Press Releases
Currently showing results related to GPS Act
Wyden, Chaffetz, Conyers Bill To Crack Down on Warrantless Tracking by the Government, Use of Cell-Site Technology
Washington, D.C. - As government agencies expand their use of cell-site simulators or "stingrays" and other digital tracking technology, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., today introduced the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act, to create clear rules for when agencies can access and track an individual's geolocation information. "Outdated laws shouldn't be an excuse for open season on tracking Americans, and owning a smartphone or … Continue Reading
December 01, 2015
IRS Commits to Follow Justice Department Guidelines on Stingrays in Letter to Wyden
Washington, D.C. - In response to questions by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen committed to seeking warrants for future use of cell-site simulator technology. The devices, often referred to as Stingrays, can be used to track cell phones and intercept information about calls. The IRS said cell-site simulators are used exclusively for criminal investigations and that its policy mirrors the Justice Department's, which requires warrants to use the … Continue Reading
November 09, 2015
The Supreme Court Hasn’t Stopped the Government From Tracking Your Cellphone Without a Warrant. Time to Pass Wyden’s GPS Act
Washington, D.C. -After the Supreme Court today declined to hear an appeal of a decision allowing the government to access cell phone location data without a warrant, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., renewed his call to clarify a tangled mess of legal decisions around electronic tracking of Americans' movements. "It's clear the courts won't resolve this question any time soon, so Congress needs to step up and make sure that Americans' cell phones aren't being used as warrantless government GPS … Continue Reading
January 22, 2015
Wyden, Chaffetz Stand Up for Privacy with GPS Act
Washington, D.C. - In order to create clear rules about when law enforcement agencies can access and track Americans' electronic location data Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, reintroduced the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act (GPS Act) today. The bipartisan, bicameral bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and in the House by Reps. Peter Welch, D-VT and Jon Conyers Jr., D-MI. "Buying a smartphone shouldn't be interpreted as giving the government a … Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
Wyden: Supreme Court Decision on Cellphone Searches Huge Win For Privacy
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that law enforcement must obtain a warrant in most cases to search an arrested person's cellphone. "Today's decision is a huge win for individual privacy. In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court acknowledged that searching a person's cellphone is actually more invasive in many cases than going through their home. At a time when the details of a person's whole life can … Continue Reading
March 21, 2013
Bipartisan Legislation Institutes Warrant Requirements to Track Americans with GPS Data
Washington, D.C. - Recent reports indicate that by the end of 2013 smart phones could account for 70 percent of all mobile phones in the U.S. Each of these cutting-edge devices includes built-in GPS technology collecting more personal geolocation data than ever before. However, the rules governing how law-enforcement can acquire and use this data to track individuals are unclear. To add to the confusion, courts in different jurisdictions have applied the law inconsistently - with some courts … Continue Reading
January 23, 2012
Wyden Statement on Supreme Court's Ruling Requiring a Warrant to Track Suspects Using a GPS Device
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement in response to today's Supreme Court ruling that the Fourth Amendment requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant before installing a GPS tracking device on an individual's car and using it to track that person's movements: "Today's ruling confirms that constitutional protections of civil liberties extend to 21st century technology. However, while this ruling settles the question of whether law enforcement … Continue Reading
December 16, 2011
Kirk, Wyden Request Probe of FBI Usage of Wireless Tracking Software
WASHINGTON - Following reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) may be using mobile tracking software to monitor Americans' cell phones and mobile devices without their knowledge, United States Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) today sent a letter to the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Justice requesting an investigation of the alleged secret surveillance. The software, developed by Carrier IQ, has reportedly been pre-installed on nearly 150 million … Continue Reading
October 18, 2011
Senator Kirk Joins Wyden as Cosponsor of Digital Surveillance Legislation
Washington, D.C. - Surrounded by technology that was considered cutting edge when major digital surveillance laws were written, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) welcomed U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R- Ill.) as a cosponsor of the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act (GPS) which provides sorely needed legal clarity for the use of electronically-obtained location data that can be used to track and log the location and movements of individual Americans. The GPS Act was introduced in June by Wyden … Continue Reading
June 15, 2011
Wyden, Chaffetz Introduce GPS Act
Washington, D.C. - New technologies - like cell phones, smart phones, laptops and navigation devices - are making it increasingly easy to track and log the location of individual Americans, yet federal laws have not kept pace with the technology. The lack of legal clarity surrounding the use of electronically-obtained location data, also known as geolocation information, means that there are no clear rules for how this data can be used, accessed or sold by law enforcement, commercial entities … Continue Reading
