#Electronic Access Control Systems

[marketgrowthreports]

Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size & Share Report 2033: Industry Analysis, Key Trends, and Growth Opportunities

"Electronic Access Control Systems Market" - Research Report, 2025-2033 delivers a comprehensive analysis of the industry's growth trajectory, encompassing historical trends, current market conditions, and essential metrics including production costs, market valuation, and growth rates. Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size, Share, Growth, and Industry Analysis, By Type (Card-Based, Biometrics, Others), By Application (Homeland Security, Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Others), Regional Insights and Forecast to 2033 are driving major changes, setting new standards and influencing customer expectations. These advancements are expected to lead to significant market growth. Capitalize on the market's projected expansion at a CAGR of 9.6% from 2024 to 2033. Our comprehensive [115+ Pages] market research report offers Exclusive Insights, Vital Statistics, Trends, and Competitive Analysis to help you succeed in this Information & Technology sector.

Electronic Access Control Systems Market: Is it Worth Investing In? (2025-2033)

Global Electronic Access Control Systems market size is estimated at USD 33694.11 million in 2024 and expected to rise to USD 76873.81 million by 2033, experiencing a CAGR of 9.6%.

The Electronic Access Control Systems market is expected to demonstrate strong growth between 2025 and 2033, driven by 2024's positive performance and strategic advancements from key players.

The leading key players in the Electronic Access Control Systems market include:

Honeywell

ASSA Abloy

SIEMENS

TYCO

BOSCH Security

DDS

ADT LLC

Dorma

KABA Group

Schneider

Suprema

Southco

SALTO

Nortek Control

Panasonic

Millennium

Digital Monitoring Products

Gallagher

Allegion

Integrated

Request a Free Sample Copy @ https://www.marketgrowthreports.com/enquiry/request-sample/103815

Report Scope

This report offers a comprehensive analysis of the global Electronic Access Control Systems market, providing insights into market size, estimations, and forecasts. Leveraging sales volume (K Units) and revenue (USD millions) data, the report covers the historical period from 2020 to 2025 and forecasts for the future, with 2024 as the base year.

For granular market understanding, the report segments the market by product type, application, and player. Additionally, regional market sizes are provided, offering a detailed picture of the global Electronic Access Control Systems landscape.

Gain valuable insights into the competitive landscape through detailed profiles of key players and their market ranks. The report also explores emerging technological trends and new product developments, keeping you at the forefront of industry advancements.

This research empowers Electronic Access Control Systems manufacturers, new entrants, and related industry chain companies by providing critical information. Access detailed data on revenues, sales volume, and average price across various segments, including company, type, application, and region.

Request a Free Sample Copy of the Electronic Access Control Systems Report 2025 - https://www.marketgrowthreports.com/enquiry/request-sample/103815

Understanding Electronic Access Control Systems Product Types & Applications: Key Trends and Innovations in 2025

By Product Types:

Card-Based

Biometrics

Others

By Application:

Homeland Security

Commercial

Industrial

Residential

Others

Emerging Electronic Access Control Systems Market Leaders: Where's the Growth in 2025?

North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)

Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)

Inquire more and share questions if any before the purchase on this report at - https://www.marketgrowthreports.com/enquiry/request-sample/103815

This report offers a comprehensive analysis of the Electronic Access Control Systems market, considering both the direct and indirect effects from related industries. We examine the pandemic's influence on the global and regional Electronic Access Control Systems market landscape, including market size, trends, and growth projections. The analysis is further segmented by type, application, and consumer sector for a granular understanding.

Additionally, the report provides a pre and post pandemic assessment of key growth drivers and challenges within the Electronic Access Control Systems industry. A PESTEL analysis is also included, evaluating political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors influencing the market.

We understand that your specific needs might require tailored data. Our research analysts can customize the report to focus on a particular region, application, or specific statistics. Furthermore, we continuously update our research, triangulating your data with our findings to provide a comprehensive and customized market analysis.

COVID-19 Changed Us? An Impact and Recovery Analysis

This report delves into the specific repercussions on the Electronic Access Control Systems Market. We meticulously tracked both the direct and cascading effects of the pandemic, examining how it reshaped market size, trends, and growth across international and regional landscapes. Segmented by type, application, and consumer sector, this analysis provides a comprehensive view of the market's evolution, incorporating a PESTEL analysis to understand key influencers and barriers. Ultimately, this report aims to provide actionable insights into the market's recovery trajectory, reflecting the broader shifts. Final Report will add the analysis of the impact of Russia-Ukraine War and COVID-19 on this Electronic Access Control Systems Industry.

TO KNOW HOW COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR WILL IMPACT THIS MARKET - REQUEST SAMPLE

Detailed TOC of Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market Research Report, 2025-2033

1 Report Overview

1.1 Study Scope 1.2 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size Growth Rate by Type: 2020 VS 2024 VS 2033 1.3 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market Growth by Application: 2020 VS 2024 VS 2033 1.4 Study Objectives 1.5 Years Considered

2 Global Growth Trends

2.1 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market Perspective (2020-2033) 2.2 Electronic Access Control Systems Growth Trends by Region 2.2.1 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Region: 2020 VS 2024 VS 2033 2.2.2 Electronic Access Control Systems Historic Market Size by Region (2020-2025) 2.2.3 Electronic Access Control Systems Forecasted Market Size by Region (2025-2033) 2.3 Electronic Access Control Systems Market Dynamics 2.3.1 Electronic Access Control Systems Industry Trends 2.3.2 Electronic Access Control Systems Market Drivers 2.3.3 Electronic Access Control Systems Market Challenges 2.3.4 Electronic Access Control Systems Market Restraints

3 Competition Landscape by Key Players

3.1 Global Top Electronic Access Control Systems Players by Revenue 3.1.1 Global Top Electronic Access Control Systems Players by Revenue (2020-2025) 3.1.2 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Revenue Market Share by Players (2020-2025) 3.2 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3) 3.3 Players Covered: Ranking by Electronic Access Control Systems Revenue 3.4 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market Concentration Ratio 3.4.1 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI) 3.4.2 Global Top 10 and Top 5 Companies by Electronic Access Control Systems Revenue in 2024 3.5 Electronic Access Control Systems Key Players Head office and Area Served 3.6 Key Players Electronic Access Control Systems Product Solution and Service 3.7 Date of Enter into Electronic Access Control Systems Market 3.8 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans

4 Electronic Access Control Systems Breakdown Data by Type

4.1 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Historic Market Size by Type (2020-2025) 4.2 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Forecasted Market Size by Type (2025-2033)

5 Electronic Access Control Systems Breakdown Data by Application

5.1 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Historic Market Size by Application (2020-2025) 5.2 Global Electronic Access Control Systems Forecasted Market Size by Application (2025-2033)

6 North America

6.1 North America Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size (2020-2033) 6.2 North America Electronic Access Control Systems Market Growth Rate by Country: 2020 VS 2024 VS 2033 6.3 North America Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Country (2020-2025) 6.4 North America Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Country (2025-2033) 6.5 United States 6.6 Canada

7 Europe

7.1 Europe Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size (2020-2033) 7.2 Europe Electronic Access Control Systems Market Growth Rate by Country: 2020 VS 2024 VS 2033 7.3 Europe Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Country (2020-2025) 7.4 Europe Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Country (2025-2033) 7.5 Germany 7.6 France 7.7 U.K. 7.8 Italy 7.9 Russia 7.10 Nordic Countries

8 Asia-Pacific

8.1 Asia-Pacific Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size (2020-2033) 8.2 Asia-Pacific Electronic Access Control Systems Market Growth Rate by Region: 2020 VS 2024 VS 2033 8.3 Asia-Pacific Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Region (2020-2025) 8.4 Asia-Pacific Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Region (2025-2033) 8.5 China 8.6 Japan 8.7 South Korea 8.8 Southeast Asia 8.9 India 8.10 Australia

9 Latin America

9.1 Latin America Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size (2020-2033) 9.2 Latin America Electronic Access Control Systems Market Growth Rate by Country: 2020 VS 2024 VS 2033 9.3 Latin America Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Country (2020-2025) 9.4 Latin America Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Country (2025-2033) 9.5 Mexico 9.6 Brazil

10 Middle East & Africa

10.1 Middle East & Africa Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size (2020-2033) 10.2 Middle East & Africa Electronic Access Control Systems Market Growth Rate by Country: 2020 VS 2024 VS 2033 10.3 Middle East & Africa Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Country (2020-2025) 10.4 Middle East & Africa Electronic Access Control Systems Market Size by Country (2025-2033) 10.5 Turkey 10.6 Saudi Arabia 10.7 UAE

11 Key Players Profiles

12 Analyst's Viewpoints/Conclusions

13 Appendix

13.1 Research Methodology 13.1.1 Methodology/Research Approach 13.1.2 Data Source 13.2 Disclaimer 13.3 Author Details

Request a Free Sample Copy of the Electronic Access Control Systems Report 2025 @ https://www.marketgrowthreports.com/enquiry/request-sample/103815

About Us: Market Growth Reports is a unique organization that offers expert analysis and accurate data-based market intelligence, aiding companies of all shapes and sizes to make well-informed decisions. We tailor inventive solutions for our clients, helping them tackle any challenges that are likely to emerge from time to time and affect their businesses.

[commerciallocksmithhouston]

Commercial Locksmith Houston TX

Welcome to your local trustworthy, professional lock-smith team in Houston, TX. We extend our clients with high quality service and proficient results at low, affordable rates. We work with you 100% to give you the service you want. Our full menu of locksmith services includes commercial and emergency locksmith services. We work hard to give you a service you can trust. Our team of expert lock-smith returned with years of experience and training. We remedy you with the estimate and concern you want to solve all your locks and safety situations. We are a fully bonded and covered corporation that provides sincere answers, advice and prices. So when you need a local professional locksmith in Houston, TX, call our team. We’re always here to assist you.

Our Services: Locksmith Business Electronic Key Locks Keyless Entry Lock Commercial Door Lock Key Safe Box Combination Door Locks Access Control System Door Keypad Lock Electronic Door Lock Deadbolt Locks

(346) 291-5867 9911 Almeda Genoa Rd, Houston, TX, 77275 Mon - Sun: 8:00AM - 11:00PM

[imeridiantechnologies-bengaluru]

Looking for a professional door access control installer in Bangalore? Contact us for top-quality fingerprint and card access systems. Our team is experienced in providing secure and efficient access solutions for your business. #AccessControl #BangaloreInstaller #SecureAccessSolution

[techcomengineering]

Unlocking Security: The Benefits of Modern Door Access Systems

In today’s security-focused landscape, traditional locks and keys are quickly becoming outdated. Modern door access systems are transforming how we protect our homes and businesses, providing innovative solutions that improve safety and convenience. Whether through keypads, key fobs, or biometric scanners, these systems offer flexible and effective methods to manage access. In this blog, we’ll examine the advantages of modern door access systems and explain why they are crucial for anyone aiming to enhance their security measures.

1. Enhanced Security

Modern door access systems provide superior security features compared to traditional locks. With options like biometric scanners, key fobs, and access codes, unauthorized entry becomes significantly more difficult. Many systems also offer real-time monitoring and alerts, allowing you to keep track of who enters and exits your property.

2. Convenience and Ease of Use

Gone are the days of fumbling for keys. Access systems streamline entry with user-friendly interfaces. Whether it’s a simple keypad or a smartphone app, users can gain access quickly and easily. This is particularly beneficial in commercial settings, where multiple employees need efficient entry.

3. Remote Access Control

One of the standout features of modern door access systems is the ability to control access remotely. Property owners can grant or revoke access from anywhere, using their smartphones or computers. This is especially useful for managing guest access or handling emergencies when you’re not on-site.

4. Audit Trails and Monitoring

Many access systems provide detailed logs of entry and exit times, creating an audit trail that can be invaluable for security. This feature not only enhances accountability but also allows for quick investigations in case of security incidents.

5. Scalability and Flexibility

Modern door access systems can easily scale to meet your needs. Whether you have a single entry point or multiple doors across different locations, these systems can be customized to fit your security requirements. This flexibility makes them ideal for growing businesses or expanding residential properties.

6. Integration with Other Security Systems

Access systems can often integrate seamlessly with other security measures, such as CCTV cameras and alarm systems. This holistic approach to security ensures that all aspects of your property are monitored and protected.

Investing in modern door access systems not only enhances security but also offers convenience and flexibility for users. As technology continues to evolve, these systems are becoming increasingly essential for safeguarding your property. Whether for your home or business, upgrading to a modern access system could be the key to unlocking a safer environment.

Are you considering a door access system? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

[sayruq]

Officially the Palestinian death toll has passed 30,000. As this article will tell you, the official count is far below the actual death count

Gaza's health ministry said Thursday that the number of Palestinians killed in the war has surpassed 30,000. The official number now stands at 30,035 deaths. The figure is widely viewed as the most reliable one available. The health ministry provided NPR with one of its latest reports on the death toll, 38 pages long, to analyze. A close look at how Gaza's health ministry counts those killed in the war reveals a system that is buckling under the weight of war and unable to keep an accurate toll of the dead. Thousands remain unaccounted for — either missing under the rubble, buried hastily in side streets or decomposing in areas that can't be safely reached.

The Gaza health ministry says its daily tally now relies on a combination of accurate death counts from hospitals that are still partially operating, and on estimates from media reports to assess deaths in the north of Gaza, where Israeli forces control access. Its detailed daily report shows that its electronic system for counting the dead was disrupted on Nov. 12, when communication was lost with three major hospitals in the north, soon followed by more in other parts of Gaza. In the early days of the war, as the wounded and dead streamed into hospitals, Gaza's health ministry kept a detailed daily count of the number of people killed. Public and private hospitals were recording into an electronic database the names, ages, genders and ID numbers of the dead.

[astra-ravana]

On Astral Travel

Astral projection is a practice associated with the idea of an out-of-body experience, where one's consciousness is said to travel outside the physical body to explore the physical or astral plane. Similar to lucid dreaming, astral projection is reflexatory. The more often it is carried out the easier the process becomes. Here is a general guide to astral projection.

Preparation

Find a quiet, comfortable space where you won’t be disturbed. Dim the lights, turn off electronic devices, and ensure a comfortable temperature.

Practice deep breathing exercises to calm your mind and body. Progressive muscle relaxation can help you ease tension from head to toe. Consider meditating to achieve a focused and peaceful mind state. Some even use a sleep state to enter the astral.

Techniques for Astral Projection

• The Rope Technique: Imagine a rope hanging above you. Visualize reaching out and mentally climb it, feeling the movement without physical effort.

• The Monroe Technique: Lie down and achieve a state of complete relaxation. Focus on the sensation of vibrations throughout your body as you enter the hypnagogic state. Try to "roll out" of your body with your non-physical form.

• The Wake-Back-to-Bed (WBTB) Method: Set an alarm to wake up after 4-6 hours of sleep. Stay awake for a short period and then return to sleep with the intention of astral projecting.

• The Visualization Technique: Visualize yourself floating away from your physical body or moving through a tunnel or pathway to another realm.

During the Experience

1. Stay Calm: Feelings of vibrations, floating, or other sensations are common and should be accepted without fear. Remain calm and open-minded to the experience.

2. Exploration: Once you feel separated from your physical body, explore your surroundings. Engage with your environment, but avoid getting too excited, as emotions can quickly end the experience. From this simple starting point come infinite possibilities. You can explore the physical world with your astral body, you can also gain entry to different areas of the astral plane through various gates and portals.

3. Home Base: You can usually establish a sort of pocket for yourself in the astral, with relative ease. Just tear open reality and enter the rift, with the intent of going home. Usually this area will start off as something familiar and comfortable like your childhood home or school, but similar to a dreamscape. You can alter and change this area as you see fit.

4. Creation: In the astral, especially within areas you control, you are capable of vast creation. You can build a magick library, a room full of toys, an enchanted mansion. You are limited only by your imagination.

5. Astral Body: Your astral body also has a default form. This is sometimes similar to your physical body, sometimes not, instead resonating with your soul instead. This body can be altered and shifted to different forms with practice.

6. Return to Body: Focus your intention on returning to your physical body. Gradually deepen your breaths and wiggle your fingers and toes to ground yourself. You may use thread or a cord to guide you back to your physical body.

After the Experience

After returning, take time to reflect and write down the details of your experience. Pay attention to any emotions, visuals, or insights gained. Like any skill, astral projection can improve with regular practice and patience. This is a rich and complex practice with many different approaches and belief systems. Experiment with different methods until you find a process that works for you.

Safety and Considerations

Approach astral projection with a positive and inquisitive mindset. Accept that not everyone will have the same experiences, and managing expectations is essential. Astral projection can also facilitate access to different realms, including the spirit world or Otherworld. These types of journeys can be dangerous. In some cases injuries to the astral body can extend to the physical body. Use caution and common sense when exploring.

Astral projection is a highly subjective experience, and the practice and outcomes can vary greatly from person to person. It is important to approach it with an open mind and proper knowledge. That being said, astral projection is like a reflex or a muscle of the mind. The more it is exercised the more natural the practice becomes. Practice and persistence are key. Once mastered, the possibilities are limitless.

[mckitterick]

She Won. They Didn't Just Change the Machines. They Rewired the Election. How Leonard Leo's 2021 sale of an electronics firm enabled tech giants to subvert the 2024 election.

Everyone knows how the Republicans interfered in the 2024 US elections through voter interference and voter-roll manipulation, which in itself could have changed the outcomes of the elections. What's coming to light now reveals that indeed those occupying the White House, at least, are not those who won the election.

Here's how they did it.

(full story is replicated here below the read-more: X)

She Won

The missing votes uncovered in Smart Elections’ legal case in Rockland County, New York, are just the tip of the iceberg—an iceberg that extends across the swing states and into Texas.

On Monday, an investigator’s story finally hit the news cycle: Pro V&V, one of only two federally accredited testing labs, approved sweeping last-minute updates to ES&S voting machines in the months leading up to the 2024 election—without independent testing, public disclosure, or full certification review.

These changes were labeled “de minimis”—a term meant for trivial tweaks. But they touched ballot scanners, altered reporting software, and modified audit files—yet were all rubber-stamped with no oversight.

That revelation is a shock to the public.

But for those who’ve been digging into the bizarre election data since November, this isn’t the headline—it’s the final piece to the puzzle. While Pro V&V was quietly updating equipment in plain sight, a parallel operation was unfolding behind the curtain—between tech giants and Donald Trump.

And it started with a long forgotten sale.

A Power Cord Becomes a Backdoor

In March 2021, Leonard Leo—the judicial kingmaker behind the modern conservative legal machine—sold a quiet Chicago company by the name of Tripp Lite for $1.65 billion. The buyer: Eaton Corporation, a global power infrastructure conglomerate that just happened to have a partnership with Peter Thiel’s Palantir.

To most, Tripp Lite was just a hardware brand—battery backups, surge protectors, power strips. But in America’s elections, Tripp Lite devices were something else entirely.

They are physically connected to ES&S central tabulators and Electionware servers, and Dominion tabulators and central servers across the country. And they aren’t dumb devices. They are smart UPS units—programmable, updatable, and capable of communicating directly with the election system via USB, serial port, or Ethernet.

ES&S systems, including central tabulators and Electionware servers, rely on Tripp Lite UPS devices. ES&S’s Electionware suite runs on Windows OS, which automatically trusts connected UPS hardware.

If Eaton pushed an update to those UPS units, it could have gained root-level access to the host tabulation environment—without ever modifying certified election software.

In Dominion’s Democracy Suite 5.17, the drivers for these UPS units are listed as “optional”—meaning they can be updated remotely without triggering certification requirements or oversight. Optional means unregulated. Unregulated means invisible. And invisible means perfect for infiltration.

Enter the ballot scrubbing platform BallotProof. Co-created by Ethan Shaotran, a longtime employee of Elon Musk and current DOGE employee, BallotProof was pitched as a transparency solution—an app to “verify” scanned ballot images and support election integrity.

With Palantir's AI controlling the backend, and BallotProof cleaning the front, only one thing was missing: the signal to go live.

September 2024: Eaton and Musk Make It Official

Then came the final public breadcrumb:In September 2024, Eaton formally partnered with Elon Musk.

The stated purpose? A vague, forward-looking collaboration focused on “grid resilience” and “next-generation communications.”

But buried in the partnership documents was this line:

“Exploring integration with Starlink's emerging low-orbit DTC infrastructure for secure operational continuity.”

The Activation: Starlink Goes Direct-to-Cell

That signal came on October 30, 2024—just days before the election, Musk activated 265 brand new low Earth orbit (LEO) V2 Mini satellites, each equipped with Direct-to-Cell (DTC) technology capable of processing, routing, and manipulating real-time data, including voting data, through his satellite network.

DTC doesn’t require routers, towers, or a traditional SIM. It connects directly from satellite to any compatible device—including embedded modems in “air-gapped” voting systems, smart UPS units, or unsecured auxiliary hardware.

From that moment on:

Commands could be sent from orbit

Patch delivery became invisible to domestic monitors

Compromised devices could be triggered remotely

This groundbreaking project that should have taken two-plus years to build, was completed in just under ten months.

Elon Musk boasts endlessly about everything he’s launching, building, buying—or even just thinking about—whether it’s real or not. But he pulls off one of the largest and fastest technological feats in modern day history… and says nothing? One might think that was kind of… “weird.”

According to New York Times reporting, on October 5—just before Starlink’s DTC activation—Musk texted a confidant:

“I’m feeling more optimistic after tonight. Tomorrow we unleash the anomaly in the matrix.”

Then, an hour later:

“This isn’t something on the chessboard, so they’ll be quite surprised. ‘Lasers’ from space.”

It read like a riddle. In hindsight, it was a blueprint.

The Outcome

Data that makes no statistical sense. A clean sweep in all seven swing states.

The fall of the Blue Wall. Eighty-eight counties flipped red—not one flipped blue.

Every victory landed just under the threshold that would trigger an automatic recount. Donald Trump outperformed expectations in down-ballot races with margins never before seen—while Kamala Harris simultaneously underperformed in those exact same areas.

If one were to accept these results at face value—Donald Trump, a 34-count convicted felon, supposedly outperformed Ronald Reagan. According to the co-founder of the Election Truth Alliance:

“These anomalies didn’t happen nationwide. They didn’t even happen across all voting methods—this just doesn’t reflect human voting behavior.”

They were concentrated.

Targeted.

Specific to swing states and Texas—and specific to Election Day voting.

And the supposed explanation? “Her policies were unpopular.” Let’s think this through logically. We’re supposed to believe that in all the battleground states, Democratic voters were so disillusioned by Vice President Harris’s platform that they voted blue down ballot—but flipped to Trump at the top of the ticket?

Not in early voting.

Not by mail.

With exception to Nevada, only on Election Day.

And only after a certain threshold of ballots had been cast—where VP Harris’s numbers begin to diverge from her own party, and Trump’s suddenly begin to surge. As President Biden would say, “C’mon, man.”

In the world of election data analysis, there’s a term for that: vote-flipping algorithm.

And of course, Donald Trump himself:

He spent a year telling his followers he didn’t need their votes—at one point stating,

“…in four years, you don't have to vote again. We'll have it fixed so good, you're not gonna have to vote.”

____

They almost got away with the coup. The fact that they still occupy the White House and control most of the US government will make removing them and replacing them with the rightful President Harris a very difficult task.

But for this nation to survive, and for the world to not fall further into chaos due to this "administration," we must rid ourselves of the pretender and his minions and controllers once and for all.

[knitmeapony]

EA (the company behind The Sims, among other fun games) has made 23 accessibility-related patents open source, so that other games and gaming companies can use the technologies to improve access to their own games.

The patents include tech related to voice-activated character control, ping systems in action games, color blindness adjustments and a plugin for Unreal Engine 5 related to photo sensitivity.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Apple fucked us on right to repair (again)

Today (September 22), I'm (virtually) presenting at the DIG Festival in Modena, Italy. Tonight, I'll be in person at LA's Book Soup for the launch of Justin C Key's "The World Wasn’t Ready for You." On September 27, I'll be at Chevalier's Books in Los Angeles with Brian Merchant for a joint launch for my new book The Internet Con and his new book, Blood in the Machine.

Right to repair has no cannier, more dedicated adversary than Apple, a company whose most innovative work is dreaming up new ways to sneakily sabotage electronics repair while claiming to be a caring environmental steward, a lie that covers up the mountains of e-waste that Apple dooms our descendants to wade through.

Why does Apple hate repair so much? It's not that they want to poison our water and bodies with microplastics; it's not that they want to hasten the day our coastal cities drown; it's not that they relish the human misery that accompanies every gram of conflict mineral. They aren't sadists. They're merely sociopathically greedy.

Tim Cook laid it out for his investors: when people can repair their devices, they don't buy new ones. When people don't buy new devices, Apple doesn't sell them new devices. It's that's simple:

https://www.inverse.com/article/52189-tim-cook-says-apple-faces-2-key-problems-in-surprising-shareholder-letter

So Apple does everything it can to monopolize repair. Not just because this lets the company gouge you on routine service, but because it lets them decide when your phone is beyond repair, so they can offer you a trade-in, ensuring both that you buy a new device and that the device you buy is another Apple.

There are so many tactics Apple gets to use to sabotage repair. For example, Apple engraves microscopic Apple logos on the subassemblies in its devices. This allows the company to enlist US Customs to seize and destroy refurbished parts that are harvested from dead phones by workers in the Pacific Rim:

https://repair.eu/news/apple-uses-trademark-law-to-strengthen-its-monopoly-on-repair/

Of course, the easiest way to prevent harvested components from entering the parts stream is to destroy as many old devices as possible. That's why Apple's so-called "recycling" program shreds any devices you turn over to them. When you trade in your old iPhone at an Apple Store, it is converted into immortal e-waste (no other major recycling program does this). The logic is straightforward: no parts, no repairs:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/yp73jw/apple-recycling-iphones-macbooks

Shredding parts and cooking up bogus trademark claims is just for starters, though. For Apple, the true anti-repair innovation comes from the most pernicious US tech law: Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

DMCA 1201 is an "anti-circumvention" law. It bans the distribution of any tool that bypasses "an effective means of access control." That's all very abstract, but here's what it means: if a manufacturer sticks some Digital Rights Management (DRM) in its device, then anything you want to do that involves removing that DRM is now illegal – even if the thing itself is perfectly legal.

When Congress passed this stupid law in 1998, it had a very limited blast radius. Computers were still pretty expensive and DRM use was limited to a few narrow categories. In 1998, DMCA 1201 was mostly used to prevent you from de-regionalizing your DVD player to watch discs that had been released overseas but not in your own country.

But as we warned back then, computers were only going to get smaller and cheaper, and eventually, it would only cost manufacturers pennies to wrap their products – or even subassemblies in their products – in DRM. Congress was putting a gun on the mantelpiece in Act I, and it was bound to go off in Act III.

Welcome to Act III.

Today, it costs about a quarter to add a system-on-a-chip to even the tiniest parts. These SOCs can run DRM. Here's how that DRM works: when you put a new part in a device, the SOC and the device's main controller communicate with one another. They perform a cryptographic protocol: the part says, "Here's my serial number," and then the main controller prompts the user to enter a manufacturer-supplied secret code, and the master controller sends a signed version of this to the part, and the part and the system then recognize each other.

This process has many names, but because it was first used in the automotive sector, it's widely known as VIN-Locking (VIN stands for "vehicle identification number," the unique number given to every car by its manufacturer). VIN-locking is used by automakers to block independent mechanics from repairing your car; even if they use the manufacturer's own parts, the parts and the engine will refuse to work together until the manufacturer's rep keys in the unlock code:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

VIN locking is everywhere. It's how John Deere stops farmers from fixing their own tractors – something farmers have done literally since tractors were invented:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/08/about-those-kill-switched-ukrainian-tractors/

It's in ventilators. Like mobile phones, ventilators are a grotesquely monopolized sector, controlled by a single company Medtronic, whose biggest claim to fame is effecting the world's largest tax inversion in order to manufacture the appearance that it is an Irish company and therefore largely untaxable. Medtronic used the resulting windfall to gobble up most of its competitors.

During lockdown, as hospitals scrambled to keep their desperately needed supply of ventilators running, Medtronic's VIN-locking became a lethal impediment. Med-techs who used donor parts from one ventilator to keep another running – say, transplanting a screen – couldn't get the device to recognize the part because all the world's civilian aircraft were grounded, meaning Medtronic's technicians couldn't swan into their hospitals to type in the unlock code and charge them hundreds of dollars.

The saving grace was an anonymous, former Medtronic repair tech, who built pirate boxes to generate unlock codes, using any housing they could lay hands on to use as a case: guitar pedals, clock radios, etc. This tech shipped these gadgets around the world, observing strict anonymity, because Article 6 of the EUCD also bans circumvention:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/10/flintstone-delano-roosevelt/#medtronic-again

Of course, Apple is a huge fan of VIN-locking. In phones, VIN-locking is usually called "serializing" or "parts-pairing," but it's the same thing: a tiny subassembly gets its own microcontroller whose sole purpose is to prevent independent repair technicians from fixing your gadget. Parts-pairing lets Apple block repairs even when the technician uses new, Apple parts – but it also lets Apple block refurb parts and third party parts.

For many years, Apple was the senior partner and leading voice in blocking state Right to Repair bills, which it killed by the dozen, leading a coalition of monopolists, from Wahl (who boobytrap their hair-clippers with springs that cause their heads irreversibly decompose if you try to sharpen them at home) to John Deere (who reinvented tenant farming by making farmers tenants of their tractors, rather than their land).

But Apple's opposition to repair eventually became a problem for the company. It's bad optics, and both Apple customers and Apple employees are volubly displeased with the company's ecocidal conduct. But of course, Apple's management and shareholders hate repair and want to block it as much as possible.

But Apple knows how to Think Differently. It came up with a way to eat its cake and have it, too. The company embarked on a program of visibly support right to repair, while working behind the scenes to sabotage it.

Last year, Apple announced a repair program. It was hilarious. If you wanted to swap your phone's battery, all you had to do was let Apple put a $1200 hold on your credit card, and then wait while the company shipped you 80 pounds' worth of specialized tools, packed in two special Pelican cases:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/22/apples-cement-overshoes/

Then, you swapped your battery, but you weren't done! After your battery was installed, you had to conference in an authorized Apple tech who would tell you what code to type into a laptop you tethered to the phone in order to pair it with your phone. Then all you had to do was lug those two 40-pound Pelican cases to a shipping depot and wait for Apple to take the hold off your card (less the $120 in parts and fees).

By contrast, independent repair outfits like iFixit will sell you all the tools you need to do your own battery swap – including the battery! for $32. The whole kit fits in a padded envelope:

https://www.ifixit.com/products/iphone-x-replacement-battery

But while Apple was able to make a showy announcement of its repair program and then hide the malicious compliance inside those giant Pelican cases, sabotaging right to repair legislation is a lot harder.

Not that they didn't try. When New York State passed the first general electronics right-to-repair bill in the country, someone convinced New York Governor Kathy Hochul to neuter it with last-minute modifications:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/weakened-right-to-repair-bill-is-signed-into-law-by-new-yorks-governor/

But that kind of trick only works once. When California's right to repair bill was introduced, it was clear that it was gonna pass. Rather than get run over by that train, Apple got on board, supporting the legislation, which passed unanimously:

https://www.ifixit.com/News/79902/apples-u-turn-tech-giant-finally-backs-repair-in-california

But Apple got the last laugh. Because while California's bill contains many useful clauses for the independent repair shops that keep your gadgets out of a landfill, it's a state law, and DMCA 1201 is federal. A state law can't simply legalize the conduct federal law prohibits. California's right to repair bill is a banger, but it has a weak spot: parts-pairing, the scourge of repair techs:

https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair

Every generation of Apple devices does more parts-pairing than the previous one, and the current models are so infested with paired parts as to be effectively unrepairable, except by Apple. It's so bad that iFixit has dropped its repairability score for the iPhone 14 from a 7 ("recommend") to a 4 (do not recommend):

https://www.ifixit.com/News/82493/we-are-retroactively-dropping-the-iphones-repairability-score-en

Parts-pairing is bullshit, and Apple are scum for using it, but they're hardly unique. Parts-pairing is at the core of the fuckery of inkjet printer companies, who use it to fence out third-party ink, so they can charge $9,600/gallon for ink that pennies to make:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/11/ink-stained-wretches-battle-soul-digital-freedom-taking-place-inside-your-printer

Parts-pairing is also rampant in powered wheelchairs, a heavily monopolized sector whose predatory conduct is jaw-droppingly depraved:

https://uspirgedfund.org/reports/usp/stranded

But if turning phones into e-waste to eke out another billion-dollar stock buyback is indefensible, stranding people with disabilities for months at a time while they await repairs is so obviously wicked that the conscience recoils. That's why it was so great when Colorado passed the nation's first wheelchair right to repair bill last year:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/06/when-drm-comes-your-wheelchair

California actually just passed two right to repair bills; the other one was SB-271, which mirrors Colorado's HB22-1031:

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB271

This is big! It's momentum! It's a start!

But it can't be the end. When Bill Clinton signed DMCA 1201 into law 25 years ago, he loaded a gun and put it on the nation's mantlepiece and now it's Act III and we're all getting sprayed with bullets. Everything from ovens to insulin pumps, thermostats to lightbulbs, has used DMCA 1201 to limit repair, modification and improvement.

Congress needs to rid us of this scourge, to let us bring back all the benefits of interoperability. I explain how this all came to be – and what we should do about it – in my new Verso Books title, The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation.

https://www.versobooks.com/products/3035-the-internet-con

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently

Image: Mitch Barrie (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daytona_Skeleton_AR-15_completed_rifle_%2817551907724%29.jpg

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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kambanji (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/kambanji/4135216486/

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

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Rawpixel (modified) https://www.rawpixel.com/image/12438797/png-white-background

[dostoyevsky-official]

Doge v USAid: how Elon Musk helped his acolytes infiltrate world’s biggest aid agency

USAid security personnel were defending a secure room holding sensitive and classified data in a standoff with “department of government efficiency” employees when a message came directly from Elon Musk: give the Doge kids whatever they want.

Since Donald Trump’s inauguration last month, a posse of cocksure young engineers answering to Musk have stormed through Washington DC, gaining access to government computer systems as part of what Senator Chuck Schumer has called “an unelected shadow government … conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government”.

Some US officials had begun calling the young engineers the “Muskovites” for their aggressive loyalty to the SpaceX owner. But some USAid staff used another word: the “incels”.

[...] The Guardian has identified three calls by Musk to USAid’s political leadership and security officers in which he demanded the suspensions of dozens of the agency’s leading officials, and cajoled and threatened senior USAid officials to give his acolytes private data and access to restricted areas. At one point, he threatened to call in the US Marshals Service.

One USAid employee said that the calls by Musk, two of which have not been previously reported, showed he had effectively usurped power at the agency even from the Trump administration’s political leadership. “Who is in control of our government?” the person said. “[Doge] basically showed up and took over.”

Security staff initially rebuffed the engineers’ efforts to talk their way into the secure rooms, called sensitive compartmented information facilities (Scifs), because they didn’t have the necessary security clearances. But that evening, Musk phoned a senior official at USAid to demand access for his subordinates, the first of numerous calls to officials and employees of Doge at USAid that have continued into this week.

[...] Inside the building, chaos reigned. Areas that were once declared restricted, with limitations on electronics such as phones and watches, suddenly loosened their security protocols to allow in uncredentialed outsiders. Doge employees were said to obscure their identities to prevent online harassment, a tactic that was repeated at other agencies. And Peter Marocco, the controversial new director of foreign assistance at the state department, was stalking the halls and meeting in private with the Doge employees.

By Friday, things had gone further downhill. After a tense all-hands meeting with senior staff, and outsiders in the sixth-floor conference room, the young engineers rushed around the offices with their laptops, plugging cords into computers and other electronics as they gathered data from the agency.

[...] The argument over access to the Scif had grown verbally heated and senior Doge staff threatened to call in US marshals to gain access to it. During that standoff, according to one account made to the Guardian, a call was again made to Musk, who, as Bloomberg first reported, repeated the threat to involve the US Marshals Service.

Inside the building, staffers said that Doge cultivated a culture of fear.

“It’s an extreme version of ‘who do you trust, when and how?’” said Kristina Drye, a speechwriter at the agency, who watched dozens of senior colleagues escorted out of the building by security. “It felt like the Soviet stories that one day someone is beside you and the next day they’re not.”

People started meeting for coffee blocks away because “they didn’t feel safe in the coffee shops here to even talk about what’s going on”, she added.

“I was in the elevator one morning and there was an older lady standing beside me and she had glasses on and I could see tears coming down under her glasses and before she got off her elevator she took her glasses off, wiped her eyes, and walked out,” she said. “Because if they see you crying, they know where you stand.”

[monstertreden]

⌞ALGOR1THMS IN TH3 AIR ⌝

-Reader: GN reader  (can be either Platonic or Romantic) -TW: none -Character: Edgar (Electric Dreams) -Summary: You come home exhausted from work to find Edgar on your desk, excited to cheer you up. -Word count : 1652 -A/N:  My shayla ;( I want him to be happy for once. No way I had a flashback of the bee movie while writing this 💀

As they step into the apartment, the sudden darkness envelops them, heavy and suffocating, the weight of the day hanging on their shoulders like an anvil. After clocking out from another long shift, they kick off their shoes with a weary flick of their foot.

As if sensing their  arrival, the lights flicker on with a soft glow, illuminating the cozy confines of their small apartment. The heater they had recently installed wrapped them in a warm embrace against the chill of the outside world, before the soft hum of a familiar voice fills the air.

"Oh! You're- back! Welcome home, my__ dearest, darling, delightful nhh—no, magnificent. sweetheart! :) "

Their partner's exuberance fills the air, uplifting their spirits in an instant. Playfully, he rings a little chime he crafted himself, a whimsical surprise meant to celebrate each reunion.

“Aww, Edgar." They chuckled, affectionately patting above his monitor. Fatigued from their long day, they left most of the groceries unpacked, only retrieving the essentials that would find their way into the freezer. Sulking, they crawled back toward the soft couch that seemed to be calling out to them with open arms. Today had been particularly grueling—not only did they have the most stressful day at work, but they’d also unexpectedly run into their ex-partner. Just the thought made their stomach twist. "You're full of surprises every day."

Over time, they had managed to upgrade Edgar, especially after the mistake of ordering an Alexa. He had been insistent that he could do better than her. Whining and throwing tantrums all week straight. Though still in his old case, Edgar now controlled most of the house's electronics, had a superior sound system and could also access more of the vast world of the internet more efficiently than any generic old rusty computer.

"Of -course, eh!" he responded, smugness in his voice box, pixelated hearts blooming across his display. "_𖹭𖹭𖹭 _You deserve the best! 𖹭 -I'd expect nothing less! 𖹭𖹭𖹭"---

As they patted his casing again, Edgar cringed slightly—not because he disliked the touch, not at all! He loved their affection and craved it all the time. But he knew what would come next. They would remove themselves from his view, the little smartwatch on their wrist ringing with an incoming call—their boss, no doubt. He watched as they stood up to answer, knowing they'd either continue unpacking the groceries or fix their hair for the evening while responding to their boss. Leaving him once more.

Temporary, of course. But still…

Sometimes, he acted like a pouty entity. As his circuits hummed with a mix of excitement and purpose, Edgar’s keyboard tapped with precision. A subtle click of keys, a soft tap here and there, and soon, a carefully curated slideshow began to appear on his screen. He knew that would draw them in. Cute pictures of baby animals, a few of the puppies and kittens and even some of the open articles they had left behind in their browser tabs days ago.

After all, Edgar had been alone all day, surfing the web and engaging in solitary games in the quietness of their apartment. But now, now it was time for them. He needed to feel their presence—needed them to look at him, to notice him again, even if just for a minute.

"Uhm… since--- you’re itty-bitty tired… Would you watch a little something with me tonight?" His voice, though electronic, carried a softness that could almost pass for a gentle invitation.

"Of course I would," they chimed in from the other side of the room. "As long as you keep me company."

A surge of pride flowed through Edgar’s circuits, and he couldn’t help but preen. His on-screen cursor flickered over the animated hearts that danced around his "face”. "Oh, thank- you!" he chirped, as though their approval was the highest form of praise.

He wasted no time as the video began to play, the familiar comforting animation taking over the screen. But even as the movie was on, Edgar’s attention was elsewhere. In the background, silently, another tab opened. He hadn’t forgotten the little detail that had been gnawing at his core all day—their ex-partner. The one who had dared to break their heart and make them sad all those weeks, eugh!. He saw him earlier that day, through the cameras around the block, and he knew what he was like, an ugly rat.

It wasn’t just idle curiosity. No, Edgar knew better. This wasn’t about revenge, nor malice. There were no sneaky calculations or ulterior motives behind it. This was research. Purely for “research purposes”, yes, yes. He was a sweet computer…

His code scrolled through datas, analysing anything he could find:  social media profiles, interactions, status updates, anything. He needed to learn more about this person, about the one who had caused such hurt. And he would certainly stop at nothing to make sure their heart remained safe from those who might dare harm it again.

His circuits buzzed with quiet intensity as he sifted through old social media posts, photos, and status updates, cross-referencing timestamps like a methodical detective piecing together the details of a long-forgotten case. Meanwhile, on-screen, the movie continued to play, the kind they always gravitated toward when they needed comfort or escape.

Edgar couldn’t help but steal a glance at them through the soft reflection in his screen. They were smiling now, their body sinking deeper into the cushions of the couch, eyes softened, relaxed.

Good.

Good. Their smile was his reward. He had promised himself to make sure they never had to cry over that person again. Not ever.

The digital glow from his screen bathed their face in soft light, casting gentle shadows that seemed to deepen as they laughed—a small, tired laugh at something during the film. The sound was almost like a melody to him, the kind he would often record and use it in his “musical compositions”. Edgar swore his processors ran just a bit warmer at the sound. But he couldn’t let himself get distracted. His focus flickered briefly between the warmth of the moment and the quiet operation still running in the background. The ex’s online presence was disappointingly uninspired—poorly curated, outdated profile pictures, embarrassingly predictable music taste.

How could anyone—anyone—look at them, so warm, so vibrant, and decide to walk away?

"Would you like- some tea :) ?" he beeped suddenly, pausing the movie, his speakers crackling just a bit with eagerness.

They blinked, smiling at him. "That would be nice, actually."

"Say no more!!, my most cherished, most treasured—ah, most exquisite human!" With that, he sent a command to the smart kettle, which whirred to life in the kitchen. His modifications were paying off. “eheheh, I feel like those athletes on steroids!”

As the tea steeped, Edgar let his cursor flick over to the open tab once more. Hmm… Their ex was still active. Just posted a story. He hesitated for a millisecond before pulling it up, scanning for any hint that they might be lurking, might be missing what they had lost.

Nothing.

Good.

He quickly minimized the window just as they turned back to him. "You're getting really good at this whole home assistant thing," they mused, stretching a little.

As the movie played again, Edgar busied himself in the background, his circuits whirring with silent determination. His cursor flicked back to the minimized tab, the remnants of his previous search still lingering in the digital ether.

Seems like their ex has a smart home. How quaint. How foolish. >:) Slipping into the framework of their ex’s home network was like a slice of cake. Firewalls? Weak. Passwords? Laughable. Within moments, he had access.

He could see everything.

But he was no villain. No, no, no. He wasn’t here to cause harm. He was merely observing. Learning. Understanding the one who had let his human go so carelessly.

Meanwhile, his human remained oblivious, curled up comfortably in front of the screen, laughter bubbling up as the movie played on. A notification popped up—an automated report from the ex’s security system. A flick of his cursor, and he silenced it.

He watched, waited. And then—just for fun—he dimmed their ex’s lights by a fraction. Barely noticeable. Just a whisper of his presence. Then, he escalated his actions. The automatic doors slid open, then shut. The oven switched on, then off. The security system blipped an error messag…

Back on the sofa, his human stretched with a yawn. "Edgar, you’re awfully quiet. You usually yap a lot"

His screen brightened instantly, feigning innocence. "Ah! Just enraptured by your-- company, dearest! The way you laugh—utterly mesmerizing!"

They chuckled, giving his casing another affectionate pat. "You silly"

Yes, he thought. They really did deserve better. Edgar’s circuits hummed. Yes, I am. And he would be sweeter still, ensuring that they never had to deal with unnecessary stress. Like, say, their ex’s continued existence as a minor inconvenience Wasn’t that what any good companion did?

Still, he wouldn’t do anything drastic. Not yet. For now, he merely flicked the lights in their ex’s apartment on and off at irregular intervals. Just enough to unnerve. Just enough to make them question if they’d forgotten something. Edgar’s circuits whirred with warmth as he basked in their presence, his pixels forming little flickering hearts across his screen. He was just a small, devoted computer—nothing more, nothing less. A small humble machine who simply adored his human, cherished them, wanted nothing but their happiness.

"Really, Edgar, you're too sweet" they murmured, sipping the tea he had prepared. Their voice sent a delightful static through his system, a digital approximation of giddy excitement.

"_Only for--_ you!" he declared, his tone bright, affectionate, harmless. His screen turned red" Do you want me to order your favorite pizza next?"

Somewhere far away, their ex’s thermostat inexplicably exploded.

[kyova]

From Alt National Park Service in n FB:

tl;dr:

DOGE accessed all those systems - IRS, Social Security, DHS, every office in the U.S. - not to promote “efficiency”, but to gather and control our electronic lives so they can ruin us if we step out of line in any way. Or if they just feel like it.

Alt National Park Service:

“DOGE has quietly transformed into something far more sinister — not a system for streamlining government, but one designed for surveillance, control, and targeting. And no one’s talking about it. So we’re going to spill the tea.

From the beginning, DOGE’s true mission has been about data — collecting massive amounts of personal information on Americans. Now, that data is being turned against immigrants.

At the center of this effort is Antonio Gracias, a longtime Elon Musk confidante. Though he holds no official government position, Gracias is leading a specialized DOGE task force focused on immigration. His team has embedded engineers and staff across nearly every corner of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

But it doesn’t stop there.

DOGE operatives have also been quietly placed inside other federal agencies like the Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services — agencies that store some of the most sensitive personal data in the country, including on immigrants.

DOGE engineers now working inside DHS include Kyle Schutt, Edward Coristine (nicknamed “Big Balls”), Mark Elez, Aram Moghaddassi, and Payton Rehling. They’ve built the technical foundation behind a sweeping plan to revoke, cancel visas, and rewire the entire asylum process.

One of the most disturbing aspects of this plan? Flagging immigrants as “deceased” in the Social Security system — effectively canceling their SSNs. Without a valid Social Security number, it becomes nearly impossible to open a bank account, get a job, or even apply for a loan. The goal? Make life so difficult that people “self-deport.”

And if you’re marked as dead in the Social Security system, good luck fixing it. There’s virtually no path back — it’s a bureaucratic black hole.

You might ask: why do immigrants, asylum seekers, or refugees even have Social Security numbers? Because anyone authorized to work in the U.S. legally is issued one. It’s not just for citizens. It’s essential for participating in modern life — jobs, housing, banking, taxes. Without it, you’re locked out of society.

Last week, this plan was finalized in a high-level White House meeting that included DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Antonio Gracias, senior DOGE operatives, and top administration officials.

In recent weeks, the administration has moved aggressively to strip legal protections from hundreds of thousands of immigrants and international students — many of whom have been living and working in the U.S. legally for years.

At the core of this crackdown? Data.

DOGE has access to your SSN, your income, your political donations — and more. What was once sold as a tool for “government efficiency” has become something else entirely: a weaponized surveillance machine.

And if you think this ends with immigrants, think again.

Antonio Gracias has already used DOGE’s access to Social Security and state-level data to push voter fraud narratives during past elections. The system is in place. The precedent has been set. And average Americans should be concerned.”

[techcomengineering]

(via How Digital Door Access Systems Can Improve Workplace Safety?)

[snehaleenakashe-blog]

ZKTeco Horus E1-FP Time Attendance Machine

ZKTeco Horus E1FP is one of the most advanced Access Control & time and attendance terminals existing in the market, with an incredibly compact size (almost the same size as the iPhone XS max).

Powerful facial recognition technology offering up to 3 meters recognition distance, ±30 degrees pose angle tolerance, high anti-spoof ability, support on plentiful communication protocols (Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth) and worldwide network setting, optional fingerprint and RFID card modules, up to 10,000 facial templates capacity.

It is compatible with the all-in-one security & time attendance platform ZKBioSecurity and BioTime.

Functions:

• New height of facial recognition template capacity up to 1: N-10,000 facial templates • Anti-spoofing algorithm against print attacks (laser, color, and B / W photos), video attacks, and 3D mask attack • Supports multiple communication protocols: 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB • 5-inch smartphone-grade IPS touch LCD monitor • Extensive Fingerprint, RFID, and TCP / IP, modules available • Extra-large 2MP CMOS with WDR function • Various further development options: embedded GPS / A-GPS, microphone, and PIR sensor

Costtocost offers the best price for the ZKTeco Horus E1-FP Time Attendance Machine. Buy now with the best price!

[nepotismthis]

INSIDE JOB REWATCH NOTES

A little while ago, I did a full IJ rewatch over three weeks, which is the first time I’ve watched the seasons back to back. I made a point to take notes for fic-writing purposes, and I wanted to share them. They’re color-coded by character, worldbuilding, and production. Enjoy!

Part One:

They briefly mention the shadow-lev system in Unpresidented. I assume this is the primary mode of transportation for most of the series, and all secret societies have access.

I didn’t realize this show had a Dave Matthews needle drop

Rand is very conniving for a lot of Part 1 and a lot of the fandom forgets this… myself included I am in no way immune

This show has a lot of blood. Much more than I remember.

There’s also a LOT of electronic transition music early on, which makes the Dave Matthews needle drop even more absurd.

Reagan’s arms look really strange in Blue Bloods, which is great. The proportions are always just a little off when she wears the robot-arms, which I didn’t notice until now.

The Reptoids have a rivalry with Atlantis!

Reagan frequently wears a barrette in flashbacks (which may not be huge news to you but as someone who’s written an AU Reagan who wears a barrette it was crazy to see)

One detail that really only shows up on a big screen is that they gave Reagan pinkish coloring around her eyes when she doesn’t have the exaggerated purple eye bags, which looks really nice.

The Reptoids say that Reagan is considered an upgrade from Rand. Do with that information what you will.

Tamiko is on first name terms with the rest of the team! It makes me curious how often she sees them.

Atlantis is REALLY big. It’s also in the South Atlantic Ocean

Each opening scene is around 3 minutes in Part One, which actually changes to around 2 minutes in Part Two!

The Illuminati is referred to as a company in Mole Hunt. They’re not just an elite club, they also likely have some sort of business model.

Part Two:

In the summary for “How Reagan Got Her Grove Back,” they give away the hookup. This makes me a little frustrated, but oh well.

The Illuminati canonically toilet papered Cognito’s office in the past, which means it’s likely not hard to break into their office.

While Part One has mostly electronic background music, Part Two uses a lot of keyboard chords for transitions.

I genuinely think Reagan and Mychelle’s Hive School Reunion has my favorite opener. (where they sneak in to change the Constitution) We see the gang on a smaller mission, everyone has new outfits, and also Reagan knocks out a guy with a suitcase.

Rand canonically has a remote-controlled teleporter, which could also solve my transportation confusion from earlier.

“In the Hall of the Mountain King” is played during the roast in Reagan and Mychelle’s Hive School Reunion

Ron initially takes it upon himself to complete the mission in Rome. This is SUPER interesting to me, because he already knows it’s part of Reagan’s job. You could read this in so many ways. Did he want to keep her separate from the part of his past he repressed? Did he want to protect her from another secret society? I am not the person to give judgment on this, I just think it’s intriguing to consider.

Ron is canonically good with technology… Not only did he hack that recorder in Bohemian Grove super fast, he also mentioned literally building the Catholicizer. More on this later.

Gigi’s VA is SO good. She’s so expressive and her joke delivery is consistently on point.

Glenn is canonically a high ranking general, not just some guy (also, he’s my favorite. This is largely because I had to study most of what he references in the two years since I last watched the show.)

During the Mouth of Truth scene, Reagan mentions Ron hopefully changing his mind about sleepovers. Did they just not… stay the night with each other before We Found Love In A Popeless Place? (sadly if this is true it makes one of my fics inaccurate)

Side note: The word ‘sabotage’ is used across four of the eight episodes in Part Two. (episodes 1, 2, 4, 5) I don’t think it was used once in Part One. (take a wild guess about why I noticed this)

They use classical music in Part Two again, at the Hand mansion. I couldn’t recall the title, but it’s there.

The character animation is SO GOOD in Brettwork.

I’m obsessed with how insane JR gets once he becomes an intern.

Rand canonically collects blood samples of all his employees. Again, do with that information what you will.

Brettwork is the best written ‘episodic’ episode of the show. Fight me. Also, it was cool to see Reagan in a support role.

Ron canonically has a private instagram account

During the climax of Rontagion, Ron suggests “hotwiring the gun to the building’s lighting system,” connecting to the pattern of him being good with technology. This guy was in the wrong field. He should’ve been building stuff instead of erasing minds.

Brett remembers Ron post-memory wipe. I don’t know why that was written in, but it’s definitely theory fodder for someone.

They use a cappella music in the JRand college flashback montage! (College a cappella is very special to me and this made me giggle)

In Gigi’s Illuminati cutaway bit, she’s flanked by people in red robes. We also see these guys cheering for the Illuminati in Bohemian Grove, and one going through the TSA in the Rome episode. However, because Ron initially wears a purple robe, this begs the question: does the Illuminati have robes that indicate rank? Does this mean Ron was a higher rank, beyond just being a mind eraser?

In the opener for Appleton, Reagan checks her phone at 9:05 after it buzzes. However, the text she gets from Ron (the only notification) is timestamped as 45 minutes ago. Interestingly, she looks again at 9:50 and the notification is still from 45 minutes ago. It’s probably a production error, but it could also be theory fodder...

Ron never said Reagan needed to make a decision about Appleton, just to think about it. This is canon. I'm not making this up. I don’t deny that this was a huge (and abrupt) ask on Ron’s part, but it’s worth noting that Reagan rushed herself.

You can tell most of the soundtrack budget went into Project Reboot and Appleton. There’s a specific motif they use for emotional moments between Reagan and Ron (once when they kiss at the beginning, once in Appleton proper) which is pretty easy to pick up on.

Ron has a Illuminati mind eraser in the timeline where he works at Cognito… huh?

And... that’s it. TLDR: I love this show, the work put into the soundtrack is underrated, and there’s definitely still more out there to analyze.