Proton Mail Helped FBI Unmask Anonymous ‘Stop Cop City’ Protester
www.404media.co
A court record reviewed by 404 Media shows privacy-focused email provider Proton Mail handed over payment data related to a Stop Cop City email account to the Swiss government, which handed it to the FBI.

A court record reviewed by 404 Media shows privacy-focused email provider Proton Mail handed over payment data related to a Stop Cop City email account to the Swiss government, which handed it to the FBI.

  • pageflight@piefed.socialEnglish
    6·
    3 hours ago

    I can’t tell if this was a “just because we wanted to” or a “court order” kind of handing over.

    • stephen@lazysoci.alEnglish
      10·
      3 hours ago

      Proton Mail has been very clear that it complies with the law, but does everything it can to have as little data as possible to turn over when it is legally compelled to do so. This is a non story.

      However, when my Protonmail subscription is getting close to being up, I’ll be shopping around because Andy Yen loves Donald Trump.

  • red_green_black@slrpnk.netEnglish
    3·
    3 hours ago

    The thing turned over was payment data. IE receipt that just says “yes there is a record of this identity purchasing a full account.”

    So not really Proton snitching but the activist having poor opsec in how they purchase digitally (namely you should not. Even Mulvad VPN advises that since for tax reasons purchase activities have to be recorded)

    • halcyoncmdr@piefed.socialEnglish
      5·
      2 hours ago

      Paying with a credit card means there is a payment trail back to your identity there.

      Proton does allow you to pay with anonymous methods, a credit card is by no means required

      Poor OpSec for sure here.

      • outofthisworld@lemmy.org
        1·
        2 hours ago

        You can buy a Visa card with cash from the grocery store. Or better yet, have someone in another state buy it and send it to you so if that card can be traced to a location, it’s not yours.

      • epyon22@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        1·
        2 hours ago

        I see credit card, pay pal and Google pay? Which is anonymous?

        Edit I see, seems to be available after account creation, described on its payments page