Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
An AI-powered contact aggregation site has published Anthony Albanese’s mobile number alongside those of other global leaders
Authorities in Australia are working urgently to contain a privacy breach after the personal mobile number of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was published on a US-based contact aggregation website.
The platform, which uses artificial intelligence to harvest contact details from publicly available online sources, reportedly compiled entries for hundreds of millions of individuals — including heads of state.
Media outlets obtained a video demonstrating a call to Albanese’s voicemail, wherein the Prime Minister’s greeting “Hi, you’ve rung Anthony Albanese — leave a message” is audible.
The leak emerged shortly after investigations revealed that other world leaders — including Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron — were similarly listed in the site’s database.
Opposition figures such as Sussan Ley also appear among the exposed entries.
The website claimed it sourced information from LinkedIn, but LinkedIn has denied that assertion.
Albanese’s office confirmed that it became aware of the issue when journalists raised it and has requested the removal of the listing.
A spokesperson for the Opposition Leader stated that the matter is “obviously concerning,” and that they have sought clarity from LinkedIn regarding how the data was collected.
This incident recalls earlier lapses in the protection of Australian officials’ phone numbers — in 2017, hundreds of MPs and senators had their mobile numbers inadvertently published due to failures in redaction procedures by parliamentary services.
That prior breach saw phone expense reports with private numbers available for download and cached online.
Within government circles, the incident is being treated as a serious infiltration of personal privacy.
Cognizant officials are now exploring legal and administrative options, including demands for removal, engagement with platform operators, and potential regulatory escalation.
The privacy and security implications are elevated by the AI-driven nature of the breach and the inclusion of high-profile entries.
No official confirmation has yet been made regarding any malicious use of the information, but the release of the number underscores emerging challenges in securing personal data in an era of automated aggregation and widespread online visibility.
The platform, which uses artificial intelligence to harvest contact details from publicly available online sources, reportedly compiled entries for hundreds of millions of individuals — including heads of state.
Media outlets obtained a video demonstrating a call to Albanese’s voicemail, wherein the Prime Minister’s greeting “Hi, you’ve rung Anthony Albanese — leave a message” is audible.
The leak emerged shortly after investigations revealed that other world leaders — including Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron — were similarly listed in the site’s database.
Opposition figures such as Sussan Ley also appear among the exposed entries.
The website claimed it sourced information from LinkedIn, but LinkedIn has denied that assertion.
Albanese’s office confirmed that it became aware of the issue when journalists raised it and has requested the removal of the listing.
A spokesperson for the Opposition Leader stated that the matter is “obviously concerning,” and that they have sought clarity from LinkedIn regarding how the data was collected.
This incident recalls earlier lapses in the protection of Australian officials’ phone numbers — in 2017, hundreds of MPs and senators had their mobile numbers inadvertently published due to failures in redaction procedures by parliamentary services.
That prior breach saw phone expense reports with private numbers available for download and cached online.
Within government circles, the incident is being treated as a serious infiltration of personal privacy.
Cognizant officials are now exploring legal and administrative options, including demands for removal, engagement with platform operators, and potential regulatory escalation.
The privacy and security implications are elevated by the AI-driven nature of the breach and the inclusion of high-profile entries.
No official confirmation has yet been made regarding any malicious use of the information, but the release of the number underscores emerging challenges in securing personal data in an era of automated aggregation and widespread online visibility.
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