Feds Have Access To Cellphone Tracking On Request

Mike writes "According to a Washington Post article, federal officials are routinely asking and getting courts to order cellphone companies to furnish real-time tracking data on subscribers. The data is used to pinpoint the whereabouts of 'criminal suspects', according to judges and industry lawyers. In some cases, judges have granted the requests without even requiring the government to demonstrate probable cause that a crime is taking place or that the inquiry will yield evidence of a crime 'Privacy advocates fear such a practice may expose average Americans to a new level of government scrutiny of their daily lives. Such requests run counter to the Justice Department's internal recommendation that federal prosecutors seek warrants based on probable cause to obtain precise location data in private areas. The requests and orders are sealed at the government's request, so it is difficult to know how often the orders are issued or denied.'"

Comments

so they can protect you

[User 956]

The data is used to pinpoint the whereabouts of 'criminal suspects', according to judges and industry lawyers. In some cases, judges have granted the requests without even requiring the government to demonstrate probable cause that a crime is taking place or that the inquiry will yield evidence of a crime

And if we put everyone in jail, then there would be no criminals on the street. Problem solved!

Wow

[2bitcomputers]

You guys are so fucked. No oversight, no probable cause. Land of the free eh? Good luck with that.

Re:This just in

[MarsDefenseMinister]

>Desire for change is a leftist attribute.

I knew it. The dirty begging hippies at the traffic lights that glare at me in my car are leftists.