A Republican and two Democrats are co-sponsors of a new bill in Congress that would regulate federal, state, and local government use of devices that intercept nearby metadata and phone calls.
Produced for Nov. 9, 2015, but can air a few days later.
Utah Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz last week introduced legislation limiting the use of cell-site simulators, known as Stingrays. His H.R. 3871, The Stingray Privacy Act, is co-sponsored by John Conyers (D-MI), and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), and would limit the use of cell site simulators by federal agencies as well as state and local law enforcement, according to Chaffetz. The American Civil Liberties Union recently reported that at least 13 federal agencies have Stingrays now, including the Internal Revenue Service. The abuse of Stingrays and other cell site simulators by individuals, including law enforcement, could enable gross violations of privacy, said Chaffetz. The fact that law enforcement agencies, and non-law enforcement agencies such as the IRS, have invested in these devices raises serious questions about who is using this technology and why. These questions demonstrate the need for strict guidelines that carry the weight of the law.
Utah Republican Jason Chaffetz wants to regulate Stingrays for Nov. 9, 2015
Radio news about radio waves.
00:01:33
1
Nov. 9, 2015
Produced at Wave Farm/WGXC in the Hudson Valley, New York.