Federal law enforcement agencies are surveying anti-technology activists and protests as a new domestic extremism threat, following Trump administration directives targeting left-wing ideologies.

More than 1,000 pages of unpublished reports from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and fusion centers obtained by WIRED document a national shift to surveil anti-technology extremists. A New York Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau report warns that 'the chaotic atmosphere that may result from emergent AI technology in the next five years may fuel large-scale protests that devolve into civil unrest and anti-tech violent extremist activity, especially in large urban areas such as New York City.' The term 'anti-tech violent extremism' does not appear in any publicly available DHS or FBI domestic extremism reports or guides.

The Northern Virginia Regional Intelligence Center flagged activities such as 'expressed/implied threat,' 'observation/surveillance,' 'photography,' 'testing/probing of security,' and 'attempted intrusion' as suspicious indicators of anti-government violent extremists targeting data centers. Legal experts say these vaguely defined activities could easily be carried out by peaceful protesters.

Intelligence centers are monitoring constitutionally protected events and demonstrations, including 'Tesla Takedown' protests against Elon Musk and 'Break Up With Tech Rager' protests sponsored by Eject Elbit, an activist group organizing to halt investment in Elbit, an Israeli weapons manufacturer.