Judge Calls Location-Tracking Orwellian, While Congress Moves to Legalize It

Judge Calls Location-Tracking Orwellian, While Congress Moves to Legalize It

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A federal judge’s decision requiring the government to get a court warrant before obtaining mobile-phone location data is one of a string of conflicting opinions on the topic. It comes as lawmakers and the Supreme Court weigh in on the hot-button issue of locational privacy.

U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis ruled on Tuesday that the government can only acquire cellphone location data on a surveillance target with a full-blown “probable cause” warrant from a judge.

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This is why I do not own a mobile phone. If you own one, I would urge you to THROW IT IN THE BIN within the next five minutes. It's taken a long time for this legislation to appear overtly; but now it is here. Welcome to being tagged like a penguin, if you carry a mobile phone.

The cellular mobile phone is an evil, invasive, carcinogenic technology, that needs to be universally boycotted for the good of humanity.

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reply to post by petrus4


I see your point. But for my case personally, I'm easy enough to track without a cell phone. It's not the most exciting of lives, so for me the benefits outweigh the evils, currently. If I were ever on the run, then I would ditch the cell, of course.

The best case is for us to let our lawmakers know we don't support laws that infringe further on our privacy. It's an uphill battle, though.

I couldn't agree with you more my friend. I had a cell until a few years ago and I just can't justify it anymore. It's bad enough with how the cell companies bend you over on charges but the fact that big brother feels the need to have this right "legally" is just adding insult to injury.

Aside from giving upwards of a Ben Franklin every month for an unnecessary (in my life at least) luxury, I just simply feel better knowing that If I choose so I can be left alone, as I have always been bothered by the fact that privacy and quiet time are things of the past in the digital age.

The part of the article that scares me the most however is this one

Meanwhile, the Obama administration has petitioned the Supreme Court to allow the government, without a court warrant, to secretly install GPS devices on suspects’ vehicles to track their every move. The petition, which was granted, is to be heard by the justices in the upcoming term and is arguably the biggest Fourth Amendment case in a decade — one weighing the collision of privacy, technology and the Constitution.

I guess they'll get what they want one way or another. Just remember everyone this is not double plus good.

Trowa

My Latin teacher in high school, told us (30 years ago) she was a very unassuming typical college hippie in the Viet Nam era. She said that for her very basic participation in peaceful anti war groups and demonstrations, she ended up on a watch list and was harassed and followed by federal agents for a few years. (Talk about squandering tax dollars!) She was not even a leader in any of these groups. She said she basically showed up in her tie dye and bandana and carried signs. This was all before the current invasive technology. It goes to show it's not the technology that is the problem, but a government that ignores its own laws. We should not have to forgo what for some of us are actually necessities (I won't sit here and justify my use of a cell to make my point, that's my business) to keep the government from crushing some of our most basic rights, or worse, constantly redefining what those rights are to serve its whims.

I agree, this trend toward increasing warrantless surveillance (and even home invasion type activity) is very alarming. Talk about going down the slippery slope. I want the "bad guys" brought to justice as much as the next law abiding citizen, but I don't want to sacrifice the quality of life and principles of freedom we have valued since our founding.