Fergie's Tech Blog

Tracking by Cell Phone: No Warrant Needed

Linda Rosencrance writes on ComputerWorld:

A federal court in Massachusetts has ruled that the government doesn't need probable cause to obtain a warrant allowing it to use a person's cell phone to track his past movements.

According to the ruling by the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, law enforcement officials only need to show the information is "relevant to an ongoing investigation."

The decision stems from an appeal by the government of a magistrate judge's ruling that required members of law enforcement to show probable cause before they could be issued a warrant to gain access to an individual's past movements from cell phone providers. Cell phone companies can track a customer's movements by identifying the cell tower or towers through which his calls were handled. The case is sealed because it is part on an ongoing criminal investigation.

posted by Fergie @ 9/26/2007 01:49:00 PM