Is the FBI Tracking Suspects With Carrier IQ Phone Data

First the state of Texas wants to use UAV's to patrol our Nations cities, then we find out cell phone manufacturers are inserting data tracking software into our phones. When does the invasion of our privacy stop. Now we are hearing that the FBI may be using Carrier IQ data to track potential suspects. Our rights to privacy are slowly but surely being taken away daily. We as people need to speak up and demand our right to privacy be upheld and US Federal Laws are followed, no matter what agency or entity decides to trample on them.

The FBI has refused to answer a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to confirm weather or not they are using information from the snoop software to build cases against suspects.Stating it would jeopardize current cases.The FBI's denial to the FOIA request tells me that they are probably using the snoop software in some capacity.

Michael Morisy co-founder MuckRock filed the FOIA request on December 1st. Morisy requested, documents, manuals and other information pertinent to the FBI's use of the snoop software. David Hardy, section manager of the FBI’s Records Management Group stated “The material you requested is located in an investigative file which is exempt from disclosure. In applying this exemption, I have determined that the records responsive to your request are law enforcement records; that there is a pending or prospective law enforcement proceeding relevant to these responsive records; and that release of the information contained in these responsive records could reasonably be expected to interfere with the enforcement proceedings.”

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 The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States:

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

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FOURTH AMENDMENT SEARCH AND SEIZURE

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/html/amdt4.html


      

Senator Al Franken Spearheads Investigation into Carrier IQ Snoop Software

Minnesota Senator Al Franken head of the Senate's privacy panel is spearheading the investigation into Carrier IQ. Carrier IQ has potentially violated multiple federal statutes. The Senator is asking questions and is holding AT&T, Sprint, HTC and Samsung accountable to explain exactly what data they retrieved using the snoop software. They have been given until December 14, to respond.There is no penalty for not responding by this date, however the companies are probably very concerned with the possibility of multiple civil law suits, accusing them of violating laws like the Federal Wiretap Act and the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. It is very common that companies do however respond to requests of this type. ~ NML

T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint Recording our Conversations???

First the news broke that Android applications were snooping on users and sending the snooped information to a third party called Carrier IQ. Now in a fit of honesty, three major phone manufacturers have admitted to using the not so honest applications in our phones.Carrier IQ is trying to deny any wrong doing over the spying.

The Phone manufacturers have also been very hush hush on how exactly they will be using the stolen information.

AT&T has confirmed using the software, but only for legitimate services and quality related purposes. Mark Siegel, executive director of media relations at AT&T, says "We're really not going to offer more detail than what's in the statement." So in turn their not telling us if Carrier IQ is in all of their hand sets or not.

I have heard, but not been able to confirm that Carrier IQ is in everything IPhone related up to but not including IOS 5. I suggest you upgrade your phone ASAP. Apple is also being a little hush hush on which products are using Carrier IQ. Here is what apple says about the snoop software: “We stopped supporting Carrier IQ with IOS 5 in most of our products and will remove it completely in a future software update. With any diagnostic data sent to Apple, customers must actively opt-in to share this information, and if they do, the data is sent in an anonymous and encrypted form and does not include any personal information. We never recorded keystrokes, messages or any other personal information for diagnostic data and have no plans to ever do so.”

T-Mobile is admitting to using Carrier IQ as a diagnostic tool similar to the way Sprint is using the application. Here is what a T-Mobile Spokesperson has to say: "T-Mobile does not use this diagnostic tool to obtain the content of text, email or voice messages, or the specific destinations of a customers' internet activity, nor is the tool used for marketing purposes." Personally I have a hard time believing they don't but then again who am I?

Sprint is also admitting to using the snoop app, but also claiming it is only for legitimate services. "I am concerned what the definition of legit is to these corporate snoops", although Sprint is a little more willing to discuss things than AT&T. spokeswoman Stephanie Vinge-Walsh said Sprint uses Carrier IQ's data to work out handset performance and to identify problems sooner: "We collect enough information to understand the customer experience with devices on our network and how to address any connection problems, but we do not and cannot look at the contents of messages, photos, videos, etc., using this tool.... The information collected is not sold and we don't provide a direct feed of this data to anyone outside of Sprint."

The explanations that these corporations are giving is not very encouraging to me. I think it opens up a can of worms just because the information has been collected. In an instance where one of these companies is subpoenaed by law enforcement, private conversations will more than likely be given up. Are we living in a police state in the USA today? THis whole thing is very unsettling to me. ~ NML