FBI Rejects Freedom of Information Act Request About Carrier IQ
bonch writes with news that website Muckrock recently sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the FBI asking for "manuals, documents or other written guidance used to access or analyze data gathered by programs developed or deployed by Carrier IQ." The Bureau has now responded with a rejection of the request, claiming an exemption applies because such documents "could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings." While many have been quick to assume the worst, the Muckrock article says it's unclear "whether the FBI used Carrier IQ's software to in its own investigations, whether it is currently investigating Carrier IQ, or whether it is some combination of both - not unlikely given the recent uproar over the practice coupled with the U.S. intelligence communities reliance on third-party vendors."
A government agency does not want to hand over information that may link it to abusing its power. I've never heard of such a thing. Maybe Eric Holder is advising them as to handle the situation.
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The rule is: If we don't want you to know, then there's an applicable exemption to the rule.
And we know where you were last Summer...
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
whether the FBI used Carrier IQ's software to in its own investigations, whether it is currently investigating Carrier IQ, or whether it is some combination of both - not unlikely given the recent uproar over the practice coupled with the U.S. intelligence communities reliance on third-party vendors.
Does it really matter ? If they want CarrierIQ data for a customer, they can just get it from the carrier, and pay the carrier to collect it [for active investigations approved by a judge].
Once you let them get away with warrantless wiretapping once, they'll do it in perpetuity
The game is over, citizens. They violated the Constitution and you didn't do anything about it. Enjoy the slow march into facism and your new police state.
The funny thing here is Carriers already save text message data Without Carrier IQ - and they have the ability to save URL data also since we are on their network. why would the FBI need Carrier IQ unless it was getting more data than that? Pictures we take on our phones? videos? emails ? http://www.pcmag.com/image_popup/0,1740,iid=313504,00.asp
If the FBI is using Carrier IQ data for investigative purposes, doesn't that call into question the earlier claim from security researchers that Carrier IQ isn't logging data?
Silly me........and there I thought with Obama and Holder running things we'd have unicorns prancing down Main Street with rainbows shining out their butts.
You have violated Robot's Rules of Order, and will be asked to leave the future, immediately.
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
... itself also undoubtedly "could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings."
Check your premises.
"It was also possible to bypass the copyright monitors by installing a modified system kernel. Dan would eventually find out about the free kernels, even entire free operating systems, that had existed around the turn of the century. But not only were they illegal, like debuggers—you could not install one if you had one, without knowing your computer's root password. And neither the FBI nor Microsoft Support would tell you that." - The Right to Read
Congratulations on making your request. Welcome to The List.
The new National Defense Authorization Act contains an amendment allowing the military the authority to detain American citizens, on American soil, indefinitely and without access to an attorney. The President has said he'll veto it; write to him and hold him to it! This has wide bipartisan support, and while I'm typically hesitant of doomsaying about America becoming a police state, this is the legal codification of one!
http://www.aclu.org/blog/tag/NDAA
"As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism.
Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."
--Pravin Lal
I know legally you need hard evidence to make accusations but I would leave you with this thought, why would there be one exception to the invasion of privacy with the feds and carrierIQ when it's rampant in almost every other scenario.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
The new National Defense Authorization Act contains an amendment allowing the military the authority to detain American citizens, on American soil, indefinitely and without access to an attorney.
What about subsection (e)? Wouldn't that argue against that interpretation?
dragonhawk@iname.microsoft.com
I do not like Microsoft. Remove them from my email address.
Ironically to investigate Carrier IQ, they'd have to get a search warrant against them, but to use Carrier IQ's data, they'd just need to pay a fee.
There is no FBI investigation because there is no search warrant.
Shouldn't this have an Apple logo instead of an Android logo? Google came out and said they didn't put it in Android (the logo used). Apple on the other hand did include it in IOS. Spreading misinformation??
The government and intelligence agencies are treating citizens like terrorists and internet users as enemy combatants. They have no interest in serving the people and are doing their very best to destroy our civil liberties and freedoms. Take a look at the S-1867 bill that was recently passed - it gives the military sweeping powers to arrest, detain and incarcerate people without any legal recourse. Welcome to hell. You are a number and have no rights.
when injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty
I like this comment :)
Why would the FBI use commercial software like this? Don't they have computer scientist and software programmers them-selfs?
Jack of all trades,master of none
"Them-selfs" is a slang term for them Santa's elves, right? After all, why have the FBI develop in house and have to figure out how to get their software on everyone's phones, when Santa's elves can just deliver their spyware pre-installed on December 25th?
Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
Karl Rove dreamt this one up, the Democrats were *supposed* to reject it, Rove and Fox had a lot of talking points line up about how 'Democrats are trying to protect Al-Qaeda'.
Instead the Democrats went 'um and er' and approved it, Obama then announced he would reject this 'BECAUSE IT DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH IN GIVING HIM POWERS TO TACKLE AL QAEDA', a neat way of sidestepping this Rove game.
If you're not familiar with Karl Rove, he got Bush into power, even after losing the vote in 2000, he has $35 million to spend getting Republicans into power this time. His backers are mainly people like Bernie Madoff (who wants a Presidential pardon), Fund managers, who fear paying the same tax rate as the rest of us etc.
He'll say whatever lie will get his Republicans into power.
FBI: "Even though we're supposed to serve the American people we don't care you stupid sheep. You'll take what we give you and be happy with it!"
Go find a green agent and give him a few too many drinks. Most Federal agents aren't nearly as bright or clever as they'd like to think. Do it right and it shouldn't be hard to get something like a manual.
Is there grounds for a class action suit? Once the ambulance chasers smell blood (money), Carrier IQ will have their hands full....out of our hair.
Tort reform means that a class action may not do much harm to their business if they can make enough cash before losing such a case.
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