Use of secretive Stingray FBI cell phone tracking tool ruled lawful by judgeMadison Ruppert This case could quite unfortunately have wide-ranging effects on how the government conducts the type of dragnet surveillance enabled by the Stingray device. Interestingly, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) also recently received a new batch of documents from the FBI about the Stingray. On Wednesday, Judge David Campbell dismissed the motion to suppress the information gathered through the Stingray device in the case of Daniel Rigmaiden. Campbell refused to dismiss the motion even though the ACLU pointed out in an amicus brief that by failing to apprise the magistrate that it intended to use a stingray, what the device is, and how it works, it prevented the judge from exercising his constitutional function of ensuring that warrants are not overly intrusive and all aspects of the search are supported by probable cause. This is precisely the issue that has been raised in previous coverage of this technology. Campbell ruled that the warrant was valid and the suspect did not have an expectation of privacy society is willing to accept as legitimate. According to Campbell, since Rigmaiden allegedly rented the apartment and purchasedthe computer fraudulently using false identities, Rigmaiden could not credibly argue that he had a legitimate expectation of privacy. Campbell ruled that the use of the Stingray did not in fact constitute a severe intrusion and ruled that no Fourth Amendment violation occurred. The ACLU said that this ruling trivializes the intrusive nature of electronic searches and potentially opens the door to troubling government misuse of new technology. According to the ACLU, the judge dismissed the significance of the Stingrays ability to gather data from innocent third parties who just happen to be in the area. The violation arises from the fact that the government searched people who are not suspected of any wrongdoing, the ACLU stated. This is a violation even if the government doesnt later use the information against those third parties. Todays decision sends the troubling message to the government that its alright to withhold information from courts about new technology, which means that the law will have an even harder time catching up, the ACLUs Linda Lye wrote. Among the formerly secret, heavily redacted FBI documents on Stingray released by EPIC are pages which reveal that the FBI has in fact been imposing non-disclosure agreements on its staff. Those non-disclosure agreements specifically block their agents from publicly disclosing any information related to the Stingray technology. Furthermore, the non-disclosure agreements state, Information bearing the LES [Law Enforcement Sensitive] caveat may not be used in legal proceedings without first receiving authorization from the originating agency. Id love to hear your opinion, take a look at your story tips and even your original writing if you would like to get it published. Please email me at Admin@EndtheLie.com Please support our work and help us start to pay contributors by doing your shopping through our Amazon link or check out some must-have products at our store. This article first appeared at End the Lie. Madison Ruppert is the Editor and Owner-Operator of the alternative news and analysis databaseEnd The Lie and has no affiliation with any NGO, political party, economic school, or other organization/cause. He is available for podcast and radio interviews. Madison also now has his own radio show on UCYTV Monday nights 7 PM 9 PM PT/10 PM 12 AM ET. Show page link here: http://UCY.TV/EndtheLie. If you have questions, comments, or corrections feel free to contact him at admin@EndtheLie.com linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 