Insights Into Technology :Episode 31 "Security Theater and the Folding Table of Broken Dreams" (AUDIO)

In this week's episode of Insights Into Technology, the team dives into a busy news cycle filled with data security stumbles and cross-continental policy drama.

First up: The FTC has warned major U.S. tech companies not to comply with international censorship or encryption-weakening laws—like those in the UK and EU—if it risks violating American user rights. The FTC’s message? Obey foreign laws at the expense of U.S. privacy, and you might face legal heat at home. Companies like Apple, Meta, and Microsoft are now caught in a legal tug-of-war that could reshape how global platforms handle compliance.

Next, macOS users fall prey to a new social engineering campaign using fake tech-support ads that trick users into installing the SHAMOS infostealer. The malware bypasses Gatekeeper, steals sensitive data, and burrows deep into the system for persistence—posing a rising threat for Mac-heavy enterprise environments.

We also examine a whistleblower report accusing a federal agency (DOGE) of uploading Social Security data for 300 million Americans to an insecure cloud server—without oversight or proper security. While no breach has been confirmed, the mere exposure highlights a critical failure in government data governance and cloud risk management.