Grits for Breakfast: The newest toys in the box: Police deploy cell-phone trackers, drones:<\/p>\n
A pair of stories show how technology is rapidly reshaping old debates about the Fourth Amendment and privacy, raising questions about whether sketchy protections outlined in the 18th Century still serve to prevent government abuses using technologies the Founding Fathers couldn’t imagine. <\/p>\n
First, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a story<\/a> about “a new cellphone tracking system authorized for purchase by the Fort Worth City Council this week.”<\/p>\n
. . .<\/p>\n
Then, at CNBC there’s an item<\/a> about the increasing use of drones by civilian police agencies, news media and an array of other possible users. The story opens:<\/p>\n
Heads up: Drones are going mainstream. Civilian cousins of the unmanned military aircraft that have tracked and killed terrorists in the Middle East and Asia are in demand by police departments, border patrols, power companies, news organizations and others wanting a bird’s-eye view that’s too impractical or dangerous for conventional planes or helicopters to get.<\/p>\n
Along with the enthusiasm, there are qualms.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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