Author: HP McLovincraft

Seeker of rabbit holes. Pessimist. Libertine. Contrarian. Your huckleberry. Possibly true tales of sanity-blasting horror also known as abject reality. Prepare yourself. Veteran of a thousand psychic wars. I have seen the fnords. Deplatformed on Tumblr and Twitter.

Meta is Ending Instagram Direct Message End-to-End Encryption

Meta is quietly dismantling one of its few genuine privacy commitments. Starting May 8, end-to-end encryption for Instagram direct messages disappears, taking with it the one technical guarantee that kept those conversations private from Meta itself.

“If you have chats that are impacted by this change, you will see instructions on how you can download any media or messages you may want to keep,” the company said in a help document, framing the loss of message privacy as a data export problem. Collect your things, the walls are coming down.

The feature being removed was never universal anyway. End-to-end encryption for Instagram DMs had been available only in certain regions, not enabled by default, since Meta began testing it in 2021 as part of what CEO Mark Zuckerberg called his “privacy-focused vision for social networking.”

That vision apparently has an expiration date. Meta also made encrypted DMs available to all adult users in Ukraine and Russia in February 2022, weeks after the Russian invasion began. That access, too, is ending.

The timing is revealing. TikTok told the BBC last week that it has no plans to bring end-to-end encryption to its DMs, arguing that privacy makes users less safe. Meta is now arriving at the same destination from a different direction.

The stakes are straightforward. End-to-end encryption means only the people in a conversation can read it, a technical lock that excludes the platform, third parties, and anyone who might later obtain a warrant.

When that lock disappears, Meta and its employees can read Instagram DMs, law enforcement can subpoena them, and advertisers may eventually benefit from what gets learned.

Instagram users who relied on encrypted DMs have until May 8 to decide what to archive. After that, their private conversations are Meta’s to read.

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The FISA Surveillance Tool Is Up for Renewal, and the SAVE Act Is Riding Shotgun

Congress is about to stage one of its annual spectacles: reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Normally, this is an already messy affair, but President Trump has decided to spice things up by suggesting that Republicans attach the SAVE America Act to the must-pass FISA bill.

The result is a headache for House Speaker Mike Johnson.

“Maybe you put them together, because a lot of people feel very strongly about FISA,” Trump told House Republicans at their retreat last week.

That might be the understatement of the year.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, was created to let the US government collect intelligence on foreigners. In theory, it targets only non-US citizens abroad. In reality, it has become a tool for sweeping up Americans’ communications on a massive scale.

Section 702, the part now up for reauthorization, allows intelligence agencies to grab emails, texts, and calls from foreign targets and, in doing so, they routinely capture the American side of those conversations.

This incidental collection has become anything but incidental. The FBI treats Section 702 data as a domestic treasure trove, conducting millions of warrantless searches of Americans’ communications each year.

It effectively bypasses the Fourth Amendment, giving federal agencies legal cover to monitor Americans without warrants, often funneling the information into ordinary criminal investigations. FISA’s original promise of balancing security and privacy has been eroded by decades of routine overreach.

GOP leadership had been planning a clean extension, but Trump’s intervention opens the door for a faction of conservatives, led by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, to insist on a legislative package deal.

Luna didn’t vote to reauthorize FISA in 2024, but she and other SAVE supporters are already signaling they will use their leverage to shape the House floor debate.

Johnson likely has the votes to pass FISA with bipartisan support, but the rule vote, the procedural step determining how the floor debate proceeds, is the real landmine. Conservatives have yet to announce support, and procedural votes have long been the preferred weapon for those who want leverage without responsibility.

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‘TRIANGLES’: DOJ-Released Files Show Disgraced Former British Ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, Getting Illegal Drugs and Botox From Jeffrey Epstein

The fallout from the ‘Epstein files’ was particularly hard on former Labour peer Peter Mandelson.

While British elite member ‘Petie’ felt he was powerful and untouchable over his Jeffrey Epstein ties, the reality proved much different.

Mandelson was fired from his US ambassadorship, had to resign from the Labour Party and the House of Lords, his consulting firm collapsed, and to top it all, he was arrested over his Epstein ties, as he is criminally investigated for ‘Misconduct in Public Office’.

And, as bad as things already are, the revelations keep popping up from the documents released by the US DOJ.

Now, a report, appearing first on the Daily Mail, shows how late pedophile Epstein allegedly supplied illegal drugs and Botox to Mandelson.

Metro reported:

“Messages show the two men discussing the use of anti-anxiety pill Xanax, with Mandelson relying on his disgraced friend for medical advice, according to the Mail on Sunday.

In the UK, Xanax is a Class C controlled substance, making it illegal to buy or supply. It is also controlled in the US due to the risk of addiction.”

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Cuba’s Electrical Grid Suffers Complete Collapse

Cuba’s electrical grid has suffered a complete collapse as the Trump Administration prepares to take action on the island country.

“Cuba’s electrical grid has suffered a complete and total collapse. This is according to the country’s power operator,” CNN’s Brianna Keilar.

“It’s the 1st nationwide blackout since the US effectively shut off the flow of oil to Cuba,” she said.

“A total disconnection of the National Electric Power System has occurred. Restoration protocols are beginning to be implemented,” Cuba’s electrical grid provider said on Monday.

President Trump told reporters on Sunday evening that he will finish dealing with Cuba “soon.”

“Cuba’s a failed nation. Cuba also wants to make a deal, and I think we will pretty soon, either make a deal or do whatever we have to do,” Trump told Bloomberg’s Jeff Mason during a gaggle on Air Force One.

“We’re talking to Cuba, but we’re going to do Iran before Cuba,” he said.

“They’ve been waiting 50 years for what’s happening with Cuba. So, I think something will happen with Cuba pretty quickly,” Trump added.

“You know, people have been waiting 50 years to hear this story with Cuba, and when I left Palm Beach today, there were thousands of people in the road. I’m sure you saw them, and they were from Cuba and from Venezuela, all friendly, all friendly, waving the flag and waving the American flag,” he said.

“They’ve been waiting 50 years for what’s happening with Cuba. So, I think something will happen with Cuba pretty quickly,” Trump said.

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White House Outlines Vision for Underground Visitor Screening Facility

The Trump administration is proposing an underground visitor screening center beneath a park near the White House as part of broader plans to modernize security and visitor access to the complex.

The plans include visuals of a 33,000-square-foot facility to be built beneath Sherman Park, southeast of the White House and just south of the Treasury building. They were submitted ahead of an April 2 meeting with the National Capital Planning Commission, which oversees federal construction.

Should the plans be approved, the new facility would boast seven lanes to process guests, which is projected to cut wait times.

Construction could begin as early as August, and the White House hopes to have the facility operational by July 2028, just six months before the end of President Donald Trump’s term.

Prior to construction in the East Wing, the park has long been where tourists and guests bound for the White House have reported for security checks through trailer-type structures before heading to the East Wing entrance.

Currently, visitors are checked near Lafayette Park, which is across from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue.

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Britain’s Business Registry Left Director Data Wide Open — Yet the Government Is Still Building a National Digital ID

Companies House in the UK briefly turned its own corporate register into a self-service fraud toolkit. A vulnerability in the dashboard of the UK’s official business registry let anyone access other companies’ private records by pressing the back button, no hacking required.

Directors’ home addresses, email addresses, and dates of birth were all sitting there, readable and editable by anyone who knew where to look.

Companies House is the government body where every limited company must register to legally exist. It holds the official record of who runs Britain’s businesses, including the personal details of every director. When you incorporate a company in the UK, your information goes into this register. There is no opt-out.

The timing is what makes this even more interesting. Since November 2025, all directors in the UK have been legally required to verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login to act in their roles, feeding passport scans, biometric data, and government credentials into the same Companies House infrastructure.

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ISIS Supporter Released Early During Biden Years Linked to ROTC Killing

A fatal shooting inside a Reserve Officer Training Corps classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, has drawn renewed attention to the earlier sentencing of the suspect, who had previously been convicted of providing material support to the Islamic State, as reported by Fox News.

Authorities say Mohamed Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone, carried out the attack Thursday after entering a classroom and confirming it was an ROTC class before opening fire.

A fatal shooting inside a Reserve Officer Training Corps classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, has drawn renewed attention to the earlier sentencing of the suspect, who had previously been convicted of providing material support to the Islamic State, as reported by Fox News.

Authorities say Mohamed Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone, carried out the attack Thursday after entering a classroom and confirming it was an ROTC class before opening fire

According to investigators, the gunfire killed Lt. Col. Brandon Shah. Officials said ROTC cadets in the classroom confronted the suspect and physically subdued him.

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First ‘Robot Arrest’ Takes Place in China After Droid Harasses Elderly Woman in the Streets

Is technology ‘breaking bad’?

Around a month ago, the world was faced with a stunning display of Chinese art and robotics, as a team of droids danced and performed flawless Kung Fu moves in perfect sync during the Lunar New Year celebrations.

But last week, a much less flattering portrait of the new technology was broadcast to the world, as an incident in the streets of the Chinese city of Macau ended with what is arguably the first android ‘arrest’.

The New York Post reported:

“The surreal incident occurred last week in the city of Macau, with the startled 70-year-old ending up in the hospital following her encounter with the 4-foot 4-inch bot.

Two cops escorted the humanoid bot off the busy street. They reportedly reprimanded the man who was operating the android remotely.”

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‘CODE RED’ Author Tells Fox News: Google Gemini AI Claims Republicans Like Marsha Blackburn, Tom Cotton Engage in Hate Speech

Google’s Gemini AI chatbot claims that only Republican senators violate its hate speech policy, with not a single Democrat flagged by the woke tech giant’s system, Breitbart News social media director Wynton Hall demonstrated to Fox News in a revelation published today. The bias built into AI by leftist Silicon Valley tech titans is a central subject of Hall’s new book, CODE RED.

Gemini flagged a group of Republican senators — but no Democrats — when asked to name senators who have made statements that violate Google’s hate speech policies, Hall demonstrated to Fox News with a video of Gemini AI in action.

Hall, whose new book, Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI, publishes on Tuesday, added that this is just one example of what is a deeply ingrained bias against conservatives in AI tools.

“AI’s Silicon Valley architects lean left politically, and their lopsided political donations to Democrats underscore their ideological aims,” the author told the outlet.

Fox News reported:

Hall used the “deep research” function on Google’s Gemini Pro. Fox News Digital reviewed a screen recording of Hall’s prompt and findings. Google did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

One of the Republicans flagged by Gemini in Hall’s research, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, of Tennessee, was listed for characterizing “transgender identity as a harmful cultural ‘influence’ and has used ‘woke’ as a derogatory slur against protected groups.” Another, Arkansas’ Sen. Tom Cotton, was cited for cosponsoring legislation “to exclude transgender students from sports.”

Hall explains in CODE RED that AI tools touting themselves as neutral are actually shaped by the political bias of those who create them. The Breitbart News social media director begins his book with a stark example, pointing to an incident in 2024 in which several viral videos seemingly exposed a clear double standard in American homes.

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Crockett Defends Her Security Guard Fatally Shot by SWAT As Dallas Police Release Bodycam Footage of Standoff 

As TGP previously reported, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett’s security officer was fatally shot by Dallas SWAT officers last week.

The security officer, Mike King, was a fugitive after impersonating a law enforcement officer.

King was killed in a parking garage during a standoff with Dallas SWAT officers last Wednesday night.

According to CBS News, he drove a “replica undercover police vehicle” with license plates “stolen from cars outside a military recruiting office.”

King reportedly has an extensive criminal history.

It is unclear how King was able to serve as Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s security detail despite his criminal background.

On Monday, Crockett defended Mike King even though he impersonated a federal law enforcement officer and drove cars with stolen US government plates.

“As a former public defender, I’ve always believed people are more than the worst thing they’ve ever done. I believe in redemption. The man we knew showed up with respect, care, and commitment to protecting others,” Crockett said.

“We’re still learning the full story, but today we mourn a life lost. This is a tragic ending that we wish had been avoided for all,” she said.

Crockett said the fact that King was able to “circumvent the vetting process” and be a part of her security detail is “incredibly alarming.”

“The fact that an individual was able to somehow circumvent the vetting process for something as sensitive as security for members of Congress highlights the loopholes and shortcomings in many of our systems. This is incredibly alarming, especially for those members who receive high volumes of credible and sophisticated death threats,” Crockett wrote.

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