Australian PM, Donald Trump Jr's private numbers have been leaked
What's the story
The personal phone numbers of Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump Jr have been published on a US-based website. The site uses artificial intelligence to scrape the internet for information. The BBC has confirmed that both numbers are publicly available on the platform, which is used by recruiters and sales representatives. However, it remains unclear how the site obtained these private details.
Investigation underway
Local authorities are investigating the matter
PM Albanese's office is aware of the situation and local authorities are investigating the matter. The issue was first reported by independent Australian media outlet Ette Media. Sussan Ley, Australia's opposition leader, also had her private number published on the site. A spokesperson for Ley called it "obviously concerning" and confirmed they had requested removal of this information from the website.
Data claims
About the website in question
The website, which remains unnamed by the BBC, claims to have contact details for hundreds of millions of professionals. It allows users to search a limited number of contacts for free or subscribe for paid services. The site collects public information such as filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and uses AI to collate data from social media networks, website crawlers, and job portals.
Data removal
Numbers of former US Presidents were also listed
The website also has an opt-out form for individuals to request removal of their personal information from the database. The BBC attempted to call numbers listed for former US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton; the call to Obama's number was to no avail, while the call to Clinton's number was picked up by an audibly confused man. A London landline supposedly belonging to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also rang out when contacted.