Apparently you can just copy and paste redacted portions into a different document (Word, Notepad, Docs, etc) and read what is under the redacted text. It feels like this was done on purpose.
https://x.com/ObviousRises/status/2003557848861827421
https://nitter.net/ObviousRises/status/2003557848861827421#m
I saw something on hackernews like this I think... I was assuming they wouldn't screw up redactions that badly though, so yeah I wonder if it is on purpose with fake info
tl;dr did anyone learn anything from alleged botched redactions?
This type of fake redaction has been happening all over the world for many years and I have personally taken advantage of it in the past. I was not aware until now that you needed the Acrobat Pro version to do properly effective redactions - I just assumed it was incompetence on the part of the document owner. Considering the length of time I have seen this "fake redaction" happening by multiple organisations I am certain it is not some sort of 5D-chess, purposely using a redaction method which they know will easily be defeated.
I would like to say as well that many of the redactions have been hugely disappointing - you think you've scored a big reveal but it turns out to be a completely uninteresting event by a pathetically control-freakist organisation.