Click pic to watch the video
You’ve got nothing to hide, right? So, if you don’t want to hand it over, you’re obviously guilty of something.
The Michigan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is questioning the Michigan State Police’s use of cellphone “extraction” devices. The ACLU said MSP has used the devices to access information from cellphones that officers ask drivers they have pulled over to give them.
“It can contain information that many people consider to be private, to be beyond the reach of law enforcement and other government actors,” said Mark Fancher, an ACLU attorney.
The ACLU is asking why the state police is using devices that can gather data stored on cellphones, and why it is not telling the public about it. The ACLU said the devices could violate Fourth Amendment rights.
“There is great potential for abuse here by a police officer or a state trooper who may not be monitored or supervised on the street,” Fancher said.
So if you work for the FBI or the CIA and they have your phone records, is that not a breach of State and Federal Security? Or, if you are not a member of either, but someone else has a recorded phone call listing your number is that not a breach? I understood that disclosure that a person worked for the CIA is a Federal Offence so if some plod accesses these phone records and puts anything in writing which discloses this…..
Unless, of course, you believe that Michigan State Police couldn’t possibly put the national security at any risk by having access to information which is not central to any ongoing investigation.
Yes. I think I would believe that. But then I’m heading towards that Great Long Sleep being pretty ancient.
Someone needs to develop a nice piece of malware to take advantage of this. I’m sure this gets downloaded to Big Brother at the end of the day. What Federal database? Oh, you mean they don’t have anymore. Chuckle.
Comments stolen from another blog on this story….anybody know if this is accurate:
#9
The irony of your statement is that words are actually meaningless, it’s only actions that should be judged on a daily basis. People’s opinions don’t really mean much at all, they’re just their opinions based on information they receive that is more often than not completely void of facts. For me these words are just noise, complete nonsense. I’m only interested in people’s actions and observing their actions and understanding the results of their actions. Words are overpriced.
The only thing that count are results.
Try for a month to judge everything around you by the result of someones actions, then go back and read their words and see if they match.
Very few people say what they do.
# 36
Sadly we are not really fighting for democracy around the world. Our government wraps the flag around everything that we do but in reality the controlling interest of both our government and of us are the big-money corporate interests, and for sure they are not interested in anything that resembles democracy.
I look forward to the day my phone is requested without reason. I will probably end up in custody for not handing it over (and a few choice words), but I’m sure I’ll be released without charges.
Just say NO. They have NO authority to force someone to hand over their personal property without a warrant. Regardless of whether you feel you have nothing to hide, JUST SAY NO!. What’s next, kicking in your door and tossing your residence because you “may” have evidence of a crime that they are unaware of???
#11 is right, this is voluntary disclosure. Once you agree all bets are off.
I am white, so most cops are generally friendly to me. I know that that isn’t the case for everyone. There have been two times when I have been pulled over for the obvious purpose of searching my car. On neither occasion did they press it when I did not consent to a voluntary search.
Everyone needs to understand that in different regions and for different people there is an amazing variation on how rules are enforced.
I guess if you are in an area where calm refusal will get your ass kicked… well, then you are screwed regardless.
Update to this story: http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1586-254783–,00.html
I can almost guarantee the cell phone data will be abused. Since when are the cops sworn not to exploit anything they learn about you, for personal gain? And if so, is it ever enforced when violated?
The cops can’t be bothered to keep breathalyzers properly calibrated. But they’ve all up to speed on invading your privacy, for a traffic stop. Anyway. What are they going to do when the phones are built into the cars? I wonder if these cell phones can be hacked, physically or thru software, NOT to spill the beans on you?
Well at least I can still cling to my religion and guns.