The FBI is capable of remotely activating the microphone on Android smartphones to record the user’s conversations.
Anyone looking to have illicit conversations may wish to purchase an Apple or Nokia smartphone as the FBI can hack the microphone on Android devices.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the FBI can “remotely activate the microphones in phones running Google’s Android software to record conversations”, all without the user having any idea it is doing so.
To do so, the FBI has been hiring hackers in an attempt to improve its surveillance techniques to catch terrorists and criminals in the act.
Of course, the FBI is supposed to have a warrant in order to carry out such surveillance techniques, but sources familiar with the FBI say these methods are on the rise.
In order to tap into Android smartphone microphones, the FBI has developed its own hacking tools and purchased others.
By doing so, the FBI has been tackling organised crime, counterterrorism and child pornography.
Unlike the National Security Agency in America, the FBI says it only uses surveillance and hacking in specific cases and not very often. It was recently disclosed that the NSA gathers data on millions of American citizens.
Former FBI officials let on that the Bureau has a group called the Remote Operations Unit which handles hacking methods. It does employ controls to ensure only “relevant data” is collected when using surveillance techniques.
This means the FBI doesn’t use a wide net sweep to collect data on potential threats. The NSA recently came under criticism because of the surveillance software it used to collect data from Facebook, YouTube, Yahoo and Google users, as well as from other services on the web.
Next, read our pick of the best mobile phones of 2013.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
