ACLU: Police stonewalling info about their device which extracts information from smart phones

[Bluebear]

The Michigan State Police have a high-tech mobile forensics device that can be used to extract information from cell phones belonging to motorists stopped for minor traffic violations. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan last Wednesday demanded that state officials stop stonewalling freedom of information requests for information on the program.

ACLU learned that the police had acquired the cell phone scanning devices and in August 2008 filed an official request for records on the program, including logs of how the devices were used. The state police responded by saying they would provide the information only in return for a payment of $544,680. The ACLU found the charge outrageous.

"Law enforcement officers are known, on occasion, to encourage citizens to cooperate if they have nothing to hide," ACLU staff attorney Mark P. Fancher wrote. "No less should be expected of law enforcement, and the Michigan State Police should be willing to assuage concerns that these powerful extraction devices are being used illegally by honoring our requests for cooperation and disclosure."

A US Department of Justice test of the CelleBrite UFED used by Michigan police found the device could grab all of the photos and video off of an iPhone within one-and-a-half minutes. The device works with 3000 different phone models and can even defeat password protections.

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/34/3458.asp

[cutlassmama]

1. not surprising. More reason NOT to get one of those phones. Landlines are safest.

[Edweird]

2. Anyone that volunteers anything to the police is an idiot and deserves whatever happens to them.

I don't have anything incriminating on
my smartphone, but there's no way in
hell I ever let the police have it
willingly.

[sendero]

3. Exactly..

... want to look at my phone, search my car, my house, want to have a long conversation?

Get a warrant. This is America, not North Korea.

In particular, even talking to the police can be used against you in completely unfair and dishonest ways, so beware.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc

[reggie the dog]

6. when you say no they will likely just punch you, take the phone

rip the info out of it, smash it on the phone and charge you with assault on a cop for having hit their hand with your face. nearly every time i said no to a search the cops searched anyways and i was hit more than once, luckily then never ran me in for hitting their hand with my stomach.

[Ian David]

7. You don't have anything that you KNOW is incriminating.

You could have a photo of your kid in the bath tub and get arrested for kiddy porn.

You could have a photo of yourself eating lobster, and get arrested for purchasing an illegally undersized lobster.

There could be a photo of you in front of a location where a few minutes (or hours) later someone was killed, and then the cops arrest you on suspicion of murder.

[Bluebear]

13. ' and deserves whatever happens to them' - wow.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. Remember to either pull the battery from your SP kiddies or keep a sheet of

aluminum foil in the car to keep it "fresh".

[reggie the dog]

5. if the cops steal music from in my phone

they just committed copryright theft didnt they?

[Ian David]

8. OR, you could be arrested for SUPPLYING the music to the cops...

... if you voluntarily gave them your cell phone.

THAT could be your excuse for not volunteering it.

"I'm sorry, officer. But if I give you my cell phone, I could be prosecuted by RIAA if you copy any of the music I legally purchased."

[ileus]

9. Welcome to the police state of America

[hootinholler]

10. An interesting device...

The CellBrite UFED still requires a physical cord to do the extraction.

Officer, under advice of counsel, I do not consent to any searches.

-Hoot

[rbixby]

11. Seems to me like that's a search requiring a warrant NT

[Warren DeMontague]

12. that's ok. I'm sure they'll only use it to catch truly dangerous criminals.

Like pot smokers.

[niyad]

14. . .

[Bluebear]

15. .