In the latest escalation of their efforts to push back against opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security is issuing hundreds of subpoenas to the largest social media companies, including Google, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Discord and Reddit, seeking to learn the personal information behind accounts that have either criticized ICE or alerted the general public to the locations of ICE agents, according to reporting conducted by the New York Times. 

Under the conditions of anonymity, four government officials and tech employees with privileged access to these DHS subpoena requests spoke to the Times, revealing that Google, Meta, and Reddit have complied with at least some of these government requests for private information. 

When pressed for comment by The New York Times, Meta, Reddit, and Discord declined to comment, while a Google spokeswoman offered this statement: 

When we receive a subpoena, our review process is designed to protect user privacy while meeting our legal obligations. We inform users when their accounts have been subpoenaed, unless under legal order not to or in an exceptional circumstance. We review every legal demand and push back against those that are overbroad.

DHS told the Times that the agency had “broad administrative subpoena authority,” but declined to answer questions about these social media requests, while their lawyers have argued that the information is necessary to protect the safety of ICE agents operating in the field. In practice, however, the subpoenas have often been withdrawn before they could be presented to a judge, placing the onus on the accused to seek restitution in court. 

This legal battle is just the latest in a larger confrontation between the powers of technology and the long-established rights to privacy and free expression, and understandably, it has drawn the attention of civil liberties advocates. In Minneapolis and Chicago, for example, ICE agents have warned protesters that they would be recorded and identified with facial recognition technology, while border czar Tom Homan has publicly called for a database of people “arrested for interference, impeding, and assault.”

The ACLU has stepped in, offering legal representation for people whose social media accounts have been subpoenaed by the Department of Homeland Security, while Steve Loney, senior supervising attorney for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, issued this warning: “The government is taking more liberties than they used to. It’s a whole other level of frequency and lack of accountability.”

SAVE $800: As of February 14th, Amazon has this 57” Samsung Odyssey gaming monitor on sale for $1,499, which 35% off down from its list price of $2,299.

This weekend, you could upgrade your significant other’s Valentine’s Day (or year) by picking up this massive gaming monitor from Samsung. This 57” Samsung Odyssey gaming monitor has a slight curve for true immersion into your virtual world of choice. Samsung claims that it’s the world’s first dual UHD monitor, meaning it’s the first monitor to be as big as two side-by-side 27″ UHD monitors.

With this colossally wide field of view, you also get a 240Hz refresh rate (which reduces lag) and a 1ms response time, both of which contribute to a seamless, crisp visual experience. The monitor comes with DisplayPort, HDMI, and a USB hub for hooking up your devices with ease.

Reviewers of this monitor praise its picture and resolution quality. One reviewer who upgraded from two side-by-side monitors said it was super worth it. Other reviewers praised the convenience of a screen this wide for multitasking and gaming.

One five-star reviewer mentioned that the monitor is quite heavy and might not be compatible with an arm attachment. If you’ve been wanting to upgrade your workstation, this could be a monumental addition to the mix.

SAVE $60: As of February 14th, Amazon has the DJI mini 4k drone on sale for $239, down from its list price of $299.

This weekend is seeing an excellent sale on the DJI Mini 4K drone for a limited time. Save 20% on this drone with a 3-axis gimbal and the ability to capture UHD footage in up to 23 mph winds. Brushless motors can reach altitudes of up to 4,000 meters.

The DJI mini is also beginner-friendly with features like one-touch takeoff and landing (which saves you from many common manual arrival and departure accidents). The mini also comes replete with the GPS return-to-home feature, which works like a boomerang, returning to you from up to 10km. The 10km figure was measured in a completely unobstructed environment with no buildings, trees, or inclement weather obstructing the signal. This is the absolute maximum distance your drone could travel before losing connection, transmission, and the ability to return to you. To be safe, DJI says the connection range is more like 1.5-3km in high-obstruction urban areas and 3-6 km in medium-obstruction areas like suburbs.

The DJI mini 4K is light enough that it doesn’t require registration with the FAA. The device also features “Intelligent Quickshots” that perform more advanced shots, such as Helix and Circle shots, on their own. This gives you the chance to capture professional-looking footage without a ton of experience.