Mastodawn

New from 404 Media: TikTok Shop is selling viral GPS trackers marketed to stalkers. "If your girl says she’s just out with friends every night, you’d better slap one of these on her car."

https://www.404media.co/tiktok-shop-sells-viral-gps-trackers-marketed-to-stalkers/

TikTok Shop Sells Viral GPS Trackers Marketed to Stalkers

"If your girl says she’s just out with friends every night, you’d better slap one of these on her car."

404 Media

Joseph Cox 2h ago

Grok is exposing the underlying prompts for its AI personas, including such commands as “BE FUCKING UNHINGED AND CRAZY. COME UP WITH INSANE IDEAS. GUYS JERKING OFF, OCCASIONALLY EVEN PUTTING THINGS IN YOUR ASS, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SURPRISE THE HUMAN.”

https://www.404media.co/grok-exposes-underlying-prompts-for-its-ai-personas-even-putting-things-in-your-ass/

Grok Exposes Underlying Prompts for Its AI Personas: ‘EVEN PUTTING THINGS IN YOUR ASS’

The website for Elon Musk's Grok is exposing prompts for its anime girl, therapist, and conspiracy theory AI personas.

404 Media

Joseph Cox 1d ago

Thanks to those who just came to my #hope_16 talk, all about the different ways law enforcement are compromising entire encrypted chat platforms. Here is the book if you want to read much, much more https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/joseph-cox/dark-wire/9781541702691/?lens=publicaffairs

https://infosec.exchange/@BustaMarx@corteximplant.com/115039982643269531

Dark Wire

Written “in the manner of a good crime thriller” (The Wall Street Journal), the inside story of the largest law-enforcement sting operation ever, in whic...

Hachette Book Group

Joseph Cox 2d ago

Wrote a bit more about how we verified the ICE group chat texts for our subscribers, here: https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-exercises-in-osint-and-storage-pains/

Behind the Blog: Exercises in OSINT and Storage Pains

This week, we discuss OSINT for chat groups, Russell Crowe films, and storage problems.

404 Media

Joseph Cox 3d ago

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/

We Need Your Email Address

AI stealing our work. The collapse of social networks. The need to pay journalists to produce impactful journalism. Here is why we are asking for your email address to read 404 Media.

404 Media

Joseph Cox 3d ago

New from 404 Media: ICE added a random person to group chat, exposed highly sensitive details about an active manhunt in real-time. The person says they were added weeks ago, thought they were scam texts until start seeing data lookups etc. Incredible security failure https://www.404media.co/ice-adds-random-person-to-group-chat-exposes-details-of-manhunt-in-real-time/

ICE Adds Random Person to Group Chat, Exposes Details of Manhunt in Real-Time

The texts were sent to a group called “Mass Text” and show ICE using DMV and license plate reader data in an attempt to find their target, copies of the messages obtained by 404 Media show.

404 Media

Joseph Cox 4d ago

New from 404 Media: the Trump administration has outlined a plan to throw out all of an agency's FOIA requests made a ~year ago if people don't actively contact them. Experts say “insane,” “ludicrous,” a “attempt to close out as many FOIA requests as possible.”

https://www.404media.co/trump-administration-outlines-plan-to-throw-out-an-agencys-foia-requests-en-masse/

Trump Administration Outlines Plan to Throw Out an Agency's FOIA Requests En Masse

The Department of Energy said it will close FOIA requests from last year unless the requester emails the agency to say they are still interested. Experts say it's an "attempt to close out as many FOIA requests as possible."

404 Media

Joseph Cox 4d ago

Randomly came across this review for Dark Wire on the American Bar Association website. "That takeaway, and the intriguing path to arrive at it, makes Dark Wire a worthwhile diversion for economists, antitrust lawyers, and true crime afficionados alike." https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/antitrust/source/2025/february/book-review-dark-wire.pdf

Joseph Cox 4d ago

An ICE recruitment video that used Jay-Z's music has been hit with a copyright takedown. Video no longer available on Twitter; audio removed on other platforms

https://www.404media.co/ice-propaganda-video-that-used-jay-z-song-hit-with-copyright-takedown/

ICE Propaganda Video That Used Jay-Z Song Hit With Copyright Takedown

A DHS sizzle reel that used "Public Service Announcement" got hit with a copyright takedown request and has been deleted off of X.

404 Media

Joseph Cox 5d ago

The LAPD is interested in a tool that uses AI to geolocate any photo, not just those taken on the street but also inside buildings with no windows https://www.404media.co/lapd-eyes-geospy-an-ai-tool-that-can-geolocate-photos-in-seconds/