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ICE Using Palantir Tool That Feeds on Medicaid Data
3 months ago
- EFF sought to block the federal government from using Medicaid data to identify and deport immigrants.
- Concerns about the Trump administration consolidating government data into a single AI-driven interface with Palantir's help have materialized.
- Palantir's tool, ELITE, is being used by ICE to identify potential deportation targets using data from Medicaid and other sources.
- ICE's use of surveillance technology and deployment of agents in Minneapolis has raised civil rights concerns.
- The consolidation of government records poses a risk of abuse of power and privacy violations.
- EFF has taken legal action against various government data grabs and surveillance programs.
- Public discourse and congressional action are needed to address these privacy and security threats.
Filming ICE is legal but exposes you to digital tracking
3 months ago
- ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, 2026, sparking public scrutiny.
- Bystander footage and eyewitness accounts contradicted official statements, raising questions about the threat posed by Good.
- Smartphones and surveillance systems are now deeply integrated, increasing both accountability and risks for those recording.
- Recording police is protected under the First Amendment but faces practical challenges and safety risks.
- Journalists and bystanders have been targeted for filming, including incidents of arrests and use of crowd-control munitions.
- Smartphones generate three types of digital exposure: identification risk (e.g., facial recognition), location tracking, and device seizure risks.
- Facial recognition technology, like ICE's Mobile Fortify, has accuracy biases, particularly against darker-skinned individuals.
- Location data can be obtained via warrants, purchases from brokers, or area-monitoring tools, raising privacy concerns.
- Device seizure can expose contacts, messages, photos, and cloud accounts, emphasizing the need for strong passcodes over biometrics.
- Safety tips for recording include hardening lock screens, disabling biometrics, blurring faces, and sharing footage strategically.
Surveillance companies track smartphone users through advertising data
3 months ago
- In 2017, a French investigator was approached by an Israeli company at Milipol, offering a geolocation tool using mobile phone advertising data.
- Today, Adint (advertising intelligence) services use geolocation data from advertising markets to track individuals within meters.
- Around 15 companies, mostly Israeli with intelligence/military backgrounds, offer these services, alongside firms in Europe and the US.
- Data is sourced from online advertising marketplaces, collected by apps like games or weather apps under the guise of advertising.
Ice Drives Unmarked Cars. This Public Database Tracks Their License Plates
3 months ago
- Activists in the Pacific Northwest are compiling a database of license plates used by immigration authorities to track their movements.
- The database, created by volunteers, includes over 600 plates, mostly from enforcement actions in Portland, Oregon.
- The project aims to help community members identify unmarked ICE vehicles and reduce fear by providing information on government activities.
- To avoid legal vulnerabilities, the database is shared via the decentralized InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) rather than a centralized website.
- Community submissions of ICE vehicle photos are vetted by volunteers, with only plates seen at least twice being published to ensure accuracy.
- ICE activity in Oregon has increased, with reports of collateral arrests and heightened fear among immigrant communities.
- Similar activist efforts, including know-your-rights workshops and rapid-response teams, have emerged nationwide to monitor ICE agents.
- Federal officials, including DHS chief Kristi Noem, have warned against efforts to unmask ICE agents, threatening legal action.
- The article also highlights concerns about authoritarianism under Trump, press freedom, and the role of independent journalism in defending democracy.
That's Not How Email Works, HSBC
3 months ago
- HSBC sent a letter claiming emails were 'returned undelivered' despite the correct email address being on file.
- Customer service initially insisted on updating the email address, later admitting the letter could be ignored if the email was correct.
- HSBC uses unencrypted HTTP tracking pixels in emails, risking privacy by exposing when and where emails are opened to anyone on the same network.
- Tracking pixels, often blocked by privacy-conscious users, led HSBC to falsely assume emails weren't being delivered.
- HSBC's reliance on flawed tracking methods highlights broader issues with surveillance capitalism and poor data security practices.
- Suggested improvements include using HTTPS for tracking pixels, not assuming blocked tracking means undelivered emails, and seeking explicit consent for email validation.
ICE's Secret Watchlists of Americans
3 months ago
- ICE and FBI maintain over a dozen secret watchlists tracking protesters and others labeled as 'domestic terrorists'.
- Watchlists include codenames like Bluekey, Grapevine, Reaper, and Sparta, with some originally created for vetting immigrants.
- Post-9/11, watchlisting expanded domestically, creating a secretive system few understand, despite initial intentions to reduce confusion.
- Current watchlists include 1.1M international terrorists, 10K domestic terrorists, and 85K transnational criminals.
- Watchlists process tips, photos, and videos, enabling surveillance and linking individuals via proximity or 'call chaining'.
- Civil liberties experts question the legal justification for these watchlists, citing Privacy Act violations.
- DHS and FBI are accused of over-collecting data, leading to potential civil rights violations and a 'Big Brother' scenario.
- Attending protests or criticizing law enforcement can land individuals on these watchlists, raising First Amendment concerns.
- Experts warn that secret watchlists foster paranoia and could lead to tragic outcomes if not made transparent.
DHS ramps up surveillance in immigration raids, sweeping in citizens
3 months ago
- DHS intensifies surveillance in immigration raids, affecting both citizens and noncitizens.
- Biometric surveillance, including facial recognition, is heavily utilized by federal agents.
- Civil liberties experts warn about the lack of transparency and oversight in surveillance practices.
- DHS has expanded data collection through agreements with various agencies and tech companies.
- Facial recognition app 'Mobile Fortify' is used without clear consent in many cases.
- Concerns about privacy rights and potential abuse of surveillance data are raised.
- Body-camera footage and emerging technologies like AI are being integrated into enforcement.
- Increased funding for surveillance tools raises questions about their broader use against lawful activities.
The User Guide for Elite, the Tool Palantir Made for ICE
3 months ago
- ICE uses Palantir's ELITE tool to identify neighborhoods for raids.
- ELITE provides maps with deportation targets, dossiers, and address confidence scores using data from HHS and other agencies.
- 404 Media obtained and published the ELITE user guide for public access.
- The article invites tips from individuals with knowledge about ELITE, Palantir, ICE, or CBP.
- Full access to the post requires a paid membership, but free members can view limited content.
Palantir: Financed by Epstein, Fueled by Thiel
3 months ago
- Palantir, a data analytics company, has deep ties to controversial figures like Jeffrey Epstein and Peter Thiel, and is involved in military and surveillance operations.
- The company's technology is being used in Gaza to identify and target individuals, leading to high civilian casualties, with systems like Lavender and Habsora automating the identification of targets.
- Palantir's origins trace back to CIA funding, and it has expanded its reach into domestic surveillance in the U.S., integrating data from various government agencies to create comprehensive profiles on individuals.
- The company's CEO, Alex Karp, openly supports militaristic applications of AI, and Palantir's technology is criticized for enabling human rights abuses and reducing accountability in warfare.
- Palantir's predictive policing algorithms and data fusion capabilities raise concerns about privacy, civil liberties, and the potential for abuse in the U.S., mirroring its controversial role in international conflicts.
- Activists and critics are pushing back against Palantir's operations, highlighting the ethical and moral implications of its technology, especially in contexts like Gaza and domestic surveillance.
ICE seeks industry input on ad tech location data for investigative use
3 months ago
- ICE is surveying the ad tech market for location data and analytics tools to support investigations.
- The RFI seeks information on 'Ad Tech compliant' services for criminal, civil, and administrative cases.
- ICE is interested in live demonstrations of operational platforms that can analyze and visualize data.
- The agency aims to leverage commercial data streams without building its own surveillance tools.
- Privacy concerns are acknowledged, but the RFI lacks specifics on safeguards or legal oversight.
- Ad tech data, often anonymized, can be reidentified, making it valuable for investigations.
- ICE's approach mirrors past strategies of adopting surveillance tech through incremental steps.
- The RFI highlights tensions between industry privacy norms and law enforcement needs.
- Oversight mechanisms lag behind the rapid adoption of commercial surveillance tools by agencies.
Homeland Security Spying on Reddit Users
3 months ago
- Homeland Security is monitoring Reddit users critical of the agency, as revealed in a leaked intelligence bulletin.
- The bulletin focuses on a Reddit user named 'Budget-Chicken-2425,' who organized a peaceful protest near a Border Patrol facility in Texas.
- Despite acknowledging the protests as 'generally lawful,' the agency justifies continued monitoring under 'Force Protection' and 'reputational risks.'
- The surveillance extends beyond individual users to gauge broader social trends and public sentiment towards immigration authorities.
- The bulletin highlights the agency's interest in 'Social Media-Driven Mobilization,' 'Symbolic Targeting of Government Facilities,' and 'A Statewide Baseline of Mobilization Potential.'
- Agents were advised to wear ballistic armor and carry long arms in response to the protest, despite no evidence of planned violence.
- The agency's approach treats ordinary social media activity as a potential threat, reflecting a broader culture of paranoia within national security.
How TikTok 2.0 Became a Weapon for ICE
3 months ago
- A viral video in Portland, Maine, showed an ICE agent adding a constitutional observer to a 'database' of 'domestic terrorists,' revealing the agency's vindictive surveillance tactics.
- TikTok's Americanization integrates it into the U.S. surveillance dragnet, with Oracle hosting its data—despite concerns over China's data repression.
- Mobile Advertising IDs (MAIDs) and GPS coordinates are harvested by data brokers like Venntel and Babel Street, enabling ICE to bypass Fourth Amendment protections.
- ICE uses tools like the ELITE app (developed by Palantir) to fuse private and government data, creating detailed dossiers and 'confidence scores' for targets.
- Social media sentiment analysis allows ICE to monitor political resistance, undermining Fourth Amendment particularity requirements.
- The third-party doctrine, a 1970s legal relic, lets agencies claim purchased data isn't a 'search,' sidestepping warrant requirements.
- The Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act (FANFSA) aims to close loopholes by banning warrantless data purchases, but it stalled in the Senate.
- TikTok's algorithmic throttling suppresses dissent, as seen when anti-ICE content was flagged or hidden after Minneapolis shootings.
- Government-private data partnerships erode civil liberties, allowing ICE to target critics and suppress evidence of rights violations.
Google sent personal and financial information of student journalist to ICE
3 months ago
- Google provided ICE with personal data of Amandla Thomas-Johnson, a British student and journalist, without a judge-approved subpoena.
- Data handed over included usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, and financial details linked to his Google account.
- The subpoena included a gag order and lacked specific justification, coinciding with the revocation of Thomas-Johnson's student visa.
- Administrative subpoenas, used by federal agencies without judicial oversight, can request metadata to de-anonymize online accounts.
- Tech companies are not legally obligated to comply with administrative subpoenas, unlike court orders.
- The Electronic Frontier Foundation urged major tech companies to challenge DHS subpoenas and protect user privacy and speech.
- Thomas-Johnson highlighted concerns over government and Big Tech surveillance and its implications for resistance and privacy.
Why are people disconnecting or destroying their Ring cameras?
3 months ago
- Ring's 'Search Party' feature uses AI to scan live feeds for missing dogs, raising privacy concerns.
- Viral videos show people removing or destroying Ring cameras due to fears over surveillance and data misuse.
- Privacy experts warn that AI-powered surveillance networks could be misused for tracking beyond pets, like political messages.
- Ring and Flock cameras are popular with police for tracking stolen cars and suspects, but raise data-sharing concerns.
- Instances of unauthorized data sharing with federal immigration officers have been reported despite local laws.
- Security cameras have aided in solving crimes, including package thefts and serious offenses like murders.
- Civil liberties groups express concerns over the rapid deployment of surveillance systems without public discourse.
- AI enables authorities to collect extensive movement data, potentially infringing on daily privacy without public awareness.
- The ACLU highlights past misuse of surveillance, like tracking critics, underscoring potential for abuse with centralized video databases.
Amazon, Google Unwittingly Reveal the Severity of the U.S. Surveillance State
3 months ago
- Amazon's Ring and Google's Nest highlight the growing ubiquity of the U.S. surveillance state.
- Amazon's 'Search Party' feature for Ring cameras sparked backlash by revealing invasive neighborhood-wide surveillance capabilities.
- Google's Nest stored footage of unsubscribed users, contradicting common understanding and raising privacy concerns.
- Facial recognition and AI advancements are eroding privacy, with data collection becoming more intrusive.
- Public reaction to privacy invasions remains muted, possibly due to a lack of awareness or prioritization of material concerns over abstract rights.
- Edward Snowden's revelations a decade ago led to temporary outrage but failed to halt the expansion of state-corporate surveillance.
Palantir Gets Millions of Dollars from New York City's Public Hospitals
3 months ago
- New York City’s public hospital system has paid Palantir nearly $4 million since 2023 to improve billing efficiency for Medicaid and other public benefits.
- Palantir, known for its work with ICE, the Pentagon, and the Israeli military, is now involved in healthcare data management, raising concerns over privacy and ethics.
- Activists and organizations criticize the contract, fearing sensitive patient data could be misused, especially given Palantir’s role in mass deportations and surveillance.
- Palantir’s contract allows it to work with protected health information (PHI) and de-identify data, but critics argue re-identification is often trivial.
- Similar concerns exist in the U.K., where Palantir’s involvement with the NHS has faced growing opposition.
- New York City Health and Hospitals, the largest municipal healthcare system in the U.S., has not responded to requests for comment on the contract.
- Palantir’s CEO, Alex Karp, has criticized NYC’s democratic socialist mayor, adding political tension to the controversy.
- The article also highlights broader concerns about authoritarianism and press freedom under the Trump administration, urging support for independent journalism.
The Israeli spyware firm that accidentally just exposed itself
3 months ago
- Paragon Solutions, an Israeli surveillance company, accidentally exposed its spyware dashboard on LinkedIn, revealing its global surveillance operations.
- The company's flagship product, Graphite, is a highly targeted spyware system sold to state agencies, capable of compromising devices without user interaction.
- Paragon was acquired for $900 million by U.S. private equity firm AE Industrial Partners, with former Israeli PM Ehud Barak reportedly earning $10-15 million from the deal.
- The spyware can access stored data, activate microphones and cameras, and intercept messages before encryption or after decryption.
- Paragon attempted to position itself as an 'ethical' alternative to NSO Group's Pegasus, but researchers argue that device-level compromise grants access to all data.
- Meta notified 90 WhatsApp users in early 2025 that their devices were targeted by Paragon-linked spyware, highlighting the vulnerability of encrypted communications.
- Israeli surveillance technology, developed for monitoring Palestinians, is now sold globally, including to U.S. immigration enforcement agencies like ICE.
- The surveillance industry profits from the erosion of privacy and digital security, with former intelligence officials and politicians often involved in these companies.
- The tools used to control Palestinians are now employed to monitor immigrants, activists, and journalists worldwide, raising ethical and human rights concerns.
- The article calls for accountability and resistance against the unchecked growth of the surveillance industry, which commodifies human vulnerability.
Denver considers kicking out Flock – but still using cameras
3 months ago
- Denver is considering ending its contract with Flock, a company that operates license-plate reading cameras, but Mayor Mike Johnston plans to continue using the technology.
- The current contract with Flock ends on March 31, and the mayor's office is evaluating new bids for the service, focusing on data retention and sharing compliance.
- Flock has faced criticism for creating a mass-surveillance network, with concerns over wrongful accusations and aiding in immigration-related searches.
- Denver removed its data from Flock's nationwide search system in April 2025 after over 1,400 immigration-related searches.
- The City Council previously rejected a two-year contract with Flock due to public backlash, but the mayor extended the contract without approval.
- Flock's cameras, installed at 70 intersections, have led to hundreds of arrests and recovered stolen vehicles, according to the mayor.
- Critics, including Councilwoman Sarah Parady, argue Flock mishandles data and call for stricter regulations on surveillance technology.
- The cameras photograph every passing car, cross-referencing plates with law enforcement databases, and store images for 30 days unless flagged.
How OpenAI, the US government and Persona built an identity surveillance machine
3 months ago
- OpenAI and Persona built a surveillance system that screens users against government watchlists using facial recognition and other biometric data.
- The system files Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) directly to FinCEN and Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) to FINTRAC, tagged with intelligence program codenames.
- Users' selfies are compared to political figures (PEPs) with similarity scoring, and the system maintains biometric face databases with a 3-year retention policy.
- The platform performs 269 distinct verification checks, including experimental ML models on biometric data and crypto address screening via Chainalysis.
- A government deployment named 'onyx.withpersona-gov.com' appeared recently, possibly linked to ICE's $4.2M AI surveillance tool, Fivecast ONYX.
- 53 MB of unprotected source code was exposed on a FedRAMP-authorized endpoint, revealing the platform's inner workings.
- OpenAI blocks users from Ukraine despite no legal sanctions, raising questions about policy transparency and fairness.
- The system lacks user recourse—denials are unexplained, and data retention policies conflict between OpenAI's disclosures (1 year) and the code (3 years).
- The investigation was conducted via passive recon (Shodan, DNS, HTTP headers) without breaching systems or using credentials.
- A list of individuals associated with the surveillance system's development was published for transparency.
And then? And then Mullvad was censored in the UK
2 months ago
- Mullvad's TV ad 'And Then?' was banned in the UK, criticizing censorship and mass surveillance.
- The UK is escalating authoritarian measures, including backdoors in encrypted services and client-side scanning proposals.
- Mullvad's campaign faced rejection by Clearcast for being 'unclear' and 'offensive,' highlighting concerns over free speech.
- Alternative underground advertising attempts, like QR codes, were also blocked by authorities.
- Mullvad resorted to minimalist overground ads questioning surveillance, which were initially unchallenged.

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#surveillance

ICE Using Palantir Tool That Feeds on Medicaid Data

Filming ICE is legal but exposes you to digital tracking

Surveillance companies track smartphone users through advertising data

Ice Drives Unmarked Cars. This Public Database Tracks Their License Plates

That's Not How Email Works, HSBC

ICE's Secret Watchlists of Americans

DHS ramps up surveillance in immigration raids, sweeping in citizens

The User Guide for Elite, the Tool Palantir Made for ICE

Palantir: Financed by Epstein, Fueled by Thiel

ICE seeks industry input on ad tech location data for investigative use

Homeland Security Spying on Reddit Users

How TikTok 2.0 Became a Weapon for ICE

Google sent personal and financial information of student journalist to ICE

Why are people disconnecting or destroying their Ring cameras?

Amazon, Google Unwittingly Reveal the Severity of the U.S. Surveillance State

Palantir Gets Millions of Dollars from New York City's Public Hospitals

The Israeli spyware firm that accidentally just exposed itself

Denver considers kicking out Flock – but still using cameras

How OpenAI, the US government and Persona built an identity surveillance machine

And then? And then Mullvad was censored in the UK