In an article we posted to the TSB list recently titled House leaders demand law enforcement agencies provide details on use of private data we learn how bad it really is for a good number of people.
It seems as though law enforcement are buying our data, instead of going through the appropriate judicial processes we are supposed to enjoy in this country.
The letter follows a House Judiciary hearing last month in which witnesses testified about the rampant use of private databases by federal agencies in law enforcement investigations.
How many law enforcement agencies are involved? We honestly don’t have a count, and I don’t believe the article says, but the article does state that this is becoming a problem.
What made me think we should talk about this on the podcast was this paragraph. It says:
“Recent investigative reports indicate that many law enforcement agencies—including yours—have purchased data or licenses through relationships with data brokers, instead of obtaining it through statutory authorities, court order, or legal process,” they wrote.
The the ICE agency spent at least 400 million dollars on surveilance technology.
There are lots of links here, better read this one, its a world wide problem, and not necessarily a U.S. problem. Thoughts are welcome/.
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Hmph.
This is a bit of a concern, being the police are a government entity you would think you would go through the right channels if you needed something.
Obviously with the oversight of your bosses and the right complex probably hopefully lengthy paperwork.
If a few bad apples are buypassing this, then this is a breech in and of itself.
Potentially undermining investigations and security systems.
I mean I know there are black ops stuff but for this to come out like this is a problem.
Certainly puts you down the trustingness of your local cop.
I mean one would think if you needed access you could get it it easilly enough.
The police are after all the government in a lot of cases.
If you have nothing to hide then you have no issue.
But if the police are buying data, they may have a lot to hide and you may yourself be at risk because of well that data being brought.
And what data?
We know how fickle social media can be.
Look at the title of twitter and how I found this misleading in the blog a few months back.
Chriminals buy data.
Corperate bastards the same, advert networks maybe.
But the cops?
I mean nothing is necessarilly wrong if they do or not but you’d expect that government agencies wouldn’t need to buy data.
Ok maybe rephraze it, buy all data, I mean they may have to get things they don’t have.
However agencies do intercommunicate so some do share databases.
There are laws to access things if say there is proof and if there is proof most companies will give up data if there are the right forms and paperwork signed off.
Its a concern if the cops just buy it.
How can I be sure the next time the cops knock on my door asking about a chrime I may or may have nto comitted.
I mean if I were a data guy that sold data, I could make the data do anything I want.
A nice way to get your enemies in jail and a nice way for me to make cash.
Not to mention the race based crazyness that the world seems to enjoy and not even I am totally immune in the heat of argument at the dinner table.
Point is, without justification this is just a really poor idea to go about doing business and the law especially needs to follow the law really strictly or should anyway.
And at the end of the day there have been cases that just don’t work due to bad data.
At one side the bad guys get off.
At the other the good guys get caught in the middle or bystanders.
This aint good for those that get wrongly done in and even more paperwork and drama for the law itself.
Its bad for everyone’s reputation if things go wrong.
I mean the law is I think a publicly funded thing in most western countries and maybe more.
So we pay the law to buy data when they should have the ability to get it on their own.
Yaay just found another reason not to pay my taxes