Google Ordered Russian Translators Not to Call War in Ukraine a War
An internal email shows that despite its anti-war stance, the company bowed to Kremlin decrees.
Sam Biddle
Sam Biddle is a technology reporter focusing on issues of surveillance, privacy, and corporate power. He was previously a senior writer at Gawker, and his work has also appeared in GQ, Vice, and the New York Times magazine, among other outlets.
Contacts:
- sam.biddle@theintercept.com
- @sambiddle.99 on Signal
- @sambiddle.com on Bluesky
- @samfbiddle on X
Posts:
Facebook Allows Praise of Neo-Nazi Ukrainian Battalion If It Fights Russian Invasion
The reversal raises questions about Facebook's blacklist-based content moderation, which critics say lacks nuance and context.
Amazon Co-Owns Deportation Airline Implicated in Alleged Torture of Immigrants
Activists are pressuring Amazon to divest from Omni Air International, a company at the center of ICE's deportation machine.
Use of Controversial Phone-Cracking Tool Is Spreading Across Federal Government
Cellebrite's extensive federal sales come as another Israeli phone-spying firm, NSO Group, falls under federal sanctions.
Facebook's Tamil Censorship Highlights Risks to Everyone
Facebook moderators seem unable to distinguish the Tamil Guardian from the long-defunct Tamil Tigers. Experts say this sort of bumbling threatens press and cultural freedom worldwide.
The War on Immigrants
Startup Pitched Tasing Migrants From Drones, Video Reveals
Well-funded Brinc positions its use of robots as nonviolent, but an early promo video undercuts this message.
Facebook Grants Government of Afghanistan Limited Posting Rights
The Taliban is banned from Facebook, but its Ministry of Interior was quietly allowed to post.
Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Stop Warrantless Car Spying by Police
Federal authorities can extract photos, texts, and other sensitive data from automotive computers, The Intercept previously revealed.
The U.S. Treasury Is Buying Private App Data to Target and Investigate People
The department will use controversial firm Babel Street to hunt for tax and sanctions dodgers, raising constitutional concerns.
Revealed: Facebook’s Secret Blacklist of “Dangerous Individuals and Organizations”
Experts say the public deserves to see the list, a clear embodiment of U.S. foreign policy priorities that could disproportionately censor marginalized groups.