Risky Bulletin Srsly Risky Biz: Why get a warrant when you have Kash?
Mar 26, 2026
Tom Uren, policy and intelligence editor who analyzes cybersecurity policy and national security, breaks down the FBI buying Americans’ location data and why commercially sourced tracking raises privacy and oversight concerns. He unpacks FCC moves to restrict foreign-made routers as reshoring politics, not security. He also outlines plans to tap private-sector telemetry for government use.
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FBI Buying Location Data Creates Real Privacy Risk
- The FBI admits buying Americans' location data, turning a theoretical privacy risk into an imminent one.
- Tom Uren warns this commercial data can replicate warrant-level intrusions without judicial oversight, so legislative action is needed.
Demand Warrants And Oversight For Purchased Data
- Require warrants or independent review before federal agencies use purchased location data.
- Tom Uren recommends both judicial oversight (warrants) and transparent oversight reports to curb inconsistent or invasive uses.
Small Purchases Can Deanonymise People
- Journalists and small publishers have bought location datasets and deanonymised individuals, like outing a priest via Grindr-location data.
- Uren cites media experiments and journalists mapping visits to sensitive sites as low-cost demonstrations of risk.