The Guardian: ‘It’s dangerous and it’s going to erode trust’: redesign of US government websites stokes surveillance fears

The National Design Studio, staffed by Doge veterans, installed visitor-tracking software on vital federal websites

"...An opaque White House office staffed largely by veterans of Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge) has quietly rebuilt some of the federal government’s most sensitive websites – for passport applications, voter registration, prescription-drug pricing and children’s savings – in ways critics say appear to violate federal law...."

theguardian.com/us-news/2026/j…

#cybersecurity #privacy #bigbrother #doge #fascism

"...The Federal Communications Commission wants to require telecommunications providers to collect vast amounts of personal information from every person who wants a phone number in the name of combatting scam and spam calls. ..."

eff.org/deeplinks/2026/06/fccs…

#privacy #bigbrother #fascism

Mission Local: Federal agencies ‘improperly’ accessed S.F. license-plate surveillance data, audit finds

Police say ICE, DHS didn’t directly access data, but unclear if it was shared regardless

missionlocal.org/2026/06/feder…

#flock #alpr #privacy #BigBrother

404 Media: This Company Will Add Phone, AirPod, and Smartwatch Trackers to License Plate Readers

404media.co/this-company-will-…

#alpr #privacy #cybersecurity #bigbrother

This is perhaps one of the most sinister developments in privacy invasion I’ve yet seen. In itself, it simply nestles into the list of tracking garbage that shouldn’t exist in the world. But in how wholly invasive it is, being deep and complete, is what makes it stand out.

I’m not suggesting that you should destroy every one of these that see. But, you know. You do you.

404media.co/this-company-will-…

#Privacy #InfoSec #Fascism #BigBrother

LA Times: Disney accused of misusing facial recognition technology

"...A visitor has filed a $5-million lawsuit against Disneyland for allegedly failing to properly disclose the use of facial-recognition technology at park and collecting sensitive data on guests...."

(paywall)
latimes.com/business/story/202…

#lawsuit #disney #privacy #bigbrother #law

Some *light* reading -- history and prophecy...

I read #FrankWaters "#TheBookOfTheHopi" many years ago, but misplaced my old copy. Refreshing myself on #HopiProphecy and what it all means for the times we are living in.

#EricCline's "#1177BC" has been a good read. I'm finding his chapter about a "perfect storm of calamities" to be relevant to the age we are living in now, especially with regard to #ClimateCrisis and #Polycrisis.

Graeber/Wengrow's "#TheDawnOfEverything" has taken me a while to get through... So much to take in. Learning about power and systems of power and their origins.

"The Occult Features of #Anarchism" by #EricaLagalisse also deals with systems of power -- and how #MutualAid is part of true autonomy (I agree).

#Bookstodon #AmReading #ReadWithPride #BannedBooks #ToBeBanned? #ReadWhileItsStillLegal #BigBrother #Fascism #Authoritarianism #DavidGraeber #DavidWengrow

[Thread] What's in my book piles these days? Let's take a look and find out...

#Bookstodon #AmReading #ReadWithPride #BannedBooks #ToBeBanned? #ReadWhileItsStillLegal #BigBrother #Fascism #Authoritarianism

Texas Observer: As License Plate Readers Expand in Texas, Privacy Advocates Are Fighting Back

The Kyle City Council voted to apply for more state grant money for Flock Safety cameras despite a string of local-level contract cancellations of the booming surveillance company’s services.

texasobserver.org/license-plat…

#flock #privacy #fascism #surveillance #bigbrother

What could go wrong? AI data center lampposts which double as surveillance cameras! (Although, this sounds more like a massive scam to me to suck millions of dollars out of some government...🤔 )

BBC:Bright idea? UK firm pioneers data centres using lampposts

"...Now a UK firm is betting on data centres using thousands of connected smart lampposts, and has signed a formal agreement with a Nigerian state to deploy 50,000 of them.

Warwickshire-based Conflow Power Group Limited (CPG) says networked together its solar-powered iLamp units "double as a revenue-generating distributed AI data centre". ...

"..The lampposts can also operate as AI-powered surveillance cameras.

In Nigeria, each will be fitted with AI cameras capable of detecting parking violations, speeding vehicles, and seatbelt non-compliance, the company says...."

bbc.com/news/articles/c98r4e59…

#ai #bigbrother

👀

LA Times: Disneyland rolls out facial recognition at park entrances. Here’s how it works

"...Disneyland has deployed facial recognition technology at park entrances to verify tickets and prevent fraud — a trend spreading across major U.S. entertainment venues.

Privacy experts caution that the technology normalizes surveillance and poses security risks, though Disney says facial recognition is optional and data are deleted after 30 days...."

(paywall)
latimes.com/california/story/2…

#privacy #bigbrother

Mercury News: Residents sue San Jose in federal court over automated license-plate reader cameras

Lawsuit filed by the Virginia-based Institute for Justice seeks class-action status, claims cameras and police database searches are unconstitutional and unwarranted surveillance

"...SAN JOSE — Three San Jose residents backed by a national justice nonprofit have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the city’s vast network of automated license-plate reader cameras violate the Constitution by subjecting citizens to nonstop warrantless surveillance...."

mercurynews.com/2026/04/15/res…

#alpr #privacy #bigbrother #flock #lawsuit

KTLA: Former Orange County officer used police database to track mistress, harassed her with thousands of texts and phone calls

"...Between June and December of 2023, Josett was accused of using the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) database to make 13 inquiries on people and vehicles not related to his job, including his mistress, someone she dated and his own wife, prosecutors said.

He also used the police department’s FLOCK license plate reader system to find his mistress’ car and the vehicles of her romantic interests with the intent to follow them, court documents said..."

ktla.com/news/orange-county/fo…

#surveillance #privacy #flock #bigbrother

NPR: ICE acknowledges it is using powerful spyware (April 7, 2026)

"...Immigration and Customs Enforcement is using spyware tools that can intercept encrypted messages as part of the agency's efforts to disrupt fentanyl traffickers, according to a letter sent last week by the agency's acting director, Todd Lyons...."

npr.org/2026/04/07/nx-s1-57767…

#fascism #ice #spyware #bigbrother #surveillance

"...Police with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are able to do these lookups for ICE because in August, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis enrolled nearly 800 of its officers in 287(g), a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program that gives state and local police certain immigration enforcement powers. DeSantis has essentially turned many state police into an extension of ICE..."

#ice #fascism #bigbrother #surveillance

404 Media: Wildlife Conservation Police Are Searching Thousands of Flock Cameras for ICE

"...Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) police are performing dozens of license plate lookups on Flock cameras for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to public records that show details of the searches.

The practice highlights how ICE, which does not have a contract with Flock, continues to get access to Flock’s AI-powered license plate scanning cameras through local and state police, and often in ways that are unusual, unexpected, and difficult for the public to track or hold the agency accountable for..."

404media.co/floridas-wildlife-…

#ICE #Fascism #BigBrother #Surveillance