Fake Mobile Phone Towers Found To Be "Actively Listening In" On Calls In UK

New submitter nickweller writes: More than 20 Stingray fake phone towers which can collect data from passing devices and listen in on calls have been discovered operating in the UK. The Metropolitan Police have refused to say who is controlling the IMSI catchers, also known as Stingrays, or what is being done with the information they are gathering. Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "If people imagine that we’ve got the resources to do as much intrusion as they worry about, I would reassure them that it’s impossible.”

Comments

The key quote

[DingerX]

Keith Bristow, the director-general of the National Crime Agency, said: “Some of what we would like to talk about to get the debate informed and logical, we can’t, because it would defeat the purpose of having the tactics in the first place. Frankly, some of what we need to do is intrusive, it is uncomfortable, and the important thing is we set that out openly and recognise there are difficult choices to be made.”

Translation: "It is important that we be completely transparent on this single fact: we are not transparent, and we will do bad things, because reasons."

In other words...

[NoKaOi]

"If people imagine that we’ve got the resources to do as much intrusion as they worry about, I would reassure them that it’s impossible."

Sure, we're doing a lot of bad illegal shit, but we don't have time to do as much bad illegal shit as you think we are.

Imagine if that logic were applied by a bank robber: Sure, I robbed the bank, but I didn't have time to steal as much money as you thought I did.

Re:In other words...

[gsslay]

But isn't it reassuring that the first thing stopping them doing surveillance that comes to Sir Bernard's mind is the lack of resources? Not things like legality or moral justification?

Lack of money; the police's new moral compass.

Possible!

[thegarbz]

If people imagine that we’ve got the resources to do as much intrusion as they worry about, I would reassure them that it’s impossible.

Based on the fact that there are 20 operating Stingrays I would say that not only is it possible, but you have actually put your resources to good use doing exactly as much intrusion as we're worrying about.

Re:Possible!

[thesupraman]

Way to intentionally try and mislead readers!

824,297 is the total number of cellular sites opensignal has data for, ON THE PLANET.
It is estimated all operators in the UK have around 23,000 cell sites (including microcells).
There appear to be between 100 and 150 TOTAL sites in London.

So no, they could catch a fair bit of all of the trafic in say Central London with those, lets
say one per embassy zone, a couple around Parliment, one for the Queen, etc - they could
drag a nice little bit of data for their colonial cousins with those..

Oh, wait, how foolish of me, they are only used to fight active terrorist groups who are working
to kill us all! how easy to forget.

Re:What is a republic?

[DarkOx]

Why should adultery not be a crime. We place such a high importance on marriage rights apparently that being free to enter that institution with anyone you wish is now being considered a basic human right. If that contract is so sacred that nobody should be denied it, than are not those who violate the integrity of harming society?

When prosecuting murders killing the person who was cheating with your spouse generally makes it a crime of passion and frequently is used to justify reducing the charges to second degree murder or even down to manslaughter. So obviously adultery poses a significant danger of triggering of provoking other serious crimes like battery and murder.

Its the frequent cause of dissolution of homes which negatively effects the development of children.

The list could go on. I think there is clear pattern of harm to society at large resulting from adultery. It SHOULD be a crime. If you are concerned about being and adulterer don't marry.