Friend,
What if I told you your phone isn’t as secure as you think it is? StingRays, or cell-site simulators, are a deeply invasive form of surveillance tech that targets cellphones and is employed by many different law enforcement agencies, from local police departments all the way up to federal agencies like the FBI and CBP. These are a type of surveillance tech that can gather private information about you through your phone—without you ever even knowing what happened.
Last week, a federal bill regulating StingRay use was introduced in Congress with the help of Representatives Ted Lieu and Tom McClintock along with Senators Ron Wyden and Steve Daines. This bill would effectively ban law enforcement from using StingRays without the express permission of a judge. This is a step in the right direction, as current practice keeps StingRay usage under wraps—with federal agencies going so far as coaching local police departments on how to keep StingRay capabilities secret from the public and defendants often not being told a StingRay was used to collect evidence in their cases. To make matters worse, StingRays can even block calls to emergency services such as 911!
We can’t let these unconstitutional practices continue. Please join me in sending a letter to your congressperson urging them to support The Cell-Site Simulator Warrant Act of 2021.
