Report: Law Enforcement Widens Cellphone Surveillance

framirez @ 7/9/2012 9:28 PM

What this spin on this story... http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Cell-Phone-Companies-Turn-Over-Heaps-of-Data-to-Police-161827815.html

The guy interviewed from the Electronic Freedom Foundation makes it sound like we as law enforcement can get anyone's information at a whim.

The one good thing, but probably nobody will bother to pause the news story to actually read the letter from AT&T. The letter points out that AT&T is "...required by state and federal laws to respond to appropriate law enforcement subpoenas, warrants, court orders, and other legal processes..." and it also included "...responding to 911 calls and other emergency circumstances when warranted..."

Brian Greene @ 7/20/2012 12:16 PM

@framirez What is considered "Appropriate" and "when warranted" by definition of that law? If that definition is vague, then it is completely up to the ISP to define it. If the law disagrees with their definition and, ultimately, the decision that the definition leads to , well, they can take it up with a judge in court like the rest of us.

Telecommunications is not your playground to sit and monitor for illicit behavioral patterns that could denote criminal mentality and, therefor, criminal behavior.

Unless a crime has been committed, and there is warrant for it, there should be no wiretapping. Suspicion needs to be backed. Watchdogs need to be held accountable.

I wonder now, if we were to look in on the internet and phone records of all those in law enforcement, how many would we find doing the same illegal things as the people they put in jail?