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Big Brother watching? Government agencies
buying cell phone, internet data to track Americans

Original Article

Posted By: MDConservative, 9/29/2022 9:24:56 AM

In a little noted trend, law enforcement agencies at every level of government are increasingly buying data from private, third-party data brokers on Americans' phone and internet activities in order to track them, often without a warrant. While proponents say this practice provides critical help for investigations, critics argue it poses a serious violation of civil liberties that needs to be addressed through legislation.

Comments:

This is called "open source" material, available to anyone paying the price for the information sought, including law enforcement. Nothing illegal about collecting, selling or buying it. No warrants needed. For those with "nothing to hide", no problems. For those of us who don't believe the government should be in our business, anything to hide or not, this must be curtailed. A first step would be to require sellers to disclose to individuals any sale of their information, including the name of the buyer. People do not realize the power this sort of information conveys to the buyer with some "analysis". It doesn't just include phone info, either. Every store discount card is another window into your life, and that info is sold, too. You have no secrets nor any expectations of privacy.

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Reply 1 - Posted by: sunshinehorses 9/29/2022 10:18:43 AM (No. 1290926)
As a former project manager / programmer, if you assume you have some semblence of privacy you are an idiot. If the data is collected, the government has access to it - bank records, medical records, social media (anything on the internet), telephone (cell & landlines). It is foolish to think otherwise.
5 people like this.

Reply 2 - Posted by: DVC 9/29/2022 11:06:59 AM (No. 1290992)
This should require a search warrant, just like any other search.
1 person likes this.

Reply 3 - Posted by: whyyeseyec 9/29/2022 11:29:38 AM (No. 1291036)
@#2 - I say no. Police agencies can say whatever they want in a search warrant regardless if it's true or not. Judges routinely sign search warrants with no oversight and no punishment for law enforcement agencies that lie. We've seen this already with the FISA Court and their signing warrants regarding Trump Russia Russia Russia. If it's going on in that court it's going on in every court. It's best to bar law enforcement agencies from buying directly and indirectly from any party.
2 people like this.

Reply 4 - Posted by: Bur Oak 9/29/2022 12:13:33 PM (No. 1291078)
Why are they spending $ for information? The NSA has the worlds biggest information collection/spying center in Utah.
0 people like this.

Reply 5 - Posted by: Hermit_Crab 9/29/2022 1:29:11 PM (No. 1291173)
Civil Liberties??? The government attitude is : "You have the liberty... ...to do what we tell you to do.."
0 people like this.

Reply 6 - Posted by: JHHolliday 9/29/2022 3:23:50 PM (No. 1291287)
I use DuckDuckGo so don't get the push ads after I search for something on the Internet, but once you give an online merchant your email address, they will fill your inbox up. Responsible companies will let you unsubscribe, but others will only do so reluctantly. For what it's worth, you can turn off location on your phone, but that will, of course, disable your GPS. You can also clear your cookies and history after every use. That will keep the average snoop from seeing the places you visit, but it can still be recovered by our increasingly rogue government. If you use the Internet, social media or have a cell phone, you will never get total privacy.
1 person likes this.

Reply 7 - Posted by: seamusm 9/29/2022 3:34:29 PM (No. 1291300)
This how Dinesh DeSouza made 2000 Mules. HE bought anonymized data showing how the 2020 vote was fraud. I'm sure the feds access data with our names but no one who has a phone or accesses the internet should harbor any illusion of privacy. It no longer exists if not totally off the grid.
0 people like this.

Reply 8 - Posted by: broken01 11/21/2022 11:37:14 AM (No. 1339206)
I work for the DoD folks and trust me we are being monitored in some way. Every time you use an electronic device you leave a digital footprint that can be tracked. There are safeguards to protect one's privacy but as seen those safeguards can be used against us. How do you think the government found out so quickly who was at the Capitol on J6. We have the Department of Homeland Security ran by a Dr. Evil look-a-like who's an arrogant slimy liar. Don't kid yourself with FJB in the WH.
0 people like this.

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