Good Monday Morning
It’s March 3rd. Ramadan started Friday night, Ash Wednesday is this week.
Today’s Spotlight is 1,147 words, about 4 minutes to read.
3 Headlines to Know
Skype Shuts Down In May
Microsoft is replacing it with a free version of Teams, where chats and contacts will transfer automatically.
OpenAI Cracks Down On Abuse
The company has removed user accounts worldwide after finding ChatGPT was being misused for scams and other malicious activities.
Google Ditches SMS Codes For 2 Factor Authentication
Google will replace 6-digit SMS authentication codes with QR codes to combat widespread fraud.
We Don’t Really Trust Government or Tech
By The Numbers
George’s Data Take
Our first law enforcement report of the year highlights improper data collection by the government and big tech—two of the least trusted entities. Meanwhile, it’s striking that even healthcare providers and charities earn the trust of only a quarter to a third of Americans. Further down, we see that 28% of respondents trust none of the institutions.
Most Americans Want AI Oversight
Running Your Business
68% of U.S. adults believe both the government and businesses should prevent AI-driven misinformation, while businesses are seen as most responsible for AI’s impact on job loss but least responsible for national security risks. Nearly two-thirds also feel uneasy about AI-generated ads.
Behind the Story
Most people don’t fully grasp AI’s limits, but they know businesses plan to use it to cut jobs. They don’t just oppose that—they’re already assigning blame, and you probably haven’t even made cuts yet. This is a horse & buggy vs. automobile moment, and as a business leader, you’re on the unpopular side
Mass Surveillance Isn’t Just For Criminals – How Police Access Your Data
Image by Ideogram, prompted by George Bounacos
Expanding Use of External Data in Law Enforcement
Technology is a critical component of law enforcement. For seven years, we’ve examined how police use evolving tech tools.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore how police rely on external data, followed by a look at facial recognition, surveillance tools like robots and cameras, and how algorithms process this information.
Mass Surveillance Continues Growing
Americans have never before lived with the surveillance they face today. A Spotlight reader told me last year that while data controls matter, any tool stopping violent crime or terrorism seemed worthwhile. That’s a debate each person must weigh—but first, they need to know what’s being collected, and that’s not always clear.
Law enforcement agencies buy and use vast amounts of data. While traditional sources remain fair game, Big Tech expands police access to previously untapped data. Police linking home addresses and phone numbers is expected, but adding personal data like location, purchases, and browsing history raises concerns.
Genetic Data
Genetic testing was once a police-exclusive tool that required court orders and medical personnel, but consumer DNA databases changed that. Police quickly began using them to track relatives of DNA found at crime scenes.
Critics argue that’s a violation of their right to privacy. They are angry about recent news that the FBI accessed genetic information at consumer sites GEDmatch and MyHeritage to tie Bryan Kholberger to the murder of four University of Idaho students in the fall of 2022. The FBI turned to consumer sites after a forensic genealogist could only identify relatives within three generations. The FBI later acknowledged that people who had submitted DNA samples to those services had not agreed to have their genetic data released to law enforcement.
Location Tracking
Warrantless tracking raises legal and ethical concerns. That became a problem for the Secret Service, which used Locate X, a tool that captures an individual’s location data from weather and navigation apps, among other sources. The agency admitted that it did not seek a warrant to use the data or verify the company’s claim that people had opted in to police use of their location history. A DHS oversight body ruled late last year the Secret Service, ICE, and Customs and Border Protection had all broken the law doing so.
Fog Data works like Locate X but also tracks frequent locations—homes, workplaces, even doctors and lawyers’ offices. Like Locate X, it markets broad data access at low costs, making it affordable for county sheriffs and highway patrols at under $10,000 per year.
New Service GeoSpy trained on millions of images worldwide, can even geolocate photos in seconds, again without a warrant.
Government Surveillance and Reporting Gaps
The USPS images mail sent to every address. Police requested this data 312,000+ times (2015-2023) without warrants.
In Mississippi, 60% of law enforcement agencies fail to submit crime data to the state. The Clarion Ledger reports that data from 540,000 state residents is not reflected in statewide crime data.
Los Angeles County Sherriff deputies misused sensitive databases 6,789 times in 2022—accounting for most of California’s 7,257 data violations that year.
Abuse of Law Enforcement Databases
Authorities say individual abuse is also a problem. Police nationwide have fired or disciplined officers for stalking people using databases.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department recently deleted the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database, making it easier for officers with misconduct records to get rehired elsewhere. While law enforcement has more access to data than ever, oversight mechanisms continue to disappear.
Next week, we’ll examine how surveillance tools like facial recognition and AI further expand police access to personal data.
Wyden Pushes For Digital Transparency
Practical AI
Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR) is urging the FTC to require companies to disclose when digital purchases like ebooks or games are just licenses that can expire or be revoked, as many digital licenses actually state.
Google Eases Personal Information Removal
Protip
An updated “results about you” tool lets users quickly request the removal of personal data from Search, with alerts when their info appears online.
Fake Obamacare Royalty Claim Goes Viral
Debunking Junk
A satirical post falsely claimed Obama received $2.6M in annual “Obamacare Royalties” but many believed it was real as it spread from network to network.
Skinnypop and Aniston I New Branding
Screening Room
Shape-Shifting Robots Take Form
Science Fiction World
Researchers have developed 3D-printed mini-robots that move, adapt, and harden into weight-bearing tools, inspired by how cells form muscles and bones.
AI Solves Decades-Long Mystery In Days
Tech For Good
Google’s AI solved why some superbug resist antibiotics— a mystery that took scientists a decade to unravel.
Tech Opens Doors For Accessible Travels
Coffee Break
New apps help people with disabilities navigate cities, book accessible transportation, and find inclusive spaces more easily. Wired breaks down new options.
Sign of the Times
