Tangle PREVIEW - The Friday Edition: What does the government actually know about you?
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Sep 5, 2025 Lindsey Knuth, Associate Editor at Tangle, shares her expertise on government data collection practices. She discusses the extent of what the government knows about citizens and the unsettling reality of surveillance, including invasive data harvesting. The conversation highlights ethical concerns about privacy, especially post-9/11 and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Knuth emphasizes the balance between national security and individual liberties, prompting listeners to rethink their awareness and consent regarding personal data use.
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Malicious Code Linked Apps To Intelligence Firms
- Researchers found malware in common Android apps that exfiltrated location data to a Panamanian firm tied to a U.S. cyber contractor.
- That discovery revealed how passive scraping and commercial data flows can channel intimate data to powerful actors.
Government Buys Vast Commercial Data Sets
- A Georgetown report found ICE bought utility and other records to build detailed profiles on nearly every American.
- These purchases show the government can reconstruct a 360-degree view of citizens through commercial data.
Foundational Records Anchor Your Digital Identity
- The government already holds core identity records like birth certificates and Social Security numbers tied into federal systems.
- These foundational records provide persistent anchors for linking diverse datasets across agencies.
