An Analysis of Cell Phone Technology, Security, and Individual Rights

5 Ways You Give The Government Control” written by Kenneth Coats shows how the devices we use daily slowly take over individuals lives. Coats states, “Today, most people in the United States carry a mobile phone that accompanies them wherever they go. We use them for everything...This essentially makes them the perfect tracking and bugging devices”. Although electronic devices are known to be safe, they allow outside people to figure out individuals personal life. Due to the need for devices such as cell phones, each individual has a high chance of being socially stalked once in their lifetime. Coats then states, “Not only do intelligence agencies gather information via mobile companies, but… your phone can be hacked using spyware. Even if your phone is turned off, it can be remotely accessed to recorded conversations and take photographs”. This issue causes a panic due to the wide spread of inappropriate pictures and private conversations in one's life. Even though technology is viewed as a privileged, it is also taking away people's lives without their

What does it feel like using a mobile device everyday of your life knowing that there is someone on the other side of the screen monitoring your actions? NSA (National Security Agency) surveillance is a controversial topic in the United States today. Some may say that government surveillance is used for our safety, but others argue that it violates our rights. Wiretapping has been an issue with the NSA, where conversations through phones or other source of electronic communication can secretly be monitored. According to John Gibson’s article from Fox News, “NSA Wiretapping Program Not Strictly Legal but Strictly Necessary,” he states how without wiretapping, terrorist activities can and will become a threat because terrorist will be able to

In the article "Our Cell Phones, Ourselves," by Christine Rosen, she explains the dependency on cell phone use while highlighting unforeseen consequences that may occur with cellular device use. From allowing parents to track down their children, to having a casual conversation with a friend, cell phones offer people an unparalleled level of convenience. Furthermore, cell phone owners feel much safer knowing that in an emergency, help is just a phone call away. This convenience, however, does not come without any negative effects. Many cell phone owners become too engrossed in their phones and therefore ignore the physical world, an idea that Rosen refers to as "absent presence.” Also, people may use their phones as a way to prove they are

Several court cases, some dating back to the early 2000s, have been held over the tracking and/or seizure of cell phones by police authority. This has stirred up massive controversy due to the courts inconsistent rulings that seem to vary by state. This can be troublesome in many instances where a similar trial in two different states can have two different rulings, meaning there is no precedent rule or written mandate for such occasion. While cell phone technology in particular is becoming more and more of a utility for not just our personal but our public lives as well, the people are beginning to fight for their privacy through the use of their digital

A. Thesis: The Patriot Act is violating American’s right to privacy. Mainly, the right to hold a private phone conversation.

Technology, generally, cell phones are a significant part of our generation; therefore, they must be dealt with in a practical manner. Following the ruling of 2014, police began treating cell phones and electronic storage devices differently than traditional physically possessed items (Kerr, 2014). Kerr (2014) stated, “This is a new digital world that we are talking about, we need to come up with new rules that provide the traditional balance of the fourth amendment for the new environment of computers.” Kerr is exactly right; technology is evolving therefore, we as Americans need to evolve with it in all

Government surveillance in the past was not a big threat due to the limitations on technology; however, in the current day, it has become an immense power for the government. Taylor, author of a book on Electronic Surveillance supports, "A generation ago, when records were tucked away on paper in manila folders, there was some assurance that such information wouldn 't be spread everywhere. Now, however, our life stories are available at the push of a button" (Taylor 111). With more and more Americans logging into social media cites and using text-messaging devices, the more providers of metadata the government has. In her journal “The Virtuous Spy: Privacy as an Ethical Limit”, Anita L. Allen, an expert on privacy law, writes, “Contemporary technologies of data collection make secret, privacy invading surveillance easy and nearly irresistible. For every technology of confidential personal communication…there are one or more counter-technologies of eavesdropping” (Allen 1). Being in the middle of the Digital Age, we have to be much more careful of the kinds of information we put in our digital devices.

With 87 percent of American adults owning a cell phone (Jerpi, 2013), it becomes obvious that cell phones have become a staple device in today’s society. Although cell phones offer convenience, they arguably come with negative affects. Cell Phones have become one of the fastest emerging technologies (Campbell, 2006). With 87 percent of American adults and teenagers owning a cell phone (Jerpi, 2013), it becomes obvious that cell phones have become a staple device in today’s society. Since the release of the first cell phone, they have immensely evolved and some would say, have become an essential to everyday life. Although cell phones offer convenience, they arguably come with negative and impactful effects on our social

The number of crimes that are being committed each year is extremely high, and America is out of control. According to, Jenicks (1) from prospect.org/article/violent-crime-increasing , “We also have more rapes, robberies, and assaults than other rich countries. But this is nothing new. Crime rates have always been much higher in America than in other affluent nations.” With that being said, a controversial topic that follows that, is the government having full access to monitor cellular usage. The government would take part in monitoring, for safety. Cell phone surveillance can only happen today, with a warrant and a court order to do so.

In the article, You (and Your Cellphone) on Candid Camera by The New York Times Editorial Board, they raise the issue of customers being tracked by cell phone without their knowledge while they are shopping. The Editorial Board believes, as I do, that stores should not track people on their cellular devices without prior consent. They claim that apparently traditional retailers are tracking their customers on their cellular devices and on security cameras with little or no information given regarding these activities. This is being done not for consumers’ safety or the prevention of a crime, as with regular security tracking, but just so that companies can target their consumers with personalized advertisements. I, for one already cannot stand too many advertisement texts and e-mails when I knowingly sign up for them, I am outraged that this is allowed to go on without most people’s knowledge.

As a defense attorney, I would quickly conclude that regardless of the plain view doctrine, the officer had no legal right to investigate the phone further without the appropriate acquisition of a search warrant. In this particular case, there was no reason even to respond to the phone, regardless if it was beeping. At nine o-clock A.M., there was no investigation, reasonable suspicion, or probable cause to search, examine, or investigate any property within the residence. By examining the cell-phone's messages, the officer obviously infringed on the defendant's Fourth Amendment rights to unlawful search and seizure. As Sonny did not pass away until roughly two o-clock in the afternoon, there was not a death investigation until

The further our technology is enhancing, the less privacy there is for a civilian. Privacy is having the ability to be free from being observed. Individuals are entitled to have the right to privacy. It makes it very difficult to fulfill this while the government is constantly watching over civilians. There are a variety of ways in which we are being observed- from surveillance cameras to phone records, and more. The government obtains too much power in accessing our private delegations

In the late nineteen-nineties, “Benefon Esc!” came out. It was the first instance of a Global Positioning System being intergrated into a phone. The Global Positioning System also know as the GPS system assisted people who used or had a phone by keeping them from getting lost. People may argue that the phone should have never been made because it can leave a person accessible to stalkers by allowing people you do not know to call or text you, but that is why there are certain numbers you can press on the phone to dial the police if there is any trouble. Moreover, phones have made it easier to track down criminals. They keep track of drug dealers and other criminals by using location of cell phone tower to which their phone is connected

In discussion of technology being used for a lot of purposes, one controversial issue has been being watched by technology which now smartphones tracks us on everything we do. One the one hand, they mention having our information can help us with the search and common stuff we like from the use of our phones.On the other hand, they argue about its violating our privacy which in my opinion it does because they see what we do etc. Other even believe it's okay for our phones to see our activity for security reasons for example if the phone is stolen we can track the phone down and its activities that been going

“That’s No Phone. That’s My Tracker,” an article in The New York Times, by Peter Maass and Megha Rajagopalan, focuses on surveillance technology that we always carry with us at all times, our cell phones. Even with all these cameras and other data gathering technologies there are still many laws that can prevent our government from taking away our rights. Some of the factors that are in place state that the police can not access the footage without an active crime. That to me is good because then they can not just be watching at all