Cops and text messages

[Nietzsche's Ghost]

I have heard that cops can read your text messages in their cruisers if they are close enough to you when you send a text. Is this true and is it legal?

[Vendetta]

in my experience, cops will take your phones.

[Ocean Seal]

What Vendetta said seems more likely. I've seen cops take phones from people a couple of times, but if the cruiser thing you said was true without a doubt we would have the ACLU and the likes up in arms about privacy violations. If they could, I'd think we'd know.

[Susurrus]

What Vendetta said seems more likely. I've seen cops take phones from people a couple of times, but if the cruiser thing you said was true without a doubt we would have the ACLU and the likes up in arms about privacy violations. If they could, I'd think we'd know.

They may well have the capability, but i doubt every cop has one. If they have one, its probably only used in operations that they don't have to be transparent about. Their job is to keep secrets sometimes.

[Nietzsche's Ghost]

Ok. I just was fucking freaking out because I texted a "friend" about some "stuff" and then a cop pulled out of the alley and sat in front of my house for roughly 15 minutes.

[Commissar Rykov]

Ok. I just was fucking freaking out because I texted a "friend" about some "stuff" and then a cop pulled out of the alley and sat in front of my house for roughly 15 minutes.
Cops tend to sit at random places to finish writing reports or tickets I wouldn't get too worried...unless they come knocking.;)

[Desperado]

They can't read em by driving next to you, but if they really want they can get them from your telecommunications company (in Britain anyway, with anti-terror laws and such). But I highly doubt it's used much on people like us.

[heyjoe]

some police here in US have device to take your cell phone and download its contents during a traffic stop. they have been doing it in michigan.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/michigan-police-cellphone-data-extraction-devices-aclu-objects/story?id=13428178

[Susurrus]

Thusly, security culture should be practiced when using phones. And when doing anything else, for that matter.

[Os Cangaceiros]

OP: aren't you the dude who was worried about the FBI tapping your phone?

Think you might need to take a vacation from the drugs dawg

[praxis1966]

OP: aren't you the dude who was worried about the FBI tapping your phone?

Think you might need to take a vacation from the drugs dawg

Yeah, that was the same thread I thought about when I first read this... If the OP and that guy are one in the same, I'd definitely agree.

[jake williams]

It's possible in principle but I doubt it goes on, and I've never credibly heard that they have or use the technology. As pointed out, they have other, simpler, cheaper ways of getting information, including just asking the phone companies.