How the Government Surveils Cellphones: A Primer

The state of cellphone tracking became slightly more confusing. The US Department of Justice announced that, except in emergency situations, federal agents would now seek warrants before using "Stingrays." Stingrays are devices that mimic cellphone towers and can pinpoint a phone’s physical location or record which number they’re calling. For people who follow the issue closely, like the American Civil Liberties Union, the news was welcome if limited. But for many, it made the situation around cellphone surveillance even trickier than it was before.

How many different ways can the government surveil cellphones? What can each method do? Here’s a primer. If law enforcement wants to surveil your cellphone, they have two ways to do it. They can do it through a phone company; or they can do it directly, using a device like a Stingray.