Some Say It's Democracy: Canadian Police Used Spyware To Infiltrate Mobile ...

[G.L.R.]

Police admitted to snooping – activists

1 Jul, 2022



Canada's law enforcement has reportedly confirmed  it's been using malware to infiltrate mobile devices and collect data

Canada's Royal Mounted Police (RCMP)  have disclosed that they use spyware to infiltrate mobile devices and collect data, according to a public statement made on Thursday by a Canadian rights organization. The country's Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) claims it found the revelation buried in a document presented to the Canadian Parliament on June 22, 2022. ... As stated by the  CCLA, this marks the first time a police service in Canada has openly  admitted to using controversial and invasive surveillance tools in  targeted investigations... the RCMP's Covert Access and Intercept Team (CAIT) used "on-Device Investigative Tools" to remotely collect texts, emails, photos, videos, financial information and even turn on microphones and cameras remotely on target devices. The process was reportedly used only after obtaining a warrant,  and implemented in 10 investigations between 2018 and 2020. It is also  noted that Canada's privacy commissioner was not consulted on the use of  such methods.

The national police force reportedly stated that ... "In less  than a generation, a high number of Canadians migrated their daily communications from a small number of large telecommunication service providers, all of which provided limited and centrally controlled services to customers, to countless organizations in Canada and elsewhere that provide a myriad of digital services to customers." ... However,  as the CCLA points out, the document fails to clarify exactly what kind  of investigations were deemed to warrant the use of these intrusive  tools...

"Is it one of the many vendors of spyware known for  selling such tools to authoritarian states who use it to target human  rights defenders and journalists? What are the internal decision and authorization processes undertaken to authorize this nuclear option for surveillance of Canadians? Why was the Privacy Commissioner not consulted when the invasiveness and controversial nature of such tools on the world stage is explicit and well known?," questioned the CCLA.

Police admitted to snooping – activists — RT World News
https://www.rt.com/news/558230-canada-police-hack-phones