The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) obtained from the Department of Justice (DOJ) document under a Freedom of Information Act showing that the device Stingray surveillance "may be able to intercept the content of communications," and can users bugs by flashing the firmware of a phone to "intercept conversations using the mobile phone of a suspect as a bug."
Linda Lye, a staff attorney with the American civil Liberties Union of Northern California, said Reuters that "the government uses intrusive new forms of technology to invade our privacy, but it is wrapping its practices in secret, and Stingrays are a very poignant example ... we should not have to simply give up our privacy using the modern conveniences of everyday modern life as a cell phone. "
What is a Stingray monitor?
a Stingray monitoring device poses as a real phone tower cellular and tricks mobile phones to connect with it to gather metadata for users and the phone and text messaging content.
also known as an "IMSI catcher" or "cell site simulator," Stingray is accessible to law enforcement and intelligence agencies to listen in on cell phone traffic and identify the location of phone users in the fight against criminal activities and terrorists.
However, the Stingray Hoovers also all the data of innocent bystanders who are close to the monitor.
It was also recently revealed that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), bought a Stingray monitoring device. The IRS joins 12 other government agencies in the United States have deployed the system throughout the United States for almost 20 years .
The Guardian made the discovery after obtaining invoices under the Freedom of Information Act, which clearly shows that the IRS Harris Corporation paid $ 65,652 in 2012 to upgrade a Stingray monitoring device to a hail , and also spent $ 00 on how to use it. Although there is evidence that the IRS has purchased the Stingray, The Guardian reports that it is unclear how the IRS used the device.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) published a list of 13 federal agencies known to use Stingray monitoring devices:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Drug Enforcement administration
US secret Service
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
US Marshals Service
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, firearms and explosives
Internal Revenue Service
US Army
US Navy
US Marine Corps
national Guard of the United States
US Special operations command
national Security Agency
using the Stingray has raised serious concern and criticism defenders of privacy and congressmen who say that using Stingray monitoring devices used by police and federal agencies prejudice the right of a user's privacy.
the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice both recently released new policy stating that a warrant must be obtained before officers can follow US cell phone users with the device Stingray surveillance.
This week, Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), and co-sponsors John Conyers (D-Michigan) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) introduced a new draft law, the "law Cell-Site Simulator 2015" also known as "Stingray Privacy Act", which would make it a crime (punishable by 10 years in prison), for the State, federal and local government agencies to use the Stingray monitoring device to collect the phone and voice information without a warrant
Chaffetz said :. "abuse rays and other site cell simulators by individuals, including law enforcement, could lead to gross violations of privacy, "he added," the fact that the enforcement agencies and law enforcement agencies lawless, such as the IRS, have invested in these devices pose serious questions about the people who use this technology and why. These questions demonstrate the need for strict instructions that carry the weight of law. "
However The Washington Times reports that" organizations would also be allowed to use warrantless devices under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and in cases of emergency, "adding that officials from the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland security are aware of the Stingray protection Act but not immediately comment.
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