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Thomas Brewster

@thomasbrewster.bsky.social

Forbes senior writer, covering privacy, surveillance and cybercrime. Editor of The Wiretap newsletter, featuring all of the above.

1,507 Followers  |  252 Following  |  203 Posts  |  Joined: 27.11.2024
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Posts by Thomas Brewster (@thomasbrewster.bsky.social)

Re the blue tick - Iranian intel agency MOIS is under US sanctions and no US company should be selling any services to them whatsoever.

02.03.2026 20:58 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Iranian Hackers Use Elon Musk’s Starlink To Stay Online As the attacks continue, Iranians have turned to Space X’s satellite internet technology β€” including one of the country’s most notorious hacker crews, which is claiming retaliatory cyberattacks agains...

🚨NEW🚨 One of Iran's most notorious hacker crews, linked by Israelis to Tehran's intelligence apparatus, is using Elon Musk's Starlink to stay online.

It also has a blue tick account on Elon Musk's X, where it's been advertising its unverified retaliatory hacks.

www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...

02.03.2026 20:40 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

Haha thanks man!

26.02.2026 19:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Wild to see this half a decade after I revealed Intellexa to the world: youtu.be/Tl3mpywMYFA?...

26.02.2026 19:13 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes this - fpds.gov was the basis of a lot of investigations me and others have done over may years. The alternatives are shinier but far more convoluted and irritating.

26.02.2026 16:15 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Good thing @ddosecrets.org preserved those records ddosecrets.org/article/epst...

See also our collaboration with @jmail.world to make them searchable, including DDoSecrets' leaked archive of Epstein emails ddosecrets.org/article/epst..., which we partnered with @dropsitenews.com on

24.02.2026 12:50 β€” πŸ‘ 48    πŸ” 19    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Justice Department withheld and removed some Epstein files related to Trump An NPR investigation finds the public database of Epstein files is missing dozens of pages related to sexual abuse accusations against President Trump.

The Justice Department has withheld some Epstein files related to allegations that President Trump sexually abused a minor, an NPR investigation finds. It also removed some documents from the public database where accusations against Jeffrey Epstein also mention Trump.

www.npr.org/2026/02/24/n...

24.02.2026 12:22 β€” πŸ‘ 4381    πŸ” 1854    πŸ’¬ 175    πŸ“Œ 121
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Social Security Workers Are BeingΒ Told to Hand Over Appointment Details to ICE The recent request goes against decades of precedent, and puts noncitizens at further risk of immigration enforcement actions.

NEW: SSA has been told to tell ICE the "date and time" when certain people have appointments, likely subjecting those people to ICE enforcement actions when they come in. @zoeschiffer.bsky.social, @telliotter.bsky.social, & @leahfeiger.bsky.social w/ the scoop: www.wired.com/story/social...

13.02.2026 20:17 β€” πŸ‘ 134    πŸ” 91    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 10

I just... can't believe... they wrote that... to their staff?!

13.02.2026 15:05 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash Flock off

Coincidentally, surveillance backlash is my DJ name.

12.02.2026 23:18 β€” πŸ‘ 481    πŸ” 110    πŸ’¬ 13    πŸ“Œ 8
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Epstein Could Have Made $100 Million On A Secret Police Tech Investment Former Israel prime minister Ehud Barak helped the convicted sex trafficker quietly invest $1 million in a police tech startup in 2015. Its founder said the company, which is set to be acquired by Axo...

🚨NEW🚨 Epstein could've made $$$ off his investment in a police tech startup then valued at $4.5m.

The startup says it never knew of his involvement, concealed by Ehud Barak, former Israel PM.

The company is about to sell for Axon for $625 million.
www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...

10.02.2026 18:35 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
How Jeffrey Epstein Manipulated Google Search To Bury His Past Using a mix of search engine experts and β€œhackers,” Epstein sought to promote his philanthropy so he could bury negative news about his sex trafficking.

🚨NEW🚨 Epstein paid tens of thousands to a search engine expert to promote his philanthropy and bury negative news on Google Search about his sex trafficking.

That included getting a positive story in Forbes.

First insight into how that all happened here.

www.forbes.com/sites/the-wi...

10.02.2026 19:52 β€” πŸ‘ 101    πŸ” 68    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 4

Maybe this is also why he went to DEF CON to scout for hacking talent

10.02.2026 20:59 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
How Jeffrey Epstein Manipulated Google Search To Bury His Past Using a mix of search engine experts and β€œhackers,” Epstein sought to promote his philanthropy so he could bury negative news about his sex trafficking.

🚨NEW🚨 Epstein paid tens of thousands to a search engine expert to promote his philanthropy and bury negative news on Google Search about his sex trafficking.

That included getting a positive story in Forbes.

First insight into how that all happened here.

www.forbes.com/sites/the-wi...

10.02.2026 19:52 β€” πŸ‘ 101    πŸ” 68    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 4

Barak also promoted an Amazon Alexa-hacking startup called Toka to Epstein and asked him to pass it on to his government contacts...

10.02.2026 18:36 β€” πŸ‘ 27    πŸ” 14    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Epstein Could Have Made $100 Million On A Secret Police Tech Investment Former Israel prime minister Ehud Barak helped the convicted sex trafficker quietly invest $1 million in a police tech startup in 2015. Its founder said the company, which is set to be acquired by Axo...

🚨NEW🚨 Epstein could've made $$$ off his investment in a police tech startup then valued at $4.5m.

The startup says it never knew of his involvement, concealed by Ehud Barak, former Israel PM.

The company is about to sell for Axon for $625 million.
www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...

10.02.2026 18:35 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

Good job lads

09.02.2026 16:03 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

Here's who the Washington Post just laid off.

04.02.2026 21:10 β€” πŸ‘ 766    πŸ” 337    πŸ’¬ 33    πŸ“Œ 42
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How Jeffrey Epstein Helped His Publicist Become A Big-Time Venture Capitalist Masha Bucher is one of the more high profile female VCs in Silicon Valley. New emails released from the Department of Justice reveal a deep, years long relationship with convicted sex trafficker Jeffr...

Great story by @iainmartin.bsky.social on VC Masha Bucher and her deep, years-long relationship w/ Jeffrey Epstein @forbes.com

www.forbes.com/sites/iainma...

04.02.2026 21:23 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Laying off @joemenn.bsky.social is the newsroom management equivalent of stapling your dick to the wall. Truly insane move, and one of many.

04.02.2026 18:23 β€” πŸ‘ 195    πŸ” 35    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 2
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FBI Uses Facial Recognition To Identify ICE Protestors In Social Media Videos The FBI has charged multiple people with crimes like vandalism after determining their identities using the controversial technology, according to court records.

The FBI is using facial recognition to identify ICE protestors from YouTube and social media β€” a chilling escalation of surveillance against the constitutional right to protest.

@thomasbrewster.bsky.social reports on what’s at stake for protest and privacy rights:

04.02.2026 19:17 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
Jeffrey Epstein being super creepy in front of a startup founder

Jeffrey Epstein being super creepy in front of a startup founder

When a PR fixer turned VC introduced a startup founder to Jeffrey Epstein... what a lede from @iainmartin.bsky.social 🫠

www.forbes.com/sites/iainma...

04.02.2026 21:13 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2

Keep in mind the FBI is relying heavily on footage from tipsters at ICE protests, some of whom are likely against the anti-ICE movement.

02.02.2026 20:16 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2

There's a lot of Steven Bannon in the Epstein files, but I laughed out loud when Epstein asked a contact if he thought it possible Bannon could do a talk at DEF CON.

@thedarktangent.defcon.social.ap.brid.gy - thoughts?!

02.02.2026 16:08 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
FBI Uses Facial Recognition To Identify ICE Protestors In Social Media Videos The FBI has charged multiple people with crimes like vandalism after determining their identities using the controversial technology, according to court records.

The FBI Is Using Facial Recognition To Identify ICE Protestors In Social Media Videos

31.01.2026 15:12 β€” πŸ‘ 314    πŸ” 223    πŸ’¬ 79    πŸ“Œ 19

Worth a repost given all the protests happening today…

31.01.2026 16:56 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
FBI Uses Facial Recognition To Identify ICE Protestors In Social Media Videos The FBI has charged multiple people with crimes like vandalism after determining their identities using the controversial technology, according to court records.

In one case, a citizen helped outβ€”an FBI tipster used their own facial recognition to identify someone allegedly stealing a weapon from an FBI car during the Minneapolis protests.

They then gave the FBI the identity and social media profiles of the person.

www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...

30.01.2026 21:04 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
FBI Uses Facial Recognition To Identify ICE Protestors In Social Media Videos The FBI has charged multiple people with crimes like vandalism after determining their identities using the controversial technology, according to court records.

🚨NEW🚨 The FBI used facial recognition to identify then charge ICE protestors causing damage to gov property in Minneapolis.

Agents have been looking through YouTube footage, as well as video sent in by tipsters at the protests, before deploying the surveillance tech.

www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...

30.01.2026 21:03 β€” πŸ‘ 32    πŸ” 25    πŸ’¬ 9    πŸ“Œ 6
Preview
FBI Uses Facial Recognition To Identify ICE Protestors In Social Media Videos The FBI has charged multiple people with crimes like vandalism after determining their identities using the controversial technology, according to court records.

A YouTube creator whose footage the FBI used to identify a protester with facial recognition told me they didn't know their video had been used by the feds and "we condemn these actions."

www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...

30.01.2026 21:07 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
FBI Uses Facial Recognition To Identify ICE Protestors In Social Media Videos The FBI has charged multiple people with crimes like vandalism after determining their identities using the controversial technology, according to court records.

In one case, a citizen helped outβ€”an FBI tipster used their own facial recognition to identify someone allegedly stealing a weapon from an FBI car during the Minneapolis protests.

They then gave the FBI the identity and social media profiles of the person.

www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...

30.01.2026 21:04 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1