Police in the U.S. have been using data gathered from apps like Starbucks and Waze to track people's whereabouts — at times without a search warrant.
By GARANCE BURKE AND JASON DEAREN, Associated Press Local law enforcement agencies from suburban Southern California to rural North Carolina have been using an obscure cellphone tracking tool, at times without search warrants, that gives them the power to follow people's movements months back in time, according to public records and internal emails obtained by The Associated Press.
"It's sort of a mass surveillance program on a budget," said Bennett Cyphers, a special adviser at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital privacy rights advocacy group. Because of the secrecy surrounding Fog, however, there are scant details about its use and most law enforcement agencies won't discuss it, raising concerns among privacy advocates that it violates the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure.
While Greensboro officials acknowledged Fog's use and initially defended it, the police department said it allowed its subscription to expire earlier this year because it didn't"independently benefit investigations." Despite such privacy assurances, the records show that law enforcement can use Fog's data as a clue to find identifying information."There is no linked to the ," wrote a Missouri official about Fog in 2019."But if we are good at what we do, we should be able to figure out the owner."
"We push the limits, but we do them in a way that we target the bad guys," he said."Time is of the essence in those situations. We can't wait on the traditional search warrant route." "We're seeing counties with less than 100,000 people where the sheriff is using this extremely high tech, extremely invasive, secretive surveillance tool to chase down local crime," Cyphers said.
"Because it would then be less effective as criminals could be cognizant that we have the device and adjust their commission of the crimes accordingly. Make sense?" Suthard said. While the data does not directly identify who owns a device, the company often gives law enforcement information it needs to connect it to addresses and other clues that help detectives figure out people's identities, according to company representatives' emails.
While Fog says in its marketing materials that it collects data from thousands of apps, like Starbucks and Waze, companies are not always aware of who is using their data. Venntel and Fog can collect billions of data points filled with detailed information because many apps embed invisible tracking software that follows users' behavior. This software also lets the apps sell customized ads that are targeted to a person's current location.
It was founded in 2016 by Robert Liscouski, who led the Department of Homeland Security's National Cyber Security Division in the George W. Bush adminstration. His colleague, Broderick, is a former U.S. Marine brigadier general who ran DHS' tech hub, the Homeland Security Operations Center, during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A House bipartisan committee report cited Broderick among others for failing to coordinate a swift federal response to the deadly hurricane.
Despite privacy advocates' concerns about warrantless surveillance, Fog Reveal has caught on with local and state police forces. It's been used in a number of high-profile criminal cases, including one that was the subject of the television program"48 Hours." But Missouri officials seemed pleased with Fog's capabilities, even though it didn't directly lead to an arrest."It was interesting to see that the system did pick up a device that was absolutely in the area that day. Too bad it did not belong to a suspect!" a Missouri State Highway Patrol analyst wrote in an email to Fog.
"I think people are going to have to make a decision on whether we want all this free technology, we want all this free stuff, we want all the selfies," he said."But we can't have that and at the same time say, 'I'm a private person, so you can't look at any of that.' That just seems crazy." "Companies have receptors all over. Malls, shopping centers, etc. They're all around you," wrote Sgt. John Bedell of the Criminal Enforcement Division, in an email to a colleague. The agency purchased a year of access to Fog in 2018.
"Who is this company? What are the track records? What are the privacy protections?" asked Anaheim council member Jose Moreno, remembering his confusion about Fog during a 2020 council meeting."That night our chief had very little information for us."
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
UK police accused of uploading misleading Waze reports to encourage safer driving | EngadgetThe Surrey police force in the UK has found itself at the center of a minor controversy after one of its Twitter accounts shared how some officers use Waze to encourage drivers to slow down..
Lire la suite »
Cincinnati police officer fired after using racial slur outside CPS schoolInterim Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge said the officer’s behavior “damages the public’s trust we have worked so hard to build over the past 20 years.'
Lire la suite »
Akron police looking for suspect in hookah lounge shootingAccording to police, they responded around 3:05 a.m. to the 28-year-old victim who was as shot outside of the bar.
Lire la suite »
Cops looking for hit-and-run driver that struck, killed pedestrianThe man was hit early Monday on Saint Georges Avenue in Rahway, according to police.
Lire la suite »
N.J. schools must provide maps of buildings, outside areas to help police during emergencies, Murphy saysGov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday the state will use federal coronavirus relief funds for the plan.
Lire la suite »
Richfield father, police officer carries on the legacy of late wife after sudden death'I'll cherish it forever' - Richfield, Utah is a small town with a big heart. The FOX 13 News Dream Team banded together with the community to surprise a father of four and carry on the legacy of the woman he loved.
Lire la suite »