The Associated Press is reporting that the Obama administration is actively getting involved in state public records cases and criminal trials to censor out any mention of police departments using technology to spy on cellphones.
And they're having to do it quite often because departments around the country are beginning to use the technology more and more. Authorities have begun censoring out documents that mention using or purchasing technology like "Stringray," a $400,000 device that police departments can get with grants from the government. Stringray tricks cellphones into connecting with it, and authorities are able to suck data from the phones. It's not illegal in most states, and police don't need a warrant. Also, authorities can use "tower dumps" that lets them download information from a specific cellphone tower.
This technology lets police get the data they want without having to go through phone companies to ask for it.
The American Civil Liberities Union released a map that details the states that allows use to Stringrays, and you can check out more info if your state is using them here.
[via AP]
