Per TechDirt’s coverage here, it appears the Stingray device made by Harris Corp. has actually only received FCC approval for use in “emergency situations”.  Despite this limited approval scope, Federal and local law enforcement agencies have been using it for routine investigations, without a warrant, and lying about it, while Harris Corp misleads the FCC.

Luckily, the ACLU is on the case, asking FCC chair Tom Wheeler to open an investigation into the usage of the Stingray device.

Again, we’ve arrested a software developer who merely created a product, yet we turn a blind eye to a corporation actively colluding with law enforcement to routinely violate the privacy of Americans in violation of regulation and the law.

Hopefully Tom Wheeler at the FCC will take this as seriously as he should, and perform a thorough investigation, though his background as a lobbyist for the corporate broadcasting industry hardly makes me hopefully that he will side with citizens and consumers.

As TechDirt notes, even if he does initiate an investigation, it will most likely be met with stonewalling from the agencies and corporations involved.  We need to put an end to the lawlessness that has been becoming more pervasive at every level of government, especially collusion and cronyism with corporate interests.