Mozilla Calls for Action to Stop Surveillance Firm’s Data Scraping

A Mozilla-led campaign is calling on major tech platforms to block surveillance firm ShadowDragon from scraping user data from over 200 websites — including Reddit, Tinder, Duolingo, and Etsy — to support U.S. government surveillance programs, especially those run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The controversy centers on ShadowDragon's flagship tool, SocialNet, which aggregates publicly available data across a vast web of online services to map individuals' movements, behaviors, and social connections. According to journalist Joseph Cox, who broke the story for 404 Media on March 12, 2025, the company provides its services to multiple federal agencies — including ICE, the DEA, and the U.S. Army — enabling analysts to link seemingly benign data points into detailed profiles of individuals, often without oversight or user knowledge.

ShadowDragon's SocialNet works by performing federated searches on platforms such as LinkedIn, Strava, GoFundMe, Substack, and Discord, correlating data like language-learning habits, job histories, fitness routes, online reviews, and even protest-related speech to identify users, their locations, and affiliations. While the data is technically public, Mozilla argues that such aggregation transforms casual digital activity into invasive surveillance, disproportionately affecting immigrants, activists, and other vulnerable groups.

The Mozilla Foundation, known for its advocacy for digital privacy and open-source software, responded with an aggressive campaign aimed at 30 high-profile tech platforms. These include Amazon, Google, Meta, Twitter/X, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and GitHub, among others — chosen based on their size, user base, and the sensitivity of the data they handle. Mozilla is demanding that these companies take three core actions:

1. Detect and block tools like SocialNet from accessing their platforms.
2. Disclose surveillance attempts publicly and regularly.
3. Make privacy the default, limiting what public data is exposed.

Etsy, Reddit, Tinder, and Duolingo were highlighted as key examples in Mozilla's public petition, given the deeply personal nature of the data users share on these services. On platforms like GoFundMe and Etsy, people often disclose financial struggles or immigration-related stories. Combining this with information from LinkedIn or Duolingo can paint a vulnerable user as a target for surveillance. The complete list of the 200+ websites SocialNet draws data from is available here.

Founded by Daniel Clemens, ShadowDragon markets its tools to law enforcement as a means to “follow the breadcrumbs of your target's digital life.” In a recent company podcast, Clemens defended scrutiny of protestors, suggesting that people engaging in activism should expect investigation. This stance has further inflamed critics who argue that the firm's products contribute to government overreach and could chill lawful expression.

According to leaked procurement documents obtained by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) uses SocialNet via integration with Maltego, an open-source intelligence platform. The documents describe SocialNet as essential for tracking “known criminal elements,” but privacy advocates like EPIC warn that the unchecked aggregation of open data undermines constitutional protections and allows the government to bypass legal safeguards meant to protect personal information.

Meta, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Snap have stated that scraping violates their terms of service and, in some cases, suggested legal action may follow. Others, like Chess.com, expressed surprise about the revelations and emphasized that user data — even if public — must be accessed within legal bounds.

Users should regularly review privacy settings and limit the visibility of sensitive personal data. Also, using VPNs offers resistance to tracking and minimizes data correlation opportunities for automated aggregating and analysis platforms.