GPS Tracking

Rethinking the Issue of Privacy in a Technologically Advanced World

The rapid advancement of technological tools has changed the manner in which information flows out to the public, how people communicate with one another, and even the meaning of the word “friend,” which has now become a verb – “I friended you…” Teens today prefer texting over actual voice conversations. Through social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, we can now publicly broadcast our personal information to hundreds, if not thousands of people, instantly with a click of  button.

Technology has indeed gained a tremendous amount of traction over the past ten years, especially with the accessibility offered to us through the power of the Internet. And not only has technology advanced in rapid fashion, it may potentially gain enough weight and power to rewrite our constitutional protections.

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An Outdated System

In today’s day and age, one does not have to travel to a sprawling metropolitan area to witness the technological infrastructure that supports various forms of “geolocation” systems; with the majority of Americans today owning a cell phone, smart phone, GPS tracking device, camera, and in many instances more than one of these devices, cell towers and ground-based GPS tracking receivers are plentiful in every nook and cranny of our nation.  While some have disputed the legitimacy of GPS trackers and similar systems, they have nevertheless proven to be of the utmost value to American law enforcement departments of all sizes.  With the technological expansion of tracking systems not slated to regress anytime soon, Democrats and Republicans are coming together to clarify the law for when law enforcement and businesses can access the private information that comes with the territory of many tracking systems.

Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat, is teaming up with Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah in hopes of updating the legal standards regarding the acquisition of automatically-transmitted location data to cell towers and ground-based GPS tracking signal receivers.  Wyden recently proclaimed that while GPS trackers are undoubtedly a useful tool not only for Americans on the move and cellular companies offering location-based services but also law enforcement officers looking to track suspected criminals, the rules regarding when this geolocation data can be accessed have remained unclear.  In addition to the commonly-cited requirement of a search warrant before GPS tracking data and similar information was retrieved by law enforcement agents, the new set of laws would prohibit commercial service providers from sharing customers’ location information with outside organizations without the customers’ consent.

Inconsistency in the Courts

The rulings by judges in courts across the nation have historically been extremely subjective and contradictory.  While some jurisdictions have permitted the government to collect the information after insisting it’s relevant for an ongoing case, others have been strictly opposed to this procedure.  Because the set of standards and laws was written before GPS tracking technology matured, Wyden and Chaffetz agree that an updated set of laws is necessary to keep pace with the shifting paradigm in cellular and GPS tracker technology. (more…)

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Distracted Driving in Focus

New Laws Target All Distracted Driving Incidents

Source acquired via CTV, May 6, 2010, Edmonton, Alberta – Alberta has just made Bill 16 official, and drivers throughout the province are taking notice. Bill 16 prohibits driving distractions of any kind including personal grooming, reading, writing, and texting. The message that the Transportation Minister is giving Albertans is clear: “when you’re in your vehicle, your focus must be on driving.”

While this is one of the most stringent anti-distraction laws out there, Alberta isn’t the only province considering anti-distraction laws. In fact, many of the states within the United States are currently trying to find ways to prevent drivers from texting while driving – a dangerous habit that costs many drivers their lives. Throughout the world, texting while driving has become a major issue. (more…)

A Help for Distracted Drivers

Multiple Functions Make this a Popular App

Source acquired via Washington Examiner, May 5, 2010, Middletown, MD – John and Joana Tsinonis recently invented a type of software that could change the way teens drive. The software, called proTextor, was invented to prevent teens from sending or receiving texts and phone calls while driving. Using a GPS tracking device, proTextor detects when a vehicle is in motion, and automatically blocks all incoming and outgoing texts and calls. (more…)

Distracted Driving Becoming a Major Contributor to Accidents

Incidents are on the Rise

Distracted driving is becoming a large threat to safe driving on our streets and roads.  Vehicle manufacturers are not helping the situation, either.  The rush for better and more exciting information and entertainment in vehicles is cause for concern over the amount of distraction that it adds to an already dangerous environment.

The statistics support the amount of concern.  Almost 6,000 people were killed and over 500,000 were injured as a result of distracted driving accidents in 2008 (2009 data not yet available).  These numbers are supplied by the U.S. Department of Transportation. (more…)

Massachusetts’ highest court is scheduled to decide if GPS vehicle tracking by police is an invasion of privacy. The decision could be precedent-setting because it might allow law enforcement agencies to use GPS tracking systems to track suspects without first obtaining a court order. The MyFoxBoston Undercover news team notes that use of the technology is on the rise. Steven Moehling, Vice President of Sales for LandAirSea Systems Inc. in Woodstock, IL, was interviewed as part of the television news segment. LandAirSea’s most popular vehicle tracking device, the GPS Tracking Key, was tested on a news vehicle.

If satellite technology had been in existence 75 years ago, notorious bank robbers like Bonnie and Clyde might have gotten a more serious run for their money!

Originally developed by the United States Department of Defense for such military applications as navigation, target tracking, and searches and rescues,  GPS tracking systems have been heralded as the new method with which to fight crime and ensure public safety.  They are increasingly finding their way into America’s courtrooms as an effective means of producing certain evidence that was not available even ten years ago.

Global positioning systems (GPS) are able to identify a suspect’s physical location using the numerous satellites that orbit the earth.  Offenders wearing GPS tracking devices enable law enforcement officials to track the whereabouts and movements of these offenders almost second by second.

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