What has the LAPD done now? According to L.A. Weekly, the police have used the allegedly terror investigation only StingRay technology and spied upon non-suspects.
StingRay tapped over 13 percent of cellphone inspections from June to Sept. 2012
The LAPD has been getting some heat recently for inappropriate use of StingRay cellular phone technology. The technology was only intended to be used in terrorism cases, but it turns out that is not all the LAPD was doing. In fact, of the 155 StingRay cases from last year between June and September, 13 percent exposed innocent non-suspects. The LAPD officials have not commented on the technology and whether or not it was used illegally, but it was specifically given to them in 2006 with subsidies from the federal Department of Homeland Security to be able to track terrorism. It has been found that the technology is used in many burglary, homicide and drug cases as well.
One person who doesn't believe the LAPD has the right to use StingRay in this fashion is Peter Scheer, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition. Scheer notes that LAPD procedure manuals are unclear as to whether such use of StingRay is legal without a warrant or judicial permission. According to those familiar with the technology, avoiding collateral cellular data interception from non-suspects when they are in close proximity to suspects is practically extremely hard.
StingRay also circumvents carrier technology
Another troubling facet of StingRay to civil rights supports is that the technology can circumvent the standard process of requesting location data from carrier networks before eavesdropping. Usually, authorities have required a court order before gaining access, but with StingRay, authorities can get around carrier monitors entirely in secret.
All about privacy
There are too many potential privacy violations, according to American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Linda Lye. Others agree with her too. It is unclear how StingRay technology plays a part in privacy regulations, but it does need to be addressed.
StingRay tapped over 13 percent of cellphone inspections from June to Sept. 2012
The LAPD has been getting some heat recently for inappropriate use of StingRay cellular phone technology. The technology was only intended to be used in terrorism cases, but it turns out that is not all the LAPD was doing. In fact, of the 155 StingRay cases from last year between June and September, 13 percent exposed innocent non-suspects. The LAPD officials have not commented on the technology and whether or not it was used illegally, but it was specifically given to them in 2006 with subsidies from the federal Department of Homeland Security to be able to track terrorism. It has been found that the technology is used in many burglary, homicide and drug cases as well.
One person who doesn't believe the LAPD has the right to use StingRay in this fashion is Peter Scheer, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition. Scheer notes that LAPD procedure manuals are unclear as to whether such use of StingRay is legal without a warrant or judicial permission. According to those familiar with the technology, avoiding collateral cellular data interception from non-suspects when they are in close proximity to suspects is practically extremely hard.
StingRay also circumvents carrier technology
Another troubling facet of StingRay to civil rights supports is that the technology can circumvent the standard process of requesting location data from carrier networks before eavesdropping. Usually, authorities have required a court order before gaining access, but with StingRay, authorities can get around carrier monitors entirely in secret.
All about privacy
There are too many potential privacy violations, according to American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Linda Lye. Others agree with her too. It is unclear how StingRay technology plays a part in privacy regulations, but it does need to be addressed.
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