An official FBI document dated January 2021, obtained by the American association “Property of People” through the Freedom of Information Act.

This document summarizes the possibilities for legal access to data from nine instant messaging services: iMessage, Line, Signal, Telegram, Threema, Viber, WeChat, WhatsApp and Wickr. For each software, different judicial methods are explored, such as subpoena, search warrant, active collection of communications metadata (“Pen Register”) or connection data retention law (“18 USC§2703”). Here, in essence, is the information the FBI says it can retrieve:

  • Apple iMessage: basic subscriber data; in the case of an iPhone user, investigators may be able to get their hands on message content if the user uses iCloud to synchronize iMessage messages or to back up data on their phone.

  • Line: account data (image, username, e-mail address, phone number, Line ID, creation date, usage data, etc.); if the user has not activated end-to-end encryption, investigators can retrieve the texts of exchanges over a seven-day period, but not other data (audio, video, images, location).

  • Signal: date and time of account creation and date of last connection.

  • Telegram: IP address and phone number for investigations into confirmed terrorists, otherwise nothing.

  • Threema: cryptographic fingerprint of phone number and e-mail address, push service tokens if used, public key, account creation date, last connection date.

  • Viber: account data and IP address used to create the account; investigators can also access message history (date, time, source, destination).

  • WeChat: basic data such as name, phone number, e-mail and IP address, but only for non-Chinese users.

  • WhatsApp: the targeted person’s basic data, address book and contacts who have the targeted person in their address book; it is possible to collect message metadata in real time (“Pen Register”); message content can be retrieved via iCloud backups.

  • Wickr: Date and time of account creation, types of terminal on which the application is installed, date of last connection, number of messages exchanged, external identifiers associated with the account (e-mail addresses, telephone numbers), avatar image, data linked to adding or deleting.

TL;DR Signal is the messaging system that provides the least information to investigators.

  • GuyDudeman@beehaw.org
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    1 year ago

    Here’s my foolproof method of not having any issue with the FBI: Don’t do illegal stuff.

    • Wowbagger@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      28
      ·
      1 year ago

      You’d be surprised at how many things you do today that has been illegal or will be illegal in the future. The last part is the real scary one.

    • flora_explora@beehaw.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      21
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      This is such a bad take lacking any solidarity with people that have no choice in doing illegal stuff or who are trying their best to make the world a better place. What is legal or illegal is solely defined by governments. In the context of the US, it is now illegal in some parts to have an abortion, to be transgender, to be an immigrant, to be black, etc. So “don’t do illegal stuff” is a reminder of your privileged position to be able to lean back and have nothing to fear, while other people just by existing or by trying to survive automatically are considered illegal. And think of all the whistleblowers like Edward Snowden. We as peole are much better off because of them, yet they have to fear the state’s repressions.

      Your response makes me really angry just by how inconsiderate and insulting it is :(

    • MagicShel@programming.dev
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      20
      ·
      1 year ago

      While Don’t break the law, asshole is solid advice for staying off the FBI’s radar, it’s not really a guarantee.

      • DekkerNSFW@lemmy.fmhy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        16
        ·
        1 year ago

        And sometimes, justice requires breaking the law. Remember that the Holocaust was legal and Stonewall was not.

          • jherazob@beehaw.org
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            1 year ago

            You’re now being intentionally obtuse, again look at all the anti-trans legislation, look at the repeal of Roe, look at all that and so much that is in the works, the fact that you’re in the privileged position to ignore it AND proceed to also ignore how damn many people don’t, leads me to believe you’d be the guy hiding the zombie bite in the team. Don’t be the guy hiding the zombie bite in the team, you can do better.

            • GuyDudeman@beehaw.org
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              There is no place in America where it is illegal to be trans.

              And you’re talking about just state issues. The FBI only deals with federal issues.

          • Cenzorrll@beehaw.org
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            1 year ago

            You’re right, it’s 2023 and Roe v. Wade was recently repealed, what do you think about that?

              • Cenzorrll@beehaw.org
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                3
                ·
                1 year ago

                Saying “it’s 2023” has no bearing on what is possible, seeing as how our society just lost 50 years of federally protected health and privacy rights. It’s 1972 to half the population now, not 2023.

                Your argument “don’t do anything illegal and you won’t have anything to hide” is worthless to the half the population that had their rights to make their own health decisions stripped away from them.

                Your statements are the Mason guy of the 40s anti-fascist propaganda.

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJriMuVEPMY&pp=ygUQRG9udCBiZSBhIHN1Y2tlcg%3D%3D

                • GuyDudeman@beehaw.org
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  You guys are talking specifically about the FBI, which has no jurisdiction over abortion law enforcement.

          • poop@lemmy.blahaj.zone
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            I seem to recall some kind of social movement about law enforcement continuing to abuse their power somewhat recently, did you happen to notice that? I also recall approximately zero meaningful changes coming from it in most places.

      • GuyDudeman@beehaw.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        There are no guarantees in life. Who’s to say that the FBI didn’t write this article specifically to direct people to use Signal?

        • Murais@lemmy.one
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          26
          ·
          1 year ago

          And everyone knows that the FBI was never involved in the extrajudicial killing of an innocent dissident besides that one time.

            • Murais@lemmy.one
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              Can you name all of the actors that played Putties in the original English run of Power Rangers from the 90s?

              See, I can set arbitrary, movable goal posts, too.

              It doesn’t work that way. FBI documents remain classified for 50 years before being accessible to FOIA. That means that we don’t have the means to confirm culpability outside that 50-year window.

              I can throw names at you. But here’s what I know will happen in response. You will either;

              A) Claim the person was not innocent. Despite conflicting claims, they either had a weapon, attempted violence, whatever. So they deserved to be murdered.

              Or

              B) The situation is not clear. Nobody was outright blamed. Details are fuzzy. Investigations were inconclusive.

              Regardless of what I post, the outcome will never be “Wow, you’re right. I guess law enforcement does kill innocent people without impetus sometimes.” You will always move the goal posts and claim that I did not meet your burden of proof. Because you’re arguing ideologically in bad faith. And since I’m not a fucking idiot, I’m not going to waste my time.

              And if you want to say that you are, in fact, arguing in good faith, then my rebuttal is simple;

              I’m not doing your fucking homework for you, Billy.

    • jherazob@beehaw.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      1 year ago

      Tell that to trans people in Florida, or people seeking abortion healthcare on Texas

      • GuyDudeman@beehaw.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        It’s not illegal to be trans anywhere in the us.

        The FBI deals with federal matters, not state matters.

        • poop@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          This is a guide for local law enforcement. Also spoilers: federal laws aren’t all good and just, and extra spoilers for people who really haven’t been paying attention: the FBI sometimes goes after people who haven’t committed crimes but did stuff the FBI didn’t like.

    • Seathru@beehaw.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      1 year ago

      :mindblown: Holy crap! You just completely solved the problem in one take didn’t you?