A new investigation from 404 Media claims that ShadowDragon, a contractor for the U.S. government, is scraping data from over 200 widely-used websites — including Reddit, Etsy, Glassdoor, Tinder, and Duolingo. That data is then funnelled into a sophisticated surveillance system used by U.S. government agencies, like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).1

Even if you’re outside the United States, this matters to you, too — and here’s why.

The rise of mass online surveillance tools extends beyond borders, sending shockwaves that can influence countries around the globe. ShadowDragon’s surveillance technology sets a perilous precedent — one that could embolden governments everywhere to adopt similar invasive methods.

SocialNet pulls information from job boards, social networks, rental listings, and even messaging platforms to build invasive digital profiles — often without the platforms’ knowledge or consent.