If you think your Windows computer is safe from prying eyes, think again. A new report reveals that Microsoft has the encryption keys to your hard drive, and it can even give them out to law enforcement, including the FBI. Here’s what you need to know and what you can do to stop it from happening to you.

The story

In a stunning breach of personal privacy and security, Microsoft admitted in January that it provided the FBI with the BitLocker recovery keys to three different Windows PCs that were linked to suspected COVID unemployment assistance fraud in Guam. With these keys, the FBI was able to access the files on those devices as part of its investigation.

The good news is that there are several ways to keep both Microsoft and the government out of your precious files.

While it’s always great to see the federal government chase down waste, crime, and fraud, the situation raises concerns over Microsoft’s ability to access the protected files on practically anyone’s Windows PC and provide information to the government without users’ knowledge or consent.

The Redmond tech giant received its first request from a government official during the Obama administration in 2013. Although the engineer who spoke with the official reportedly declined to build a back door into Windows that would give the government unbridled access to user files, Microsoft still admits to turning over BitLocker recovery keys to law enforcement as recently as 2025. According to the report, Microsoft receives approximately 20 access requests from the FBI per year.

What is BitLocker?

BitLocker is the encryption software that comes on most modern Windows PCs. It is designed to protect the files on your hard drive from unauthorized access by locking them with an Advanced Encryption Standard algorithm. The only way to break into a computer protected by BitLocker is to either use the direct route (your login password) or to bypass security measures with a recovery key. Recovery keys for your Windows devices can be linked directly to your Microsoft account, making them accessible to both you and Microsoft itself.

Is your Windows computer at risk?

Whether or not your computer is at risk of government intrusions depends on how BitLocker was set up on your Windows PC.

You are not at risk if …

You use a Windows PC without a Microsoft account. (You haven’t logged into the system with your Outlook email address.)You use a Windows PC with a Microsoft account but you chose a local recovery key backup option at activation.You disabled BitLocker encryption when you set up your PC.

You are at risk if …

You use a Windows PC with a Microsoft Outlook account and you chose to back up your BitLocker recovery key to your account.Your PC is a work machine that’s managed by your employer.

For those at risk, Microsoft promises that it only gives out encryption keys to lawful requests from the government. That said, if Microsoft can access your encryption keys, what’s stopping a hacker from getting them? The problem with storing security keys on cloud servers is that anyone can reach them with the right password, login information, or exploit.

How to stop the FBI from snooping on your PC

The good news is that there are several ways to keep both Microsoft and the government out of your precious files. You can remove your BitLocker recovery key from your Microsoft account with a few simple clicks.

RELATED: With these web browsers, everything on your computer can be stolen with one click

Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images

WARNING: There isn’t a way to restore your recovery key once it is deleted. Before following the steps below, make sure you write down your Key ID and Recovery Key, and keep them in a safe place, either in a physical vault or in a trusted digital password manager. Even once your key has been removed from Microsoft’s servers, it will remain active for you to use as needed. That said, here’s how to proceed.

(1) On a web browser, go to the BitLocker recovery key section on your Microsoft account.

Screenshot by Zach Laidlaw

(2) Locate your device on the list. Depending on how many Windows machines you have owned, you may have to scroll to find your current PC.

Screenshot by Zach Laidlaw

(3) Write down your Key ID and Recovery Key somewhere safe. Click the three-dotted “More Options” menu on the right.

Screenshot by Zach Laidlaw

(4) Click delete.

Screenshot by Zach Laidlaw

Your recovery key has now been removed from your Microsoft account. However, due to Microsoft’s content deletion policies, it still may take another 30 days before the recovery key is completely removed from Microsoft’s servers.

Don’t trust your Windows PC

While it is simple enough to prevent government snooping by removing your BitLocker security key from Microsoft’s system, anyone who’s especially concerned about user privacy and security should consider an alternative desktop operating system. Neither Apple nor Google save copies of their customers’ encryption keys, ensuring that user data on Macs and Chromebooks can’t be handed over to the government, even with an official request. Linux machines are also notoriously difficult to crack in terms of digital security. As of today, Microsoft is the only major tech company that keeps encryption keys on hand, making Windows a poor choice for privacy-conscious users.

​Tech 

A Kentucky school teacher — who is accused of having a “sexual conversation” with a child under the age of 12 — has been hit with more severe additional charges, according to authorities.

Sydne Graf is a 36-year-old 5th-grade math teacher at Smyrna Elementary School in Louisville.

‘Graf is now facing serious and shocking child sex abuse charges.’

The arrest citation obtained by Blaze News said that police determined that a “5th-grade math teacher engaged in sexual conversations with a 5th-grade student.”

WDRB-TV reported that the Jefferson County Public Schools Police informed the Louisville Metro Police Department that Graf “engaged in sexual conversations” with the student during a “nontraditional instruction day” with remote learning.

“Detectives were able to review conversations between the juvenile victim and suspect,” the arrest citation states.

“Screenshots and video recordings of the conversations depict images of the suspect as well as her name, Sydne Graf, displayed in the top left corner,” the arrest citation notes.

According to WDRB, “LMPD detectives reviewed the conversations between Graf and the student, which included discussions of oral sodomy with the student.”

Police said Graf was arrested when she attempted to pick up the young student near his home on Dec. 15, 2025.

The arrest citation stated that Graf confessed to having the “previous mentioned conversations” with the minor when questioned by police.

Graf was initially charged with procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means.

However Graf is now facing serious and shocking child sex abuse charges.

Citing court documents, WLKY-TV reported that Graf was indicted on charges of first-degree rape of a victim under 12 years of age, first-degree sodomy of a victim under 12 years of age, unlawful transaction with a minor, and possession of a controlled substance on Jan. 20.

WHAS-TV referenced the arrest citation, which said officers searched Graf’s vehicle and discovered hydrocodone and Adderall pills.

The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that Graf pleaded not guilty to all of the charges on Jan. 21.

Graf is on house arrest with a cash bond set at $500,000.

A judge ordered Graf to have no contact with minors unless supervised by another adult and to have no internet access except on her phone.

RELATED: Middle school teacher hit with 22 charges of sex abuse of 13-year-old — went from ‘mother figure’ to ‘monster’: Court docs

According to WAVE-TV, Smyrna Elementary Principal Amanda Cooper sent a letter to parents regarding the situation.

“We have been made aware that the Crimes Against Children’s Unit (CACU), JCPS PD, and LMPD are investigating an allegation involving one of our staff members,” Cooper told parents.

Cooper said Graf has since been reassigned by the school, and she will not have any contact with students during the investigation.

Cooper noted that she “cannot disclose anything more at this time” because it is an active investigation.

Cooper urged any students with anxiety about the arrest to utilize the school’s mental health practitioner or counselor.

According to the alleged X social media account of Smyrna Elementary School, Graf was previously involved with the school’s wrestling team.

A spokesperson for the Louisville Metro Police Department informed Blaze News that there are no further updates at this time.

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​True crime, True crime news, Teacher arrested, Bad teacher, Teacher sex scandal, Teacher student sex scandal, Sydne graf, Sydnee graf, Child sex abuse, Rape, Child sex crimes, Crime 

A woman who underwent breast removal surgery at 16 years old was awarded $2 million in the first medical malpractice lawsuit brought by a detransitioner to go to trial.

‘There will be thousands of court cases of children who were mutilated by evil doctors.’

Fox Varian, 22, sued her New York-based psychologist and plastic surgeon, and their respective employers, after regretting the 2019 surgery.

Varian’s attorney contended that the health care professionals misdiagnosed and improperly treated her for gender dysphoria.

The defense claimed that Varian did not express regret about the surgery until years later, filing the lawsuit in 2023. They also argued that it was Varian’s decision to use “he/him” pronouns, change her name, wear a chest binder, and undergo breast removal surgery.

Varian’s lawyer claimed that her psychologist “drove the train” and had been “putting ideas” in her head.

Varian’s mother testified that she opposed the surgery. However, she consented to it because she feared her daughter might commit suicide otherwise. She claimed that Varian’s psychologist intensified her concerns.

RELATED: Trump admin detransitions name on portrait of former Biden official

Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

During her testimony, Varian described her reaction to the surgery.

“I immediately had a thought that this was wrong, and it couldn’t be true,” she stated, adding that she has since suffered nerve pain that feels like “searing hot … ripping sensations across my chest.”

“Shame. I felt shame,” Varian said. “It’s hard to face that you are disfigured for life.”

The six-member jury determined that the medical professionals involved overlooked essential steps in assessing whether Varian should proceed with the permanent procedure and failed to communicate adequately with one another.

The jury concluded that these failures were a “departure from the standard of care,” awarding Varian $1.6 million for past and future pain and suffering, and $400,000 for future medical expenses, the Epoch Times reported.

Varian’s attorney, Adam Deutsch, had requested $8 million in damages.

The case was not about whether the surgery was appropriate for a minor. Instead, it concerned whether the health care professionals followed the proper steps to prioritize Varian’s treatment, including delivering an accurate diagnosis.

RELATED: Detransitioner’s heartbreaking story exposes the dark side of ‘gender-affirming care’

Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images

“I have identified 28 detransitioner lawsuits filed to date. Varian v. Einhorn was the first to go to trial and the first to win a judgment, making history,” wrote Benjamin Ryan, an independent journalist who attended the three-week trial.

Elon Musk reacted to Varian’s legal victory.

“There will be thousands of court cases of children who were mutilated by evil doctors, modern day Mengeles,” Musk wrote, referring to Josef Mengele, an infamous Nazi doctor who became known as the “Angel of Death” for his gruesome medical experiments.

“The schools, psychologists/psychiatrists and state officials who facilitated this will pay dearly too,” Musk added.

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​News, Detransitioner, Detransition movement, Detransitioning, Elon musk, Fox varian, New york, Health care, Healthcare, Trans, Transgender, Transgender ideology, Gender dysphoria, Politics 

There are films that chronicle history, and then there are films that expose the private architecture behind it. “Melania,” the historic new feature film, belongs to the latter category. It is not a campaign film or a political gloss. It is a deeply human account of transition, responsibility, and resolve, told during the most compressed and emotionally demanding stretch of Melania Trump’s life, as she prepared to assume her second term as first lady of the United States.

The film shows the complexity of moving from private life back into one of the most scrutinized public roles in the world.

The film focuses on a narrow but consequential window from January 1 through January 20, 2025, a period that is usually flattened into ceremony and symbolism. Instead, “Melania” lingers in the quiet moments that precede power. It shows a woman balancing the private obligations of motherhood and family with the public demands of leadership. Navigating grief within her own family while preparing to re-enter a national spotlight that rarely affords empathy.

What distinguishes the film immediately is its intimacy. The camera follows Melania Trump through the ordinary and the extraordinary: checking in on her son, caring for her father after the loss of his wife, and preparing to return to public life after years away from the East Wing. These scenes are not dramatized. They are observed. The result is a portrayal that feels restrained, grounded, and unmistakably human.

“Melania” also offers access that has never before been granted to a media project. Viewers are brought into high-level meetings with the Secret Service, detailed White House walk-throughs, and internal discussions about staffing, security, and protocol. The level of access surpasses any prior film or documentary involving the modern presidency, and it does so without compromising the seriousness of the subject.

The film captures the lingering tension in Washington following the failed Kamala Harris presidential campaign. Without editorializing, it documents the complicated interpersonal dynamics and unspoken friction that accompany transitions of power. These moments are subtle, conveyed through body language and silence rather than confrontation, lending the film an unusual credibility.

International diplomacy threads its way into the story as well, most notably through an appearance by Queen Rania of Jordan. Their interaction reflects Melania Trump’s long-standing engagement with global humanitarian issues and underscores the often unseen role first ladies play in shaping state relationships

At its core, “Melania” is about transition. It chronicles how Melania Trump rebuilt her East Wing operation from scratch, assembling a team and setting a tone that was disciplined and intentional. The film shows the complexity of moving from private life back into one of the most scrutinized public roles in the world.

That same precision defined how the film itself came to life.

From the moment the project was introduced to the entertainment industry, it triggered a highly competitive bidding war. Netflix, MGM, Disney, and Paramount all pursued the project intensely, recognizing the rarity of the access and the global interest surrounding Melania Trump’s return to the White House.

Navigating that landscape was Marc Beckman, who has served as Melania Trump’s senior adviser for 25 years. For decades, he has worked closely with her to secure major commercial deals, advance humanitarian initiatives, and shape her public voice. His understanding of media, culture, and negotiation proved critical in steering the project through a crowded field without compromising its integrity.

Beckman brought a long-term, cross-sector perspective to the process. His experience executing campaigns for major global brands and institutions gave him the leverage and insight necessary to evaluate the various competing offers. Together, Beckman and Melania Trump prioritized control, authenticity, and global reach over spectacle.

RELATED: Matt Damon: Netflix dumbs down movies for attention-impaired phone addicts

Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage

Ultimately, Amazon was selected as the studio partner. The deal was not the result of any back-channel negotiations involving Donald Trump or Jeff Bezos. It was a strategic choice by a first lady determined to protect her story and ensure that it reached a worldwide audience on her terms.

While “Melania” remains focused on the human dimensions of leadership, it arrives at a time when the first lady has increasingly asserted herself as a force within the East Wing. Her recent efforts to encourage America’s children to pursue curiosity and ambition, including through responsible engagement with emerging technologies like AI, reflect the broader leadership philosophy that underpins the film.

A two-part docuseries, set for release this summer, will expand on the filmmaking process itself, offering behind-the-scenes insight into how unprecedented access was negotiated and maintained and how a project of this magnitude was executed without losing its soul.

In an era of political noise and cultural oversaturation, “Melania” stands apart. It is quiet without being passive and powerful without being performative. More than a film, it is a record of how leadership looks before the world is watching — and why that unseen work matters.

​Melania trump, Melania documentary, First lady, Donald trump, East wing, Amazon, Opinion & analysis 

CNN recently held a town hall where members of the community could express their concerns to Minneapolis officials like Mayor Jacob Frey (D) — but with a little digging, it was revealed that all the randomly selected citizens happened to be Democrat activists.

“President Trump’s comms director, Steven Cheung, did some digging. … Turns out they’ve all donated to ActBlue. Isn’t that incredible?” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says on “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

“ActBlue, the same Democrat PAC that tried to profit off of Alex Pretti’s death,” Gonzales says, reading a text message Americans received from the Democrat platform: “Alex Pretti is the limit. Gov Walz: END THE OPERATION. Stand with us! Donate $50 for 200% MATCH.”

“They’ve never met a terrible tragedy that they have not wanted to profit off of. That’s the ActBlue that we’re talking about. I’m sure it was total coincidence. I’m sure it was a total coincidence that all of these people just happened to be Democrat activists,” she comments.

“These outlets are so irredeemable. They’re actually, like, they’re paying other people to come on the air and spew wild conspiracies. They call us the conspiracy theorists, by the way,” she says.

And in one recent segment on CNN, ex-MSNBC host Tiffany Cross argued that the reason there has been less coverage of the Proud Boys is because all of the Proud Boys went to join ICE.

“There’s a reason why we have not seen a resurgence of the Proud Boys, and that is because I believe a lot of them are likely made ICE officers. Again, I’ve said this on the show before. I’ve not seen any deep-dive reporting into who these people are, but they certainly adopt a lot of the ideology, a lot of the tactics, a lot of the violent tactics, a lot of the wearing masks,” Cross said.

“Did you just say ICE officers are militia?” CNN’s Kevin O’Leary asked, shocked.

“I think you’re stretching a little bit,” he added while she doubled down.

“It’s just something she just concocted,” Gonzales comments, laughing, “in her tiny little mind.”

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara’s no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Camera phone, Video phone, Sharing, Free, Upload, Video, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Msnbc, Tiffany cross, Jacob frey, Steven chung, President trump, Cnn, Fake news, The trump administration, Minneapolis 

Yesterday, the Atlantic ran an op-ed by Hillary Clinton titled “MAGA’s War on Empathy,” in which the former Secretary of State accused the MAGA movement of twisting bedrock Christian values and embracing a worldview where “compassion is weak and cruelty is strong,” connecting specifically “hard-right Christian influencers” to the violence we’ve seen in Minneapolis.

One of the people in Clinton’s crosshairs is Blaze Media’s own Allie Beth Stuckey, host of the Christian podcast “Relatable.”

Among many grievances, the twice-defeated Democrat took issue with Stuckey’s critical analysis of the sermon delivered on January 21 last year by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde during a post-inauguration interfaith Service of Prayer for the Nation. Budde’s preaching was interpreted by many conservatives, including Stuckey, as a politicization of faith to push progressive views on immigration and LGBTQ+ issues.

“The right-wing Christian podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey called the sermon ‘toxic empathy that is in complete opposition to God’s Word and in support of the most satanic, destructive ideas ever conjured up.’ Toxic empathy! What an oxymoron. I don’t know if the phrase reflects moral blindness or moral bankruptcy, but either way it’s appalling,” Clinton wrote, explicitly describing herself as a Christian.

Now Stuckey fires back at the self-proclaimed devout Mrs. Clinton. In this special “Relatable” episode, she dismisses the hit piece as proof progressives are losing their grip, doubles down on biblical truth over “toxic empathy,” and celebrates the attack as a backhanded compliment.

“First, I just want to make an announcement. I want to announce that I love my life. I love living. I’m happy to be here. That is an important declaration to make anytime you get in the crosshairs of the Clintons, which, to my astonishment, I am,” Stuckey quips, alluding to widely circulated conspiracy narratives tying the Clintons to mysterious deaths.

Though character assassinations like Clinton’s are never ideal, Stuckey celebrates them as proof her message is hitting its mark.

“This article might mention me by name, but it is not actually about me,” she says, “because the truth is, if it weren’t for all of you, Hillary Clinton would not care about me. It is because of your presence, because of your courage, because of your resolve, your influence over this and future generations that Clinton is writing this article.”

And she’s not the first to shoot an arrow at Stuckey. Since her book “Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion” hit the New York Times bestseller list in October 2024, left-wing outlets have been running hit piece after hit piece accusing Stuckey of politically weaponizing the Christian faith.

“The deeper reason [for these attacks] is so incredibly clear to me,” she says, “and that is that we are over the target.”

“We have gotten to the heart of progressive manipulation. We looked at their lies straight in the face that abortion is health care, that trans women are women, that no human being is illegal, and we said, ‘No, I see what you’re doing,’” she continues.

“And now they’re afraid,” she declares.

From 2020 until now, this movement that refuses to allow “emotion to paralyze … critical thinking” has continued to grow, and progressives, realizing that they’re rapidly losing their “monopoly on female compassion,” are in full panic mode, she argues.

“They don’t trot out former Secretary of State, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, unless they are really worried.”

To Clinton — who seemed to reduce Christianity to mere neighborly love — Stuckey sets the record straight on the faith’s highest virtue: “[Love] is inextricably intertwined with the truth.”

“God is love — 1 John 4:8. He gets to define it. And He tells us what it is in 1 Corinthians 13, and in verse 6, we read that love ‘never rejoices in wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth,’” she quotes. “So you cannot have in Christianity love without truth.”

But toxic empathy throws genuine love to the wolves.

“You are so deeply in one person’s feelings that you no longer can think objectively. You no longer consider the person on the other side of the equation, and then you make decisions based on how much you feel for one person rather than on what is true and moral and just,” Stuckey illustrates, giving the example of pro-choicers who, in the name of empathy for the mother, neglect to consider “the existence, the rights, and the pain of the baby inside the womb.”

Love and truth: “This is the dichotomy that Jesus represented. Not unconditional empathy toward every purported victim group,” she clarifies.

Ultimately, Stuckey is grateful for Clinton’s polemic.

“She’s put more eyes on [“Toxic Empathy”],” she says.

But for her, it’s never been about selling books.

“It is about getting Christian women to see what is logically and factually and, most importantly, biblically true about some of the biggest issues of our day and to be able to stand confidently in that,” she says.

She concludes by encouraging Christians to take heart when the Enemy assaults them, reading from Luke 6:22: “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and when they revile you and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man!”

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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