Modern messaging applications offer the convenience of linking phone accounts to desktop clients, a feature now being exploited for surveillance purposes. ### How Law Enforcement Gains Access According to **Netzpolitik**, police are able to connect a state-controlled computer to a suspect's messaging account. Once linked, messages are delivered directly to this device, circumventing the need to crack the app's encryption. This surveillance technique relies on gaining initial access to the user's primary device or intercepting verification codes. Methods include physical access to a suspect's phone, state-sanctioned phishing attacks to obtain linking codes, or intercepting SMS messages through telephone surveillance. Crucially, this method requires user consent, albeit obtained through deceptive or coercive means. ### The Need for Enhanced User Transparency This development highlights a critical privacy gap: the lack of robust transparency features for linked devices. Users currently have limited visibility into all active sessions connected to their accounts. To counter this, a crucial feature is needed that prominently displays all connected devices, alerting users to any unauthorized or unfamiliar connections to their accounts. This would empower users to identify and revoke access from suspicious devices, bolstering their privacy and security against such sophisticated surveillance tactics.