CBP Workers Misused Surveillance Tools to Track Individuals
TL;DR. WIRED obtained records detailing hundreds of allegations against US Customs and Border Protection employees who misused internal databases to spy on individuals. - Accused CBP staff used government tools to look up romantic interests and monitor colleagues' cell phones. - Misuses involved facial recognition, mobile-device searches, and commercial location data. - The report highlights broader privacy concerns as AI and data collection tools become more prevalent.
- CBP employees allegedly misused sensitive government databases for personal reasons, including spying on exes and colleagues.
- Abuses involved federal agents querying data for romantic interests, monitoring family, and exposing personal information.
- One DHS employee allegedly used ad-tech-derived location data to track coworkers' cell phones, marking a first known internal abuse case.
- The 2009-2022 dataset reveals how US residents are vulnerable to misuse of powerful data and surveillance tools.
- Advocates cite a pattern of impunity and lack of accountability regarding CBP's data practices.
Sources
- CBP Workers Allegedly Used Government Databases to Spy on Exes, Crushes, and Colleagues — wired.com
- engadget.com — engadget.com
- bbc.co.uk — bbc.co.uk