Federal Judge: Only Powered-Off Cell Phones Deserve Privacy Protections

[EChondo]

http://www.aclu.org/blog/technology-and-liberty-national-security/federal-judge-only-powered-cell-phones-deserve-privacy

 

 

A federal magistrate judge in New York recently ruled that cell phone location data deserves no protection under the Fourth Amendment and that accordingly, the government can engage in real-time location surveillance without a search warrant. In an opinion straight from the Twilight Zone, magistrate judge Gary Brown ruled two weeks ago that “cell phone users who fail to turn off their cell phones do not exhibit an expectation of privacy.”

 

In my opinion I do agree with the Judge that if your cell phone is on it is by all means available to be tracked and geotagged, but I DO NOT agree that the Government can simply track us without a search warrant.

 

Gary Brown is on my "no vote" list now  <_<

[LinusTech]

Brutal. Tweeted.

[Blacer]

What the... >:o

[joelthezombie15]

And this is why i hate my country 

 

 

[tabuburn]

This deserves the Wall of Facepalm.

[Wolf0202]

Thank god I don't live there... Those are horrible news.

[smjpl]

Thank god I don't live in America. I'm sorry to say that to all of you who do live there but it's the truth. 

[m1xorizor]

this is ridiculous. and I thought locking down smartphones to the point were modding them is illegal was weird already!

[afa7336]

I suspect that there will be a huge legal challenge to this brief shortly. It is baffling, beyond words, but I will wait and see how long this Judge stays on the bench after this. ACLU doesn't play too many games with this kinda stuff.

[Ethanololol]

Thank god I don't live in America. I'm sorry to say that to all of you who do live there but it's the truth. 

Don't be sorry. As an American, I'm not too thrilled with my country right now. Looking forward to moving to Canada.

[-Liquidman-]

this is why im worried about my privacy in the future :(

[Jozi]

[ThyNameisWAR]

I'm in Germany for the next 3 years. May consider not coming back.

[Rhinofeed]

This should be decided on a state level, not the federal level. The Federal government has way too much control. Perhaps people would then realize which states are stupid. ;D

[ShiverMePenguins]

haha this is awesome.

 

 

directly ping my phone?

 

 

mmk, so about dat ddos you guys don't like.

[Blade of Grass]

This is quiet ridiculous, I can't believe a judge ruled that.

 

Another reason why I love Canada. 

[Kamil]

I like how the people involved in making every single legal decision just don't believe technology changes. I mean, if you're gonna say "tracking phones is okay without a warrant because people can turn them off" they should say "going into houses is okay without a warrant because people can remove the door handle". I was going to make the analogy locked doors instead, but then I realized that there is an equivalent to that called locking the phone.

 

They somehow manage to treat technology like it's so much different in some ways, like things stored online not requiring a warrant or subpoena, or this ruling here, yet they act like laws so old the writers couldn't even conceive of things that are ubiquitous now should still apply word-for-word.

[IdeaStormer]

Is that for a powered off phone or a phone with a removed battery? There is a subtle difference.

[mds4075]

America: The most hated country getting more hated everyday. Something will eventually "pop" >.> <.<

[Wingingchase]

 well.. hope they like porn lol JK

[Wingingchase]

As an american I can safely say that america is starting to become a mistake

[Wingingchase]

Like most people on here i would like to say that if I wanted to live in any country in North America it would be Canada hands down, no refunds given so to speak. I would like to apologize for the multi posts

[Wingingchase]

I like how the people involved in making every single legal decision just don't believe technology changes. I mean, if you're gonna say "tracking phones is okay without a warrant because people can turn them off" they should say "going into houses is okay without a warrant because people can remove the door handle". I was going to make the analogy locked doors instead, but then I realized that there is an equivalent to that called locking the phone.

 

They somehow manage to treat technology like it's so much different in some ways, like things stored online not requiring a warrant or subpoena, or this ruling here, yet they act like laws so old the writers couldn't even conceive of things that are ubiquitous now should still apply word-for-word.

This is very similar to the point of the anti-gun lawmakers "The founding fathers never had guns that could shoot 10 rounds in under a second" in my opinion it should not have to be explained word for word, syllable for syllable