How phone numbers of Australian PM Anthony Albanese, Donald Trump’s son leaked; who’s behind this?
The private phone numbers of many senior leaders, including the Australian Prime Minister and US President Donald Trump’s son, were leaked online. So who is behind this? Here’s what we know.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump Jr (From left to right)
The private phone numbers of many senior leaders, including the Australian Prime Minister and US President Donald Trump’s son, were leaked online. The phone numbers of Donald Trump Jr, Anthony Albanese and many other politicians, including Australian Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, are listed on a website.
The question arises as to who is behind the phone number leak as authorities in Australia promise to investigate the matter. Here’s what we know.
Who leaked the phone numbers?
According to a report prepared by first post, The figures were listed on a US-based website set up by Australian venture capital money. It is run by a former University of New South Wales student. The website, which describes itself as a ‘data intelligence’ firm, claims to allow users to access the contact details of more than 300 million professionals worldwide.
The website claims to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to extract information from social media platforms, including LinkedIn. The company says the information can be used for a variety of purposes such as merchandising, marketing and more. It allows its users to access unlimited searches. Those with a subscription can access more.
The website also includes contact details of former US President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many other high-profile leaders. It is not yet clear whether the information published on the site is correct or not.
Meanwhile, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) contacted the website to remove Prime Minister Albanese’s number. In a statement, AFP said that in Australia “it is an offense to use a transport service to threaten, harass or cause offence”, adding that “swift action will be taken against those who break the law”.
