Brian Hochman

How the FBI's doomed attempt to stop criminal activity conducted via mobile phones shaped the regime of ubiquitous backdoor surveillance under which we live today.

Before Americans worried about government or corporate surveillance, 19th-century criminals took advantage of a new technology to steal valuable information.

Eavesdropping flourished after WWII, aided by legal loopholes, clever hacks, and “private ears”.

With wiretapping in the headlines and smart speakers in millions of homes, a look back to the early days of eavesdropping.