ACLU: Michigan cops stealing drivers' phone data

[VMI77]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20055431-1.html

Excerpt:

"The Michigan State Police have started using handheld machines called "extraction devices" to download personal information from motorists they pull over, even if they're not suspected of any crime.......The devices, sold by a company called Cellebrite, can download text messages, photos, video, and even GPS data from most brands of cell phones. The handheld machines have various interfaces to work with different models and can even bypass security passwords and access some information."

[Katygunnut]

Couple this with the iPhone thread, and it starts to get just a wee bit scary out there.

On a related note, am I obligated to give a LEO possession of my phone upon demand?

[hirundo82]

Couple this with the iPhone thread, and it starts to get just a wee bit scary out there.

Current court cases treat phones as a "closed container" for the purposes of a search, and therefore don't require a warrant to search them. They do require a warrant if they have to "break into" your phone to access your data--ie if it is password-protected.

ETA: linky

[DFWTT]

There is another thread that includes a link to a San Antonio station's coverage of the 6yo boy gun in class. They had a poll running asking whether or not you think this should be legal without a warrant. I voted and SUPRISINGLY the results showed that 13% of people polled actually do. Imagine that.