Posted on 02/11/2010 11:08:16 AM PST by Free ThinkerNY
The Justice Department is poised this week to publicly defend a little-known law-enforcement practice that critics say may be the "sleeper" privacy issue of the 21st century: the collection of cell-phone "tracking" records that identify the physical locations where the phones have been.
It may come as a surprise to most of the owners of the country's 277 million cell phones, but their cell-phone company retains records of where their device has been at all times—either because the phones have tiny GPS devices embedded inside or because each phone call is routed through towers that can be used to pinpoint the phones' location to within areas as small as a few hundred feet.
Such location "logs" never show up on your monthly cell-phone bill. But federal court records filed over the past year indicate that federal prosecutors and the FBI have increasingly been obtaining such records in the course of criminal investigations—without any notice to the cell-phone customer or any showing of "probable cause" that tracking the physical location of the phone will turn up evidence of an actual crime.
"Most people don't understand they are carrying a tracking device in their pockets," says Kevin Bankston, a lawyer with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a privacy group that has been trying to monitor the Justice Department's practice.
Much about the practice—including how many "tracking" records have been collected by the government—remains shrouded in secrecy. But in one court case in which the use of such records arose, a Philadelphia FBI agent named William Shute testified that he had obtained such records 150 times in recent years in order to track the location of federal fugitives.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.newsweek.com ...
I wrap mine in alum-foil when I carry it around.
I miss alot of calls but it works...I think?
This was the original purpose of making cell phone makers incorporate GPS positioning. The public was told that it was to help get emergency crews out to them more easily.
thats why the feds mandated GPS capability for all cell phones a few years ago.
"Most people don't understand they are carrying a tracking device in their pockets," says Kevin Bankston, a lawyer with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a privacy group that has been trying to monitor the Justice Department's practice.
Well, heck! If you're that worried about it, just wrap your cel phone in foil paper when you're not using it. Just pull if off, from time to time, to check your voice mail and make a few calls. LOL...
But, then again, if you're really paranoid, just get those throw-away phones, pay for it with cash and use it up and then throw it in the trash can...
I mean..., where there's a will, there's a way... :-)
I only put the battery in my cell phone when I need to make a call.
Does this work if the phone is off?
What about my GMC vehicle with cell phone built in?
We have found the enemy, and they are us.
(us being US gov)
yes they can I think under the Patriot Act. I swear both parties are not that different, they think normal law-abiding citizens are the terrorist. :(
A little known fact: In 2002 they started making aluminum foil out of silver colored paper.
Do you take the battery out?
Yes, the only way to disable the GPS tracking is to take the battery out. At least that is what I’ve heard.
Your GMC vehicle with OnStar is on all the time. GMC works pretty closely with law enforcement.
I’m not particularly worried. Gee, I’m at work, the gym, the library, at home, or somewhere in between. Like my phone calls - BORING.
However, I am rather suspicious of the fact that these logs even exist. What business reason do they have for keeping track of people’s locations?
You don’t have any control over the function except to remove the battery. Your phone is tracking you all the time.
Invasion of privacy, yes, BUT the number of really bad guys, including kid nappers, killers, and terrorist were taken off the streets because of these invasions is endless, and I for one am glad that Law Enforcements hands are not tied by silly damn lawyers. Yes, there is a line that I would not want them to cross, but using any of the above to “Protect” society from bad people is not the line.
Would you also be ok with a cop following you around 24x7 and keeping a log of everything you do?
I mean if you don’t have anything to hide then you shouldn’t care how they track you.
Psst! If you are worried about being tracked by the FBI, go with pre-paid. As long as you pay with pre-paid phone cards, nobody knows who the hell is using it. This is definitely an article aimed at the tinfoil hat crowd.
Are you also ok with them entering your home without a warrant? Just trying to figure out where your line is.
Cell phones.
And cars.
E-mails.
Anything electronic.
Do we think “Enemy of the State” did not have certain elements of truth in it?
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