This article was produced with support from WIRED.

Some of the world’s most popular apps are likely being co-opted by rogue members of the advertising industry to harvest sensitive location data on a massive scale, with that data ending up with a location data company whose subsidiary has previously sold global location data to US law enforcement. 

The thousands of apps, included in hacked files from location data company Gravy Analytics, include everything from games like Candy Crush to dating apps like Tinder, to pregnancy tracking and religious prayer apps across both Android and iOS. Because much of the collection is occurring through the advertising ecosystem—not code developed by the app creators themselves—this data collection is likely happening both without users’ and even app developers’ knowledge.

“For the first time publicly, we seem to have proof that one of the largest data brokers selling to both commercial and government clients, appears to be acquiring their data from the online advertising ‘bid stream,’” rather than code embedded into the apps themselves, Zach Edwards, senior threat analyst at cybersecurity firm Silent Push, and who has followed the location data industry closely, tells 404 Media after reviewing some of the data.

The data provides a rare glimpse inside the world of real-time bidding (RTB). Historically, location data firms paid app developers to include bundles of code that collected the location data of their users. Many companies have turned instead to sourcing location information through the advertising ecosystem, where companies bid to place ads inside apps. But a side effect is that data brokers can listen in on that process, and harvest the location of peoples’ mobile phones. 

“This is a nightmare scenario for privacy because not only does this data breach contain data scraped from the RTB systems, but there's some company out there acting like a global honey badger, doing whatever it pleases with every piece of data that comes its way,” Edwards adds.

Meta employees are furious with the company’s newly announced content moderation changes that will allow users to say that LGBTQ+ people have “mental illness,” according to internal conversations obtained by 404 Media and interviews with five current employees. The changes were part of a larger shift Mark Zuckerberg announced Monday to do far less content moderation on Meta platforms. 

“I am LGBT and Mentally Ill,” one post by an employee on an internal Meta platform called Workplace reads. “Just to let you know that I’ll be taking time out to look after my mental health.” 

On Monday, Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company would be getting “back to our roots around free expression” to allow “more speech and fewer mistakes.” The company said “we’re getting rid of a number of restrictions on topics like immigration, gender identity, and gender that are the subject of frequent political discourse and debate.” A review of Meta’s official content moderation policies show, specifically, that some of the only substantive changes to the policy were made to specifically allow for “allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation.” It has long been known that being LGBTQ+ is not a sign of “mental illness,” and the false idea that sexuality or gender identification is a mental illness has long been used to stigmatize and discriminate against LGBTQ+ people.

Earlier this week, we reported that Meta was deleting internal dissent about Zuckerberg's appointment of UFC President Dana White to the Meta board of directors.

Another thread on Meta’s internal Workplace site that has several hundred comments and more than a thousand reactions reads “[feedback] Sexual Orientation and Gender as a mental illness … I’d appreciate some more detail on: How the decision was made to update the policy, particularly given this does not reflect any mainstream scientific consensus; How the policy reflects our values and perspectives as a company, and whether these are different to the values we’ve expressed in the past; Who (if any) LGBT groups [internal or external] were consulted as part of this change.”

Ben Good, the head of Americas for the Core Policy Team at Meta, told employees in the thread that “our core values have not changed.”

“The changes to our Hateful Conduct policy seek to undo the mission creep that has made our rules too restrictive and too prone to over enforcement,” he wrote in one employee thread. “Reaffirming our core value of free expression means that we might see content on our platforms that people find offensive … yesterday’s changes not only open up conversation about these subjects, but allow for counterspeech on what matters to users.”

Five current Meta employees spoke to 404 Media and said that many Meta employees are furious about the changes, an assessment that appears to be accurate based on screenshots of several internal threads obtained by 404 Media. 

“It’s total chaos internally at Meta right now,” one current employee told 404 Media.

“The entire thread of comments shared is dissent toward the new policy, save for one leader repeating Zuckerberg talking points. I’d call the mood shock and disbelief,” they added. “It’s embarrassment and shame that feels self-inflicted, different than mistakes the company has made in the past.”

“No one is excited or happy about these changes. And obviously the employees who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community are especially unhappy and feel the most unsupported in this,” another employee told 404 Media. “A small number of people are taking time off and are sharing that they are considering leaving the company due to this change.” 

“Morale of fellow queer employees is in the absolute shitter, surprising no one,” a third employee told 404 Media. 

One reply to the thread reads “I wish I could resign in protest, but I’ve already resigned.”

Other comments include:

• “I find it very hard to understand how explicitly carving out which groups of marginalized people can have what we otherwise classify hate speech directed at them will be beneficial for the communities we hope to build on our platforms.”
• “This change is unacceptable on all levels.”
• “Someone went into this policy and not only removed protection, they actually *doubled down* and made it explicitly okay. Absolutely wild.”
• “I had to reread the policy language many times to believe what I was seeing—a very clear statement that we’re okay with people attacking others based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. I cannot begin to fathom why we think this is acceptable or helpful to our community and our company’s mission. I’ve never felt so strongly that we’re on the wrong side of history. This is going to cause so much harm. Please reconsider this change.”
• “When I first joined this company, people would criticize me for working here all the time. I defended y’all time and time again, always anchoring that in the end we do try our best even if it doesn’t work out sometimes - but this? appalling.”
• “I think it’s clear that the policy team is not open to any feedback here and is committed to an ideological project that sacrifices some of our communities in order to achieve their goal,” one employee wrote. “Just call me a tranny and close the discussion here. At least it would be honest.”

Other employees pointed out that they could not find internal discussion about how the new changes were made. Several years ago, I visited Meta’s headquarters and sat in on a content policy meeting, which consisted of dozens of employees and lawyers discussing at length how specific rule changes would be made, who they would affect, and soliciting input from external nonprofits and experts. In the thread obtained by 404 Media, employees said they could not find information about how the policy was created and who was consulted. 

“Did we miss a Policy Forum where we could hear the results of any research supporting this change and opinions of all?” 

“I looked for one and couldn’t find it either,” another person replied. 

“Can the policy team also address why the company did not have a response prepared for something that would clearly have such a significant impact internally and externally on employees/users who fall into these categories?” another said. A fourth said “Changes to Meta’s policy should be done thoughtfully, with considerable consultation from policy analyst, lawyers, and other subject matter experts. Those changes should have documented rationale, preferably available publicly. At the very least, Meta should be able to tell company employees why it is now acceptable to call a large number of them mentally ill or to refer to them as ‘property’ or to refer to them as ‘it.’” 

Meta did not immediately respond to questions from 404 Media about how the policy was created and implemented.

404 Media has repeatedly reported on how Meta moderates content on its platforms, and the fact that Meta’s enforcement has gotten far messier in recent years. Content moderation experts 404 Media spoke to in 2024 said that Meta had already gutted many of its content moderation teams, leading us to write an article called “Has Facebook Stopped Trying?” 

“I believe we're in a time of experimentation where platforms are willing to gamble and roll the dice and say, ‘How little content moderation can we get away with?,'” Sarah T. Roberts, a UCLA professor and author of Behind the Screen: Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media, told us at the time.

Roberts points out that with Elon Musk being outwardly antagonistic to advertisers and courting the far right, Mark Zuckerberg and Meta could simply do less and still be seen as a hospitable place for advertisers. This is all to say that Meta already was doing a very bad job with content moderation, and that its policies and actual enforcement already disproportionately affected LGBTQ people. Monday’s changes, then, have cruelty in their specificity and seem like an overt attempt to kiss Donald Trump’s ring. 

Earlier this week, Casey Newton reported that current and former employees are worried the changes will substantially increase hate speech on the site.

On Threads, Zuckerberg posted that “some people may leave our platforms for virtue signaling, but I think the vast majority and many new users will find that these changes make the products better.”

This is notably ironic considering that Zuckerberg’s move, given Meta’s already messy enforcement regime, cannot be seen as anything other than a very public and overt attempt by the CEO to signal to Donald Trump that he is an ally. 

• In 2015, Mina Grace Ward, 60, was diagnosed with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder.
• In hopes of improving symptoms like hair loss and fatigue, she went sober and changed her diet.
• She's been in remission since 2018, regrowing her hair and no longer having panic attacks.

Editor's note: Business Insider has verified all medical records mentioned in this article.

When I was 50, I was diagnosed with Graves' disease, a common autoimmune disorder that causes an overactive thyroid.

I was a textbook case. I experienced the main symptoms — rapid weight loss, high blood pressure, hair loss, fatigue, inflammation, anxiety, depression — all at the same time. I lost 15 pounds in two weeks and was completely debilitated. I couldn't get out of bed.

There is no cure for Graves' disease. Some people can go into remission after undergoing a thyroidectomy or taking short-term medication, though success rates aren't high. A year into treatment, my endocrinologist didn't give me much hope for getting better; she was throwing different prescriptions at me and they weren't leading to much improvement in my health.

She told me that my diet, which I considered balanced, wouldn't cure me. I wasn't convinced. Because I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, I decided it couldn't hurt to cut a few things out.

While I never drank heavily, I was used to having wine with dinner or grabbing a few cocktails at a concert. I knew alcohol is a toxin and that no amount is safe to consume, so I stopped drinking.

Between going sober and cutting out some inflammatory foods like red meat, I started to feel better. My thyroid tests gradually yielded normal levels, and have stayed that way since 2018.

I've also grown my hair back, stopped experiencing panic attacks, and feel happier than ever.

I became more mindful of what I consume

Even before my Graves' diagnosis, I thought about going sober; I knew how a few drinks could add up.

I also gave up foods that could make my symptoms worse, like seafood, which is high in iodine and can trigger hyperthyroidism. I essentially followed a more plant-based version of the Mediterranean diet.

About six months after making these changes, I saw my endocrinologist again. She said my thyroid levels were getting better. By 2017, they were normal.

Since then, I've loosened up my diet a little — I eat cheese in moderation, for example. I fluctuate, listening to how my body feels.

Still, I haven't given up sobriety.

Going sober fixed my worst symptoms

One of my most distressing Graves symptoms was hair loss. I was losing so much that I was actually balding on the top of my head. Since changing my diet, I fully changed course: my hair feels fuller and healthier.

My moods were also impacted by Graves' — anxiety and depression are common symptoms, and I experienced both.

I realized that I felt worse when I drank. I cried all the time. Since quitting, I stopped feeling the sadness I used to. I also no longer have panic attacks. At my worst, I had them three or four times a day.

The biggest change was in my energy levels. Fatigue is a major symptom of Graves' — I was always exhausted. Going booze-free improved my sleep; I started getting a full eight hours and waking up more rested and refreshed. My energy came back.

Even though I didn't have Graves' in my 20s and 30s, I know drinking eventually catches up to you as you age. While I had fun when I was younger, I now want to focus on living longer and maintaining the highest quality of life I can.

I am still in remission

To be considered in remission from Graves' disease, you have to have normal thyroid levels for two years without medication.

At first, I was close to hitting remission. My doctor weaned me off hyperthyroidism medication and I reached a year and 10 months with good test results. Because I underwent a very stressful time in my life, my symptoms were triggered again. I was put back on medication, and this time, I made sure to follow my new diet as closely as possible and try stress-relieving exercises. Within three months, my numbers went back to normal.

I've now been in remission for seven years, since 2018. I try to use my experience to make a difference: I wrote a cookbook of recipes that helped me reduce my symptoms. My four sons, who work at an Italian restaurant I started with my ex-husband, recently included more vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options on the menu after seeing how much they helped me.

I turned 60 this year. I know I'm so much happier because I chose to go sober and change my diet. I absolutely love life; I've never felt this healthy and this alive, all because I started taking care of my body.

• Firefighters are using a range of technologies and equipment in their efforts against the fires in California.
• New AI-powered sensors for detection are paired with kerosene-powered aircraft for suppression.
• Here are some of the tools on the scene helping to protect lives and property from the flames.

With a 27,000-acre inferno bearing down on America's second-largest city, fire crews are using multiple tools at their disposal in their efforts to protect lives and property.

California firefighters have a range of old and new technologies to aid in their task, ranging from AI-powered sensors for fire detection to kerosene-powered aircraft for suppression.

US and Canadian water bomber planes and helicopters have been some of the most prominent pieces of equipment in the field as they scoop up seawater to quench the blazes nearby.

Less visible forms of tech are also contributing to the effort — sometimes without any initial human involvement.

UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia project now has a network of cameras at high-risk sites, with 115 located in Los Angeles County alone, with more than 1,140 cameras across the state.

Last month, Orange County fire officials credited the system for being instrumental in their first AI detection of a vegetation fire, which allowed first responders to contain the incident to less than a quarter acre.

Startups are getting involved too. Sonia Kastner, CEO and cofounder of the Salesforce Ventures-backed startup Pano AI, told Business Insider that new trends in firefighting are shifting as fire seasons worsen, with an increased focus on early detection and rapid containment.

"You can think of it as similar to how we treat cancer," Kastner said. "We screen early, then treat cancer aggressively at stage one, so that it never becomes stage four."

Rather than relying on bystander reports, Kastner says cameras and analysts can provide first responders with quicker confirmations and more precise locations.

" It's a matter of luck of whether a bystander sees the fire," Kastner said. " And then there's a mandatory confirmation step where a single fire engine is dispatched to drive around and try to find the fire. With that, you lose hours."

Satellites and drones are also taking a more significant role in wildfire management and response, offering drastic before-and-after comparisons of the fire's effects.

The cameras and sensors are only good for letting responders know where a fire is — getting it under control still requires the use of more physical kinds of tech.

The US Forest Service's website details the range of aircraft it uses to respond to wildfires, ranging from single-engine air tankers that can deliver up to 800 gallons of fire retardant, to larger air tankers that carry up to 4,000 gallons and water scoopers that collect water from nearby sources.

In addition to government planes, aircraft from private sector partner Coulson Aviation, which has a contract with Los Angeles County — have also been spotted dousing flames.

In particular, the Canada-based company operates a fleet of specialized helicopters that can drop water with a high degree of accuracy, though high winds in recent days have complicated the effort.

"The Coulson Crew is currently on the frontlines of the Palisades Fire in California. We remain dedicated to supporting suppression efforts and safeguarding lives and property," the company said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, crews on the ground continue to rely on tools and techniques developed over a century of modern firefighting, with hoses, chainsaws, and even buckets.

It's hard, dangerous work, but modern technologies are helping responders on the ground and in the air do the job more effectively.

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, who declared for the NFL draft last month, now plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, sources confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.

Some social media users were alarmed by the unusual sighting, with one saying, "why are people not screaming and running."

Brynn has been helping her 3-year-old transition from a cot to a real bed and it's proving to be quite difficult

"President Trump will be free to take a fresh look at our Title IX regulations when he returns to office," Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said.

In a flurry of roster moves Thursday, the Chicago Cubs acquired a pitcher who went undefeated for the Texas Rangers in 2024 and cut a utility player.

As more and more Angelenos lose their homes as a result of the wildfires raging around the city, some stars are stepping up to help.

In a rare moment, Rod Stewart got nearly his entire family together in order to kick off his 80th birthday week.

The Pennsylvania senator, a Democrat, said he would "meet with and have a conversation with anyone" to deliver for his state.

Experts share key tips for preparing and staying aware during wildfire evacuations to improve safety.

The San Francisco 49ers are attempting to bring back a familiar face, as former DC and New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has completed an interview.

Nationwide, this costs $74 billion in lost time, according to a new report by INRIX.

The star forward keeps the zen while more media buzz swirls around him and the team.

Home Deput had argued that customers had no reasonable expectation of their privacy, after information was allegedly provided to Meta.

A divisive professional wrestling veteran known for their time in WWE and WCW has claimed that Triple H is "creatively bankrupt" and should "step aside."

The Rock just demolished a NXT record.

Some of President-elect Trump's most audacious promises — lobbed from the comfort of the campaign trail — will be on a collision course with reality beginning Jan. 20.

Why it matters: Trump is at the peak of his influence and popularity, a status he achieved by vowing to detonate the status quo. But he and his allies know — and are starting to acknowledge — that their power will not be absolute.

---

1. Elon Musk last night scaled back his radically ambitious pledge to slash "at least $2 trillion" from the federal budget, suggesting in a new interview that achieving just half of that would be an "epic outcome."

• "I do think that you kind of have to have some overage," Musk, co-head of the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), told former Clinton pollster Mark Penn on X.
• "I think if we try for $2 trillion, we've got a good shot at getting $1 trillion," he added, a tacit acknowledgment that his original goal — as many experts already warned — is highly implausible.

2. Trump's team has told European officials that the true deadline for ending the war in Ukraine is "several months," despite Trump long claiming he would do so within 24 hours of taking office, the Financial Times reported today.

• The president-elect himself suggested at a press conference this week that he hopes to broker a peace deal within six months, while his Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg has set a goal of 100 days.

3. Weeks after winning an election dominated by inflation concerns, Trump rejected the notion that his presidency would be a "failure" if he were unable to bring down grocery prices.

• "I'd like to bring them down. It's hard to bring things down once they're up. You know, it's very hard," Trump told TIME. "But I think that they will," he added.
• Federal Reserve officials, meanwhile, expressed concern last month that Trump's tariffs and immigration crackdown could stoke inflation — potentially leading to higher interest rates.

What they're saying: "This is fake news. President Trump and his team are working hard before even taking office to deliver on his promises and make life better for the American people," Trump-Vance spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Axios in a statement.

• "President Trump has every intention of delivering, and he will. Anyone who says otherwise has no idea what they're talking about."

Between the lines: Hyperbole is part and parcel of the Trump experience, and his supporters often advise the public and the media to "take him seriously, not literally."

• Still, there are clear examples from Trump's first term of him failing to fulfill lofty promises: Mexico did not, for example, ever pay for the border wall.

The big picture: This isn't to say Trump cannot, or will not, succeed in his ambitious plans to secure the border, downsize government and fundamentally reorder the global economy.

• He and his advisers previewed plans to unleash 100 executive orders — many on Day One — during a meeting with Senate Republicans on Wednesday night, as Axios scooped.
• And if Trump and GOP leadership can keep Republican lawmakers in line, the country could soon bear witness to a historic legislative agenda that implements exactly the mega-MAGA vision he has promised.