don't know who he is
O'DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a $2b purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And they you pardoned him.
TRUMP: Here's the thing -- I know nothing about it
TRUMP: Are you ready? I don't know who he is
O'DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a $2b purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And they you pardoned him.
TRUMP: Here's the thing -- I know nothing about it
I made a little project called Claudito (little Claude, in a sandbox) that runs Claude Code in a docker container, isolating it from your filesystem, your SSH keys, etc. Check it out: github.com/micahflee/cl...
October 31, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I made a little project called Claudito (little Claude, in a sandbox) that runs Claude Code in a docker container, isolating it from your filesystem, your SSH keys, etc. Check it out: github.com/micahflee/cl...
Reposted by Micah Lee
@micahflee.com "Signalgate" talk from DefCon33 a few months ago. Well worth watching. 😊
October 31, 2025 at 2:57 PM
@micahflee.com "Signalgate" talk from DefCon33 a few months ago. Well worth watching. 😊
So many people are going to die and it’s all preventable
FL is moving forward w/ plan to end all childhood vaccine mandates. Starting with hepatitis B, chickenpox, and the bacteria causing meningitis and pneumonia. Then next year GOP FL legislature is expected to revisit 1977 law re: whooping cough, measles, polio, rubella, mumps, diphtheria, and tetanus.
October 31, 2025 at 5:13 AM
So many people are going to die and it’s all preventable
Reposted by Micah Lee
GrapheneOS is great and I recommend it all the time for Android users who are concerned about spying by governments and law enforcement.
"We’ve reached out to Google to inquire about why a custom ROM created by volunteers [@grapheneos.org] is more resistant to industrial phone hacking than the official Pixel OS. We’ll update this article if Google has anything to say." arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
Leaker reveals which Pixels are vulnerable to Cellebrite phone hacking
Cellebrite can apparently extract data from most Pixel phones, unless they’re running GrapheneOS.
arstechnica.com
October 31, 2025 at 12:33 AM
GrapheneOS is great and I recommend it all the time for Android users who are concerned about spying by governments and law enforcement.
"We’ve reached out to Google to inquire about why a custom ROM created by volunteers [@grapheneos.org] is more resistant to industrial phone hacking than the official Pixel OS. We’ll update this article if Google has anything to say." arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
Leaker reveals which Pixels are vulnerable to Cellebrite phone hacking
Cellebrite can apparently extract data from most Pixel phones, unless they’re running GrapheneOS.
arstechnica.com
October 31, 2025 at 12:14 AM
"We’ve reached out to Google to inquire about why a custom ROM created by volunteers [@grapheneos.org] is more resistant to industrial phone hacking than the official Pixel OS. We’ll update this article if Google has anything to say." arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
Reposted by Micah Lee
Now on Desktop: Customizable chat folders
Keep healthy boundaries between friends & family or work & leisure.
Filter 1-on-1 and group chats, put all of your unread messages one place, or make project-specific folders for related chats.
Settings > Chats
Or right-click any chat
Keep healthy boundaries between friends & family or work & leisure.
Filter 1-on-1 and group chats, put all of your unread messages one place, or make project-specific folders for related chats.
Settings > Chats
Or right-click any chat
October 30, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Now on Desktop: Customizable chat folders
Keep healthy boundaries between friends & family or work & leisure.
Filter 1-on-1 and group chats, put all of your unread messages one place, or make project-specific folders for related chats.
Settings > Chats
Or right-click any chat
Keep healthy boundaries between friends & family or work & leisure.
Filter 1-on-1 and group chats, put all of your unread messages one place, or make project-specific folders for related chats.
Settings > Chats
Or right-click any chat
"ICE Kidnapped My Neighbor in Broad Daylight. The Aftermath Left Me Reeling." by Freddy Martinez truthout.org/articles/ice...
ICE Kidnapped My Neighbor in Broad Daylight. The Aftermath Left Me Reeling.
Watching disappearances in our community leaves psychological trauma, but we can counter it with our solidarity.
truthout.org
October 30, 2025 at 5:53 PM
"ICE Kidnapped My Neighbor in Broad Daylight. The Aftermath Left Me Reeling." by Freddy Martinez truthout.org/articles/ice...
Reposted by Micah Lee
I have been charged in a federal indictment sought by the Department of Justice.
This political prosecution is an attack on all of our First Amendment rights. I’m not backing down, and we’re going to win.
This political prosecution is an attack on all of our First Amendment rights. I’m not backing down, and we’re going to win.
October 29, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I have been charged in a federal indictment sought by the Department of Justice.
This political prosecution is an attack on all of our First Amendment rights. I’m not backing down, and we’re going to win.
This political prosecution is an attack on all of our First Amendment rights. I’m not backing down, and we’re going to win.
Reposted by Micah Lee
iOS with Lockdown Mode is still the best defense we have against sophisticated spyware. Here's a snippet from @micahflee.com's keynote at @bsidespdx.bsky.social a few days ago. micahflee.com/practical-de...
October 27, 2025 at 3:31 PM
iOS with Lockdown Mode is still the best defense we have against sophisticated spyware. Here's a snippet from @micahflee.com's keynote at @bsidespdx.bsky.social a few days ago. micahflee.com/practical-de...
Excellent thread on Signal’s use of AWS and the extreme concentration of power in global cloud providers
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.
October 27, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Excellent thread on Signal’s use of AWS and the extreme concentration of power in global cloud providers
Reposted by Micah Lee
This is a brilliant presentation by Micah, packed full of excellent practical advice and information that can be acted on right now.
Every activist should be paying attention to it, implementing it, and educating their communities and groups, please repost, share it everywhere, write about it.
Every activist should be paying attention to it, implementing it, and educating their communities and groups, please repost, share it everywhere, write about it.
Watch my BSidesPDX keynote where I spoke honestly and frankly about the terrifying reality that Americans are facing under Trump's fascist regime, alongside practical advise for communities to defend themselves micahflee.com/practical-de...
Practical Defenses Against Technofascism
I gave the Saturday morning keynote at BSidesPDX! I spoke honestly and frankly about the terrifying reality that Americans are facing under Trump's fascist regime, alongside practical advise for commu...
micahflee.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:05 PM
This is a brilliant presentation by Micah, packed full of excellent practical advice and information that can be acted on right now.
Every activist should be paying attention to it, implementing it, and educating their communities and groups, please repost, share it everywhere, write about it.
Every activist should be paying attention to it, implementing it, and educating their communities and groups, please repost, share it everywhere, write about it.
Reposted by Micah Lee
This entire keynote by @micahflee.com should be watched, but this excerpt, my friends - oh yes.
micahflee.com/practical-de...
micahflee.com/practical-de...
October 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM
This entire keynote by @micahflee.com should be watched, but this excerpt, my friends - oh yes.
micahflee.com/practical-de...
micahflee.com/practical-de...
Reposted by Micah Lee
What can you do to better protect yourself in the Age of TechnoFascism?
If you're asking this question, I highly recommend this talk and post by @micahflee.com 👇
micahflee.com/practical-de...
If you're asking this question, I highly recommend this talk and post by @micahflee.com 👇
micahflee.com/practical-de...
Practical Defenses Against Technofascism
I gave the Saturday morning keynote at BSidesPDX! I spoke honestly and frankly about the terrifying reality that Americans are facing under Trump's fascist regime, alongside practical advice for commu...
micahflee.com
October 26, 2025 at 3:10 PM
What can you do to better protect yourself in the Age of TechnoFascism?
If you're asking this question, I highly recommend this talk and post by @micahflee.com 👇
micahflee.com/practical-de...
If you're asking this question, I highly recommend this talk and post by @micahflee.com 👇
micahflee.com/practical-de...