ACLU sues Homeland Security over 'stingray' cell phone surveillance (techcrunch.com)

Article summary

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing two Homeland Security agencies, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), for failing to turn over documents related to the use of cell site simulators, also known as 'stingrays'. The ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act request in 2017 to learn more about the technology and how it's used. The agencies have failed to produce records, and the ACLU is now seeking a court order to compel them to turn over the documents. The use of stingrays has raised concerns about surveillance and privacy.

Main themes

• Stingray surveillance
• Government transparency
• Privacy rights
• ACLU lawsuit
• Surveillance state
• Constitutional rights

What commenters say

• The government's use of stingrays is a violation of privacy and constitutional rights, and the ACLU's lawsuit is a necessary step to hold them accountable.
• The ACLU's decision to not defend the 2nd Amendment is a political choice, rather than a legal one, and they should be transparent about their motivations.
• The use of stingrays is just one part of a larger problem of government surveillance and abuse of power, and more needs to be done to address these issues.
• The third-party doctrine loophole allows the government to circumvent the 4th Amendment, and this case highlights the need for reform.
• The government's claim that private contracts supersede federal disclosure laws is unfounded and should be rejected.
• The police's use of parallel construction and other tactics to hide the use of stingrays is a major obstacle to accountability.
• The ACLU's efforts to challenge the government's use of stingrays are important, but they should also be working to address other forms of surveillance and abuse of power.
• The government's use of stingrays without warrants is a clear violation of the law and should result in the dismissal of cases where this has occurred.