New wave surveillance? This spyware company is selling secret gadgets to US agencies

Secret cameras and listening devices disguised are sold to police and federal agencies like the FBI and ICE

Author of "Permanent Record" and whistle-blower Edward Snowden has already revealed how the computer room's authorized officers can watch what a person from another country is doing inside own house at that time.Recent reports have given credence to it with many dark details about the surveillance process coming to light.

A researcher has found that a secretive surveillance company has been selling hidden cameras and listening gadgets to the US police departments as well as to the federal agencies which are meant to snoop on targets from the top of trees or rocks.

People under surveillance

A few weeks ago it was revealed that a messaging app called ToTok was used as a surveillance tool for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As per the US officials, a classified intelligence report revealed that UAE uses ToTok to follow users' conversations, track locations, find out the social connection details and look at the media.

Now, the watchdog nonprofit MuckRock revealed that Special Services Group, a secretive surveillance company providing surveillance devices has sold its products to dozens of US agencies, including the FBI, DEA and ICE. But the company is keeping the product secret and even they have reportedly threatened to sue journalists at Vice for reporting about the brochure sales earlier this week.

The hidden cameras and the makers

surveillance
Surveillance Pixabay

As reported by the Business Insider the makers of the secret cameras with the mission of "Constant Vigilance" is selling these devices that are disguised as rocks, tombstones, vacuum cleaners and even baby car seats. The company wants to keep its gadget so secret that it's not even listed on the website. The existence of these cameras was completely under the carpet until MuckRock shed light into it.

The usage of the secret gadget

It should be noted that officials at law enforcement and federal agencies are now using these gadgets to keep an eye on people and track potential suspects.

The company, which has federal contracts worth over $2.5 million in total, had emailed its "Black Book" brochure of products to the city's police department and it became public, though the Special Services Group wanted to keep the "Black Book" a secret.

The threat to the reporters

The company lawyers have reportedly threatened the Vice journalists for reporting on the already-public pamphlet while arguing that "the release of the information could result in very serious jeopardy to the lives of law enforcement." However, the city of Irvine released the "Black Book" pamphlet after the city's lawyers made sure that it will be safe to publish the document.

This article was first published on January 11, 2020
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