Michigan Police Using Device that Downloads all Data from Your Cell Phone

Your Black World reports

The Michigan State Police are planning to use a gadget that works with a “Universal Forensic Extraction Device,” that can copy all of the contents off someone’s cell phone. This includes all texts, emails, phone calls, pictures and videos. The device works on 3,000 cell phone models. The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is asking a lot of questions about the device.   They speculate that it can be abused to violate the civil rights of countless American citizens.

Police are arguing that the device can be used to keep important evidence before trial, but the ACLU wonders if the devices are being used to get private information from citizens who are not under suspicion. They also wonder if the information is being gathered without the consent of the motorist or a search warrant. Civil Rights advocates argue that the device violates the Fourth Amendment, which forbids illegal search and seizure. When the ACLU wrote a letter to the police department, the department asked for over $500,000 for the release of the information.

African Americans have special reason to be concerned about the devices. First, black people are more likely to use electronic gadgets and they also use social media more than whites. Secondly, African Americans are more likely to be victims of illegal search and seizure from the police. A study by Nielsen revealed that black people talk an average of 1331 minutes per month on their phones, which is more than twice as much as whites, who average 647 minutes. They also lead the pack in texting.

When you add the extensive use of social media to the fact that African Americans are the ones most likely to be searched, you’ve got a real recipe for disaster.

 

To join the Your Black World Coalition, please visit YourBlackWorld.com 

 

Technorati Tags: black news,african american news,cell phone,african americans