FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday that he had opened an investigation into the Signal group text chats that Minnesota residents are using to share information about federal immigration agents’ movements, launching a new front in the Trump administration’s conflict there with potential free speech implications.

Patel said in an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that he wanted to know whether any Minnesota residents had put federal agents “in harm’s way” with activities such as sharing agents’ license plate numbers and locations.

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[–] [S] 129 points 9 months ago

Right now, there are 2 dead people in Minnesota and 7 dead people in ICE captive.

I don't give a fuck about federal agents when they are leaving a trail of bodies.

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  • [–] 82 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    None of these actions by citizens are illegal. Way to waste tax payer money. So glad the swamp got drained and we're great again!

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  • [–] 64 points 9 months ago

    that's exactly the kind of bullshit I'd expect a fascist lapdog to say.

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  • [–] 34 points 9 months ago

    Bitch shouldn't you worry about the excessive use of force ICE is using? Stop wasting our time and money and investigate the murders and executions that are occurring.

    Scared eye looking motherfucker.

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  • [–] 32 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    Where are the Epstein files, you lowlife piece of trash?

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  • [–] 24 points 9 months ago

    They all use ALPR cameras to track us all day, fuck 'em.

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  • [–] 18 points 9 months ago

    Incompetent fascist fuckwit

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  • [–] 14 points 9 months ago (13 children)

    Good luck trying to decrypt the texts

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  • [–] 16 points 9 months ago (3 children)

    They’re hoping to be add to the chat by error

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  • [–] 5 points 9 months ago (2 children)

    I see. Hopefully the group catches news of this

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  • [–] 6 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    Don't need to decrypt anything if someone gets caught with an easy phone unlock or flips. End to end means end to end. With the size of some of the groups and potential to infiltrate, I would assume that the comms are already compromised to one degree or another. If you get one of the ends, encryption means nothing. I bet kash's FBI just doesn't know who has it yet.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (4 children)

    The metadata alone can give them plenty

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  • [–] 0 points 9 months ago (3 children)

    Metadata is encrypted on signal

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

    You're probably thinking of things like in-app metadata like message timestamps or internal signal protocol stuff or something... But that's not what I'm referring to.

    For example, Signal and whatsapp can leak device and app activity (which can be surprisingly serious given most mobile AFU vulnerabilities)

    And as an example by comparison: Session et al have better anonymity and transit-metadata obfuscation

    To further explain what i mean: the Katzenpost network is being developed with post-quantum encryption and puts strong emphasis on metadata security... The latter is a significantly more challenging problem than just sending encrypted packets.

    Say the line Bart

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  • [–] 14 points 9 months ago

    WTAF? Why is it assumed by this dickhead that agents get to operate in complete anonymity and secrecy?

    While these "agents" are creating a database of people they are improperly labeling "terrorists"?

    We pay for these assholes. We should know who the fuck they are.

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  • [–] 10 points 9 months ago

    Any evidence of any of these goons actually being harmed, mate? I'm thinking it's more likely they're using the information so their targets can avoid them.

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  • [–] 5 points 9 months ago

    Cry more asshole.

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  • [–] 4 points 9 months ago

    Gonna run to every corner of the globe on this one. VPN’s can be a real MF’er sometimes 🤣

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago

    A cop is a cop after all, and we all know what all cops are.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago

    https://simplex.chat/

    http://isdb4l77sjqoy2qq7ipum6x3at6hyn3jmxfx4zdhc72ufbmuq4ilwkqd.onion/

    Get fucked Kash. You have no tools for simplex. White papers and audits on the website.

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  • 33 comments in c/privacy@lemmy.ml view that post
    [–] 66 points 9 months ago (4 children)

    This guy permanently looks like he's having an existential crisis and I can't help but wonder if it's because he's metaphorically the only Jew left in the Nazi bar.

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  • [–] [S] 28 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)
  • [–] 48 points 9 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 45 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 child)

    Shouldn't this guy deport himself because he's not 100% American? His name and surname says it all.

    My region's context, may be irrelevant.I'm saying this because right at our border is a certain country famous for its beer has a prime minister that is Slovak and a leader of a certain political party is Japanese and he wants to solve illegal migration to their country.

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  • [–] 27 points 9 months ago

    "Don't protect yourself or others, even peacefully. You're obstructing the oppression."

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  • [–] 18 points 9 months ago

    At this point "uses signal" is all the metadata they need.

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  • [–] 17 points 9 months ago (2 children)

    He's keeping an eye on us, we just can't figure out which one.

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  • [–] 15 points 9 months ago

    A lot of "investigations" going on. Call me when they successfully bring charges

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  • [–] 14 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    As others have mentioned, Signal is secure.

    You need to set the group chat messages to auto-delete after a set amount of time. If you're really concerned, set it for hours instead of days. That way if these terrorists abduct you and force you to unlock your phone, they have a very limited pool of messages to view.

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  • [–] 8 points 9 months ago (14 children)

    Boy I sure hope those people aren't using their real names or phone numbers...they should absolutely NOT be using Signal for this purpose. This kind of thing is why SimpleX exists.

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  • [–] 31 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    joined the chats

    Typically, law enforcement officers access Signal chats by obtaining a group chat member’s unlocked phone, being directly included in the group chat, or receiving copies from a participant.

    From The Guardian: "The FBI has allegedly claimed that information related to the “courtwatch” Signal chat was given to them by a “sensitive source with excellent access” and said that they filed the report as a warning about “extremist actors targeting law enforcement officers and federal facilities.”

    Signal itself Is secure. Like everything, however, human elements can still be penetrated. No protocol no matter how secure can protect you from a spy infiltrating a group, or a group member being coerced into handing over the content of the chats.

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  • [–] 6 points 9 months ago

    Signal itself Is secure.

    I didn't say it wasn't. The problem is when exactly this happens and then people doxx themselves in the chat.

    No protocol no matter how secure can protect you from a spy infiltrating a group

    SimpleX protects you by not requiring a phone number, and by supporting multiple and anonymous accounts.

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  • [–] 3 points 9 months ago*

    Or even PeerSuite for that matter, moreso if a PeerSuite session is additionally ran through an anonymous protocol like I2P, assuming that's possible. I mean, PeerSuite doesn't require an account, doesn't use servers, talks through encrypted WebRTC channels, and doesn't leave a paper trail by default, coordinating protests is a perfect use case for it because people could start up a session to plan said protest, and then close the session without a trace when they're done.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (10 children)

    At this point, I don't even know why Signal shouldn't be used here. But I'm so sick of the stream of good apps that enshitify and get replaced by apps that also enshitify. I assume something like that has happened here. Is nobody left on this fucking planet that will stand up for the things they believe in?

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  • [–] 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (9 children)

    don't even know why Signal shouldn't be used here

    Because Signal does not support anonymity. If someone joins the group using their real name they also happen to use in their personal lives, they've just doxxed themselves and painted targets on their backs.

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  • [–] 6 points 9 months ago (8 children)

    But doesn't Signal support disappearing messages? And end to end encryption? Meaning they'd need a recipient's phone in order to see them at all. Although, now that I'm thinking it through in this context of a big group chat full of people you don't/barely know, I can see the higher risk profile. So it's bad in this circumstance, assuming messages are persistent.

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  • [–] 7 points 9 months ago

    Disappearing messages are a client side convention, they are not part of the protocol, they cannot be enforced. There are signal clients that never expire messages, screen capture, archive, etc

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  • [–] 6 points 9 months ago

    Yeah, I used to be in a group where I'm pretty sure a couple people were informants or agents. A couple people would fed-post in the Signal group sometimes.There were leaks that showed the FBI was indeed "monitoring" the group. I suspect any lefty group is infiltrated is some way.

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  • [–] -1 points 9 months ago (5 children)

    But doesn't Signal support disappearing messages?

    Yes, and? It also supports screenshots.

    Meaning they'd need a recipient's phone in order to see them at all.

    Which is what they have.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (4 children)

    I'm surprised screenshots are allowed in the app at all, that's indeed pretty shit.

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  • [–] 3 points 9 months ago (3 children)

    By default they're not but I mean you could just pick up another camera and take a picture of the screen anyway, so you're not really preventing anything by disabling it.

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  • [–] 0 points 9 months ago (2 children)

    Right, so how do the other solutions solve this problem then? Kinda undercutting your own security argument with ways that NOTHING is actually secure.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    so how do the other solutions solve this problem then?

    As I've already explained, by allowing for multiple and anonymous accounts without a phone number requirement.

    They can take all the screenshots they want but there's nothing of value for them to target the participants.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago

    Yeah, I guess that's true - I was thinking about keeping the contents of the messages secure when I asked. But so long as you don't give enough context to dox yourself, you're right that at least individuals are not directly identifyable.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago

    The rebellion can only succeed with decentralized activity.

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  • 18 comments in c/privacy@programming.dev view that post
    [–] 19 points 9 months ago

    What FBI won't be investigating is citizens unlawfully killed by ICE

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  • [–] 16 points 9 months ago (4 children)

    Probably the FBI stole someone’s phone, or they’ve joined the chat since the start.

    Folks better start doing anti canary trap tactics. Once you shake the feds out, you can start composting.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago* (3 children)

    Is it even possible? I mean, you need to share the chat, and probably have it publicly joinable.

    Keeping feds out is basically impossible. Sharing the group only in person could work a bit, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had undercover agents at any major gatherings.

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  • [–] 3 points 9 months ago* (2 children)

    Anti canary trap tactics? They work. It led to the Russian Revolution & Little Red books.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (1 child)

    Ah, TIL. Though I can't really come up with much that would scale well to the modern world where technologies are involved. But that might be only because I'm not thinking local enough, since that's what matters.

    However, I'm sure there's an anarchist zine about exactly that.

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  • [–] 20 points 9 months ago*

    You cannot create a scenario that illegally entraps and puts law enforcement in harm’s way.

    You don't understand - cocks gun - we are the victims here...

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  • [–] 4 points 9 months ago

    Patel always looks like he's a deer in the headlights. If only that car would speed up a little...

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  • [–] 4 points 9 months ago* (1 child)

    Are there any chats they can't investigate at this point?

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  • [–] 7 points 9 months ago (6 children)

    We need a robust chat solution that doesn't store your fucking phone number in their database. They can investigate all they want if the software is written well, everyone's too focused on having support for a million stupid features though like stickers and gif library integration

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  • [–] 11 points 9 months ago (5 children)
  • [–] 6 points 9 months ago (4 children)

    Simplex has a psychotic dev who's trying to pivot the platform to crypto

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (2 children)

    I'm sorry when did this happen

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago

    Local spoke about their need to do this and use code names to avoid being followed and harassed by ICE after attending a protest. Probably shouldn’t have done that on a televised city council meeting. But also, Americans have a right to free speech and organized protest. Dark times.

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  • 8 comments in c/news@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 40 points 9 months ago (2 children)

    Who is inviting the fash to the group chat?

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  • [–] 23 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    Any large-scale group chat that has easy access is already infiltrated.

    Any phone that isn't running GrapheneOS or a Linux OS outside of Android, is certainly compromised, and any sent, received or typed but not sent messages are accessible to the Gestapo.

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  • [–] 29 points 9 months ago* (2 children)

    FBI doing what it has always done best, serve the interests and wildly offbase fears of oppressive rightwing conservatism no matter how irrational and imagined they are.

    The FBI exists to rationalize rightwing authoritarianism by supporting and supercharging xenophobic and racist narratives with an air of artificial legitimacy, they do not exist as an institution to serve the interests of public safety and neither can they said to be genuinely concerned with enforcing the rule of law they regularly flaunt and undermine.

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  • [–] 4 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    Well, they’re probably happier being able to do this instead of what they’re normally tasked with: CSAM investigations and luring socially challenged people into terrorist conspiracies.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago

    luring socially challenged people into terrorist conspiracies.

    I want to say it's always this, but the guy I knew, it was 100% on him. He sought the buyer out, thinking he was selling weapons to a real anti-government militia. My doofus friend thought he had a great way to make money and that's to file off the serial numbers of rifles because that made them more expensive and totally wasn't a crime because it's only a crime when you get caught. So on his first sale, he filed the serial numbers off some stock ARs and sold them to the ATF, ranting the entire time about how easy it would be to do a drive by on those local government buildings and did they want to do this specific one they all happened to work in. He did not get convicted for the ramblings (because like all us theater kids he is a dipshit) but he got convicted for the serial numbers.

    Funny thing, when we called up the college theater friends group, the conversation went "guess who's going to prison?" "well it's obviously not you, so that means it's Dave!" "yup! Guess what for?" "statutory!" "no! Somehow failing to run guns!" "oh thank God" with very single person, including when I got the phone call from Kristen and then we all were calling each other. Then we had fun telling each other what we thought each other would go to prison for (most people put me as environmental ecoterrorism because the government misunderstood an art installation I would somehow fail spectacularly to install. The key word in all descriptions of my crimes was spectacular)

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  • [–] 12 points 9 months ago

    Why are we allowing them to spend our tax dollars investigating things that aren't crimes? Jail these clowns for mismanagement of public funds.

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  • [–] 9 points 9 months ago

    And these are the idiots who are going to be the ones double-checking the investigation into the latest murder.

    Seems legit :/

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  • 6 comments in c/hackernews@lemmy.bestiver.se view that post
    [–] 8 points 9 months ago (3 children)

    This is probably where we find out why Signal insists on phone numbers to register.

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  • [–] -1 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    What conspiracy are you subscribed to?

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago*

    The one called "Threat Modeling", you map capabilities of the target, not it's intentions.

    Thanks to parallel construction they will only say that a person of interest gave them access to the group, they won't disclose they constructively know who is in the group, who joined when, and decrypted messages from cloud infrastructure

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  • [–] 7 points 9 months ago

    ...instead of murder of innocent protesters.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago

    Fucking ICE think they get privacy while in fucking public spaces.

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