Jerome D. Greco

Extremely Online A tech accountability round-up: stories, events and more

Trying this out after the nth person asked if I had a newsletter. Will post original content, upcoming events, job postings and more in tech and AI accountability. Subscribe and let me know if you have any feedback!

Trump’s Version of “Domestic Terrorism” vs. the First Amendment The administration has given itself permission to prosecute people and organizations for their political views.

Trump backed off calling Renee Good & Alex Pretti domestic terrorists because people didn't like it. But as I wrote, the admin is still doubling down on the use of domestic terrorism investigations to scare Americans away from using their First Amendment rights. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

If You Heart NY, Pay in Cash! IF YOU ♥️ NY, PAY IN CASH! (...or tap for surveillance) Pssst hi New Yorkers, Happy Valentine’s Day to you. ❤️ We wanted to love on our favorite city by highlightin...

thecrcr.org/if-you-heart...

No One, Including Our Furry Friends, Will Be Safer in Ring's Amazon Ring’s Super Bowl ad offered a vision of our streets that should leave every person unsettled about the company’s goals for disintegrating our privacy in public.In the ad, disguised as a

Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...

A letter to the director of the CIA from Senator Ron Wyden saying he has sent a classified letter that expressed concerns.

This is how Sen. Ron Wyden clues the public into activity that he finds extremely alarming. He does a press release about a letter he sent to the director of the CIA that basically says, 'I want to make sure you saw the classified letter I sent early today.' www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/do...

Federal Watchlists for Protesters, Banning Ghost Guns, ALPR Virginia Federal Ct. Decision, File Signatures and Carving & More Vol. 7, Issue 2

February Decrypting a Defense Newsletter. Greg discusses federal watchlists tracking protesters. @shaneferro.bsky.social criticizes an attempt to ban ghost guns and digital blueprints. @diz.bsky.social analyzes an automated license plate readers decision. Chris explains file signatures and carving.

I wrote section 230 to protect user speech, not a company's own speech. I've long said AI chatbot outputs are not protected by 230 and that it is not a close call. Given that the Trump administration is going to the mat to protect pedophiles, states should step in to hold Musk and X accountable.

Real Time Facial Recognition, White House AI Executive Order, Failure to Preserve Video, State of the Surveillance State & More Vol. 7, Issue 1

New Decrypting a Defense issue. Jon discusses body-worn cameras and real-time facial recognition. Max covers the White House's Executive Order on AI. Joel examines the law as it applies to unpreserved police surveillance video. Finally, I give the 2nd annual State of the Surveillance State Address.

NYPD Sued Over Possible Records Collected Through Muslim Spying Program The New York Police Department's “mosque-raking” program targeted Muslim communities across NYC. Now, as the city's first Muslim mayor takes office, one man is fighting—again—to fully expose it.

The New York Police Department's “mosque-raking” program targeted Muslim communities across NYC. Now, as the city's first Muslim mayor takes office, one man is fighting—again—to fully expose it. www.wired.com/story/nypd-s...

I made an advent calendar of one thing you can do every day to improve your digital security and become more informed (ie paranoid).

Signal Group Infiltration, Surveillance Advent Calendar, NYC FOIL Bill Passes, Facial Recognition When Traveling & More Vol. 6, Issue 12

New Decrypting a Defense issue. Greg discusses an infiltration by police into an activist Signal group. @diz.bsky.social provides the 1st DFU advent calendar. Laura celebrates a NYC bill to improve FOIL responses. Christine answers a question about facial recognition and holiday travelers.

The Feds Want to Make It Illegal to Even Possess an Anarchist Zine Daniel Sanchez is facing federal charges for what free speech advocates say is a clear attack on the First Amendment.

“Prosecutors think they’ve found a constitutional loophole — if you can’t punish reporting it, punish transporting it.”

We wrote for @theintercept.com about how efforts to criminalize possession of words threaten press freedom.

I critique software I use because I wish it were better, not because I think it's bad.

As a bookstore that sells pamphlets and magazines, the criminalization of such materials feels pretty close to home. So let's take a closer look at the materials the federal government is claiming tie readers to "antifa terrorism." We can pick out six titles in these grainy photos. 1/

Hey, Minnesota, Louisiana, and South Dakota! Have you caught us in the wild yet?

Despite what lawmakers in your states say about abortion or their efforts to block abortion access, you DO have rights!

Tag us in any pics you take with our billboards and let the world know that you know you best!

Anonymity for Everyone: Why You Need Tor Tor is an invaluable tool for bypassing censorship and browsing privately, in this week's video we dive into the details and explain how it works. Plus we cover some things you should avoid when using...

Check out @privacyguides.org primer on why everyone benefits from using Tor. www.privacyguides.org/videos/2025/...

Analysis by @amnestyuk.bsky.social and S.T.O.P. of the over 2,700 documents to date reveals that facial recognition technologies (FRT) were used on several occasions by the NYPD, subjecting New Yorkers to invasive, flawed, and deeply discriminatory surveillance technologies. #BanTheScan

Amnesty International, S.T.O.P. Lawsuit Reveals NYPD Surveillance Abuses — S.T.O.P. - The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project

BREAKING: Amnesty International, S.T.O.P. Lawsuit Reveals NYPD Surveillance Abuses #BanTheScan @amnestyuk.bsky.social

"New York promises to be a sanctuary city, but we’ve created nothing short of a surveillance state." - S.T.O.P. Executive Director Michelle Dahl

www.stopspying.org/latest-news/...

Mayor-Elect Mamdani Can Build a Tech Agenda for New York and a Model for the Country | TechPolicy.Press By resisting surveillance, extraction, and exploitation, Mamdani can show how technology truly serves the people, writes Rebecca Williams.

Full text here: www.techpolicy.press/mayor-elect-...

Mayor-Elect Mamdani Can Build a Tech Agenda for New York and a Model for the Country | TechPolicy.Press By resisting surveillance, extraction, and exploitation, Mamdani can show how technology truly serves the people, writes Rebecca Williams.

Former FTC chair Lina Khan was just named to NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's transition team—just one sign that his new administration will take tech matters seriously, writes Rebecca Williams. She offers a tech agenda for the new mayor to advance his campaign goals:

Cities Start Going Flockless, NYPD Cameras Lawsuit, CSAM & the Private Search Doctrine, OSINT Intro for Witness Social Media & More Vol. 6, Issue 11

New Decrypting a Defense Newsletter issue. Jon explains the growing backlash to Flock ALPR. Joel discusses a recent lawsuit brought by @stopspyingny.bsky.social against the NYPD. I review two court decisions about CSAM investigations. Allison answers a question about finding a witness' social media.

Opinion: Fixing Flaws in New York’s Freedom of Information Law  - City Limits "It is time for New York City to pave the way to a modern, functioning FOIL landscape. The public is unable to understand, debate, and challenge government practices if it is kept in the dark about wh...

citylimits.org/opinion-fixi...

ICE Increases Capabilities, SIM Card Farm, NYCHA Surveillance Hearing, Fixing Broken Phones for Extraction & More Vol. 6, Issue 10

New Decrypting a Defense issue. Greg discusses ICE's increased surveillance capabilities. Joel reviews a recent investigation into a SIM card farm. Laura recaps the takeaways from the NYC Council hearing on NYCHA surveillance and Brandon answers a question on extracting data from a broken phone.

Over a few months, a person driving around *one* town wracked up 526 location datapoints. We know that number because police were surveilling this person--but you can be assured the geolocation data you're leaving behind is similar and just sitting on a server somewhere. ALPRs are mass surveillance.

@tiffanycaban.bsky.social arrested outside of 26 Federal Plaza along with dozens of other protesters - including faith leaders and other elected officials - demanding ICE get out of NYC

Just now, 11 state and city lawmakers were arrested by DHS police on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza after a hour of demanding access to the ICE lock up on the same floor. @thecity.nyc

It is weird that the assassination of essentially a celebrity influencer is a bigger deal than the shooting of two top state legislators + their spouses

Surveillance of NYCHA Residents, Facial Recognition False Arrest, Karen Read Trial Evidence, Deleted Messages & More Vol. 6, Issue 9

New Decrypting a Defense issue. Laura addresses the NYPD secret surveillance of NYCHA residents. @diz.bsky.social discusses a false facial recognition match in NYC. Lisa examines conflicting expert testimony in the Karen Read trial and Allison answers questions about recovering deleted messages.

LAS Demands Ban on NYPD’s Use of Facial Recognition Technology Legal Aid is calling for an investigation after detailing multiple alarming cases in which the NYPD appears to have violated its own policies.

“Everyone, including the NYPD, knows that facial recognition technology is unreliable, yet the NYPD disregards even its own protocols...Elected officials must act now to ban its use by law enforcement.”
Diane Akerman, LAS Digital Forensics Unit

legalaidnyc.org/news/demands...

Filling In the Gaps For People Search Site Removal Services

I just updated FIG: Filling in the Gaps for People Search Removal Services. It's a list of people search sites NOT covered by paid services. It's now in alphabetical order, easier to use with BADBOOL, added new brokers and removed defunct brokers and removal services. docs.google.com/spreadsheets...