Hundreds of Boston Dynamics staff have signed a petition urging executives to cancel a sale of the firm's robot dogs to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The contract, awarded through a Connecticut firm called Radeco for $1.3 million, covers four modified Spot robots marketed as Cerberus. Company leaders have backed the deal, saying the machines will not be weaponised. Employees argued that the association could damage the company's reputation and make it harder to recruit and keep staff. The petition, containing more than 300 signatures, cited concerns about enforcement raids and deportations linked to the agency.
Senators Ron Wyden and Adam Schiff say the Trump administration is illegally withholding a secret court ruling from Congress. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court objected to search filters that let analysts pull Americans' messages from intercepted data without required approvals, yet approved another year of surveillance. The administration's own 180-day release deadline passed in September. The senators have demanded an explanation and the names of responsible officials by November 6. Section 702 lapsed in June, though collection continues under the court's March approval.
WA Police is expanding its automated drone fleet, which launches from Perth to emergency scenes within seconds. Police say the drones respond to emergency calls rather than patrol. Civil liberties advocates warn the rollout could outpace laws protecting individual privacy. Similar trials are underway in regional New South Wales, where advocates question the lack of published results. Critics say there are no clear legal protections governing how police use drone footage, and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority regulates only aviation safety.
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The Victorian Government is using drones, long-range cameras and more officers to crack down on illegal dumping. The measures cover the Hume, Melton, Banyule and Greater Geelong council areas. Advanced drones can detect rubbish under vegetation and buried waste, while sniffer drones detect gases. Cameras can capture footage of trucks up to a kilometre away. Offenders face fines of up to about $800,000 or five years in prison.
The ACT Government may ban smart glasses with built-in cameras from its workplaces and sensitive facilities, including public schools and pools. The government has requested urgent advice and says it will act soon. Canberra Liberals plan a motion in the Legislative Assembly calling for the ban, with exemptions for disability, medical and educational use. Several councils, including Queanbeyan and Palerang and Yass Valley, have already moved to restrict the devices. The government says existing laws may need review as wearable technology spreads.
Four Victorian councils will work with the state's Illegal Waste Dumping Taskforce to target dumping hotspots. Hume, Banyule, Melton and Greater Geelong will use drones, surveillance cameras and extra officers to identify offenders. The Environment Protection Authority is also deploying drones that detect gases. The taskforce has issued 22 clean-up orders and identified 18 new leads. Convicted individuals can face fines of about $800,000 or five years' imprisonment. Victorian Minister for Environment Jaclyn Symes said the new technology makes it harder for dumpers to hide.
A US court has ordered that Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI engineer, remain in detention while he faces charges of secretly recording meetings at the company. US prosecutors say he planned to leave the country for Saudi Arabia, pointing to one-way tickets paid for by a Saudi official and his wife and son already leaving. Prosecutors allege that a folder called Saudi Gov Docs was accessed on his phone shortly before his arrest. Alfozan has not been convicted, and the court hearing was the first step in the process.
A federal judge has ordered former OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan to remain in custody while he awaits trial. Judge Alex Tse raised concerns about his ties to Saudi Arabia, questioning whether a government-backed bond could keep him in the country. Prosecutors allege Alfozan hid a covert audio recording device in a conference room used for confidential meetings. Alfozan's lawyer, William Pernik, said the room was open to anyone and that he would continue to fight the ruling. Alfozan's next court date is set for November 6.
The City of Greater Geelong is joining a Victorian state taskforce to target illegal dumping hotspots. The $21.5 million taskforce uses drones with sensors that can find rubbish hidden under vegetation or buried underground, along with long-range cameras. Environment Minister Jaclyn Symes said the technology would help catch offenders. Greater Geelong has received more than 6,600 requests to remove dumped rubbish in 2024-25, a figure that has risen each year since 2021. Individuals face fines of up to about $800,000 or five years in prison, and businesses face penalties of up to $3.95 million.
The Victorian government is deploying drones, long-range cameras and extra enforcement officers to target illegal rubbish dumping in four council areas. Hume, Banyule, Melton and Greater Geelong councils will work with the $21.5 million Illegal Waste Dumping Taskforce. Environment Minister Jaclyn Symes says the operation will help track down offenders. Businesses can face fines of up to $3.95 million, while individuals face penalties of up to approximately $800,000 or five years' imprisonment, depending on the offence.
Canada's proposed C-22 bill could require tech companies to build law enforcement access into their products. Psiphon VPN says it will leave the country if the bill passes, and encrypted messaging app Signal has said it would exit the Canadian market. Apple and Meta have criticised the bill, while DuckDuckGo and NordVPN say they would consider pulling their services. Critics say any access to encrypted data would amount to a backdoor that could be abused. Researchers also warn the bill could require companies to retain user metadata that privacy services avoid collecting.
Chicago-area police officers took part in an undercover operation by Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to newly released documents. The operation targeted an April 2 talk in Bridgeport, Chicago, where speakers from Minneapolis discussed organising during a federal immigration surge. The documents describe a joint task force of local officers and federal agents using undercover agents, recordings and licence-plate data to monitor attendees. Chicago police say their work was permitted under Illinois law, as it related to criminal enforcement. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois called the surveillance very troubling.
Overwatch Technologies, an Australian defence company using AI surveillance to track oceans for military and criminal threats, has listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. The company develops intelligence and surveillance systems using autonomous technology and data analytics to help monitor the seas. Its initial public offering raised $8 million at 20 cents per share, with shares trading at 17 cents early Friday afternoon, giving it a market capitalisation of $25.5 million.
Flock chief executive Garrett Langley told a TechCrunch Disrupt audience that the company's gunshot-detection microphones detect just gunshots. The company's website, however, says its audio systems can also alert users to fireworks, sideshows and car crashes. Flock previously said the technology would listen for screaming, and later removed references to distress detection after privacy criticism. Langley said critics misunderstand the product. Flock's spokesperson said the technology is primarily used for gunfire but can detect other sounds. Scrutiny of Flock has grown, with Texas, Florida and Amazon's Ring moving to end their relationships with the company.
A Georgia man has filed a lawsuit against Flock and the Coweta County Sheriff's Office. He alleges that license plate reader data was used to retaliate against him. His attorneys say the searches violated Georgia law and the Fourth Amendment. The sheriff's office began an audit of the system in August 2026, and three employees resigned before it was completed. Flock said it would require case codes for all law enforcement searches by the end of the year. The company said it disagrees with the claims and will defend its position in court.
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A documentary called NAZA features 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers describing surveillance and targeting systems used in Gaza. Filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor gathered the interviews over three years, speaking to sources on condition of anonymity. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and won a special jury prize. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the interviewees to be prosecuted, and the Israeli Defence Forces has rejected the claims. NAZA opens in select Australian cinemas on October 15, with free online release later in November.
A 35-year-old OpenAI engineer has been charged with secretly installing a recording device in a conference room. US officials say the employee, Abdulrahman Alfozan, aimed to capture sensitive conversations about the company's technology. He was arrested a week after OpenAI discovered the device and was fired shortly after. Alfozan faces a charge of using a device to intercept oral communications and made his first court appearance on Tuesday, local time. Court documents say the device was hidden in toilet paper and plugged into a television in the room.
An OpenAI engineer allegedly hid an audio recording device in a roll of toilet paper and placed it behind a monitor in an executive conference room at one of the company's San Francisco offices, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday. Federal prosecutors say Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, used internal company tools and a chatbot to plan the alleged surveillance. He made an initial court appearance on one charge of using a device to intercept oral communications, which carries up to five years in prison if convicted.
