Surveillance
This year, over half the world’s population will head to the ballot box. At a time when, in many nations, democracy is already under acute pressure, ensuring these elections are free and fair is of paramount importance.
In the context of this political instability, deepfakes have entered the stage – and this year they are poised to play a larger role than ever before.
Governments, either through a lack of ability or will, have failed to sufficiently defend democracy against deepfakes. However, where the public sector fails, there’s an opportunity for the private to step in – both to safeguard democracy and reap financial rewards in the process.
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Read MoreLeaked documents suggest EU officials seek immunity from their own controversial online surveillance laws, raising accusations of hypocrisy.
Do as I say – not as I do. That’s the essence of a leak that claims to expose high-ranked EU officials as more than simply politicking hypocrites when it comes to implementing the extremely controversial legislation affecting online privacy and encryption.
Namely, interior ministers from EU member countries reportedly want to exempt themselves – but not only – from the looming Child Sexual Abuse (CSAM) Regulation (aka, “chat control“), expected to be adopted as early as in June.
Pushed by supporters as being exactly what it says on the tin – the proposed new rules are at the same time criticized as a vehicle for indiscriminate mass surveillance of everyone’s online communications, and a way to weaken true encryption deployed by platforms – a vital component of internet security, once again, affecting everyone who goes online, children included.
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Read MoreThe FISA 702 bill has been described by critics as a “dramatic and terrifying” expansion of the United States government’s surveillance powers.
The United States National Security Agency (NSA) is only days away from “taking over the internet” with a massive expansion of its surveillance powers, according to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
In an April 16 post to X, Snowden drew attention to a thread originally posted by Elizabeth Goitein — the co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice — that warned of a new bill that could see the U.S. government surveillance powers amplified to new levels.
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Read MoreCanada’s spy chief David Vigneault testified under oath he repeatedly warned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and political aides that Chinese agents were targeting Conservative MPs. Vigneault’s testimony contradicted the Prime Minister.
“It is indeed something I communicated,” Vigneault, the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, testified at the Commission on Foreign Interference. Vigneault authenticated memos he used at private meetings with Trudeau and staff concerning Chinese subterfuge.
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Read MoreA publicly accessible registry to name names of lobbyists acting for China “would be valuable,” says an RCMP briefing note. A federal review of a foreign agents’ registry has been underway for more than a year.
“A foreign agent registry would be valuable for Canadians as a registrable activity would ensure foreign actors undertaking certain activities are operating in the interests of the Canadian public,” said a 2023 RCMP note Ministerial Briefing.
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Read MoreFentanyl Fear Factor: White House Leverages Drug Scare to Push for Controversial Surveillance Powers
In the face of escalating opioid threats, the Biden administration tries to justify Section 702, pressing for urgent reauthorization.
In a recent public appeal, the Biden administration has urged the reauthorization Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) before it expires on April 19. Bill Burns, the CIA Director, issued a statement, alleging the significant role of the FISA powers in fighting threats against national security, especially the illicit trafficking of fentanyl into the United States.
Burns highlighted the gravity of the fentanyl threat, saying, “The threat to the US posed by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids is real. Section 702 is an essential tool in CIA’s mission to protect the American people from a range of threats, including illicit fentanyl trafficking. Without this vital program, CIA simply would not be able to defend our country as effectively in as many dangerous corners of the world.”
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Read MoreThe House voted to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) two days after a band of 19 conservative privacy “hawks” revolted against Republican leadership and blocked the legislation on the floor when their demands for warrants were not met. The conservative rebels ended their blockade and allowed the FISA bill to move forward after striking a deal with Republican Speaker Mike Johnson who was criticized for casting the “tiebreaker” vote. Under the agreement, the reauthorization period of the spy powers — known as Section 702 of FISA — would be cut to two years from the original proposed five years.
FISA was used by the Obama regime to spy on Trump, who said this week that he wanted to “kill” FISA. Republicans said that the 2-year re-authorization would give Trump a chance to make his mark on the law if he wins back the White House.
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