The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is demanding social media companies reveal the identities behind accounts that criticize Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to multiple sources. Google, Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram), and Reddit have received hundreds of administrative subpoenas from the DHS in recent months, as reported by four government officials and tech employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the New York Times. Some of these companies have complied with the requests.
The DHS is seeking names, email addresses, telephone numbers, and other identifying data associated with social media accounts that track or criticize ICE. This move comes amid a backdrop of increasing scrutiny of government surveillance practices and concerns about free speech. The specific reasons for the DHS's actions were not detailed in the available sources.
In other news, the world's rules-based order is under threat, according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Merz warned that the current global landscape is shifting away from established norms. He stated that "our freedom is not guaranteed" in an era of big power politics and that Europeans must be prepared to make sacrifices, as reported by the BBC. Merz also acknowledged a "deep divide" between Europe and the United States. The conference took place against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's actions, including threats to Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland and tariffs on European imports.
Meanwhile, in the US, President Trump's administration has announced the reversal of the "endangerment finding," a key Obama-era ruling that underpins much of US environmental legislation. This decision, which will result in looser greenhouse gas emission regulations for the US auto industry, is expected to be challenged in the courts by environmental groups, according to BBC World. Experts predict various environmental and economic impacts as a result of this policy change.
In Hungary, opposition leader Peter Magyar has accused his rivals of planning to blackmail him with a secretly recorded sex tape ahead of the upcoming election, as reported by the BBC. Magyar, who is ahead in the polls, said he suspected there were plans to release a tape of him from August 2024. He stated he engaged in consensual sex with a now ex-girlfriend at a party. He is filing a complaint with authorities.
Finally, Amazon's Ring has ended its partnership with the surveillance firm Flock Safety after facing public backlash. The deal, announced in October, would have allowed agencies working with Flock to retrieve video captured on Ring devices. The decision to cancel the agreement came days after a Ring advertisement aired during the Super Bowl, sparking widespread criticism over privacy practices, according to BBC Technology.
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