FBI really doesn’t want anyone to know about “stingray” use by local cops

If you’ve ever filed a public records request with your local police department to learn more about how cell-site simulators are used in your community -- chances are good that the FBI knows about it. And the FBI will attempt to “prevent disclosure” of such information. Relatively little is known about how, exactly, the stingrays are used by law enforcement agencies nationwide, although documents have surfaced showing how they have been purchased and used in some limited instances.

Cops have lied to courts about the use of such technology. In January, two US senators made public the FBI’s position that the agency could use stingrays in public places without a warrant. The largest manufacturer of the devices, the Harris Corporation, has routinely been tight-lipped about its hardware capabilities. “It’s remarkable to see collusion by state and federal agencies to undermine public records requests, which are clearly aimed at keeping the public in the dark about the use of Stingray technology,” Hanni Fakhoury, a lawyer with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said. “After all, any truly sensitive law enforcement details could be redacted under traditional public records act law. But the notion that the federal government would work to actively block disclosure of records seems clearly to have a chilling effect on obtaining information about this controversial surveillance tool.”