Sen. Wyden Asks DOJ for Transparency on 911 Disruption From StingRays

DOJ needs to clearly state to courts how law enforcement’s use of cell-site simulators, known as StingRays, disrupts 911 dialing capabilities for targeted phones, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a recent letter to the agency. Wyden cited confirmation about disruption from “senior officials” at Harris Corp., which manufacturers the surveillance tools most frequently used by police. “It is important that courts understand that the surveillance programs they are being asked to authorize will incidentally rob Americans of the means to communicate,” Wyden wrote. Telecom companies need to collaborate to ensure “cellular infrastructure is safe, secure, and private from attacks by spies, criminals, and rogue law enforcement,” the Electronic Frontier Foundation said Monday. Tuesday, Justice didn’t comment.