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Texas police invested in phone-tracking software and won’t say how it’s used

texasobserver.org

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Re: Texas police invested in phone-tracking software and won’t say how it’s used

#31

Post by Terr_ »

collingreen wrote: post #22
gruez wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The Constitution was meant to be permanently fixed and extremely literal about only the technology available from centuries ago, it was not meant to describe general concepts nor intended to be updated to ensure those same rights are retained along with changes in society. /s? I can't tell because people unironically use the same reasoning to make the "2nd amendment only apply to muskets" argument.

That isn't the muskets version of that argument I have heard. The version I've heard is that the firearm technology when the second amendment was ratified was very different than today and that makes it worth evaluating if we want to amend it again. Similarly the military landscape looks very different as well such that there's a very different risk of foreign armies taking ground and citizens everywhere needing to b…

When the second amendment was passed, a "well-regulated militia" was already a thing people did, required and defined by the Articles of Confederation.

On one hand, it was controlled by the state, which also had to supply materiel, and not just random citizens making a group. Upper ranks could only be appointed by the state legislatures.

On the other hand, the weaponry the militia was expected to use included horse-drawn cannons, much more than just "home defense" handheld stuff.

Re: Texas police invested in phone-tracking software and won’t say how it’s used

#33

Post by kart23 »

the example at the top of the article isn’t exactly the best example to show people why this software shouldn’t be allowed. they could go to the liquor store, and ask them to pull cameras, and with a warrant if needed. it just seems more powerful to say this software is useless and wasting taxpayer money.

but also, who is supplying location data to tangles? saying the ‘dark web’ is not helpful or informational, and honestly if the cops are just buying location data there’s nothing illegal about the search, because it’s not a search. you willingly provided your location data to this company who is then selling it, your beef is with them to stop selling your data if it’s not in their privacy policy. it smells like they’re just using social media and claiming they have this huge database on peoples locations. this sounds like a huge nothing burger to me.

basically: don’t use sketchy apps that sell your location to data brokers or just turn off your location data for that app.

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/location-data-broker-g...

Re: Texas police invested in phone-tracking software and won’t say how it’s used

#35

Post by SlightlyLeftPad »

gruez wrote: post #16
bethekidyouwant wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google has it

AFAIK they're moving their stuff to be on device https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleMaps/comments/1diivt3/megathr...

Trust is really low that this will not be shadow-mined anyway. There’s far too much money to be made. This reads like greenwashing to me. Makes someone on the board feel good but in reality, fingerprinting and location data is still completely identifiable.

Re: Texas police invested in phone-tracking software and won’t say how it’s used

#36

Post by bee_rider »

Terr_ wrote: post #31
collingreen wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That isn't the muskets version of that argument I have heard. The version I've heard is that the firearm technology when the second amendment was ratified was very different than today and that makes it worth evaluating if we want to amend it again. Similarly the military landscape looks very different as well such that there's a very different risk of foreign armies taking ground and citizens everywhere needing to b…

When the second amendment was passed, a "well-regulated militia" was already a thing people did, required and defined by the Articles of Confederation. On one hand, it was controlled by the state, which also had to supply materiel, and not just random citizens making a group. Upper ranks could only be appointed by the state legislatures. On the other hand, the weaponry the militia was expected to use included horse-d…

We’re obviously failing the expectations of the founding fathers if we don’t have civilian owned HIMARS.

Re: Texas police invested in phone-tracking software and won’t say how it’s used

#37

Post by prophesi »

topspin wrote: post #25
jadenpeterson wrote: post #11

Why are they comfortable saying this? > Generally, Boyd said his office uses the software to find “avenues for obtaining probable cause” or “to verify reasonable suspicion that you already have”—not as a basis by itself to make arrests. As if that's not a massive violation of our rights in and of itself. This is my fundamental problem with the internet. As much as stories like these gain traction, as many millions of…

> Why are they comfortable saying this? They receive recognition for the results. Phone data was used in a large fraction of the cases against rioters in the 2021 capital attack. The Powers That Be were grateful that law enforcement were able to use phone data to either initially identify attackers or corroborate other evidence, and ultimately put people in prison. The justice system makes cases with this every day,…

I've heard a lot more recognition for Apple refusing to comply with unlocking iPhones over the years than any of these other cases.

Re: Texas police invested in phone-tracking software and won’t say how it’s used

#40

Post by greyface- »

asdff wrote: post #9
nilamo wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tracking the population without cause is never the right use case for anything.

Transit and traffic planners would be foaming at the mouth for real commute data like this instead of just fixed point count data.

Transit fare collection systems in many metros already log tap on / tap off location data and make it accessible to planners (and police).
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