404 Media's Cyber Monday Sale! 25% Off!
Support independent journalism this Cyber Monday!
Podcast
Inside the Biggest Sting Operation Ever (with Michael Bobbitt)
Joseph talks to a former FBI official about how the FBI secretly ran an encrypted phone for organized criminals, sweeping up tens of millions of messages.
Flock
Flock Uses Overseas Gig Workers to Build its Surveillance AI
Flock accidentally exposed training materials and a panel which tracked what its AI annotators were working on. It showed that Flock, which has cameras in thousands of U.S. communities, is using workers in the Philippines to review and classify footage.
Apple
Someone Is Trying to ‘Hack’ People Through Apple Podcasts
For months Apple Podcasts has been randomly opening spirituality and religion podcasts by itself, and in one case directing listeners to a potentially malicious website.
Podcast
Podcast: A Massive Breach Reveals the Truth Behind 'Secret Desires AI'
A breach shows people are making AI porn of ordinary people at scale; X exposes the location of its biggest MAGA grifters; and how we contributed to the shut down of a warrantless surveillance program.
Announcements
Please, please do our reader survey
It'll take just a minute and help 404 Media figure out how to grow sustainably.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: A Risograph Journey and Data Musings
This week, we discuss how data is accessed, AI in games, and more.
Flock
Cops Used Flock to Monitor No Kings Protests Around the Country
A massive cache of Flock lookups collated by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) shows as many as 50 federal, state, and local agencies used Flock during protests over the last year.
Podcast
Podcast: The Epstein Email Dump Is a Mess
We talk the terrible format of the latest Epstein dump; how a contractor is hiring randos on LinkedIn to physically track immigrants for $300; and a new code of conduct in the adult industry.
Impact
Airlines Will Shut Down Program That Sold Your Flights Records to Government
The move comes after intense pressure from lawmakers and 404 Media’s months-long reporting about the airline industry's data selling practices.
arc
IRS Accessed Massive Database of Americans Flights Without a Warrant
A bipartisan letter reveals the IRS searched a database of hundreds of millions of travel records without first conducting a legal review. Airlines like Delta, United, American, and Southwest are selling these records to the government through a co-owned data broker.
ICE
Contractor Recruiting People on LinkedIn to Physically Track Immigrants for ICE, Will Pay $300
“The more I listened to it, the more I’m like, something doesn’t sound right,” a person who was briefed on the pilot plans told 404 Media.