How a Secret FBI App Kept Tabs on Criminals in Australia, New Zealand
Scott Morrison, second left, and Reece Kershaw speak during a news conference in Sydney on June 8.
Photographer: Mark Evans/Getty Images
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San Diego (AP) -- When the FBI dismantled an encrypted messaging service based in Canada in 2018, agents noticed users moving to other networks. Instead of following their tracks to rivals, investigators decided on a new tactic: creating their own service.
ANOM, a secure-messaging service built by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, launched in October 2019 and solidified its following after authorities took down another rival. Popularity spread by word of mouth.