Asia Mayfield
You are being watched. The unsettling “Big Brother” reality imagined by George Orwell now exists in its infancy.
Government intrusions into our privacy have become a common occurrence. Edward Snowden’s dramatic NSA reveal birthed a nation of cynics. We now know that the government is tracking us, and we’re wary.
A congressional report has just revealed that Homeland Security and the Department of Justice have spent an astonishing $95 million on secret cell phone tracking technology. The departments own more than 400 advanced cell-site simulators.
Cell-site simulators are sophisticated devices that mimic legitimate cell phone towers to trick nearby phones into connecting. Identifying information can then be gleaned by officials. They’re often employed by police officers trawling for suspects.
Sensitive data is not protected. Innocent passerby who come near the simulator will be as vulnerable as criminals.

Technological advances have been so rapid that the law has struggled…