Cops: U.S. law should require logs of your text messages
AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and other wireless providers would be required to capture and store Americans’ confidential text messages, according to a recent proposal presented to a congressional panel.
The law enforcement proposal would require wireless providers to record and store customers’ SMS messages — a controversial idea akin to requiring them to surreptitiously record audio of their customers’ phone calls — in case police decide to obtain them at some point in the future.
“Billions of texts are sent every day, and some surely contain key evidence about criminal activity,” Richard Littlehale from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will tell Congress, according to a copy (PDF) of his prepared remarks. “In some cases, this means that critical evidence is lost. Text messaging often plays a big role in investigations related to domestic violence, stalking, menacing, drug trafficking, and weapons trafficking.”
Littlehale’s recommendations echo a recommendation that a constellation of law enforcement groups, including the Major Cities Chiefs Police Association, the National District Attorneys’ Association, and the National Sheriffs’ Association, made to Congress in December, which was first reported by CNET.
They had asked that an SMS retention requirement be glued onto any new law designed to update the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act for the cloud computing era — a move that would complicate debate over such a measure and erode support for it among civil libertarians and the technology firms lobbying for a rewrite.
The recent House hearing before a Judiciary subcommittee chaired by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) is designed to evaluate how ECPA should be upgraded. CNET previously reported that the Justice Department is proposing that any ECPA changes expand government surveillance powers over e-mail messages, Twitter direct messages, and Facebook direct messages in some ways, while limiting it in others. A Google representative is also testifying.
While the SMS retention proposal could open a new front in Capitol Hill politicking over electronic surveillance, the concept of mandatory data retention is hardly new. The Justice Department under President Obama has publicly called for new laws requiring Internet service providers to record data about their customers, and a House panel approved such a requirement in 2011.
Continue reading at CNET //
Print this entry
Tagged law enforcement, should cops be able to read your text messages?, texting, warrant
ROBERTMarch 21, 2013 at 12:23 am
It seems that there is another effort afoot to undo the First Amendment right to free speech. If they are concerned about people like me speaking out, then they should be concerned. We want our freedoms intact; and they don't….
When one considers that the Socialists don't like what the American People have to say, my answer to that is go take a flying leap! I am aware that the U.N. want to destroy our way of life. Considering it is run by a pack of hyenas whose agenda is to make a one-world government and we are in their way. The very same people who perform genocide in their own countries are trying to keep us from protecting ours? The efforts are to divide and conquer. To that I say that you are actually uniting us even more!!! You may cause rape, genocide, and more to your people and dare to compare us to your actions??? My answer to you is to "Go To Hell"!! To those of you in this country who call yourselves American and dare to change us to be a part of the garbage pit, think again!!! IT IS MY OPINION THAT WE HAVE NO REPRESENTATION OF CONSEQUENCE IN WASHINGTON DC. They are part of the problem, not the solution. IT IS MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT BEING AMERICANS FIRST IS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF ALL OF US! THAT THE CONSTITUTION IS THE FIRST AND ONLY LAW OF THE LAND!! ANY ONE NOT AGREEING IS A TRAITOR TO THEIR COUNTRY AND FELLOW AMERICANS!!!
BoJudMarch 21, 2013 at 12:47 am
It seems that there is another effort afoot to undo the First Amendment right to free speech. If they are concerned about people like me speaking out, then they should be concerned. We want our freedoms intact! We have a government that is socialist in nature. I believe in only one thing; the Constitution of the united States of America, our Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence. I believe that those in Washington DC have, with few exceptions, abandoned the People of the united States of America. We need to speak as Americans, not Republicans or Democrats or any other party! We are Americans first! If you don't like being Americans based on the above documents, then get the hell out and go elsewhere so you can see what we have is better than anything many of the other nations have. Read about what goes on in other countries who want us to change. Not in any news media. If you can't read, then get audio tapes. WAKE UP!!
me109g4March 21, 2013 at 8:14 am
These people need a constitutional refresher course,, with emphasis on the fourth amendment,, what total dirtbags!