Yael Grauer‪

Pulitzer-winning investigative tech reporter covering privacy and security, digital freedom, hacking, and mass surveillance.

💌 yael@yaelwrites.com

💥 #alwaysantifascist

☕️ Support my work: https://ko-fi.com/kofisupporter11745 ☕️💖

website: https://yaelwrites.com
pronouns: she/they

Public Key

npub1tvd77cvgczns5zvcd520jvuaqzkj6wm5ek4xmtgpzrurygmqly8sw053xk

NIP-05 Address

yaelwrites_at_mastodon.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs9kxl0vxyvpfc2pxvx698exwwsptfd8d6vm2nd45q3p7pjyds0jrcpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0ds5zy55z

Publishing to

relay.snort.social

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1tvd77cvgczns5zvcd520jvuaqzkj6wm5ek4xmtgpzrurygmqly8sw053xk

Show more details

Last Notes

2026-07-26 17:38:21 UTC

I was ducking under a tree yesterday trying to figure out how to get to this coffee shop when I was startled by the loudest noise, and that’s how I got these amazing woodpecker closeups!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/987/492/437/244/765/original/6214f324aa920be3.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/987/492/440/912/933/original/ab738e3f06501fb1.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/987/492/441/887/739/original/534b90be7a840dc9.jpg

2026-07-10 01:11:22 UTC

🎉 https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/the-deere-dam-just-broke-ftc-settlement

2026-07-08 22:04:19 UTC

Stop telling me to ask an LLM. I already did.
https://blog.yaelwrites.com/stop-telling-me-to-ask-an-llm/

2026-06-18 17:22:02 UTC

Earlier this week we learned that federal prosecutors used Signal messages to build a case against 15 people in Minnesota. But how did the feds get into these chats to begin with, and what can you do to stop them from reading yours?
https://blog.yaelwrites.com/how-to-keep-the-feds-out-of-your-signal-messages/

2026-06-05 15:28:12 UTC

Update to FIG (where I list people search site your paid removal service doesn't cover). I added Clustal and Men Stopping Violence (new additions to BADBOOL). And I removed brokers DeleteMe only covers for biz plans (special thx to @npub14vu…9wlz for flagging!)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/115L6LpQg_UX638IyUfdwGhRS7dIU3lKwz6fjAcDtE-0/

2026-05-27 16:04:38 UTC

I was recently asked for a breakdown of my daily device hygiene, communication stack, and physical safety boundaries, so I wrote about it. These are not my recommendations or options for others, but what I actually do myself.
https://blog.yaelwrites.com/what-my-privacy-and-security-stack-actually-looks-like/

2026-05-19 21:39:57 UTC

Are you a security person trying to secure vibecoded software at your job or for a client? I would love to talk to you for a potential story... DMs open.

2026-05-14 08:11:16 UTC

I wrote about AI notetakers, the erosion of consent, and the hidden cost of the permanent record.
Have you changed the way you speak in meetings since the bots arrived?
https://blog.yaelwrites.com/you-are-being-recorded/

2026-05-04 21:38:20 UTC

I am honored to share the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Best International Reporting with Dake Kang, Byron Tau, Aniruddha Ghosal and Garance Burke for our reporting revealing how Silicon Valley largely designed and built China's surveillance state and enabled human rights abuses.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/518/457/989/872/873/original/a04635d01e203776.png

2026-04-26 21:19:36 UTC

I wrote about how the bylines, headlines, and even words of the stories you read are probably not written in the way you think they are.
https://blog.yaelwrites.com/anatomy-of-an-article/

2026-04-16 06:29:31 UTC

I'm not sorry, Dave.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91518448/study-finds-ai-could-be-making-you-a-worse-person

2026-04-04 01:24:27 UTC

dungeons AND dragons? in this economy?

2025-12-25 13:03:34 UTC

Happy howlidays, friends!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/780/340/245/706/901/original/499e290f394c57cc.png

2025-12-22 05:12:27 UTC

Happy Hanukkah and happy Solstice, friends! Here’s to letting our light shine in the darkness. 🕎
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/761/498/305/899/422/original/3d37d5ace99f279d.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/761/498/303/809/445/original/d36cdd3b9a661ad8.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/761/498/309/704/977/original/18d0b704c8bbcca0.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/761/498/304/870/296/original/a7b755b60e75e095.jpg

2025-11-24 16:51:49 UTC

Avoiding public WiFi, QR codes, or public USB chargers doesn’t prevent you from being hacked. Happy to sign onto this open letter alongside 80+ cybersecurity veterans urging a shift from folklore to guidance that actually helps people avoid the most common attacks. https://www.hacklore.org/
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/605/706/067/139/093/original/a6ebb20594df2600.webp

2025-10-28 20:55:53 UTC

Digital payment apps don't have the same fraud protections as credit cards. CR explains how to shop safer in this tip for @npub1m24…d9a3's #OptOutOctober series: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/opt-out-october-daily-tips-protect-your-privacy-and-security#tip18

2025-10-23 02:16:59 UTC

- reply

everything but not cold and accepting even to transplants!

2025-10-22 01:26:52 UTC

I'm working through an exercise in a book so earnest answers only, please!
Do you know of a physical location that fits all of these criteria?
*Vibrant, with lots of culture and things to do
*City amenities, but nature, too (trees and water)
*Affordable housing and decent cost of living
*Walkable, good transit, bike-friendly
*Diverse, open-minded, accepting (even to transplants)
*Not just safe but also warm & welcoming
*Not too cold

2025-10-14 20:05:13 UTC

Yesterday I went to physical therapy (dry needling) followed by acusound (sound bowls and acupuncture) in the evening, which made me wonder who else can legally stick needles in people? I guess I could’ve gotten some piercings… and donated blood… what am I missing?

2025-10-08 21:21:44 UTC

- reply

Dark background ones!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/340/638/869/082/654/original/6cea676b47f8f2d9.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/340/639/169/459/133/original/8db7bc6e1070bef4.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/340/639/477/382/612/original/9c95516267240dea.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/340/639/787/339/379/original/b51f39fcb241b32d.png

2025-10-08 21:20:46 UTC

Help me decide between headshots! These are the white background ones…
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/340/635/153/697/343/original/9912370d800b72af.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/340/635/451/974/728/original/6ca4c9c0ca49518e.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/340/635/748/465/996/original/7cb30efa9b1b7ead.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/340/636/023/785/502/original/48f92610d7166452.png

2025-10-01 17:30:56 UTC

- reply

For the first time this year, we looked at the use of passkeys, and found that a third of Americans who use multifactor authentication report using passkeys.

2025-10-01 17:30:46 UTC

- reply

We did see some improvement in actions consumers take to improve their security posture: the use of password managers, browser extensions that block trackers, and file encryption software have all increased.

2025-10-01 17:30:34 UTC

- reply

Of particular interest this year is the rise in text and messaging-based scam attempts, particularly impacting young adults.

2025-10-01 17:30:22 UTC

- reply

We continue to see a racial disparity in money lost due to scams: Black Americans who encounter scams were nearly two and a half times as likely as white Americans to report losing money.
This year, we note a financial disparity as well, with Americans with the highest household incomes being less likely to have lost money to a digital scam than those in other household income groups.

2025-10-01 17:30:15 UTC

- reply

This year, we saw a decrease in consumer confidence that their personal data is private and not distributed without their knowledge.

2025-10-01 17:29:30 UTC

- reply

The report highlights findings from two nationally representative surveys of over 2,000 US adults conducted by CR in April 2025 and May 2025.
https://article.images.consumerreports.org/image/upload/v1744212505/prod/content/dam/surveys/Consumer_Reports_AES_April_2025.pdf
https://article.images.consumerreports.org/image/upload/v1749479932/prod/content/dam/surveys/Consumer_Reports_AES_May_2025.pdf

2025-10-01 17:28:56 UTC

Today, Consumer Reports, Aspen Digital and the Global Cyber Alliance released the 4th Annual Consumer Cyber Readiness Report, co written by [@gigastacey.bsky.social](https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/gigastacey.bsky.social ) @npub1xq8…yd3f and I.
https://innovation.consumerreports.org/2025-Consumer-Cyber-Readiness-Report.pdf

2025-09-09 04:25:34 UTC

US tech companies enabled the surveillance and detention of hundreds of thousands in China
https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-silicon-valley-uyghurs-tech-xinjiang-8e000601dadb6aea230f18170ed54e88

2025-09-03 01:59:56 UTC

I wrote a bit about options for phones at protests, explaining the benefits and drawbacks, and added some security tips at the end.
https://blog.yaelwrites.com/options-for-phones-at-protests/

2025-07-30 05:37:00 UTC

The July update of BADBOOL is complete!
https://github.com/yaelwrites/Big-Ass-Data-Broker-Opt-Out-List/
1/8

2025-06-25 22:37:52 UTC

PSA: Vaccination schedules on the CDC website have already started changing under RFK Jr., so Scientific American published a guide to the evidence-based vaccine recommendations in place *before* all 17 members of the advisory panel were abruptly dismissed by the new administration.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-vaccine-recommendations-backed-by-science-in-these-handy-charts/

2025-05-16 17:38:39 UTC

My phone doesn’t ring for meetings because it goes into Focus Time because my calendar says that I am scheduled to be in a meeting, the one that I missed the call for, because my phone was in Focus Time ⭕️

2025-02-10 07:06:15 UTC

I really like hanging out alone because I know I'll always show up. On time. And be present.

2024-09-14 17:25:20 UTC

- reply

So I put together a little chart to make this easier. The working name is FIG (filling in the gaps).
This is a work in progress; please forgive any errors and send corrections or recommendations.
Thanks to people who hopped on to take a look at 2AM; they are the real MVPs.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/115L6LpQg_UX638IyUfdwGhRS7dIU3lKwz6fjAcDtE-0/ 2/2

2024-09-14 17:24:55 UTC

I’ve been hearing from folks who signed up for a people-search site removal service and want to know which services aren’t covered, and of those, which ones should they manually opt out of and in what order?
You could try cross-referencing the long list of places your service opts out of with BADBOOL, but it would take a long time and probably defeat the purpose of signing up for a paid service in the first place! 1/2

2024-09-14 07:58:44 UTC

- reply

yes lol

2024-09-14 07:25:18 UTC

- reply

this thing won't make mich sense if you're not familiar with the data broker opt-out list and also i'll need yr email address

2024-09-14 07:21:09 UTC

- reply

or if you're not in EU and are just up too late

2024-09-14 07:16:31 UTC

dear EU friends anyone wanna get a first look at a neat thing?

2024-08-21 16:01:10 UTC

- reply

plz let me know when it’s removed!

2024-08-20 22:57:32 UTC

Request: can someone who finds their data in Veripages let me know if this opt-out works? https://veripages.com/inner/control/privacy