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Uncanny Valley

Is Elon Musk Really Stepping Back From DOGE?

Elon Musk is apparently turning his attention away from Washington and back to Tesla. On this episode of Uncanny Valley, the hosts unpack what Musk’s pivot means for the future of DOGE.
Uncanny Valley

The Hottest Topic at This Year's Pornhub Awards? Censorship

CFPB Quietly Kills Rule to Shield Americans From Data Brokers

Russell Vought, acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has canceled plans to more tightly regulate the sale of Americans’ sensitive personal data.

US Customs and Border Protection Quietly Revokes Protections for Pregnant Women and Infants

CBP’s acting commissioner has rescinded four Biden-era policies that aimed to protect vulnerable people in the agency’s custody, including mothers, infants, and the elderly.

How to Protect Yourself From Phone Searches at the US Border

Customs and Border Protection has broad authority to search travelers’ devices when they cross into the United States. Here’s what you can do to protect your digital life while at the US border.

ICE Is Paying Palantir $30 Million to Build ‘ImmigrationOS’ Surveillance Platform

In a document published Thursday, ICE explained the functions that it expects Palantir to include in a prototype of a new program to give the agency “near real-time” data about people self-deporting.

No, 150-Year-Olds Aren’t Collecting Social Security Benefits

Elon Musk claims to have found rampant fraud in the Social Security Administration. There’s a much simpler explanation.

How the US TikTok Ban Would Actually Work

The fate of TikTok now rests in the hands of the US Supreme Court. If a law banning the social video app this month is upheld, it won’t disappear from your phone—but it will get messy fast.

Meta Follows Elon Musk’s Lead, Moves Staffers to Billionaire-Friendly Texas

According to Mark Zuckerberg, Meta trust and safety workers will be relocated to Texas to prevent them from “censoring” users. Experts point to other advantages.

Meet the Conspiracy Filmmaker Who Claims to Have Red-Pilled Tulsi Gabbard

Mikki Willis, the maker of viral conspiracy film Plandemic, is seeking to leverage his relationship with Tulsi Gabbard to gain access to the new Donald Trump administration.

Top US Election Security Watchdog Forced to Stop Election Security Work

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has frozen efforts to aid states in securing elections, according to an internal memo viewed by WIRED.

Secret Phone Surveillance Tech Was Likely Deployed at 2024 DNC

Data WIRED collected during the 2024 Democratic National Convention strongly suggests the use of a cell-site simulator, a controversial spy device that intercepts sensitive data from every phone in its range.

The Top Cybersecurity Agency in the US Is Bracing for Donald Trump

Staffers at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency tell WIRED they fear the new administration will cut programs that keep the US safe—and “persecution.”

Ireland Rejected the Far Right. The Election Conspiracy Theories Have Already Begun

Ireland’s far-right candidates expected to succeed on a wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric, but the people rejected them wholesale.

Trump Appointees Blocked From Entering US Copyright Office

The two men appeared at the US Copyright Office days after the Trump administration fired its leader, who had just published a report about the use of copyrighted materials for AI training.

Tulsi Gabbard Reused the Same Weak Password on Multiple Accounts for Years

Now the US director of national intelligence, Gabbard failed to follow basic cybersecurity practices on several of her personal accounts, leaked records reviewed by WIRED reveal.

Signal Clone Used by Mike Waltz Pauses Service After Reports It Got Hacked

The communications app TeleMessage, which was spotted on former US national security adviser Mike Waltz's phone, has suspended “all services” as it investigates reports of at least one breach.

A Tariff Standoff With China, Power Outages, and the End of Christmas

On today's episode of Uncanny Valley, we break down how Trump's tariffs might threaten this year's holiday season.

Latest

People You May Know

Mike Waltz Left His Venmo Friends List Public

Off Target

SignalGate Isn’t About Signal

Takeover

Inside Elon Musk’s ‘Digital Coup’

WIRED Politics Lab

The United States of Elon Musk Inc.

Uncanny Valley

How a Government Shutdown Would Help Elon Musk

Shutdown

Elon Musk Has Wanted the Government Shutdown