According to statements by Berla’s own founder, part of the draw of vacuuming data out of cars is that so many drivers are oblivious to the fact that their cars are generating so much data in the first place, often including extremely sensitive information inadvertently synced from smartphones.
Indeed, MSAB marketing materials promise cops access to a vast array of sensitive personal information quietly stored in the infotainment consoles and various other computers used by modern vehicles a tapestry of personal details akin to what CBP might get when cracking into one’s personal phone. MSAB claims that this data can include “Recent destinations, favorite locations, call logs, contact lists, SMS messages, emails, pictures, videos, social media feeds, and the navigation history of everywhere the vehicle has been.” MSAB even touts the ability to retrieve deleted data, divine “future plan[s],” and “Identify known associates and establish communication patterns between t
Report details allegations that deputies harassed families who protest deputy killings of loved ones
Published
LOS ANGELES - A coalition of civil rights organizations released a report Tuesday alleging that sheriff s deputies target and harass families mourning the loss of loved ones killed by deputies, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors ordered an in-depth investigation.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said the report underscored the need for action. No family should be mistreated or harassed for simply wanting answers for the loved ones they lost at the hands of sheriff deputies, Mitchell said. This report captures real life experiences of the breakdown of community trust, and it should not be taken lightly. The abuse of power documented in this report highlights the urgent need for transparency and accountability and must be met with corrective action.
Your Car Is Spying on You, and a CBP Contract Shows the Risks
Published: May 3, 2021
U.S. Customs and Border Protection purchased technology that vacuums up reams of personal information stored inside cars, according to a federal contract reviewed by The Intercept, illustrating the serious risks in connecting your vehicle and your smartphone.
The contract, shared with The Intercept by Latinx advocacy organization Mijente, shows that CBP paid Swedish data extraction firm MSAB $456,073 for a bundle of hardware including five iVe “vehicle forensics kits” manufactured by Berla, an American company. A related document indicates that CBP believed the kit would be “critical in CBP investigations as it can provide evidence [not only] regarding the vehicle’s use, but also information obtained through mobile devices paired with the infotainment system.” The document went on to say that iVe was the only tool available for purchase that could tap into such systems.
After violating state regulation, Orange County jails begin serving hot meals again
The Orange County Jail in Santa Ana.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
April 29, 2021 2:47 PM PT
Print
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said it has resumed serving hot meals in county jails, more than a week after a state board told the agency it was violating a regulation by not providing inmates with at least one hot meal a day.
The California Board of State and Community Corrections raised the issue after it was contacted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.
The ACLU sent a letter to the BSCC in early April, contending that the sheriff’s department hasn’t served hot meals in its jails for about a year.
Coalition fights the expansion of a controversial Orange County jail
Orange County plans to add nearly 900 beds at the minimum-security James A. Musick jail in Irvine.
(File Photo)
April 14, 2021 5:19 PM PT
Print
A coalition of social justice organizations in Orange County is working to halt the expansion of the James A. Musick jail near Irvine.
Members of the Stop the Musick Coalition believe the $289 million not including operating costs devoted to the addition of nearly 900 new beds to the facility are unnecessary because the county’s jail population has decreased.
The coalition also believes that incarceration is not an effective treatment for social ills, and the money could be better spent on social programs that address the root causes of crime.