Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2010

Here's an article vaguely connected with the "Please this service is NOT
free" thread. It seems that (in the USA, at least) your cell phone
records can be accessed by law enforcement bureaus. The records in
question are related to where you were when you made certain calls.

Probably, no AUEers will be subjected to this practice _unless_ you've
been robbing banks, conspiring with crooks, or are lost in the mountains
and were recently making calls on your cell/mobile phone. (There may be
other possibilities. Who knows where this could lead?)

The article is in cnet news (in the "Politics and Law" section). Title:
"Police Blotter: Web searches lead to murder conviction."

The URL: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10451518-38.html

I think I'm right right in thinking that computer records of sites we've
visited, emails we've sent, and posts we've made (even when using a nom
de group) are already available to law enforcement entities. Therefore,
I'm wondering what's next -- recordings of our phone (any kind of phone)
conversations?

ObAUE: What might we name the investigation via phone towers into our
whereabouts?