Help Stop the Suspicionless and Warrantless Mass Surveillance of Cellular Phones and Internet in PA!

House Bill 2046 will protect our privacy rights by banning the suspicionless and warrantless use of stingrays, dirtboxes, and other methods of mass surveillance of cellular phone and internet use. HB 2046 was introduced on May 9th, 2016, by a bipartisan coalition of four state Representatives.

HB 2046 would help block the use of cell site simulators, which are known as a “stingray,” or a "dirtbox." These devices essentially spoof cell phone towers, tricking any device within range into connecting to the stingray instead of the tower, allowing law enforcement to sweep up communications content, as well as locate and track the person in possession of a specific phone or other electronic device.

HB 2046 would require the government to obtain a warrant before using a cell cite simulator, with only a few exceptions. The warrantless stingray use would still be allowed if the owner of a device reports it stolen, with the consent of the user, or with the consent of the legal guardian or next of kin of the user if the user is believed to be deceased or reported missing and unable to be contacted.

The legislation requires police to carefully protect any information incidentally gathered on individuals other than those named in the warrant. Police must “Permanently delete any information or metadata collected from any person or communications device not specified in the applicable warrant immediately following such collection and shall not transmit, use or retain such information or metadata for any purpose whatsoever.”

We are petitioning the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, starting with the House Judiciary Committee, to urge them to pass the bill out of committee and to bring it up for a vote before the full House of Representatives and vote for it.