Will the LAPD be held accountable for spying on the cellphone discussions of naive bystanders? Ostensibly tech to monitor terror suspects, StingRay has been used quite differently.
Calls not private
StingRay technology has been used since 2006 by the LAPD. LAPD officials have not made any comment about whether or not it has the legal right to use the technology in inappropriate ways, but it has been using it in many cases, such as murder, narcotic and burglary investigations. The LAPD was only supposed to use StingRay cellular phone technology for terrorism investigations, but definitely it did not just do that. Between June and September of last year, there were 155 StingRay cellular phone investigation cases, and 13 percent of them listened in on calls for non-suspects.
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 guides 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.
No court order required
With StingRay, authorities can keep monitors with them in complete secret as opposed to the past when authorities had to get a court order before using them. StingRay is bothersome to civil privileges activists for this very reason.
Privacy laws should be considered
There are too many potential privacy violations, according to ACLU lawyer Linda Lye. Others agree with her too. It is unclear how StingRay technology plays a part in privacy regulations, but it does have to be addressed.
Calls not private
StingRay technology has been used since 2006 by the LAPD. LAPD officials have not made any comment about whether or not it has the legal right to use the technology in inappropriate ways, but it has been using it in many cases, such as murder, narcotic and burglary investigations. The LAPD was only supposed to use StingRay cellular phone technology for terrorism investigations, but definitely it did not just do that. Between June and September of last year, there were 155 StingRay cellular phone investigation cases, and 13 percent of them listened in on calls for non-suspects.
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 guides 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.
No court order required
With StingRay, authorities can keep monitors with them in complete secret as opposed to the past when authorities had to get a court order before using them. StingRay is bothersome to civil privileges activists for this very reason.
Privacy laws should be considered
There are too many potential privacy violations, according to ACLU lawyer Linda Lye. Others agree with her too. It is unclear how StingRay technology plays a part in privacy regulations, but it does have to be addressed.
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