FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, director confirms

Re:FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, directo... by samrus on Wednesday March 18, 2026 @06:17PM (#47432093)

I think the pipeline needs to be plugged at both ends. We shouldnt allow this data to be sold without express consent. And we shouldnt allow the government to purchase this sort of data regardless of consent, protected under the 4th amendment. unless, iguess, express consent is given to be used by the government for investigative purposes, which no one would give since they dont have to under the 5th amendment

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Re:FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, directo... by ryandrake on Wednesday March 18, 2026 @07:25PM (#47432661)

Don't forget the initial collection. Nobody is forcing these app developer to link the HarvestCustomerLocation.lib module to their app. They're doing it voluntarily, likely financially incentivized. Don't let them off the hook.

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Re:FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, directo... by dylan604 on Wednesday March 18, 2026 @07:20PM (#47432616)

> And we shouldnt allow the government to purchase this sort of data regardless of consent

Fine, we'll force companies to allow a small little box to be added to their data center. Don't worry about what it does, but you cannot disconnect network/power to it once it is installed. Once it is operational, you'll no longer need to think about it ever again, and we recommend that you don't. You should also not talk about this box to users/customers/clients. In fact, you'd be better off if you didn't talk to your employees about it either.

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Re:FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, directo... by autoexec on Wednesday March 18, 2026 @08:00PM (#47432949)

There's no reason to think that this doesn't regularly happen by at least one three letter agency. It's something they've done for a very long time (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A). They were willing and able to secretly redirect every last bit of data going over AT&Ts backbone into their systems back in 2003 you can bet that they have at least that much capability in place today.

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Re:FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, directo... by dylan604 on Wednesday March 18, 2026 @08:56PM (#47433409)

It's why FB decided to encrypt in transit data moving internally between data centers. I'm guessing some TLAs were none too pleased with that. Then again, maybe they suggested a particular encryption to use so they can say they are encrypting yet not slowing down the intake either????

Especially after Snowden, if anyone does not think the US govt TLAs are trying to read every bit that crosses a wire, then they are just deluding themselves. Even before Snowden, Echelon was known for telephonic intercepts. It didn't take much imagination to take it further for internet traffic. Snowden just removed the need for imagination.

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Re:FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, directo... by analog31 on Wednesday March 18, 2026 @06:27PM (#47432183)

I think sale and purchase are too hard to police. Possession of data should be illegal, with a level of statutory damages that invites litigation.

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Re:FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, directo... by robotnikman on Wednesday March 18, 2026 @06:25PM (#47432167)

I think the user should be paid for the data that is being gathered up. If we want a source of UBI for the future where AI is replacing every job, well here is a potential source to fund it.

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Re:FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, directo... by autoexec on Wednesday March 18, 2026 @08:04PM (#47432979)

dynamic/discriminatory pricing driven by AI leveraging all this data would just ensure that any money people got from UBI was funneled into the pockets of corporations anyway.

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