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IRS: We Used Stingray Devices To Track 37 Phones (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader writes: In October, we discussed the troubling revelation that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service had its own stingray devices, which are commonly used by law enforcement to intercept phone signals and track criminal suspects. The IRS has now addressed these allegations (PDF), confirming that they do indeed have one of the devices, and are trying to get a second. The agency said it tracked 37 phones across 11 different grand jury investigations, and the devices were also used in four non-IRS investigations. They say, "IRS use of cell-site simulation technology is limited to the federal law enforcement arm of the IRS, our Criminal Investigation division. Only trained law enforcement agents have used cell-site simulation technology, carrying out criminal investigations in accordance with all appropriate federal and state judicial procedures."
The IRS are the accountants of the government, it would undoubtedly gall them to no end to keep two sets of books in this matter. I'm not saying they couldn't do it, I'm just saying it would be out of character.
The interesting thing is not the number of phones they "tracked". The interesting thing really is the number of phones which accidentally reported their location to the IRS and had their data ignored by the IRS. Each of those people is put at risk, however slightly. We can hope the IRS destroys that "inadvertently collected" data but given that they don't mention it the letter is a bit disturbing.
There's no need for double book keeping here since they probably are simply not interested in our counting the data about inadvertent collects, and if they were it's a separate number (like revenue and profit). Someone needs to ask them for the number of inadvertent data collects.
Taxes are necessary for any society, but I can see why people want to "cheat" the system when they are getting taxed upon already taxed income multiple layers deep.
The IRS needs to set a single flat tax and cut the nickel and dime, fingers in every pie model that they currently have. There also needs to be a way for people to steer where their taxes go or don't go amongst a voted upon list of societal needs.
The IRS knows they are untouchable now. They can willfully destroy any private group at will, as they did with conservative groups, without punishment - who cares if at the same time they are listening on cell phone conversations of taxpayers? They say it's only the enforcement arm, but since any taxpayer is potentially lying about taxes, the enforcement arm would cover everyone in the U.S....
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
"in accordance with all appropriate federal and state judicial procedures."
In other words, "as they damn well please".
Nae king! Nae laird! Nae yurrupiean pressedent! We willna be fooled again!