Whitney Merrill
@wbm312.bsky.social
I nudge people to care about privacy and security. CPO/DPO. Privacy/infosec lawyer. Hacker. Fighting for privacy, digital civil liberties & the users. Ex @EA @FTC |my views are my own. I used to post on Twitter at @wbm312.
When I started drawing this back in July for this year’s enamel pin, I didn’t expect it to get this bad this quickly.
I own a domain to go with this pin about censorship, but I haven’t had time to actually do something with it.
Stay tuned.
I own a domain to go with this pin about censorship, but I haven’t had time to actually do something with it.
Stay tuned.
September 20, 2025 at 4:07 AM
When I started drawing this back in July for this year’s enamel pin, I didn’t expect it to get this bad this quickly.
I own a domain to go with this pin about censorship, but I haven’t had time to actually do something with it.
Stay tuned.
I own a domain to go with this pin about censorship, but I haven’t had time to actually do something with it.
Stay tuned.
The timing of this new Banksy is impeccable given the way SCOTUS ruled today.
September 9, 2025 at 2:24 AM
The timing of this new Banksy is impeccable given the way SCOTUS ruled today.
So proud of The Gold Bug team on another great year: a @defcon.bsky.social Black Badge contest!
When I first started The Gold Bug challenge in 2015, I could never have imagined it would still be going 10 years later. Thank you to the team for keeping the contest alive!
goldbug.cryptovillage.org
When I first started The Gold Bug challenge in 2015, I could never have imagined it would still be going 10 years later. Thank you to the team for keeping the contest alive!
goldbug.cryptovillage.org
August 11, 2025 at 12:23 AM
So proud of The Gold Bug team on another great year: a @defcon.bsky.social Black Badge contest!
When I first started The Gold Bug challenge in 2015, I could never have imagined it would still be going 10 years later. Thank you to the team for keeping the contest alive!
goldbug.cryptovillage.org
When I first started The Gold Bug challenge in 2015, I could never have imagined it would still be going 10 years later. Thank you to the team for keeping the contest alive!
goldbug.cryptovillage.org
Well I guess I’ve made it to Vegas
August 6, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Well I guess I’ve made it to Vegas
August 2, 2025 at 3:54 AM
August 2, 2025 at 3:53 AM
I’ve grouped some together in fun groupings.
Hacker nightmares: thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/4345...
Hacker nightmares: thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/4345...
August 2, 2025 at 3:52 AM
I’ve grouped some together in fun groupings.
Hacker nightmares: thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/4345...
Hacker nightmares: thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/4345...
August 2, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Sneak peek: Spicy pillow!
I really want to do a series of items I call “a hacker’s nightmare.”
I really want to do a series of items I call “a hacker’s nightmare.”
July 29, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Sneak peek: Spicy pillow!
I really want to do a series of items I call “a hacker’s nightmare.”
I really want to do a series of items I call “a hacker’s nightmare.”
Ok I’ve not been making as much progress as I would have liked on the tarot project. But here’s the next card I’ve been working on.
The Phreak.
The Phreak.
July 27, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Ok I’ve not been making as much progress as I would have liked on the tarot project. But here’s the next card I’ve been working on.
The Phreak.
The Phreak.
Sometimes you just have to say it in ✨needlepoint✨
July 10, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Sometimes you just have to say it in ✨needlepoint✨
There was a major disruption in 2024 by some well known security software, that made me think a lot about the impact of security on every day users. For security to be valuable, it has to be usable and effective. Are people happy with the security they receive?
www.etsy.com/listing/1766...
www.etsy.com/listing/1766...
July 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
There was a major disruption in 2024 by some well known security software, that made me think a lot about the impact of security on every day users. For security to be valuable, it has to be usable and effective. Are people happy with the security they receive?
www.etsy.com/listing/1766...
www.etsy.com/listing/1766...
Last year, out of my norm, I made two pins. The first was to commemorate the Morris Worm - the very first computer virus, which changed everything. I had been thinking a lot about the impact of malware on our critical infrastructure. Are we prepared?
www.etsy.com/listing/1753...
www.etsy.com/listing/1753...
July 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Last year, out of my norm, I made two pins. The first was to commemorate the Morris Worm - the very first computer virus, which changed everything. I had been thinking a lot about the impact of malware on our critical infrastructure. Are we prepared?
www.etsy.com/listing/1753...
www.etsy.com/listing/1753...
"The pool on the roof must have a leak" from Hackers. In many ways I was thinking about this a lot because I missed the whimsy I once felt existed in hacking things for fun.
The community was so much more serious now... was anyone hacking for fun?
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/1528...
The community was so much more serious now... was anyone hacking for fun?
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/1528...
July 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
"The pool on the roof must have a leak" from Hackers. In many ways I was thinking about this a lot because I missed the whimsy I once felt existed in hacking things for fun.
The community was so much more serious now... was anyone hacking for fun?
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/1528...
The community was so much more serious now... was anyone hacking for fun?
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/1528...
In 2022, I wanted to do something to honor Chicago, teach myself a new skill (Twillio), and make a nod to phreaking and it's importance to hacker culture. The pin has a phone #.
This is my favorite pin I've ever made. I'll never top this one in my mind.
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/1279...
This is my favorite pin I've ever made. I'll never top this one in my mind.
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/1279...
July 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
In 2022, I wanted to do something to honor Chicago, teach myself a new skill (Twillio), and make a nod to phreaking and it's importance to hacker culture. The pin has a phone #.
This is my favorite pin I've ever made. I'll never top this one in my mind.
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/1279...
This is my favorite pin I've ever made. I'll never top this one in my mind.
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/1279...
In 2021, with covid in 2020 and security incidents seeming to consume the news, "Virus" by Deltron 3030 felt more relevant than ever. I wanted to honor those who did incident response of any type.
I was getting a bit better at the enamel pin thing and began to settle in to my "style."
I was getting a bit better at the enamel pin thing and began to settle in to my "style."
July 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
In 2021, with covid in 2020 and security incidents seeming to consume the news, "Virus" by Deltron 3030 felt more relevant than ever. I wanted to honor those who did incident response of any type.
I was getting a bit better at the enamel pin thing and began to settle in to my "style."
I was getting a bit better at the enamel pin thing and began to settle in to my "style."
The year after that NFT hell was in full swing and so I had to do another that complemented the one the year before.
Call and response.
Call and response.
July 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
The year after that NFT hell was in full swing and so I had to do another that complemented the one the year before.
Call and response.
Call and response.
The following year the cryptocurrency/NFT craze was warming up and "crypto" was quickly being co-opted to mean "cryptocurrency" instead of "cryptography."
So I referenced one of my favorite movies to declare that "Crypto means cryptography."
So I referenced one of my favorite movies to declare that "Crypto means cryptography."
July 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
The following year the cryptocurrency/NFT craze was warming up and "crypto" was quickly being co-opted to mean "cryptocurrency" instead of "cryptography."
So I referenced one of my favorite movies to declare that "Crypto means cryptography."
So I referenced one of my favorite movies to declare that "Crypto means cryptography."
The first year I made an enamel pin, it was to commemorate the anniversary of the Max Headroom Broadcast Signal Intrusion. This is one of my favorites to this day.
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/6657...
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/6657...
July 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
The first year I made an enamel pin, it was to commemorate the anniversary of the Max Headroom Broadcast Signal Intrusion. This is one of my favorites to this day.
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/6657...
thegarbagefile.etsy.com/listing/6657...
Umm what?
No way this is available in multi-party consent states.
I assume they’re giving the driver the same choice.
Assume you’re being recorded when in any Lyft or Uber.
No way this is available in multi-party consent states.
I assume they’re giving the driver the same choice.
Assume you’re being recorded when in any Lyft or Uber.
June 25, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Umm what?
No way this is available in multi-party consent states.
I assume they’re giving the driver the same choice.
Assume you’re being recorded when in any Lyft or Uber.
No way this is available in multi-party consent states.
I assume they’re giving the driver the same choice.
Assume you’re being recorded when in any Lyft or Uber.
THAT'S RIGHT.
www.etsy.com/listing/4300...
www.etsy.com/listing/4300...
May 17, 2025 at 1:09 AM
THAT'S RIGHT.
www.etsy.com/listing/4300...
www.etsy.com/listing/4300...
I just did this needlepoint as a gift for a friend:
May 4, 2025 at 5:41 AM
I just did this needlepoint as a gift for a friend:
May 3, 2025 at 8:32 PM
We gave the talk! IMAX style.
April 27, 2025 at 3:46 AM
We gave the talk! IMAX style.