To validate Anom, a beta test was conducted with Australian Federal Police, revealing 100% of users discussing criminal activities.
Legal complexities and Fourth Amendment concerns regarding search and seizure in the US hindered domestic deployment.
Wiretap regulations further complicated US implementation, leading to a focus on operations outside the US.
Individuals outside US soil lack the same legal protections, allowing the FBI to intercept messages without facing the same legal obstacles.
This approach echoes revelations from the Snowden era regarding surveillance activities outside US jurisdiction.
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Transcript
Episode notes
In 2021, one of the largest global law enforcement operations took place. It was all thanks to an encrypted phone service known as Anom, which was secretly run by the FBI.
The program was a wild success. But did the agency take it too far?
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