Here is a report from the Texas Observer:
The Texas National Guard last year spent more than $373,000 to install controversial cellphone eavesdropping devices in secretive surveillance aircraft.
Maryland-based Digital Receiver Technology Inc., or DRT, installed two of its DRT 1301C “portable receiver systems” in National Guard aircraft in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to a contract between the Texas National Guard and the company. The contract states that the dirt boxes, as they’re often called after the company’s acronym, are for “investigative case analytical support” in counternarcotics operations and were purchased using state drug-asset forfeiture money.
Dirt boxes mimic cellphone towers by tricking every smartphone within a geographic area of up to one-third of a mile to connect with the technology, usually without cellphone users or telecom companies ever knowing about it. Also known as cell-site simulators, the devices can be used from land or air and are capable of intercepting the user’s location, phone numbers dialed, text messages and photos as well as recording or listening to phone calls.
You can read the rest @
https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-national-guard-spying-devices-surveillance/
Some may like this because it didn't cost anything and the DRT boxes ostensibly will be used for drug interdiction.
However, this appears to open the door to widespread warrantless spying on everyone, and it's extremely unlikely its use will be limited to drug enforcement.
Like it or not, we have become the "spied upon" generation. Are you happy now?
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