'An unconstitutional, all-you-can-eat data buffet': Critics slam FBI's Stingray mobile tracking tool

The EFF report says the use of the Stingray is just the latest example of the US government using 'terrorism' as an excuse to exert stronger powers over even ordinary citizens.

By Harriet Arkell

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

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Deeplinks Blog by Jennifer Lynch, Andrew Crocker | December 28, 2017

The Supreme Court Finally Takes on Law Enforcement Access to Cell Phone Location Data: 2017 in Review

Protecting the highly personal location data stored on or generated by digital devices is one of the 21st century’s most important privacy issues. In 2017, the Supreme Court finally took on the question of how law enforcement can get ahold of this sensitive information. Whenever you use a cell phone...

Deeplinks Blog by Dave Maass, Adam Schwartz | September 21, 2017

Appeals Court Rules Against Warrantless Cell-site Simulator Surveillance

Law enforcement officers in Washington, D.C. violated the Fourth Amendment when they used a cell site simulator to locate a suspect without a warrant, a D.C. appeals court ruled on Thursday. The court thus found that the resulting evidence should have been excluded from trial and overturned the defendant’s...

Press Release | June 26, 2017

EFF to Supreme Court: No Real-Time Cell Phone Tracking Without a Warrant

Washington, D.C.—The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review a troubling ruling that allows police to obtain—without a warrant—location data from people’s cell phones to track them in real time. EFF, joined by the Center for Democracy & Technology and the Constitution Project, filed...

Deeplinks Blog by Andrew Crocker, Jennifer Lynch | June 5, 2017

Supreme Court Will Hear Significant Cell Phone Tracking Case

Today the Supreme Court announced it will review United States v. Carpenter, a case involving long-term, retrospective tracking of a person’s movements using information generated by his cell phone. This is very exciting news in the world of digital privacy. With Carpenter, the Court has an opportunity to continue its...

Deeplinks Blog by Shahid Buttar | June 2, 2017

Expansive Protections Against Police Abuses Win Approval in Providence

Update [6/8/2017]: This post was updated to include a quote from a local organizer and the names of several supporting local organizations. On Thursday night, the capital of the smallest state in the union adopted a wide-ranging police reform measure with national and historic implications. The Providence City Council...

Deeplinks Blog by Adam Schwartz | May 19, 2017

No Hunting Undocumented Immigrants with Stingrays

In the latest sign of mission creep in domestic deployment of battlefield-strength surveillance technology, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this year used a cell site simulator (CSS) to locate and arrest an undocumented immigrant, according to a report yesterday by The Detroit News. CSSs, often called IMSI...

Deeplinks Blog by Stephanie Lacambra | February 22, 2017

Congressional Oversight Committee Wants Warrants to Rein in Police Abuse of Cell-Site Simulators

A bipartisan Congressional committee’s recent report showcases troubling details about police abuse of cell-site simulators, and calls on Congress to pass laws ensuring that this powerful technology is only deployed with a court-issued probable cause warrant. Cell-site simulators, often called IMSI catchers or Stingrays, masquerade as cell phone towers and...

EFF in the News

BART says all cars will have working security cameras by July 1

BART is considering a policy that would balance security interests and privacy rights. The BART Surveillance & Community Safety Act would require its Board of Directors to grant specific approval for each new surveillance device after listening to public comment and conduct yearly reviews of their use. Misuse, or ineffectiveness...

Deeplinks Blog by Adam Schwartz | January 17, 2017

EFF to BART: Adopt Spy Tech Control Law

EFF urged the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board to adopt a new law that would ensure community control of whether to adopt new surveillance technologies. All too often, police executives unilaterally decide to adopt powerful new spying tools that invade our privacy, chill our free speech, and unfairly...

Deeplinks Blog by Shahid Buttar | January 16, 2017

Remember Dr. King—and What He Endured

Annual celebrations of the life and work of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. often lionize the civil rights era, rightfully focusing on its achievements. For 40 years, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover presided over a reign of intimidation and terror across Washington. But celebrations often overlook the federal...

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