Ring Kills Flock Safety Deal After Super Bowl Ad Uproar

Iran weaponizes its national intranet

The Iranian regime is using its National Information Network to conduct pervasive surveillance on citizens following a violent crackdown that killed thousands of protesters. This domestic intranet allows state authorities to maintain control over communication even when they disconnect the country from the global internet. Recent research suggests this "halal internet" is becoming the only way for Iranians to access digital services.

Tehran previously relied on total internet blackouts to stifle dissent during anti-government uprisings. The current strategy shifts toward a permanent system of monitoring that tracks user activity in real-time. By forcing traffic through state-controlled infrastructure, the government can identify and target specific individuals involved in the protests.

The National Information Network functions as a walled garden that replicates essential services while blocking external platforms. This infrastructure allows the regime to maintain economic activity while stripping away the privacy of its citizens. The Verge has tracked similar efforts in other authoritarian states, but Iran’s implementation is among the most restrictive.

Ring halts police surveillance partnership

Amazon-owned Ring canceled its plans to integrate its home surveillance cameras with Flock Safety, a company that operates a massive network of license plate readers. The company claimed the integration would require more resources than it originally anticipated. This decision follows years of criticism from privacy advocates regarding Ring's close relationship with local law enforcement agencies.

The partnership would have allowed police to link private doorbell footage with automated license plate data across the United States. Ring confirmed that no customer videos were ever shared with Flock Safety before the project was scrapped. The company recently aired a Super Bowl advertisement for a new Search Party feature that uses AI to find lost pets.

Public reaction to the Search Party feature was largely skeptical, with many users worrying the same AI could track humans. Ring has faced consistent pressure to distance itself from police departments. In early 2024, the company removed a tool from its Neighbors app that let police request footage directly from users without a warrant.

• 2018: Amazon acquires Ring for approximately $1 billion.
• 2021: Privacy groups highlight that over 2,000 police departments have joined Ring’s network.
• 2024: Ring ends the "Request for Assistance" tool, requiring police to use legal processes for footage.
• Current: Ring officially terminates the Flock Safety collaboration after a "comprehensive review."

Meta plans smart glass facial recognition

Meta is developing a facial recognition feature for its smart glasses under the internal project name Name Tag. An internal memo suggests the company believes the current political climate may allow it to release the tool with less scrutiny. Meta previously avoided adding facial recognition to its Ray-Ban smart glasses due to significant ethical and privacy concerns.

The memo indicates that Meta executives expect civil rights groups to be too distracted by other issues to launch a sustained campaign against the feature. This marks a shift from 2021, when Meta publicly backed away from facial recognition technology. The company had previously deleted the faceprint data of one billion users on its social media platform.

Smart glasses equipped with Name Tag could allow users to identify strangers in public in real-time. This technology has faced intense opposition from Democratic lawmakers, who recently asked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stop using similar tools. The Verge reported earlier this year that wearable surveillance remains a primary concern for privacy watchdogs.

Russia blocks WhatsApp for unencrypted rival

Russian authorities blocked WhatsApp this week by removing the encrypted messaging service from the country’s official online directory. Roskomnadzor, the state internet regulator, is pushing users toward a government-backed app called Max. Unlike WhatsApp, the Max app does not offer end-to-end encryption, making it easier for the state to monitor private conversations.

The block also affected other Meta platforms and YouTube, which have become increasingly difficult to access within Russia. This directory-level block is more effective than previous attempts to throttle traffic. It effectively prevents the apps from functioning for millions of users who do not use specialized tools to bypass restrictions.

WhatsApp representatives stated that the move is a direct attempt to force the population onto unsecure communication channels. The Russian government has intensified its crackdown on Western technology since the invasion of Ukraine. Many residents now rely on VPNs to maintain contact with the outside world as the domestic internet becomes more isolated.

Crypto trafficking transactions double in year

Blockchain-based transactions linked to human trafficking and forced scamming nearly doubled over the last year. A report from Chainalysis found that hundreds of millions of dollars are moving through these networks annually. Researchers believe these figures are a conservative estimate of the actual volume of criminal activity.

The report highlights a growing trend of "pig butchering" scams, where victims are trafficked and forced to run crypto investment frauds. These operations often involve large compounds in Southeast Asia where thousands of people are held against their will. The proceeds from these scams are then laundered through various cryptocurrencies to hide the trail.

Criminal organizations favor crypto because it allows for rapid, cross-border transfers that bypass traditional banking regulations. While the transparency of the blockchain helps firms like Chainalysis track these funds, the sheer volume of transactions makes enforcement difficult. Law enforcement agencies are struggling to keep pace with the scale of these digital-first criminal enterprises.

US intelligence official faces whistleblower complaint

A whistleblower complaint against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard alleges she suppressed intelligence for political reasons. The complaint involves an intercepted conversation between two foreign nationals regarding Jared Kushner and Iran’s nuclear program. Gabbard reportedly limited the sharing of this information within the intelligence community.

Members of Congress reviewed a heavily redacted version of the complaint last week. Reports indicate the document was previously kept in a locked safe to prevent it from circulating. A spokesperson for Gabbard dismissed the allegations as politically motivated and baseless.

The intercepted conversation took place last spring and reportedly touched on sensitive national security issues. Jared Kushner has been involved in several high-level diplomatic efforts, including those related to the Middle East. The whistleblower’s claims suggest that internal politics may be interfering with the standard flow of classified intelligence.

Federal contractor sold hacking tools to Russia

Former L3Harris Trenchant executive Peter Williams pleaded guilty to selling hacking tools to a Russian firm. The Department of Justice stated that these tools could compromise millions of devices and directly harmed US intelligence operations. Williams received $1.3 million in cryptocurrency for the sale of eight specific hacking exploits.

Williams worked as a director at Trenchant, a subsidiary of a major government contractor that provides cyber tools to the United States military. The sale occurred between 2022 and 2025 while Williams held a position of trust. This breach highlights the risks of the "gray market" for zero-day exploits and high-end hacking software.

The DOJ filing emphasized that the tools sold to Russia were sophisticated enough to bypass standard security measures on a global scale. This case has raised questions about the vetting processes for executives at sensitive defense contractors. Williams, an Australian national, now faces significant prison time for his role in the transaction.

CBP signs deal for facial recognition

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) signed a $225,000 contract with Clearview AI to provide facial recognition technology to Border Patrol units. This deal gives intelligence units access to a database of billions of images scraped from social media and the public web. Privacy advocates have long criticized Clearview AI for its data collection practices.

The deal comes as ICE faces a massive backlog in the Minnesota court system. A surge in immigration enforcement has stretched US attorneys to their limits, with filings for custody release skyrocketing in January. This backlog has resulted in individuals being detained far longer than legally required.

Clearview AI has faced legal challenges in multiple countries over its use of personal data without consent. Despite these controversies, United States federal agencies continue to expand their use of the platform. The technology allows agents to identify individuals in the field by comparing photos against the company’s massive digital archive.