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Elies Campo

@elies.org
1.1K followers 273 following 17 posts

Fellow CitizenLab. I like to build things. In love with the world, humanity, and its diversity. Formerly Growth, Business & Partnerships Telegram & WhatsApp.

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Reposted by Elies Campo
Zack Whittaker @zackwhittaker.com · 13/08/2026
New, by me: Apple told me it's sending out threat notifications to customers in 110 countries saying they've been targeted with spyware. This latest batch also features a new push notification, warning users to take action and what to do next. Bypass for ad-blockers: web.archive.org/web/20260813...
techcrunch.com
If Apple sends you a push notification alerting you to a spyware attack, take it seriously | TechCrunch
Apple now sends out push notifications to iPhone lock screens when the company identifies government spyware targeting someone's devices.
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Jon Penney @penney.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Thrilled to have an opportunity to speak about my new book #ChillingEffects with @justinhendrix.bsky.social, Editor in Chief of @techpolicypress.bsky.social Listen in below!
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Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai @lorenzofb.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
NEW: Google is rolling out a new feature for Android called Intrusion Logging, designed specifically to help researchers investigate attacks done with spyware and forensic tools. Amnesty says this is “a fundamental shift in the amount and quality of forensic data available on Android devices.”
techcrunch.com
Google launches new Android security feature to help uncover spyware attacks | TechCrunch
Intrusion Logging is a new part of Android’s Advanced Protection Mode, which aims to help protect human rights activists, journalists, and dissidents from government spyware attack and law enforcement...
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Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
The advertising ecosystem upon which surveillance vendors like Penlink draw their data is a toxic, poorly regulated and exploitative swamp My @citizenlab.ca colleague @wchr.bsky.social with some follow-on observations about this swamp related to our "Uncovering Webloc" report published last week 👇
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Wolfie Christl @wchr.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
We publish a major @citizenlab.ca report on Webloc, an ad-based mass surveillance system that monitors the movements and personal characteristics of hundreds of millions people globally based on data obtained from mobile apps and digital advertising. Customers include ICE, El Salvador, and Hungary.
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Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai @lorenzofb.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
NEW: Former L3Harris boss Peter Williams was sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing sensitive company hacking tools, and then selling them to a Russian broker. Williams, aka Doogie, previously pleaded guilty to stealing and selling eight trade secrets to Russian broker Operation Zero.
techcrunch.com
Former L3Harris Trenchant boss jailed for selling hacking tools to Russian broker | TechCrunch
Peter Williams, the former head of U.S. hacking tools maker L3Harris Trenchant, was sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing and selling his former company’s hacking and surveillance tools to a...
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Xnet - Instituto para Digitalización Democrática @xnet-x.net · 22/02/2026
Cory Doctorow serà a Barcelona. Una de les veus q marca el camí en la conquesta d’un futur digital just. I és divertit :). No t’ho perdis. Presentem #Enshittification traduït amb ❤️ per @Capitan_Swing Capitán Swing 📍 Llibreria @Ll_Finestres 📅 20 de març 19.00 h
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Vocdoni 🗳️ Voting Protocol @vocdoni.io · 27/11/2025
For 7 years, we’ve powered elections for big orgs, political parties & towns. Now, we're putting that high-guarantee tech into everyone's hands. Introducing the Vocdoni App: Secure, privacy-first voting for any organization. No hidden costs. Announcement & roadmap: blog.vocdoni.io/announcing-...
blog.vocdoni.io
Announcing Vocdoni App: Making secure online voting accessible to every organization
Governance is the backbone of trust within any organization. Whether managing an Annual General Meeting for a professional association, electing board members for a cooperative, or enabling participatory budgeting for a town, the integrity of the vote is key. Organizations have long struggled with voting platforms that are difficult to use, expensive, and full of hidden costs. Worse still, these "black box" tools function with zero auditability, demanding heavy support and requiring users to ...
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The Citizen Lab @citizenlab.ca · 17/11/2025
On Dec 11, tune in for @rondeibert.bsky.social's conversation w/ @signal.org president @meredithmeredith.bsky.social about the critical lessons learned from the Signalgate scandal at @financialtimes.com #FTGlobalBoardroom conference. Learn more: globalboardroom.ft.com/agenda/sessi...
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Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
For over a decade, we @citizenlab.ca have documented extensive abuse of NSO Group's spyware, including being used to target political opposition, journalists, activists, human rights defenders and US govt officials. *This sale should not be permitted* techcrunch.com/2025/10/10/s...
techcrunch.com
Spyware maker NSO Group confirms acquisition by US investors | TechCrunch
NSO Group confirmed to TechCrunch that an unnamed group of American investors has taken “controlling ownership” of the surveillance tech maker.
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Elies Campo @elies.org · 10/10/2025
Apple just doubled its top bug bounty: $2M for critical iPhone exploits, up to $5M with bonuses for Lockdown Mode bypasses or beta-phase finds. A clear response to the mercenary spyware booming economy & perhaps an incentive for responsible disclosure. www.wired.com/story/apple-...
wired.com
Apple Announces $2 Million Bug Bounty Reward for the Most Dangerous Exploits
With the mercenary spyware industry booming, Apple VP Ivan Krstić tells WIRED that the company is also offering bonuses that could bring the max total reward for iPhone exploits to $5 million.
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Philipp Eckstein @eckstein.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Jens Spahn hat sich gerade zur #Chatkontrolle geäußert: "Wir als CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfraktion sind gegen die anlasslose Kontrolle von Chats. Das wäre so, als würde man vorsorglich mal alle Briefe öffnen und schauen, ob da etwas Verbotenes drin ist. Das geht nicht, das wird es mit uns nicht geben." 1/x
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Fight Chat Control @fightchatcontrol.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
🇩🇪 Germany is AGAINST Chat Control: Jens Spahn: "We as the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are against indiscriminate monitoring of chats. That would be like preemptively opening all letters to check whether there's something illegal in them. That's not acceptable, that won't happen under our watch."
Germany voices opposition to Chat Control, tilting the balance.
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HackerNewsTop5 @hackernewstop5.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
The Sagrada Família Takes Its Final Shape #HackerNews www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/…
The Sagrada Família Takes Its Final Shape
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The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 17/09/2025
In this week’s Style & Design Issue, D. T. Max writes about the slow becoming of one of the world’s most unusual—and soon to be tallest—churches: the Sagrada Família.
newyorker.com
Is the Sagrada Família a Masterpiece or Kitsch?
In the century since Antoni Gaudí died, his wild design has been obsessively realized, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
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Libération @liberation.fr · 20/04/2025
💬 «Ils ont cru les promesses de Mark Zuckerberg» 📱 A l’heure où Meta est accusé d’avoir illégalement racheté WhatsApp il y a onze ans, Elies Campo, un ex-employé de la messagerie, raconte à Libé les coulisses du rachat en 2014 :
liberation.fr
«Ils ont cru les promesses de Mark Zuckerberg» : un ex-employé de WhatsApp dévoile les coulisses du rachat en 2014
A l’heure où Meta est accusé d’avoir illégalement racheté WhatsApp en 2014, Elies Campo, un ex-employé de la messagerie, raconte à «Libé» les dessous de l’acquisition. Entre annonce surprise et promesses non tenues.
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The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 15/09/2025
The Sagrada Família is an immense, unfinished church in Barcelona, begun in 1882—“a famously slow project, even in a country where, to American eyes, many things move without haste,” D. T. Max writes.
newyorker.com
Is the Sagrada Família a Masterpiece or Kitsch?
In the century since Antoni Gaudí died, his wild design has been obsessively realized, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
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Fionnuala NÍ Aoláin KC (Hons) @niaolainf.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
“…millions in EU subsidies and taxpayer money in member states are supporting an industry criticised for undermining democracy and freedom of speech”. www.ftm.eu/articles/spy...
ftm.eu
Spyware industry pockets EU subsidies while snooping on its citizens
The widespread use of commercial spyware for unlawful surveillance across Europe has raised alarm – but the funding of such tools has largely gone under the radar. Follow the Money can reveal how mill...
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The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 15/09/2025
Antoni Gaudí’s wild design for the Sagrada Família, begun nearly 150 years ago, has been obsessively realized over time, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
newyorker.com
Is the Sagrada Família a Masterpiece or Kitsch?
In the century since Antoni Gaudí died, his wild design has been obsessively realized, creating the world’s tallest church—and an endlessly debated icon.
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WIRED @wired.com · 23/07/2025
thanks anne—and we're not done. if you're considering subscribing to WIRED and still on the fence, this year, we also dropped paywalls for FOIA-based reporting (and some guides). so, here is a 🧵 of some unpaywalled articles (which includes some of our most important work)!
wired.com
The WIRED Guide to Protecting Yourself From Government Surveillance
Donald Trump has vowed to deport millions and jail his enemies. To carry out that agenda, his administration will exploit America’s digital surveillance machine. Here are some steps you can take to ev...
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John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
NEW: 🇩🇪#Germany's top court says spyware severely violates fundamental rights. Bans spyware in cases with <3year sentences. Imposes tough proportionality tests. Restricts #spyware to serious cases. Very interesting 1/ www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/P...
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Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai @lorenzofb.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
NEW: I spoke to @rondeibert.bsky.social ahead of his keynote at Black Hat today. Ron travelled to Vegas to warn the cybersec industry that perhaps it’s time to get political. “They should be aware of what’s going on and hopefully they can not contribute to it, if not help reverse it,” he said.
techcrunch.com
Citizen Lab director warns cyber industry about US authoritarian descent | TechCrunch
Ron Deibert, the head of the prominent digital human rights groups Citizen Lab, sounds the alarm at the Black Hat security conference about the "dramatic descent into authoritarianism," but one that t...
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GrapheneOS @grapheneos.org · 04/07/2025
Here's an article from Citizen Lab on how the Spanish government used exploits against political opponents in Catalonia: citizenlab.ca/2022/04/cata... Bear in mind even police using these will almost entirely be using them against people not convicted of a crime based on suspicion.
citizenlab.ca
CatalanGate: Extensive Mercenary Spyware Operation against Catalans Using Pegasus and Candiru - The Citizen Lab
The Citizen Lab, in collaboration with Catalan civil society groups, has identified at least 65 individuals targeted or infected with mercenary spyware, including members of the European Parliament, C...
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GrapheneOS @grapheneos.org · 02/07/2025
European authoritarians and their enablers in the media are misrepresenting GrapheneOS and even Pixel phones as if they're something for criminals. GrapheneOS is opposed to the mass surveillance police state these people want to impose on everyone. www.xatakandroid.com/sociedad/cad...
xatakandroid.com
"Cada vez que vemos un Google Pixel pensamos que puede ser un narcotraficante". Es el móvil perfecto para el crimen por un motivo
Los Google Pixel son los máximos representantes de Android, con permiso de Samsung. Es por ello que convencen a los usuarios entusiastas del sistema...
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Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
I was encouraged to see the #G7 Leaders' Statement on Transnational Repression which also calls out mitigating harms around mercenary spyware 👇🇨🇦 www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/stat...
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John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
NEW: #Google's #Android 16 to feature optional high security mode. Cool! It's the 'turn this one thing on if you face elevated risk' that we've been asking for from Google. Bunch of requested features that address the kinds of threats we worry about. Let's dig in a bit 1/
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POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 08/05/2025
Catalan spyware victims — including the region's former President Artur Mas — this week announced new court challenges against Spanish security services and Israeli surveillance software vendors.
ow.ly
Catalonia reignites its court fight with Spain over spyware
Former Catalan president among those seeking retribution for political hacking scandal revealed in 2022.
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Joseph Menn @joemenn.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
In a stunning defeat for the #spyware industry, an Oakland jury has directed Pegasus maker NSO Group to pay Meta's WhatsApp $167 million in punitive damages for routing its attacks through the company's servers. GIFT LINK wapo.st/4jLGYKz
wapo.st
Spyware maker NSO ordered to pay $167 million for hacking WhatsApp
Jury hits NSO with punitive damages after first public legal reckoning for Israel-based maker of spy software banned from use in U.S.
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Natalia Krapiva 🕊️👩🏻‍💻 @natynettle.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
NSO to pay almost 168 million in damages! Congrats to WhatsApp on this historic (yes, historic) jury verdict against NSO Group! This is also a win for all the researchers, advocates & victims who have been tirelessly exposing NSO's abuses & advocating for justice! www.accessnow.org/press-releas...
accessnow.org
NSO Fined $168 Million for Pegasus Spyware Attack on WhatsApp
In a landmark verdict, NSO Group must pay almost $168 million in damages for using Pegasus spyware to target WhatsApp.
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Alberto Fittarelli @fittarelli.com · 02/05/2025
🧵 1/ Following our #JUICYJAM report @citizenlab.ca , the Thai authorities admit that the documents leaked to parliament - the ones containing evidence that they were running a longstanding IO using doxxing and harassment to target activists - were real. But *deny involvement in the IOs themselves*.
x.com
Thai Enquirer on X: "The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has admitted to monitoring and profiling individuals and groups for national security purposes but denied using disinformation or launching cyberattacks as part of its information operations (IO). Leaked documents submitted to the https://t.co/yHeO0TdDA2" / X
The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has admitted to monitoring and profiling individuals and groups for national security purposes but denied using disinformation or launching cyberattacks as part of its information operations (IO). Leaked documents submitted to the https://t.co/yHeO0TdDA2
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Knight First Amendment Institute @knightcolumbia.org · 25/04/2025
“Digital Authoritarianism and the Fight for Democracy,” 5/7, 6-8pm ET, at @columbiajournalism.bsky.social. Sheila Coronel, Ron Deibert, & Jameel Jaffer on the rise of authoritarianism, new surveillance tools, & legal regimes that fail to keep up w/ tech. RSVP: knightcolumbia.org/events/digit...
knightcolumbia.org
Digital Authoritarianism and the Fight for Democracy
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Elies Campo @elies.org · 25/04/2025
Mercenary spyware + ADINT data-brokers let dictators buy a 24/7 window into any leader’s life. "SignalGate should serve as a wake-up call to rein in the mercenary surveillance industry." Read @rondeibert.bsky.social's @foreignaffairs.com essay for why it urgently matters.
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Sophie in't Veld @sophieintveld.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
If EU governments were serious about ending the abuse of spyware, they could simply adopt binding EU legislation, as recommended by @europarl.europa.eu #PEGA. The abuse of spyware is ongoing in the EU, and past abuse has been covered up. With tacit agreement of ALL national governments.
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Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai @lorenzofb.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
NEW: Citizen Lab researchers mapped out the infrastructure of spyware maker Paragon Solutions, and say they were able to identify servers likely used by customers in several countries: Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore.
techcrunch.com
Researchers name several countries as potential Paragon spyware customers | TechCrunch
The Citizen Lab said it believes several governments may be customers of spyware maker Paragon Solutions.
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Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
NEW @citizenlab.ca report: Virtue or Vice? A First Look at Paragon’s Proliferating Spyware Operations citizenlab.ca/2025/03/a-fi...
citizenlab.ca
Virtue or Vice? A First Look at Paragon’s Proliferating Spyware Operations - The Citizen Lab
In our first investigation into Israel-based spyware company, Paragon Solutions, we begin to untangle multiple threads connected to the proliferation of Paragon's mercenary spyware operations across t...
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Saskia Bricmont @saskiabricmont.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
Conference #Paragon, a new spyware scandal @davidyambio.bsky.social : “When I found out I was spied upon, my life was completely put on hold. This sends a risk signal to me and those who I have been working with.” @hneumannmep.bsky.social @greens-efa.eu
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Ryan Mac 🙃 @rmac.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
something incredibly on the nose about a viral video game hit that everyone loved that one summer in 2016 collecting everyone's location data and selling it to an authoritarian regime
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Hannah Neumann @hneumannmep.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
The allegations against Italy's government using #Paragon spyware against journalists and human rights activists show once again why stricter rules on the use of spyware in the EU are crucial to protect civil society: bit.ly/david-yambio (1/3)
bit.ly
Campaigner for migrants in Libya targeted in spyware attack
Exclusive: Italy-based David Yambio, a critic of Meloni government, was told of attempt to compromise his phone
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The Citizen Lab @citizenlab.ca · 14/02/2025
Last week CityNews journalist Faiza Amin sat down with @rondeibert.bsky.social to discuss his new book Chasing Shadows and the dangerous rise of unregulated mercenary surveillance. Watch it here: toronto.citynews.ca/video/2025/0...
toronto.citynews.ca
New book details concerning global cyber security issues
Phones, computers and software are under attack from unknown hacker. One of the world's top cyber security experts, Ron Deibert has been tracking these attempts for years and has just released an expl...
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Joseph Menn @joemenn.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
The new book Chasing Shadows by Ron Deibert, founder and leader of Citizen Lab, reads like an adventure in telling how he wove security expertise, human rights activism and political savvy together to expose government malfeasance and save a generation of heroes from arrest and murder. Five stars.
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Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 04/01/2025
Exciting that @criterion.bsky.social has a curated list of “Surveillance” related films! Their list, which includes THX1130, Citizen Four, The Conversation, The Anderson Tapes, & others inspired me to post a 🧵 with my own surveillance-related film picks www.criterionchannel.com/surveillance...
criterionchannel.com
Surveillance Cinema - The Criterion Channel
In a world where anyone might, at any moment, be spied on, who can you trust? It’s a fear that cinema, with its inherently voyeuristic nature, taps into with particular potency. Exploring concerns aro...
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John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
NEW: Top guidance for phone security from #CISA? Use end-to-end communications exclusively. Great thread here by @boblord.bsky.social
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NPR @npr.org · 21/12/2024
In the darkness of winter solstice, pagans celebrate Yule — welcoming longer days to come.
npr.org
For Pagans, winter solstice is a time for reflection and celebration
In the darkness of winter solstice, pagans celebrate Yule — welcoming longer days to come.
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Reuters @reuters.com · 16/12/2024
Serbian officials installed homegrown spyware on the phones of dozens of journalists and activists, Amnesty International said in a report, citing digital forensic evidence and testimony from activists who said they were hacked in recent months reut.rs/4iB5ZIa
reut.rs
Serbia used Israeli firm’s tech to enable spy campaign, Amnesty says
Serbian officials installed homegrown spyware on the phones of dozens of journalists and activists, Amnesty International said in a report released on Monday, citing digital forensic evidence and testimony from activists who said they were hacked in recent months.
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Elies Campo @elies.org · 11/12/2024
A massive surveillance dragnet in Catalonia showed us: when technology can turn any phone into a listening device & spy on citizens, "this is not an esoteric human rights problem that's far away. This is coming for all of us." @ronanfarrow.bsky.social discusses with John Yang on @pbs.org News Hour
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Elies Campo @elies.org · 10/12/2024
On @pbs.org’s Amanpour & Co, @ronanfarrow.bsky.social discusses HBO Documentary 'Surveilled'. Following @citizenlab.ca's research, the documentary reveals the largest clusters of mercenary spyware victims worldwide in Catalonia—politicians, lawyers, journalists & civil leaders under surveillance.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 09/12/2024
1/ You may have seen us talk about formaldehyde — a chemical that causes an inescapable cancer risk for everyone in America. It’s in the air we breathe. And it’s in our homes: our couches, our clothes, even babies’ cribs. So what can you do to reduce your exposure? THREAD 🧵
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Elies Campo @elies.org · 09/12/2024
Democracy Now! @democracynow.org—independent global news hour airing on 1,500+ TV & Radio stations—interviews the creators of HBO Documentary 'Surveilled'. On YouTube alone, 350k+ viewers are learning how surveillance tech isn't just for autocracies anymore:
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John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
Don't forget: the government spent a decade warning us against encryption. Demonizing & gaslighting privacy advocates. Now, this catastrophic breach is the predictable result of prioritizing government access to private communications over everything else.
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Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 07/12/2024
The massive telco breach in the US should serve as a wake up for regulators in Canada. @citizenlab.ca's Kate Robertson and Gary Miller with comments 👇 www.cbc.ca/news/us-phon...
cbc.ca
A huge hack of U.S. phone companies means your text messages may not be safe | CBC News
After a massive cyberattack on U.S. telecom firms and dozens of countries by a hacker group backed by China, security experts are worried about communication networks and even the privacy of text messaging for individual citizens.
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