The Law That Protects Your Online Speech Is Under Attack
Techlore Surveillance Report: Weekly News for Your Digital Freedom
This week's Surveillance Report covers the internet's free speech protections under attack as a US Senator moves to repeal Section 230. Plus: ransomware attacks escalate with React2Shell exploitation, India orders government access to encrypted messaging, AI "superintelligence" fear is being used to justify actual corporate manipulation happening right now, and Apple still refuses to comply with EU law.
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Episode Timestamps
00:00 Welcome to Surveillance Report
00:40 Highlight Story: Section 230 Under Attack
09:00 React2Shell Updates
10:58 More Surveillance Attempts in India
16:38 Our Sponsor: EasyOptOuts!
18:12 AI Hype Explained
26:38 Apple is Breaking EU Law
27:16 Global Attacks on Privacy Compilation
31:44 The Defense Bulletin
Episode Sources
Highlight: US Senator Moves to Repeal Section 230
- https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/us-senator-moves-to-file-section-230-repeal-what-is-the-law-how-will-a-ban-affect-your-free-speech-on-the-internet-11765605040550.html
- https://www.eff.org/issues/cda230
Story 1: React2Shell Now Being Used in Ransomware Attacks
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-links-more-chinese-hacking-groups-to-react2shell-attacks/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/critical-react2shell-flaw-exploited-in-ransomware-attacks/
Story 2: India Orders Government Access to Encrypted Messaging
Story 3: AI Hype Weaponized to Justify Manipulation and Extraction
- https://www.noemamag.com/the-politics-of-superintelligence/
- https://www.consumerreports.org/money/questionable-business-practices/instacart-ai-pricing-experiment-inflating-grocery-bills-a1142182490/
- https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/shady-data-center-deals-doom-americans-to-higher-energy-bills-senators-say/
Story 4: Apple Still Breaking EU Interoperability Law
Story 5: Global Attacks on Privacy
- https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/uk-to-encourage-apple-and-google-to-put-nudity-blocking-systems-on-phones/
- https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/12/eff-open-rights-group-big-brother-watch-and-index-censorship-call-uk-government
- https://www.wired.com/story/warnings-mount-in-congress-over-expanded-us-wiretap-powers/
- https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/us-social-media-requirements-foreign-visitors-could-have-chilling-effect-travel-2025-12-15/
- https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/12/trends-watch-california-legislature
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/12/reddit-high-court-challenge-social-media-ban-australia-under-16s
- https://apnews.com/article/denmark-social-media-ban-australia-1e96a3df3276cc2033a6f04effb89f51
The Defense Bulletin
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/12/google-and-apple-roll-out-emergency-security-updates-after-zero-day-attacks/
- https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/12/browser-extensions-with-8-million-users-collect-extended-ai-conversations/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ghostposter-attacks-hide-malicious-javascript-in-firefox-addon-logos/
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/12/data-breach-at-credit-check-giant-700credit-affects-at-least-5-6-million/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/coupang-data-breach-traced-to-ex-employee-who-retained-system-access/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/over-10-000-docker-hub-images-found-leaking-credentials-auth-keys/
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/12/home-depot-exposed-access-to-internal-systems-for-a-year-says-researcher/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/france-interior-ministry-confirms-cyberattack-on-email-servers/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cyberattack-disrupts-venezuelan-oil-giant-pdvsas-operations/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/soundcloud-confirms-breach-after-member-data-stolen-vpn-access-disrupted/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/askul-confirms-theft-of-740k-customer-records-in-ransomhouse-attack/
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/12/flaw-in-photo-booth-makers-website-exposes-customers-pictures/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/fake-one-battle-after-another-torrent-hides-malware-in-subtitles/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/uk-fines-lastpass-over-2022-data-breach-impacting-16-million-users/
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/16/hacking-group-says-its-extorting-pornhub-after-stealing-users-viewing-data/
- https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/leadership/mozillas-next-chapter-anthony-enzor-demeo-new-ceo/
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/17/mozillas-new-ceo-says-ai-is-coming-to-firefox-but-will-remain-a-choice/
- https://9to5linux.com/system76-launches-first-stable-release-of-cosmic-desktop-and-pop_os-24-04-lts
- https://www.mullvad.net/en/blog/2025/12/15/final-reminder-for-openvpn-removal/
- https://blog.torproject.org/new-alpha-release-tor-browser-160a1/
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/kali-linux-20254-released-with-3-new-tools-desktop-updates/
- https://blog.notesnook.com/notesnook-and-tuta/
- https://blog.notesnook.com/notesnook-v3.3.6/
- https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/12/google-is-shutting-down-dark-web-reports-in-january-because-they-werent-helpful/
- https://ente.io/blog/rewind-2025/
- https://tuta.com/blog/tutanota-translation-project
- https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/12/the-ars-technica-guide-to-dumb-tvs/
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