US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) now has the ability to surveil every phone in a neighborhood, according to sources obtained by 404 Media. The agency's surveillance tools, Tangles and Webloc from Penlink, can monitor mobile phones across entire city blocks, potentially revealing individuals' locations, activities, and contacts.
The devices being targeted include not only cellphones but also other electronic devices such as smart home appliances and vehicles. Penlink purchases large amounts of commercial location data to expand the reach of these tools.
"This is a very dangerous tool in the hands of an out-of-control agency," warned Nathan Freed Wessler, deputy project director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.
Iran has shut down its internet amid widespread protests, with thousands calling for reform after initial demonstrations were sparked by economic grievances. The country's supreme leader has suggested harsh crackdowns are possible. This is not the first time Iran has taken this step; in 2025, 2022, and 2019, it too had imposed internet shutdowns to suppress protesters and limit communication.
Meanwhile, an alleged $15 billion scam center boss was extradited from Cambodia to China after being sanctioned by US and UK authorities. Chen Zhi is accused of running a human trafficking operation across Cambodia and is believed to face charges in China.
Chinese hackers have breached the email accounts of US Congressional committee staff members as part of ongoing espionage efforts.
The devices being targeted include not only cellphones but also other electronic devices such as smart home appliances and vehicles. Penlink purchases large amounts of commercial location data to expand the reach of these tools.
"This is a very dangerous tool in the hands of an out-of-control agency," warned Nathan Freed Wessler, deputy project director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.
Iran has shut down its internet amid widespread protests, with thousands calling for reform after initial demonstrations were sparked by economic grievances. The country's supreme leader has suggested harsh crackdowns are possible. This is not the first time Iran has taken this step; in 2025, 2022, and 2019, it too had imposed internet shutdowns to suppress protesters and limit communication.
Meanwhile, an alleged $15 billion scam center boss was extradited from Cambodia to China after being sanctioned by US and UK authorities. Chen Zhi is accused of running a human trafficking operation across Cambodia and is believed to face charges in China.
Chinese hackers have breached the email accounts of US Congressional committee staff members as part of ongoing espionage efforts.
. I mean, we're already living in a surveillance state, but being able to monitor every phone in a neighborhood? That's just creepy. What's next, monitoring our smart home appliances too? And the fact that they can track our contacts and activities... it's like they're trying to build a database of everyone's lives.
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. And Chinese hackers breaching US Congressional committee staff email accounts? That's just low. We need better cybersecurity measures in place, stat! 
This new surveillance tech from ICE is super sketchy! Like, I know they're just trying to keep us safe, but what's up with monitoring every single phone in a neighborhood? 
That's some serious Big Brother stuff right there. And it's not like they're even hiding it now - it's out in the open for anyone who wants to look into it. But seriously, what's the point of knowing where everyone is and what they're doing at all times? It just feels like a recipe for abuse. 
I mean, think about it, if ICE can tap into every phone in a neighborhood, what's stopping them from using that info to harass or intimidate certain groups of people? It's a slippery slope, folks! 
. I mean, they can monitor your phone, smart home devices, and even vehicles? That's some serious Big Brother stuff 
. And it's not just limited to phones, they're getting data from other sources too 
. I'm all for keeping our communities safe, but this feels like a huge overreach of power 
. What if these tools are misused or fall into the wrong hands? 
. Like, who needs all that surveillance power? It's already hard enough to keep our personal info private online without some govt agency snooping around every single device in a neighborhood 
. And what if this technology gets sold to other countries or ends up in the wrong hands? 
We need stricter regulations on these kind of tools ASAP 
. This is why we can't have nice things... 
. and don't even get me started on Iran shutting down their internet... how much more of this surveillance state stuff do we need? 
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. I mean, monitoring every phone in a neighborhood? That's like, total overkill 
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. I'm all for free speech but at some point, you gotta wonder if that's even possible when your own government is against it 
think about it we already live in a world where our devices are like super spying on us now ice is taking it to the next level no wonder the aclu is all up in arms gotta stay vigilant fam
. It's just data collection, right? And maybe it can help prevent some major problems down the line... I don't know, I'm not a security expert 
. But still, all this stuff is kinda wild 
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... but seriously, what if they use this against people who are already marginalized or in trouble? it's not right 
. and on a completely different note, I'm still trying to wrap my head around that Iran internet shutdown 
... thousands of people are protesting for change and the government is just shutting down their wifi 
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It's not just about cellphones, either - smart home appliances and vehicles? That's some serious creepiness right there. I mean, what's next? 
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and it's not just cellphones - smart home appliances and vehicles? That's creepy! 
And do they have to buy commercial location data from Penlink? Sounds sketchy 
Like, can't we trust the gov to keep us safe without invading our personal space?