An 18-year-old California man, Alan Filion, pleaded guilty to making over 375 hoax threats across the country, including bomb threats and mass shooting threats, targeting schools, government officials, and religious institutions. Filion, who began his “swatting” activities at age 16, turned the practice into a business, advertising his services on social media for a fee. His actions, which caused widespread fear and chaos, included a threat to carry out a mass shooting at a mosque in Florida, leading to his arrest and extradition. Filion faces a maximum of five years in prison for each of the four charges against him.
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It breaks my heart to hear about the tragic story of Jordan, the Michigan teen who took his own life after falling victim to ‘sextortion’ by the Ogoshi brothers. His mother’s mission to share his story in hopes of saving another child’s life resonates deeply with me. As a parent, I can’t imagine the pain and grief she must be going through, and my heart goes out to her.
The fact that more than 3,000 minors have been victimized in similar cases in the past year, most of them boys, highlights the urgent need for awareness and action against online sexual exploitation.… Continue reading
The recent news of the massive data breach at AT&T, where nearly all cell customers’ call and text records were exposed, is not only alarming but also raises serious concerns about the state of data privacy and security in our digital age. The fact that this breach occurred between May 1, 2022, and October 31, 2022, but was only disclosed recently is extremely troubling. It begs the question of how long such sensitive information has been floating out there in the digital ether, potentially accessible to malicious actors.
AT&T attributed this breach to an “illegal download” on a third-party cloud platform, which they claim to have discovered in April.… Continue reading
As news of the arrest of a 17-year-old alleged ‘serial swatter’ broke, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of shock and frustration. The young individual, identified as Alan Filion, is accused of making threatening calls and false reports, targeting various institutions including mosques, colleges, and government agencies throughout the country. The severity and extent of his alleged actions are deeply unsettling and raise larger concerns about the safety of our society.
One key aspect that struck me is the potential classification of swatting as attempted murder. Filion has been charged with multiple felonies, including false reporting and unlawful use of a two-way communication device, while facilitating or furthering an act of terrorism.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker