Wildfires burned more than 10 million acres in the United States during the 2020 season. It was the worst season on record. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/us-2020-wildfire-season-record-bad…
Tag: Arson
Google is Giving Data To Police Based on Search Keywords, Court Docs Show
There are few things as revealing as a person’s search history, and police typically need a warrant on a known suspect to demand that sensitive information. But a recently unsealed court document found that investigators can request such data in reverse order by asking Google to disclose everyone who searched a keyword rather than for information on a known suspect. From…
Police Surveilled Protests With Help From Twitter-Affiliated Startup Dataminr
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Intercept: Leveraging close ties to Twitter, controversial artificial intelligence startup Dataminr helped law enforcement digitally monitor the protests that swept the country following the killing of George Floyd, tipping off police to social media posts with the latest whereabouts and actions of demonstrators, according to documents reviewed by The Intercept and a source…
FBI Used Etsy, LinkedIn To Make Arrest In Torching of Philadelphia Police Vehicles
Authorities used popular websites including Etsy, Poshmark and LinkedIn to identify a woman who has since been charged for the arson of two Philadelphia police vehicles during the unrest that followed peaceful protests on May 30. From a report: Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal, 33, of Philadelphia, is currently in federal custody and had her initial court appearance on Tuesday. According to United States…
Cell-Tower Attacks By Idiots Who Claim 5G Spreads COVID-19 Reportedly Hit US
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly issuing alerts to wireless telecom providers and law enforcement agencies about potential attacks on cell towers and telecommunications workers by 5G/coronavirus conspiracy theorists. The DHS warned that there have already been “arson and physical attacks against cell towers in several U.S. states.” The preposterous claim…
Dozens More Arson Attacks on UK Phone Masts Over 5G Conspiracy Theory
“Mobile phone masts in the UK are still being attacked by arsonists on a daily basis,” reports Wired, “because of a conspiracy theory linking 5G to the spread of coronavirus.” New data seen by WIRED UK reveals that dozens of attacks have taken place in the last fortnight, with conspiracy theorists targeting both infrastructure and key workers in the misguided belief…
Conspiracy Theories Provoke 30 Arson Attacks and Vandalism Against UK Cellphone Towers
Conspiracy theorists have committed more than 30 acts of arson and vandalism against U.K. wireless towers and other telecom gear, reports the New York Times, citing police reports and a telecom trade group. But what’s stirring them up? For starters, over two million people watched a 5G conspiracy video on YouTube last month, the Times notes, adding that the misinformation is…
Broadband Engineers Threatened Due To 5G Coronavirus Conspiracies
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Telecoms engineers are facing verbal and physical threats during the lockdown, as baseless conspiracy theories linking coronavirus to the roll-out of 5G technology spread by celebrities such as Amanda Holden prompt members of the public to abuse those maintaining vital mobile phone and broadband networks. Facebook has removed one anti-5G group in…
Motherboard Built a Database of Over 500 iPhones Cops Have Tried To Unlock
“Motherboard built and analyzed a database of over 500 iPhones seized by law enforcement,” writes Slashdot reader em1ly. “It’s a deep dive into the ongoing “Going Dark” conversation.” Here’s an excerpt from the report: Most of all, the records compiled by Motherboard show that the capability to unlock iPhones is a fluid issue, with an ebb and flow of law enforcement…
Cops Are Giving Amazon’s Ring Your Real-Time 911 Caller Data
Gizmodo has learned that Amazon’s Ring home security system is pursuing contracts with police departments that would grant it direct access to real-time emergency dispatch data. From the report: The California-based company is seeking police departments’ permission to tap into the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) feeds used to automate and improve decisions made by emergency dispatch personnel and cut down on police…