Who needs local laws to require a transparent, democratic process before local police can buy new surveillance technologies? After a mysterious drone flight over a Jamaica Plain housing project, and the ensuing confusion among officials about exactly what happened, it’s clear Boston...
Since Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, Boston officials have come out strong in defense of immigrants, Muslims, and other marginalized groups that find themselves in the crosshairs of the new administration. But key Boston Police Department policies and programs put these communities...
On September 11, the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, thousands of spies, police officers, prosecutors, and surveillance profiteers will gather in Washington D.C. for a spying technology extravaganza known as ISS World Americas. On its website, the event organizers describe ISS...
In mid-August, Donald Trump offended much of the country when he appeared to equate anti-fascist protesters with neo-Nazis. Last week, he pardoned the notorious Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted of criminal contempt after refusing to follow a federal judge’s order to...
Last weekend, we learned that Donald Trump’s large family and frequent travel are bankrupting the Secret Service. USA Today reports that about 130 of the thousands of agents who work long hours protecting the president and his family likely won’t get paid...
If you’ve ever driven in Boston, you know how notorious the roads are, and how confusing it can be even with GPS navigation. One of the most frustrating parts of driving in Boston is navigating the tunnels under the city. Locals and...
Two German researchers bought “anonymous” web browsing data on millions of Germans. It didn’t take long for them to identify those people by looking through their web browsing history. The Guardian reports: “What would you think,” asked Svea Eckert, “if somebody showed...
Here are some websites you or someone in your family may have visited: pornhub.com addictionandrecovery.org plannedparenthood.org suicidepreventionlifeline.org stdcheck.com lgbtcenters.org preventchildabuse.org domesticviolence.org Do you think internet service providers (ISPs) like Comcast and AT&T should be able to sell your personal information, including information...
Your phone records, showing whom you’ve called and texted, when, and how long the calls lasted. Your IP logs, showing where you access websites from—whether it’s home, work, a friend’s house, or on the go via your mobile phone. Your banking and credit...
According to summary data provided to journalist and FOIA ninja Jason Leopold, federal prosecutors’ warrantless surveillance of phone location and internet records grew sevenfold in just the past three years in the District of Columbia. The demands, called “d orders,” were made under...