After Trump's FCC commissioner fixated on a report he didn't like, a Bay Area radio station demoted a well-liked anchor and dialed back on political programming, staff said. Reporters also said they were dissuaded from pursuing political or controversial topics.
My story: apnews.com/article/trum...
NEW AP INVESTIGATION: With license plate readers and local law enforcement partnerships, Border Patrol is monitoring American drivers and detaining those exhibiting ‘suspicious’ travel patterns in the U.S. interior. w/
@garanceburke.bsky.social. apnews.com/article/immi...
New: The FBI filed a subpoena trying to unmask the person or people behind archive.is / archive.today, which have been running anonymously for 13 yrs. Site was widely used by GamerGate, and then to bypass paywalls but has become kind of core archiving infrastructure
www.404media.co/fbi-tries-to...
AP INVESTIGATION: For decades, the US government allowed and even helped US firms sell tech used for surveillance in China — enacting a loophole-ridden export control regime that failed to accomplish its big goals. By @garanceburke.bsky.social, @dakekang.bsky.social & me.
apnews.com/article/chin...
Recording of recent talk with @byrontau.bsky.social on "Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government is Creating a New American Surveillance State" (2024). Discussion bridges investigative journalism, critical media studies, + surveillance studies! www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT3s...
Just a reminder that this event with @byrontau.bsky.social is coming up soon: Wednesday, October 15 at 3pm GMT
Pleased to announce this talk with @byrontau.bsky.social on his recent book "Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government is Creating a New American Surveillance State." You can register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/means-of-c...
A blockbuster AP investigation from @dakekang.bsky.social and @yaelwrites.com finds that US tech companies designed and built China’s repressive surveillance state trapping tens of thousands of ordinary Chinese citizens in a digital cage. apnews.com/article/chin...
Tremendous reporting from Joel Schectman and Aruna Viswanatha in the @wsj.com on how Pentagon pranks, coverups and in some cases deliberate disinformation fed to American citizens fueled interest in UFOs.
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Also if you're interested, I wrote a book about this:
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706321...
New intelligence community-run portal will be a "one stop shop" for commercially available information. This includes information on your car, your phone, your Bluetooth headphones, your purchases -- sold by corporations and bought by governments.
theintercept.com/2025/05/22/i...
Trump ordered an investigation into the Democrat's online fundraising machine ActBlue, yet his own campaign finance records show similar issues with unverified donors and possible illegal foreign money. apnews.com/article/trum...
I very much recommend Means of Control by @byrontau.bsky.social.
Well researched and eye opening. Renewed a sense of urgency in me regarding #privacy matters.
www.byrontau.com/means-of-con...
For the past few weeks, a wire has snaked out of the open window of the GSA administrator's office and onto the roof, where it connects to a Starlink terminal
A look at the very Muskian takeover of the chokepoint of federal tech, real estate and contracts. apnews.com/article/doge...
AP’s exclusion from the White House over its refusal to use the term Gulf of America "has been contrary to the First Amendment" and U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden (Trump appointee) "enjoins the Government from continuing down that unlawful path" storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
21 DOGE staffers resign rather than help use their technical expertise to “dismantle critical public services," according to a resignation letter obtained by the AP.
Musk has largely tried to keep technical talent at DOGE, mostly laying off designers & product managers.
apnews.com/article/doge...
I am currently writing about DOGE and what it is doing with its vast access to federal computer systems and databases. If you are a current or former federal employee or contractor with insight, I am best reached on Signal at byrontau.01.
New from me: DeepSeek has code in its user login system that could send user data to a sanctioned Chinese state-owned telecom that in 2019 was barred from operating in the United States, according to Feroot Security. apnews.com/article/deep...
The number of crews abandoned at sea by ship owners is growing, leaving more sailors stuck at sea or abandoned in port. By @helenwieffering.bsky.social apnews.com/article/inte...
Do you work at Meta? How is it going? Would love to hear from you -- Signal (646)378-8843 or bortutay@ap.org if you have anything to share, anonymity protected as always.
A mysterious meeting with Syrian president is at the center of spy chief’s nomination fight by @byrontau.bsky.social.
apnews.com/article/tuls...
For federal employees (or anyone) who wants to speak to a reporter about what's unfolding about their agencies, the Associated Press investigative team can be reached here: Investigative@ap.org or www.ap.org/tips/
I am byrontau.01 on Signal.
Things appear to be going well inside federal agencies.
You can still see most contract awards on USASpending.gov without logging in but FPDS.gov was the only place to see special non-competitive contract awards called Other Transaction Authority awards.
Browsing the definitive U.S. contracting database now requires logging in, providing your address and subjecting your searches of said database to potential U.S. government review per a new software change confirmed today by journalist Jack Poulson. jackpoulson.substack.com/p/the-us-gov...
Live now with @timkmak.bsky.social and @byrontau.bsky.social: twitch.tv/brainfungi
I’ve focused on security for at-risk civil society groups for over a decade now (🙀), including human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists. I’m available for collaboration, consulting, and presenting, so please get in touch if you’d like to work together!
