War Zone Surveillance Technology Is Hitting American Streets

[Nevilledog]

https://www.notus.org/technology/war-zone-surveillance-border-us

Big Brother isn’t just watching you: He’s using your cell phone, smartwatch, wireless earbuds, car entertainment systems and license plates to track your location in real time.

Contracting records and notes from local government meetings obtained by NOTUS show that federal and state Homeland Security grants allow local law enforcement agencies to surveil American citizens with technology more commonly found in war zones and foreign espionage operations.

At least two Texas communities along the U.S.-Mexico border have purchased a product called “TraffiCatch,” which collects the unique wireless and Bluetooth signals emitted by nearly all modern electronics to identify devices and track their movements. The product is also listed in a federal supply catalog run by the U.S. government’s General Services Administration, which negotiates prices and contracts for federal agencies.

“TraffiCatch is unique for the following reasons: ability to detect in-vehicle wireless signals [and] merge such signals with the vehicle license plate,” wrote Jenoptik, the Germany-based manufacturer, in a contracting solicitation obtained by NOTUS under Texas public records law.

*snip*

[intrepidity]

1. Guess someone needs to make a VPN for bluetooth...

But I imagine it already exists

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Big Brother has won.

MAGA anti-establishmentarians are in for a big surprise because they seem to think Trump will make this go away.

[intrepidity]

3. So here's something SCOTUS should fix

Since they have so much free time to entertain ridiculous arguments.

The Supreme Court has said that attaching a GPS tracking device to a car or getting historical location data from a cell carrier requires a search warrant, and, therefore, probable cause of a crime.

Time to close down the loopholes here, scotus.

[Voltaire2]

4. Everyone needs their own personal faraday cage

Oh and of course this is all a violation of a reasonable expectation of privacy. Not that any court cares.

[SWBTATTReg]

5. Here's a suggestion...put a piece of alum. foil in your wallet or purse, along at least one side, thus, it'll block out

intrusive signaling, trying to scope out credit card numbers, other stuff. You could also put the foil on the outside of the wallet or purse, if so inclined. I do feel better about it, having this little extra safeguard.

[H2O Man]

6. Recommended.

I'm glad I don't have any of those things, except a vehicle. Twice a month, they will be able to determine I go to the grocery store.

[moondust]

7. Be more totalitarian, like China.

And Russia.

And Iran.

And North Korea.

And...and...

[Chainfire]

8. I would be a very boring subject to track.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. All those sweet sweet cop budget increases have to go somewhere