Daily Surveillance Briefing: February 19, 2026

FBI Counterterrorism Agents Knocked on a Climate Activist's Door

On the evening of February 6, 2026, two FBI agents from the Joint Terrorism Task Force arrived at the home of a former Extinction Rebellion NYC member, 200 miles outside New York City. They'd been tracking him for weeks, according to The Intercept.

This wasn't a random check-in. Extinction Rebellion is a nonviolent climate protest group. They block traffic. They stage die-ins. They don't set fires or build bombs. But the FBI's counterterrorism division apparently disagrees with that assessment.

On Wednesday, Extinction Rebellion confirmed it's under federal investigation. They said members have received FBI visits across multiple chapters, including six Boston members who got simultaneous visits last March. No business cards. No explanations. Just agents at the door asking questions.

The timing matters. This comes as Attorney General Pam Bondi's December 2025 memo instructed FBI's 200 Joint Terrorism Task Force units to investigate "domestic terrorism" targeting groups that embrace "anti-capitalism" or "anti-Americanism" under Trump's NSPM-7 directive. Climate activists fit the profile.

The New York FBI field office gave the standard non-answer: "Per longstanding DOJ policy, we cannot confirm or deny the existence or nonexistence of any investigation."

We've covered NSPM-7's implications before. This is what it looks like when the policy becomes action.

Sources: The Intercept, Common Dreams

The Secret Domestic Terrorist List Is Real. Bondi Just Confirmed It.

For months, the Trump administration denied specifics about NSPM-7, the September 2025 directive creating a federal effort to identify "domestic terror organizations." On Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi made it official at a House Judiciary Committee hearing.

"I know antifa is part of that," she said when asked about the list, according to The Intercept.

That's the first public confirmation the list exists. Bondi's December 4, 2025 memo directed FBI to compile names of "domestic terrorism" organizations matching NSPM-7's criteria, which includes "anti-Americanism," "anti-capitalism," "anti-Christianity," "extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders," and "radical gender ideology."

When pressed to share the list with Congress, Bondi refused. Repeatedly. She deflected questions and insulted the representative asking them.

This isn't a watchlist of suspected terrorists. It's a political enemies list dressed up in national security language. The criteria target ideological positions, not violent actions. Climate activists. Immigration advocates. Anyone who protests too loudly.

Former national security officials have called this "greater infringement on freedoms than the Patriot Act." Lawfare documented how the memo rewrites domestic terrorism rules. The White House previously refused to rule out summary executions for people on the list.

That's not hyperbole. That's the administration's official non-denial.

Sources: The Intercept, Lawfare, Common Dreams

Louisville Sues to Keep Surveillance Camera Locations Secret

A Louisville public defender wanted video evidence. What he got was a lesson in how cities hide surveillance infrastructure.

Last September, Ryan Dischinger requested 24 hours of footage from surveillance cameras within a three-block radius of an alleged burglary on West Jefferson Street, according to Louisville Public Media. Standard defense work: look for evidence that might help your client.

Louisville Metro refused. The city's open records staff said releasing the footage would reveal camera locations and "make them less effective at fighting crime." So Dischinger appealed to the Kentucky Attorney General, who ruled in December that the city broke state open records law.

Now Louisville Metro has filed suit in Jefferson Circuit Court to overturn that ruling. They don't just want to deny this request; they want legal cover to deny every future request like it.

Here's the kicker: the footage Dischinger requested doesn't exist anymore. The city deletes surveillance recordings after 30 days. They erased the evidence while fighting to keep it secret.

What started as one video request has exposed a bigger fight: Louisville has a network of surveillance cameras it refuses to disclose, and it will go to court to ensure residents never learn where they are or what they record.

In February, the AG also ruled Louisville can keep the actual camera locations secret, just not the existence of the recordings. The city is appealing even that limited transparency.

Sources: Louisville Public Media, LPM (February 10)

170,000 Californians Used the Data Broker Delete Button

California's DROP platform, the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform, has processed signups from over 170,000 residents since launching January 1, according to Governor Newsom's office.

One request. Every registered data broker must delete your information. That's how it works.

Data brokers must check DROP every 45 days and process deletion requests starting August 1, 2026. Miss one? $200 per day per request in penalties. The California Privacy Protection Agency isn't playing around; they've already launched a data broker strike force to catch companies dodging registration.

If you're a California resident, this is the most powerful data deletion tool in the country. We wrote a step-by-step guide when it launched. Use it.

Sources: Governor's Office, CalMatters, TechCrunch

Quick Hits

FISA 702 countdown, 60 days: Section 702 expires April 19. The White House wants clean reauthorization without a warrant requirement. Senators Durbin and Lee are expected to reintroduce the SAFE Act when Congress returns February 23. The fight that failed by one vote in 2024 starts again next week. [Our explainer]

EFF "Get the Flock Out" event today: The Electronic Frontier Foundation hosts a livestream at 12:00 PM Pacific on resisting Flock Safety surveillance in your city. From Austin to Cambridge, jurisdictions are rejecting these contracts. Ring just dropped them after the Super Bowl backlash. This isn't theoretical anymore; communities are winning. [EFF event page]

DHS shutdown continues, Day 6: CISA remains at one-third capacity. Congress won't return until February 23. Microsoft's six zero-days from Patch Tuesday are still unpatched across government systems. ICE has full funding. Everyone else works without pay. [Yesterday's update]

Disney's $2.75M CCPA fine: Disney will pay California's largest CCPA settlement after failing to honor opt-out requests across devices and streaming services. If you opted out on your phone, they kept tracking you on your TV. That's not an oversight; that's a business model. [IAPP]

Maine consumer privacy bill passes House: Maine's data privacy legislation cleared the House by a narrow 73-65 vote last week and now heads to the Senate. If passed, Maine would join 19 other states with comprehensive consumer privacy laws. [Troutman Privacy]

What to Watch

• FBI climate activist investigation: Extinction Rebellion says more chapters have received visits. Watch for FOIA requests revealing the scope of the probe. The FBI's use of counterterrorism resources against nonviolent climate groups should trigger Congressional scrutiny.
• NSPM-7 list disclosure fight: Bondi refused to share the domestic terrorist list with Congress. Expect subpoena threats. The House Judiciary Committee won't let this go quietly.
• FISA 702 countdown, 60 days: Congress returns February 23. State of the Union is February 24. SAFE Act reintroduction expected that week. Watch for White House statements opposing reforms.
• Louisville surveillance lawsuit: The city is fighting to hide camera networks from public disclosure. This case could set precedent for how cities defend surveillance secrecy in court.
• EFF Flock event fallout: Today's livestream may produce new organizing resources or expose additional cities considering Flock contracts. The Ring cancellation showed public pressure works; expect more campaigns.

References

1. The Intercept: FBI Counterterrorism Agents Spent Weeks Seeking a Climate Activist
2. The Intercept: Pam Bondi Admits DOJ Has a Secret Domestic Terrorist List
3. Louisville Public Media: Louisville Metro Sues to Keep Surveillance Records Secret
4. Governor's Office: California DROP Platform Announcement
5. CalMatters: How Californians Can Block Data Brokers
6. EFF: Get the Flock Out of Our City
7. Common Dreams: Nonviolent Climate Activist Group Targeted by FBI
8. Lawfare: The Bondi Memo's Quiet Rewriting of Domestic Terrorism Rules
9. Brookings: FISA Section 702 Expires in April
10. Troutman Privacy: State Privacy Law Update February 16, 2026