Turn off your cell phones!

Cell phones can also be used to spy on you. The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations: remotely activating a mobile phone's microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations.

The technique is called a "roving bug," and was approved by top U.S. Department of Justice officials for use against members of a New York organized crime family who were wary of conventional surveillance techniques such as tailing a suspect or wiretapping him.

Nextel cell phones owned by two alleged mobsters, John Ardito and his attorney, Peter Peluso, were used by the FBI to listen in on nearby conversations. The surveillance technique came to light in an opinion published this week by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan. He ruled that the "roving bug" was legal because federal wiretapping law is broad enough to permit eavesdropping even on conversations that take place near a suspect's cell phone.

- From NY Times

2 comentarios:

Anónimo dijo...

Soon enough they'll get warrants to take pictures with the phone too.

LA dijo...

I long ago gave up worrying about protecting my privacy. What do you think about the conspiracy theory that 9/11 was orchestrated by the US govt?