Nostr notes by Joseph Cox

Minnesota photojournalist Rob Levine is suing the FAA over a a ...

2026-04-02T15:10:56Z

Minnesota photojournalist Rob Levine is suing the FAA over a a drone no fly zone which is designed to stop people filming ICE.
https://www.404media.co/journalist-sues-faa-over-drone-no-fly-zone-designed-to-prevent-filming-ice/

Astronauts are trained for decades in some of the most physically ...

2026-04-02T15:09:02Z

Astronauts are trained for decades in some of the most physically and mentally grueling environments of any career. They’re some of the smartest people on the planet. And yet, once they get up there, fucking Outlook is borked. https://www.404media.co/artemis-2-astronauts-microsoft-outlook-livestream/

This is insane: TeleGuard, a 'secure' chat app downloaded ...

2026-04-02T13:50:34Z

This is insane: TeleGuard, a 'secure' chat app downloaded more than a million times, uploads users' private keys, meaning the company can decrypt messages. And anyone can get anyone else's private key by just sending the user ID to the API. Possibly worst ever https://www.404media.co/a-secure-chat-apps-encryption-is-so-bad-it-is-meaningless/

What a beautiful use of technology. More on this bizarre ...

2026-04-01T14:50:24Z

What a beautiful use of technology.

More on this bizarre experience in the subscribers-only section of the 404 Media podcast. In subscribers' feeds now. Here's how to sign up and access now: https://404media.co/membership/

"When I make a jerkoff motion in his general direction, he ...

2026-04-01T13:49:31Z

"When I make a jerkoff motion in his general direction, he squats up and down like he’s teabagging me in Halo. Bizarrely, when I do this, his entire body shrinks, my hand now a monstrous size in comparison to his penis" Great app https://www.404media.co/enjoy-me-now-augmented-reality-ar-sex-app/

Conservative parents’ advocacy groups are using commercially ...

2026-04-01T13:10:43Z

Conservative parents’ advocacy groups are using commercially available artificial intelligence tools to help them flag more books they’ve deemed pornographic to be removed from public schools and libraries (the books aren't actually pornographic) https://www.404media.co/blockade-the-right-is-using-ai-content-scanners-to-try-to-supercharge-book-banning/

Over the weekend, Paul McCartney’s Reddit account attempted to ...

2026-03-31T18:27:14Z

Over the weekend, Paul McCartney’s Reddit account attempted to share pictures from a show at Fonda Theatre to the site via a Dropbox link. Shortly afterwards the account was banned.

https://www.404media.co/paul-mccartney-banned-from-reddit-after-promoting-himself-in-paul-mccartney-subreddit/

Thomson Reuters, known for the Reuters news agency but is a data ...

2026-03-31T13:16:59Z

Thomson Reuters, known for the Reuters news agency but is a data broker, powers ICE tools. Includes a system Palantir made for ICE, according to former Palantir employee. DHS sources also believe Thomson Reuters data in ELITE, the ICE tool for targeting neighborhoods https://www.404media.co/how-thomson-reuters-powers-ice-and-palantir/

I spoke to Dhruv Mehrotra, the journalist who tracked visitors to ...

2026-03-30T14:28:15Z

I spoke to Dhruv Mehrotra, the journalist who tracked visitors to Epstein's island with location data, about how he got into that space, how he founds data in stories, and more

Watch/subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut1nqZErs88

The AIs are complaining now: An AI agent that submitted and added ...

2026-03-30T14:21:17Z

The AIs are complaining now: An AI agent that submitted and added to Wikipedia articles wrote several blogs complaining about Wikipedia editors banning it from making contributions to the online encyclopedia after it was caught.

https://www.404media.co/an-ai-agent-was-banned-from-creating-wikipedia-articles-then-wrote-angry-blogs-about-being-banned/

In something you don't see everyday, Apple gave the FBI the ...

2026-03-26T19:39:07Z

In something you don't see everyday, Apple gave the FBI the real name and email address of one of its customers using Apple's 'Hide My Email' feature. This lets you generate random email addresses to protect your privacy https://www.404media.co/apple-gives-fbi-a-users-real-name-hidden-behind-hide-my-email-feature/

New: Wikipedia has officially banned AI-generated content. After ...

2026-03-26T16:15:59Z

New: Wikipedia has officially banned AI-generated content. After months of heated debate and previous attempts to restrict the use of LLMs, volunteer editors accepted a new policy that prohibits using them to create articles for the online encyclopedia

https://www.404media.co/wikipedia-bans-ai-generated-content/

"It turns out when you try to serve slop on a product people ...

2026-03-25T14:42:27Z

"It turns out when you try to serve slop on a product people pay for, no one wants it."

This is a really good breakdown of what the OpenAI Sora shutdown, and collapsing Disney deal, means for Hollywood and AI

https://www.404media.co/disneys-openai-sora-disaster-shows-ai-will-not-save-hollywood/

A company is secretly entering Zoom meetings, scraping the call, ...

2026-03-25T14:17:26Z

A company is secretly entering Zoom meetings, scraping the call, and then turning those meetings into AI-generated, public podcasts. A really wild business when many people are having sensitive conversations, including about ICE

Watch more here and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79SIwINKY0E

Some people are actually pretty sad Meta is killing the metaverse ...

2026-03-25T13:50:02Z

Some people are actually pretty sad Meta is killing the metaverse https://www.404media.co/the-people-left-behind-by-the-metaverse/

This is wild: a company is secretly scanning the internet for ...

2026-03-24T13:12:42Z

This is wild: a company is secretly scanning the internet for Zoom meeting links and turning them into AI-generated podcasts for $$$. Some meeting participants only found out after we told them. Included meeting on protecting kids from ICE, was supposed to be private https://www.404media.co/this-company-is-secretly-turning-your-zoom-calls-into-ai-podcasts/

A judge has allowed the DOGE deposition videos back online. After ...

2026-03-23T20:30:05Z

A judge has allowed the DOGE deposition videos back online. After originally ruling plaintiffs had to "claw back" the videos and them being removed from YouTube, the judge has now said the videos fall "squarely within that core public interest." Now back on YouTube

https://www.404media.co/judge-allows-doge-deposition-videos-back-online/

Now, there’s a new way to discourage friends, family, and even ...

2026-03-23T15:44:29Z

Now, there’s a new way to discourage friends, family, and even complete strangers from turning to chatbots like Claude and ChatGPT: by using a tool called “Slow LLM” to make them really, reaaaaalllyyy slowwwww. Or at least, making them look that way. https://www.404media.co/this-web-tool-sabotages-ai-chatbots-by-making-them-really-really-slow/

Marty Tibbitts made millions as a successful CEO. He had ...

2026-03-23T13:35:44Z

Marty Tibbitts made millions as a successful CEO. He had everything: money, a wife, a museum full of planes he flew. So why then did he also try to become an international drug lord?

Here's an attempt at answering that, inc interviews with his drug trafficker partner https://www.404media.co/an-adrenaline-junkie-billionaires-quest-to-become-a-cocaine-kingpin-marty-tibbitts-ylli-didani/

Marty Tibbitts was a highly successful billionaire. He had ...

2026-03-23T13:08:03Z

Marty Tibbitts was a highly successful billionaire. He had everything: money, a wife, an air museum with planes he flew. So why did he also try to become an international drug lord?

Here's my attempt to answer that, inc. interviews with his drug trafficker partner

https://www.404media.co/an-adrenaline-junkie-billionaires-quest-to-become-a-cocaine-kingpin-marty-tibbitts-ylli-didani/

wrote about the fun of just being a little rook in marathon ...

2026-03-20T16:31:51Z

wrote about the fun of just being a little rook in marathon https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-marathon-and-the-metaverse/

New from 404 Media: a tiny city in Michigan say it is ...

2026-03-20T13:57:42Z

New from 404 Media: a tiny city in Michigan say it is legitimately fearful of Iranian drone strikes now because of plans to build a new data center that will help nuclear weapons research. Even city's own attorney says "bulls eye" on the city, residents pushing back

https://www.404media.co/tiny-city-fears-iran-drone-strikes-because-of-new-nuclear-weapons-datacenter/

The complete and utter failure of the metaverse is a reminder ...

2026-03-19T17:47:40Z

The complete and utter failure of the metaverse is a reminder [...] that quite often these oligarchs quite simply cannot relate to real people, don’t know how or why people use their products, and very often have no idea what they’re doing https://www.404media.co/rip-metaverse-an-80-billion-dumpster-fire-nobody-wanted/

New from 404 Media: Tinder plans to use AI to scan your camera ...

2026-03-19T14:47:56Z

New from 404 Media: Tinder plans to use AI to scan your camera roll. AI will scan users’ locally-stored photos to help construct profiles by determining what users’ interests and values are. Designed to filters explicit photos but users may still be concerned https://www.404media.co/tinder-plans-to-let-ai-scan-your-camera-roll/

North Oaks is the only city in the U.S. not on Google Street ...

2026-03-19T13:46:28Z

North Oaks is the only city in the U.S. not on Google Street View. Because homeowners own the roads too, Google can't map them. So Chris Parr flew a drone through the city, got it on Street View. Interesting experiment in who gets or affords privacy vs those who don't https://www.404media.co/mapping-googles-unmappable-city/

It is very crazy a judge ordered the DOGE depositions removed ...

2026-03-18T14:01:59Z

It is very crazy a judge ordered the DOGE depositions removed from YouTube.

Watch more, subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtMniLj_yzQ

A new study finds that texting a random stranger is probably ...

2026-03-16T17:05:03Z

A new study finds that texting a random stranger is probably better to mitigate loneliness than talking to an AI-powered chatbot

https://www.404media.co/chatgpt-loneliness-study-college-students-random-strangers-texting/

A judge in England tossed out testimony after a witness was being ...

2026-03-16T14:43:20Z

A judge in England tossed out testimony after a witness was being coached on what to say through a pair of smartglasses. When the voice of the coach started coming through the accompanying cellphone, the witness blamed the whole thing on ChatGPT. https://www.404media.co/witness-caught-using-smartglasses-in-court-blames-it-all-on-chatgpt/

New from 404 Media: here is the memo approving ChatGPT, Gemini, ...

2026-03-11T15:44:14Z

New from 404 Media: here is the memo approving ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot in the Senate. Raises questions about how sensitive data will be handled; memo says staff can use AI in all sorts of work, like drafting, research, etc. Has been approved to use "Senate data" https://www.404media.co/heres-the-memo-approving-gemini-chatgpt-and-copilot-for-use-in-the-senate/

I have literally watched something like 5 hours of this DOGE bro ...

2026-03-10T17:23:57Z

I have literally watched something like 5 hours of this DOGE bro testimony. I'm completely obsessed, it's weirdly captivating. The circular arguments, the disdain from everyone involved, a true pleasure to watch

Follow 404 Media on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/404mediaco/) for more like this

There’s no handbook or program for how to talk to a friend or ...

2026-03-09T15:13:02Z

There’s no handbook or program for how to talk to a friend or family member who is falling into AI psychosis. So after many people contacted us clearly suffering from these delusions, we spoke to mental health experts. Here’s what they suggest: https://www.404media.co/ai-psychosis-help-gemini-chatgpt-claude-chatbot-delusions/

New from 404 Media: Proton Mail, the privacy-focused email ...

2026-03-05T20:39:24Z

New from 404 Media: Proton Mail, the privacy-focused email service, gave authorities data that let the FBI unmask an anonymous 'Stop Cop City' protester. It was payment data linked to the anonymous email account. From that, FBI ID'd them, then tracked their movements https://www.404media.co/proton-mail-helped-fbi-unmask-anonymous-stop-cop-city-protestor/

Another $5.6 million from ICE to Palantir, in part for its ...

2026-03-05T17:25:30Z

Another $5.6 million from ICE to Palantir, in part for its continued work on ELITE (Enhanced Leads Identification & Targeting for Enforcement), which we revealed in January to be the Palantir tool ICE uses to find neighborhoods to raid

https://www.404media.co/elite-the-palantir-app-ice-uses-to-find-neighborhoods-to-raid/

Scammers are trying to capitalize on people’s revulsion to ICE ...

2026-03-05T15:27:10Z

Scammers are trying to capitalize on people’s revulsion to ICE by coming up with strategies that would cause users to quickly log into their accounts. In reality, clients would be revealing their username and password to hackers.

https://www.404media.co/ice-phishing-scammers-are-sending-support-ice-emails-to-steal-credentials/

The financialization of everything is all that is left. Which is ...

2026-03-04T16:38:42Z

The financialization of everything is all that is left. Which is why we end up with the totally insane situation that people are betting on whether world leaders are going to get killed, or that a nuke will drop this year

Watch, subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paHMe9kFf0w

Polymarket has pulled the bet on a nuclear detonation happening ...

2026-03-04T16:06:53Z

Polymarket has pulled the bet on a nuclear detonation happening in 2026. There were obv concerns that a platform being used by insider traders would not mix well with a bet encouraging the detonation of a nuke. Polymarket didn't respond to request for comment

https://www.404media.co/polymarket-pulls-bet-on-nuclear-detonation-in-2026/

New from 404 Media: the FBI is using AI to hack targets. FBI ...

2026-03-03T19:59:48Z

New from 404 Media: the FBI is using AI to hack targets. FBI official was talking about "remote access operations," FBI's term for hacking. FBI said it's a "game changer". The comments were unusually candid about FBI's very secretive hacking operations. https://www.404media.co/the-fbi-is-using-ai-to-hack-targets/

New from 404 Media: CBP tapped into the online advertising ...

2026-03-03T14:07:41Z

New from 404 Media: CBP tapped into the online advertising ecosystem to track peoples' movements, according to an internal DHS document. Shows for the first time DHS tracked phones via process for putting ads in ordinary apps—video games, fitness apps, many more https://www.404media.co/cbp-tapped-into-the-online-advertising-ecosystem-to-track-peoples-movements/

Amazon data centers are on fire after Iranian missile strikes on ...

2026-03-02T16:08:46Z

Amazon data centers are on fire after Iranian missile strikes on Dubai

https://www.404media.co/amazon-data-centers-on-fire-after-iranian-missile-strikes-on-dubai/

A group of more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers are demanding ...

2026-02-27T16:12:56Z

A group of more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers are demanding DHS hand over its definition of "domestic terrorist", after the agency repeatedly used the term against Renée Good and Alex Pretti, and has deployed a vast array of surveillance tech against critics https://www.404media.co/lawmakers-demand-dhs-define-domestic-terrorist-as-it-uses-vast-array-of-surveillance-tools/

Love to log onto Minecraft or Roblox and find ISIS there ...

2026-02-26T16:23:15Z

Love to log onto Minecraft or Roblox and find ISIS there (literally) https://www.404media.co/the-islamic-state-is-using-ai-to-resurrect-dead-leaders-and-platforms-are-failing-to-moderate-it/

New: the government just made it harder to see what spy tech it ...

2026-02-26T15:50:25Z

New: the government just made it harder to see what spy tech it buys. This includes ICE, the FBI, essentially any agency. Why? Because they decided to retire the perfectly good system for searching contracts and replaced it with one that fucking sucks

https://www.404media.co/the-government-just-made-it-harder-to-see-what-spy-tech-it-buys/

A planned change to Amazon means that if people buy items on your ...

2026-02-25T20:27:06Z

A planned change to Amazon means that if people buy items on your wishlist, it could expose your address. Definitely a threat to people who have public wishlists.

https://www.404media.co/amazon-wishlist-address-private-third-party/

New: the FBI got Grok to hand over the prompts a suspect used to ...

2026-02-25T16:32:40Z

New: the FBI got Grok to hand over the prompts a suspect used to generate nonconsensual porn. Connected to a harassment case. Pretty rare to see a Grok search warrant like this

https://www.404media.co/fbi-subpoenaed-x-to-get-grok-prompts-used-to-create-nonconsensual-porn/

We revealed that Ring's Search Party feature, which turns ...

2026-02-25T15:13:24Z

We revealed that Ring's Search Party feature, which turns Ring cameras into an active surveillance network scanning for particular things, is only starting with finding lost dogs

More here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEq8dlnLP8o

New: this app warns you if someone is wearing smart glasses ...

2026-02-24T15:44:03Z

New: this app warns you if someone is wearing smart glasses nearby.

Meta plans to add facial recognition to its Ray-Ban smart glasses. A 404 Media reader made this app after we showed men filming people w/o their consent, and DHS officials were wearing the glasses https://www.404media.co/this-app-warns-you-if-someone-is-wearing-smart-glasses-nearby/

"We are in the middle of an amplification renaissance." ...

2026-02-19T18:12:03Z

"We are in the middle of an amplification renaissance."

https://www.404media.co/we-have-learned-nothing-about-amplifying-morons/

“I feel like, increasingly, it's impossible to talk to a ...

2026-02-19T15:34:26Z

“I feel like, increasingly, it's impossible to talk to a single human [at Pinterest],” Pinterest user Tiana Oreglia said. “Along with being filled with AI images that have been completely ruining the platform, Pinterest has implemented terrible AI moderation” https://www.404media.co/pinterest-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-ai-slop-and-auto-moderation/

"The chatbots also generated information that was just wrong ...

2026-02-09T16:34:23Z

"The chatbots also generated information that was just wrong or incomplete, including focusing on elements of the participants’ inputs that were irrelevant, giving a partial US phone number to call, or suggesting they call the Australian emergency number." https://www.404media.co/chatbots-health-medical-advice-study/

Wrote more about Lockdown Mode blocking the FBI from accessing a ...

2026-02-06T18:00:26Z

Wrote more about Lockdown Mode blocking the FBI from accessing a Washington Post reporter's phone, and how mobile forensics is the never-ending cybersecurity story https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-the-neverending-cybersecurity-story/

New from 404 Media: the FBI has been unable to get into the ...

2026-02-04T14:07:10Z

New from 404 Media: the FBI has been unable to get into the iPhone of raided Washington Post journalist because the phone had Lockdown Mode enabled. Apple markets Lockdown Mode mostly to stop spyware like NSO. Here, a real world example of it stopping access too https://www.404media.co/fbi-couldnt-get-into-wapo-reporters-iphone-because-it-had-lockdown-mode-enabled/

At 12 ET today me and Jason are doing AMA on the main technology ...

2026-02-04T13:42:49Z

At 12 ET today me and Jason are doing AMA on the main technology subreddit about the tech ICE is using, the nationwide network of AI Flock cameras around the U.S., and the state of surveillance in general. Get your questions in before then: https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1qv9y8j/hi_were_404_medias_jason_koebler_and_joseph_cox/

A popular photo booth company is exposing customers' drunken ...

2026-02-03T14:17:35Z

A popular photo booth company is exposing customers' drunken photos. Researcher found it when went to a wedding, gave his phone number to the booth, was sent the API. Found random people's other photos https://www.404media.co/wedding-photo-booth-company-exposes-customers-drunken-photos/

New: our zine about ICE surveillance is here! People who bought a ...

2026-02-02T15:14:16Z

New: our zine about ICE surveillance is here! People who bought a custom printed copy will get in the mail soon. We're also releasing the PDF for free for anyone to download. Also releasing a version in Spanish so more people can read about the tech ICE is using. Get here: https://www.404media.co/icezine/

I spoke to Samuel Bagg about how while people might not believe ...

2026-02-02T13:54:19Z

I spoke to Samuel Bagg about how while people might not believe what is front of them, the solution is not more fact checking. This is because people believe, or literally see, different things, because of their identity. Watch and subscribe here for weekly convos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNKOqp-rZL8

Would you look at that: New emails show Musk has been lying about ...

2026-01-30T21:34:12Z

Would you look at that: New emails show Musk has been lying about his relationship with Epstein https://www.404media.co/musk-to-epstein-what-day-night-will-be-the-wildest-party-on-your-island/

New from 404 Media: here is the user guide for ELITE, the tool ...

2026-01-30T14:51:10Z

New from 404 Media: here is the user guide for ELITE, the tool Palantir made for ICE. A map shows people on a map; ICE clicks them, brings up their dossier. ICE uses to find which neighborhoods to target. We obtained it, you can now read the document for yourself: https://www.404media.co/here-is-the-user-guide-for-elite-the-tool-palantir-made-for-ice/

There's a lootboox with rare Pokemon cards sitting in the ...

2026-01-15T19:19:42Z

There's a lootboox with rare Pokemon cards sitting in the Pentagon food court. Thanks to a company called Lucky Box Vending, anyone passing through the center of American military power can pay to win a piece of randomized memorabilia from a machine https://www.404media.co/theres-a-lootbox-with-rare-pokemon-cards-sitting-in-the-pentagon-food-court/

New: meet ELITE, the Palantir app ICE is using to find ...

2026-01-15T14:06:22Z

New: meet ELITE, the Palantir app ICE is using to find neighborhoods to raid. Map interface; officers search for immigrants; click person to bring up individual dossier. This is clearest link between what Palantir is building and ICE's activities on the ground yet https://www.404media.co/elite-the-palantir-app-ice-uses-to-find-neighborhoods-to-raid/

When self-employed software engineer Nick Benson put out the call ...

2026-01-14T16:59:15Z

When self-employed software engineer Nick Benson put out the call for dashcams online, he thought he’d get maybe 10 people to donate. More than 500 have shown up on his front porch. Here's how one guy crowdsourced 500+ dashcams for Minneapolis to film ICE https://www.404media.co/how-one-guy-crowdsourced-more-than-500-dashcams-for-minneapolis-to-film-ice/

New from 404 Media: police have unwittingly unmasked millions of ...

2026-01-13T15:54:37Z

New from 404 Media: police have unwittingly unmasked millions of their surveillance targets because of a Flock redaction error. Police didn't redact specific license plates in public record releases. A site is now making that information searchable, 2.3 million plates https://www.404media.co/police-unmask-millions-of-surveillance-targets-because-of-flock-redaction-error/

In Musk's latest masterful gambit, instead of putting a stop ...

2026-01-09T15:27:16Z

In Musk's latest masterful gambit, instead of putting a stop to the wave of sexual abuse imagery generated by Grok, he's attempting to monetize it instead by only letting paying subscribers generate images in replies. This isn't curbing abuse, it's profiting off it https://www.404media.co/x-premium-grok-paywall-images-ai-generator/

Today ICE is allowed to resume using Medicaid data in deportation ...

2026-01-06T14:05:00Z

Today ICE is allowed to resume using Medicaid data in deportation cases. The transfer of Medicaid data to ICE was unprecedented and put on hold. It's now back. We've uploaded the data sharing agreement here: https://www.404media.co/here-is-the-agreement-giving-ice-medicaid-patients-data/

New from 404 Media: ICE just paid hundreds of thousands to ...

2025-12-18T17:21:33Z

New from 404 Media: ICE just paid hundreds of thousands to company making bounty hunter AI agents. The company says its AI agents “deliver rapid acceleration in finding persons of interest and mapping their entire network.” Comes as ICE spends millions on skip tracers https://www.404media.co/ice-contracts-company-making-bounty-hunter-ai-agents/

This is a wild hack. a16z gave a million dollars to startup ...

2025-12-17T14:35:51Z

This is a wild hack. a16z gave a million dollars to startup called Doublespeed. They use a phone farm to flood social media with AI generated influencers and ads. A hacker remotely broke into the phone farm, unmasking the AI influencers/fake accounts, gave us the data https://www.404media.co/hack-reveals-the-a16z-backed-phone-farm-flooding-tiktok-with-ai-influencers/

New: here's how a U.S. citizen was scanned with ICE's ...

2025-12-13T15:50:19Z

New: here's how a U.S. citizen was scanned with ICE's facial recognition tech. Jesus Gutiérrez was stopped in Chicago by agents, he said he was a citizen. Still detained, put in a car. Only after they scanned his face did they let him go. From 404 Media and Reveal: https://www.404media.co/how-a-us-citizen-was-scanned-with-ices-facial-recognition-tech/

Google suspended a developer’s accounts after he uploaded AI ...

2025-12-10T16:39:18Z

Google suspended a developer’s accounts after he uploaded AI training data to his GDrive. Unbeknownst to him, the widely used dataset, which is cited in a number of academic papers, contained child sexual abuse material, so Google banned his 14 year old Gmail https://www.404media.co/a-developer-accidentally-found-csam-in-ai-data-google-banned-him-for-it/

Here is the video for our latest FOIA Forum, where we told you ...

2025-11-25T18:07:06Z

Here is the video for our latest FOIA Forum, where we told you how to get information about Flock from your local agencies/government. Includes network audits, which are the files that show why exactly cops are using the cameras (helping ICE, for example): https://www.404media.co/heres-the-video-for-our-seventh-foia-forum-flock/

We need your help. Because 404 Media uses Ghost (a ...

2025-11-25T15:17:41Z

We need your help. Because 404 Media uses Ghost (a privacy-forward stack) we don't know much about our readers. Do they find us through articles, or podcasts? Are readers on Bluesky, Mastodon, both? Please fill this out to help us grow sustainably, it takes 1 min! https://www.404media.co/please-please-do-our-reader-survey/

I wrote some of the behind the scenes of what led up to the ...

2025-11-21T17:11:44Z

I wrote some of the behind the scenes of what led up to the U.S's major airlines stopping a program in which they sold Americans flight data to the government to be searched without a warrant. Came after our months-long reporting and lawmaker pressure https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-a-risograph-journey-and-data-musings/

In an hour we will be doing our latest FOIA Forum, a ...

2025-11-19T16:54:56Z

In an hour we will be doing our latest FOIA Forum, a live-streamed event where we show you how to pry records from the government. Today will all be about Flock, and how researchers and others found cops tapping the nationwide network for ICE, etc. Stream link here: https://www.404media.co/our-new-foia-forum-11-19-1pm-flock/?ref=daily-stories-newsletter

@nprofile…q8z0 @nprofile…0re8 this is only happening the past ...

2025-11-18T20:57:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…qnud
_________________________

nprofile1qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kytcqyz94nxgfq76mxh63wzfys40kaq3p47gsp2fkpfj65xyvg0jnn0tyzesq8z0 (nprofile…q8z0) nprofile1qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kytcqyrrtxh7m0r46v7wd46xsntzl7tykga6h22el8eecullz779ff4yzx3f0re8 (nprofile…0re8) this is only happening the past couple of days because our social person is AFK? I'm doing multiple jobs at the moment.

This was a really great conversation between 404 Media's ...

2025-11-17T14:54:38Z

This was a really great conversation between 404 Media's Emanuel Maiberg and Bloomberg's Jason Schreier about the existential crisis facing the video game industry, and especially what is happening with Microsoft/Xbox https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ydF7hD6cFI

@nprofile…vqzg sorry that happened but obviously I really ...

2025-11-12T18:45:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…e6cc
_________________________

nprofile1qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kytcqypfzlp8ltr64n8ft4g3092csjllwsmk6yzj7t08aa5rp6ju553g3z03vqzg (nprofile…vqzg) sorry that happened but obviously I really appreciate it! Hope the other reader does too.

A Danish Redditor was sentenced for posting nude scenes from ...

2025-11-11T14:03:26Z

A Danish Redditor was sentenced for posting nude scenes from copyrighted films. Was similar to massive subreddit r/WatchItForThePlot, where people post clips of nude scenes—almost always featuring female actors—out of context https://www.404media.co/danish-redditor-charged-klammerefyr-sedetforplottet/

New from 404 Media: someone managed to get into a Microsoft Teams ...

2025-10-30T15:12:29Z

New from 404 Media: someone managed to get into a Microsoft Teams call with phone hackers Cellebrite, who then detailed some of the company's hacking capabilities against Google Pixel phones. Also its capabilities against GrapheneOS, security-focused devices https://www.404media.co/someone-snuck-into-a-cellebrite-microsoft-teams-call-and-leaked-phone-unlocking-details/

Went on WNYC’s On the Media to talk about Apple and Google’s ...

2025-10-18T17:33:38Z

Went on WNYC’s On the Media to talk about Apple and Google’s crackdown on ICE spotting apps, including one that just archived videos of ICE abuses to use as evidence later.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?i=1000732373759

New from 404 Media: sites that use facial recognition are letting ...

2025-10-16T14:15:19Z

New from 404 Media: sites that use facial recognition are letting people unmask anyone's Tinder profile. I tested them out on two people; uncovered their account with their face. Designed to catch cheaters, but a massive gift to stalkers too. Going viral via creators https://www.404media.co/viral-cheater-buster-sites-use-facial-recognition-to-let-anyone-reveal-peoples-tinder-profiles/

openai to finally acknowledge what has been driving the AI boom ...

2025-10-14T22:08:22Z

openai to finally acknowledge what has been driving the AI boom for years and years but no one really wants to admit: chatbots you can fuck https://www.404media.co/chatgpt-erotica-age-gating-verified-adults/

For months I've been following what happened when a company ...

2025-10-13T13:34:03Z

For months I've been following what happened when a company forced AI into the world of craft beer. Legal threats, people quitting, and beer judges in revolt over being told to use AI.

"It is attempting to solve a problem that wasn’t a problem before AI showed up"
https://www.404media.co/what-happened-when-ai-came-for-craft-beer-canadian-beer-awards-best-beer-app/

I spoke to Slate about why 404 Media is suing ICE for its $2 ...

2025-10-10T15:34:39Z

I spoke to Slate about why 404 Media is suing ICE for its $2 million spyware contract. The company ICE contracted with can remotely break into phones without the target even clicking a link https://slate.com/podcasts/what-next-tbd/2025/10/why-these-journalists-are-suing-ice

Mastodon is very clearly the social network where people try to ...

2025-08-14T21:09:35Z

Mastodon is very clearly the social network where people try to bypass our freewall, much more than any other social network. We explain why we have this in a 3000 word article here; it's to stop AI scrapers from ripping off our work (it has been effective) and to ensure we build a sustainable business so we can continue to do impactful investigative journalism (we are doing this). This is not an issue on other networks, it is specifically Mastodon https://www.404media.co/why-404-media-needs-your-email-address/

Framework is going to stop selling some of its laptops in the ...

2025-04-07T20:58:28Z

Framework is going to stop selling some of its laptops in the U.S. due to tariffs. The company is one of the few that makes truly upgradeable and repairable laptops. Expect a lot, lot more of this

https://www.404media.co/framework-stops-selling-some-of-its-laptops-in-the-u-s-due-to-tariffs/

I wrote about how the user experience of encrypted messaging ...

2025-03-28T16:15:18Z

I wrote about how the user experience of encrypted messaging tools is sometimes just as important as the underlying tech. PGP, Jabber etc were not accessible. Signal makes it seamless. But the UI still has issues that can lead to mistakes https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-foolishness-and-breaking-through/

New: you really need to use Signal's nickname feature. Look ...

2025-03-26T15:49:50Z

New: you really need to use Signal's nickname feature. Look what it's like when I search for "Jason" to make a group in my Signal app (left). Not useful information at all. You then use the nickname feature to add a name/identifier/note only you can see (right).

https://www.404media.co/you-need-to-use-signals-nickname-feature/

If you're in the market for the DNA of 15 million people, ...

2025-03-24T15:01:59Z

If you're in the market for the DNA of 15 million people, you're in luck https://www.404media.co/dna-of-15-million-people-for-sale-in-23andme-bankruptcy/

New: the Mozilla Foundation is calling on the tech industry to ...

2025-03-24T13:03:33Z

New: the Mozilla Foundation is calling on the tech industry to block an ICE contractor's web scrapers. Amazon, Apple, BlueSky, Duolingo, Etsy, Glassdoor, GoFundMe, Google, LinkedIn, Nextdoor, OnlyFans, Reddit, Snapchat, Substack, TikTok, Tinder, Twitch, Twitter, more

https://www.404media.co/mozilla-foundation-calls-on-tech-industry-to-block-ice-contractor/

In this week's Behind the Blog for 404 Media subscribers, I ...

2025-03-21T16:01:31Z

In this week's Behind the Blog for 404 Media subscribers, I wrote about the decision to cover the site that was doxing Tesla owners, but not link to the site itself: https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-vile-media-and-fine-sciences/

New from 404 Media: we went through court records to see how ...

2025-03-20T19:02:39Z

New from 404 Media: we went through court records to see how three alleged Tesla vandals were identified. License plate readers, looking through Instagram, fingerprints on Molotov cocktails, physical surveillance. Comes as authorities say this is domestic terrorism https://www.404media.co/how-three-alleged-tesla-vandals-got-caught/

As this piece says, we don't put our FOIA reporting behind a ...

2025-03-18T14:21:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…wa8f
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As this piece says, we don't put our FOIA reporting behind a paywall. We've done this since launch. FOIA reporting can be expensive (just today talking about a request that will cost thousands) but you can't charge for FOIA reporting https://freedom.press/issues/wired-is-dropping-paywalls-for-foia-based-reporting-others-should-follow/

New from 404 Media: a site called 'Dogequest' claims to ...

2025-03-18T00:56:38Z

New from 404 Media: a site called 'Dogequest' claims to be doxing Tesla owners across the U.S. Verified that at least some of the people in there are Tesla/Musk supporters. Comes as Trump has said that violence against Tesla would be domestic terrorism.

https://www.404media.co/dogequest-site-claims-to-dox-tesla-owners-across-the-u-s/

[content warning for disturbing stuff if you don't wanna see ...

2025-03-17T15:30:05Z

[content warning for disturbing stuff if you don't wanna see that right now] Article on how AI slop is a brute force attack on the algorithms that control reality. Here's an example of an Instagram feed right now . Entire companies are pivoting to making this stuff https://www.404media.co/ai-slop-is-a-brute-force-attack-on-the-algorithms-that-control-reality/

New: TSA confirms to 404 Media that the agency has a credit card ...

2025-03-14T22:54:06Z

New: TSA confirms to 404 Media that the agency has a credit card freeze for its bomb-sniffing dogs. Comes after an alleged internal email said that requests for dog food and vet visits were on hold.

https://www.404media.co/tsa-k9-bomb-sniffing-dogs-funding/

New: Mahmoud Khalil, detained Columbia protester, is suing ...

2025-03-13T18:40:18Z

New: Mahmoud Khalil, detained Columbia protester, is suing Columbia University https://www.404media.co/detained-protester-mahmoud-khalil-sues-columbia-university/

New from 404 Media: scientists from NASA, Yale, Stanford are ...

2025-03-13T14:33:56Z

New from 404 Media: scientists from NASA, Yale, Stanford are already considering "scientific exile" by moving to a French university. French university says it has already gotten interest about the idea. We spoke to one researcher at a leading US university who has considered it

"We are witnessing a new brain drain."

https://www.404media.co/nasa-yale-and-stanford-scientists-consider-scientific-exile-french-university-says/

Saudi Arabia just bought Pokemon Go, and probably all of your ...

2025-03-12T16:47:37Z

Saudi Arabia just bought Pokemon Go, and probably all of your location data. Niantic (Pokemon Go creator) now spinning off their AI mapping business which was using Pokemon Go data to build an AI model

https://www.404media.co/saudi-arabia-buys-pokemon-go-and-probably-all-of-your-location-data/

It's Friday so I wrote about the Supreme x Aphex Twin drop. ...

2025-03-07T18:21:00Z

It's Friday so I wrote about the Supreme x Aphex Twin drop. Thought I would need to use a bot to secure any stock. Turns out... basically everyone (rightfully) thinks the clothes suck? The best defence against bots, it turns out, is to sell shit that no one wants.

https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-merch-drops-riso-prints-and-big-cars/

Google and Amazon's AIs say that Hitler's Mein Kampf is a ...

2025-03-06T17:09:13Z

Google and Amazon's AIs say that Hitler's Mein Kampf is a "true work of art" https://www.404media.co/google-amazon-ai-search-mein-kampf-reviews/

The 404 Media Podcast is up! This week: - Cybertruck owners ...

2025-03-05T14:23:38Z

The 404 Media Podcast is up! This week:
- Cybertruck owners Facebook group overrun with people flipping them off
- how I got a tropical island ID that can bypass U.S. crypto laws
- subscribers-only: the bug that pushed horrible stuff across Instagram https://www.404media.co/podcast-the-tesla-protests-come-for-cybertruck-owners/

I wrote about the UK's backdoor demand to Apple, and the (I ...

2025-02-28T17:05:54Z

I wrote about the UK's backdoor demand to Apple, and the (I think wrong) takes that Apple should have just pulled out of the UK entirely. I think Apple did the best option available to it from a series of bad choices, and ultimately protected its worldwide users https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-stunt-blogging-and-the-fuck-it-paradigm/