Cell phone tracking on trial

U.S. Senator-elect Jon Tester (D-MT) speaks on his mobile phone in the lobby of the National Public Radio offices November 13, 2006 in Washington, DC.

When the FBI wanted to track down a posse of armed robbers in Texas a few years ago, it used records obtained from mobile phone companies to identify a flurry of calls made between two suspects. That enabled them to pinpoint and locate the thieves. But is that method constitutional? The Obama administration argues that we don’t enjoy a reasonable expectation of privacy when we use our cell phones. The ACLU feels differently, saying warrantless cell tracking violates our civil rights. A showdown on the issue unfolded Friday in a federal appeals court in Philadelphia. Should Big Brother be allowed to use your Blackberry to track your movements?

When the FBI wanted to track down a posse of armed robbers in Texas a few years ago, it used records obtained from mobile phone companies to identify a flurry of calls made between two suspects. That enabled them to pinpoint and locate the thieves. But is that method constitutional? The Obama administration argues that we don’t enjoy a reasonable expectation of privacy when we use our cell phones. The ACLU feels differently, saying warrantless cell tracking violates our civil rights. A showdown on the issue unfolded Friday in a federal appeals court in Philadelphia. Should Big Brother be allowed to use your Blackberry to track your movements?

Guest:

Catherine Crump, staff attorney, ACLU