New Cellphone Surveillance Safeguards Imposed On Federal Law Enforcement

Earthquake Retrofit writes: The NPR website has an interesting story that the Justice Department says it will beef up legal requirements for using cell-site simulators. It includes a rare picture of the device and refers to them as dirt boxes. From the story: "Under the new policy, federal investigators will be required to get a warrant from a judge demonstrating probable cause, in most domestic criminal probes. Agents will need to explain to judges how the technology is being used. And they'll be directed to destroy volumes of bystanders' data 'no less than once daily.' 'This policy is really designed to ... try to promote transparency, consistency and accountability, all while being mindful of the public's privacy interest,' said Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates."

Comments

Key Words & Tricky Phrases

[CrimsonAvenger]

In this case, the word is "most"...

So, who wants to bet that in future the overwhelming majority of uses will, purely coincidentally, not fall into the area covered by "most"?

Re:Key Words & Tricky Phrases

[gstoddart]

To hell with the wording .. I simply refuse to believe they'll obey it.

They'll do what they want, and claim jurisdiction. The local cops will still do it. If they get told they can't do it they'll demand the phone company does it for them.

Unless you start putting these clowns in prison with the rest of the crooks, simply telling their obligation under the law will not do a damned thing. They no longer care what the law says, only what they feel they should be able to do.

So I'm going to say the wording is irrelevant in the face of agencies who will continue to say "don't give a fuck".