surveillance

Controversial White House Surveillance Program Gives Law Enforcement Access to Vast Amounts of US Phone Records

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The DAS program resembles several previous mass surveillance initiatives, such as a Drug Enforcement Agency program launched in 1992 that compelled phone companies to hand over records of nearly all calls to and from over 100 other countries. Additionally, it draws parallels with the National Security Agency’s bulk metadata collection program, which was deemed illegal … Read more

Section 702 Surveillance Reauthorization May Be Included in ‘Must-Pass’ NDAA

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Speculation is rife on Capitol Hill about a purported effort by US congressional leaders to rescue a contentious surveillance program, with sources suggesting that this plan may involve discreetly adding a last-minute provision to a crucial defense authorization bill that must be passed. Republican and Democratic senior aides informed WIRED that news of private discussions … Read more

US Congress Report Recommends Changes to Protect Privacy Amid FBI Surveillance ‘Abuses’

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The House Intelligence Committee has proposed 45 “improvements” to be included in upcoming legislation to continue the 702 program. These include criminal liability for leaks involving an American’s communications, enhanced penalties for federal employees who violate FISA procedures, and the appointment of a court-approved counsel to scrutinize FISA applications aimed at surveillance of US citizens. … Read more

A Spy Agency Leaked People’s Data Online—Then the Data Was Stolen

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The database contains a wide range of personal information, including names, professions, blood groups, parents’ names, phone numbers, call durations, vehicle registrations, passport details, and fingerprint photos. However, this isn’t just your typical database leak—these categories of information are all associated with a database held by an intelligence agency. Over the past few months, the … Read more

A Controversial Surveillance Program Sparks Uproar in Civil Rights Circles

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Lawmakers in the United States are facing a wave of warnings from various civil society organizations urging them not to yield to the efforts of certain members of Congress who are attempting to thwart a much-anticipated discussion on the future of a potent yet divisive US surveillance program. House and Senate party leaders are gearing … Read more

Founder of Hacking Team, a Spyware Maker, Arrested for Attempted Murder

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Local media reports that the founder of the notorious spyware maker Hacking Team has been arrested for allegedly stabbing and attempting to murder a relative. David Vincenzetti, who established Hacking Team in 2003, was taken into custody after his cousin contacted the police due to concerns about his wife’s well-being. According to reports by Italian … Read more