An undercover FBI operation that gained backdoor access to the encrypted phones of suspected criminals across the world also allowed the agency to collect information on users’ locations, according to a new report by VICE. Harvested from Anom, a phone service used largely by criminals, the GPS data was then passed on by the FBI to other authorities. One document obtained by VICE purported to show the location of an alleged drug trafficker’s phone, recorded when the person sent a message across the Anom platform. The outlet reported that it was not possible to disable location services, and that users would not have known that their GPS data was being collected. The FBI declined to comment to VICE. It was previously reported that the efforts of the agency’s joint sting operation, also involving Australian law enforcement and Europol, had recorded the messages sent by Anom users. The operation has so far led to hundreds of arrests globally.
