Devise apparently mimics cell towers, fooling phones & intercepting data.  

WASHINGTON (AP) — Police across the country may be intercepting phone calls or text messages to find suspects using a technology tool known as Stingray. But they're refusing to turn over details about its use or heavily censoring files when they do.

Police say Stingray, a suitcase-size device that pretends it's a cell tower, is useful for catching criminals, but that's about all they'll say.

For example, they won't disclose details about contracts with the device's manufacturer, Harris Corp., insisting they are protecting both police tactics and commercial secrets. The secrecy — at times imposed by nondisclosure agreements signed by police — is pitting obligations under private contracts against government transparency laws.

Even in states with strong open records laws, including Florida and Arizona, little is known about police use of Stingray and any rules governing it.  

Read More:  http://news.yahoo.com/police-keep-quiet-cell-tracking-technology-070618821--finance.htm

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I think you mean 4th Amendment, unless they already have you  in court.

I read of a case involving the use of this technology a few years ago. The FBI used it, and needed the cooperation of the cell phone provider. I guess the technology has advanced since then, and our constitutional protections have been "relaxed".

If they are currently using it in Arizona.  Ouch.

That would render LE's technology useless.  

This is exactly why people didn't like the slippery slope that the patriot Act created all in the name of public safety and fighting terrorism.  Now the government can rap all our communications practically without legal interference.  The tech has been there since the early 60's to monitor all electronic transmissions, it was simply the massive undertaking to cross reference and index that kept it from being used except in cases of pinpointing the bad guy ahead of time.  Now, with modern search and index algorithms, not to mention all the addresses that define us, from our cell phone ID to our computer's built in Microprocessor ID to our internet addresses EZ Pass and GPS on our phones, we are tracked everywhere doing everything.  It's all about how bad they wanna screw you.  Flying under the radar is the only thing that keeps any of us out of the hands of LE.

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“Those who give up essential liberty for some temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
(Benjamin Franklin

Post Watergate Congress tried to beef up individual protections and phone companies freaked out about potential liability for coopeating with wiretaps without a court order or warrant.  After 9/11 it seems there's precious little that LE can't do under the Patriot Act and with the blessing of the conservative majority of the Supreme Court.  Basically if LE is interested enough in you to try to get your communications,  you're fucked.

To purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

-- Modified on 3/24/2014 2:18:40 PM

We have to look long and hard at the word "essential."

That's a weak argument in defense of the Act and the activity, but it's the only one I could come up with.