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Location data from your phone may fall under the protection of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, and advocates from various circles, including the tech world, are making the argument that this should be the case. The conversation was started by a court case known as Carter v. the United States, wherein the court is seeking the right to obtain rough location data to track the defendant over the course of 127 days. Carter is being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union. The movement includes representatives from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Verizon, and a panel of experts from around the tech sphere. The base argument is that obtaining data constitutes seizure, while interpreting the data constitutes search, two activities that are restricted by the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment protects from unreasonable examples of those activities, and establishes the requirement for law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before performing most types of search and seizure procedures.

The type of location data thats presently at the center of the conversation is the somewhat less precise location data that can be gleaned from any device connected to a cellular network, with or without the involvement of GPS. This data includes a triangulation of your current location from nearby cell towers, as well as the locations of nearby Bluetooth devices and Wi-Fi networks, if available. This data tends to be less precise than GPS data, with an average accuracy of a couple dozen to a couple hundred meters, depending on network conditions. Thanks to the deployment of a larger amount of towers and small cells and more sophisticated network equipment, as well as a larger amount of mobile, IoT, and other electronic devices around at any given time, this location data has been less prone to gross inaccuracy in recent years.

The location data in question has, in the past, been considered imprecise enough to not warrant it being categorized as personal or private data. Police have used such data on a fairly routine basis for more rough usages, such as obtaining evidence of an alibi or a lack of one, putting multiple defendants near the scene of a crime at the same time, and doing other investigative tasks. Having such data require a warrant going forward could make investigations costlier and slower, which in turn means that the privacy and security advocates trying to push for this change will have an uphill battle ahead of them.

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4th Amendment Protections Sought For Cell Site Location Data - Android Headlines

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump's national security adviser on Sunday minced no words and clearly labeled Saturday's deadly car attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, as terrorism.

"Certainly I think we can confidently call it a form of terrorism," the adviser, Lt. Gen H.R. McMaster, said on NBC's "Meet The Press."

"What terrorism is is the use of violence to incite terror and fear, and of course it was terrorism."

McMaster's words went further than Trump's did on Saturday, when Trump was widely criticized by members of both parties for placing blame on "many sides" for violence that was sparked by a white nationalist rally and for not specifically naming and condemning the racist groups involved.

McMaster said the president intended to denounce the racists.

"He condemned hatred and bigotry on all sides, and that includes white supremacists and neo-Nazis," McMaster said. "I think it's clear I know it's clear in his mind and ought to be clear to all Americans: We cannot tolerate, obviously, that bigotry, that hatred that is rooted in ignorance, ignorance of what America stands for, what America is."

But McMaster also offered very vague answers when asked more than once whether he can work with Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, since considerable friction between the two advisers has seeped into the public.

"I am ready to work with anybody who will help advance the president's agenda and advance the security, prosperity of the American people," McMaster answered.

Asked whether Bannon is someone who does that, McMaster didn't specifically answer. Instead, he replied, "I believe everyone who works in the White House, who has the privilege, the great privilege every day of serving their nation, should be motivated by that goal."

Later on "Meet The Press," Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, assessed McMaster's language.

"He used Washington-speak three times to basically answer your question: 'No, I cannot work with Steve Bannon,'" Lowry told host Chuck Todd.

McMaster also said Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant for the president who frequently appears on television to speak about national security issues, "is not in the National Security Council."

McMaster indicated that if Gorka represents himself as a spokesman on national security, he wasn't involved. "The scheduling people for the media and spokespeople is not my area of responsibility," he said.

McMaster also rebutted an assertion that Gorka made to BBC Radio on Thursday, when Gorka called it "nonsensical" for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to discuss military matters.

"We should always take Secretary of State Tillerson at his word," McMaster said. "He is a tremendously talented leader and diplomat."

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NSA McMaster on Charlottesville: "Of course it was terrorism"

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iOS 11 is set to arrive this Fall as a free software update for millions of iPhones. There are several new features that will make driving with your phone less distracting.

Recently, tech expert Rich DeMuro got a sneak peek at these new features coming soon.

The first is called "Do Not Disturb" while driving. This feature will automatically silence your phone notifications while you drive. Also, your screen will not light up for new messages. Anyone who texts you will get an automatic text back that says you are driving. If it's an urgent message, they can text back the word urgent and the text will "break through" Do Not Disturb.

If your phone is connected to your car's Bluetooth, phone calls will still ring through.

Lots of people have been testing the new feature and the feedback has been fantastic, according to Apple. Even though you don't have to activate the feature, people who do usually stick with it and like how it works.

DeMuro also took a look at some new features coming to Apple CarPlay. This is where you plug your phone into your car and it takes over your dashboard screen.

In iOS 11, you will notice that Siri has a new and improved voice! Yep, Siri's voice has a different tone and is more natural sounding. Plus, her shape has changed from a mic and waveform to a futuristic floating orb.

There will also be lane guidance in Apple Maps inside CarPlay so you will know which lane to be in for your turn, more on screen information - including faster routes - and even the speed limit will be displayed on screen.

iOS 11 will launch as a free software update in Fall 2017.

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iOS 11 will make driving with your iPhone safer - fox4kc.com

The Lincoln County Commissioners agreed Tuesday to buy a license for a new software bundle for GIS mapping for the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission.

The new community development specialist, Harold Spetla, made the request at the Aug. 15 meeting. The request was approved. The cost per year will be $2,600, and the new software will be much more adept at interfacing with other mapping software programs than the current system is, he said.

The LCRPC also made the county aware of a lower price for the orthoimagery project, a program that takes satellite images of the entire county. A 12-inch resolution for all of Lincoln County would cost $20,969, about $10,000 less than expected. Towns could ask for additional resolution for small costs to them if they needed it, or they would have access to the county images for free. The commissioners agreed to move forward on the 12-inch resolution package.

The LCRPC will also be getting its parking lots paved. The cost for the front and back lots will be $27,275, according to a bid by Midcoast Paving in Topsham. A top coat could be added in several years if needed.

The communications department announced that Maine has opted into a high speed network, the FirstNet project, at a national cost of $7 billion. Much of Maines high speed network infrastructure will be upgraded so that in an emergency, data, images and information can move from one agency to another quickly. Commissioners also signed off on contingency agreements with Knox and Waldo County communications in case Lincoln Countys communications system ever fails. This year, Oxford County Communications suffered a direct hit by lightning, and its contingency partners picked up their traffic while Oxford was getting new equipment to go back online. Sagadahoc County Sheriffs Department and the Brunswick Police Department are also considering joining the contingency agreement.

The Emergency Management Agency produced a new pamphlet to explain what the agency does. The agency does search and rescue, has a haz-mat team and an amateur radio team, and supervises towns emergency planning committees. The EMA also discussed resources that emergency shelters and warming stations could tap to meet the needs of people sheltering in them during a weather emergency. They are making a list of food banks and hot food providers such as schools and Meals on Wheels to distribute to the network of shelters to help them prepare for an emergency.

The jail is currently housing 19 inmates from Lincoln and 32 from Sagadahoc counties, with 119 diverted in Lincoln County. The remainder of the 153 inmates come from Waldo, Knox, Androscoggin and Cumberland counties and there is one federal inmate. The jail received a $294,870 check from the state for community corrections, but County Administrator Carrie Kipfer said it is believed some of that money was sent in error, and will likely be asked for by the state. Last years CCA disbursement was about $265,000, she said.

The Sheriffs Office needs some work done. Mold was found in the upper level offices, and was assessed at a total cost of $3,204. Bids for the remediation work are currently being obtained.

The county received notification from Seven Trees, a nonprofit which used to offer group home services in Lincoln County, that a $14,000 grant the county gave them several years ago is being returned, because the group homes are no longer offering services and the buildings have been sold. The commissioners agreed to accept the funds and hold them in a special account until they decide what to do with the money.

A large number of boxes from the basement law library are still lining the hallway. The books belong to the Lincoln County Bar Association, but no one seems to want the books, since most research is done online now, Kipfer said. She has been in contact with the Bar Association to get them to pick up the books, but said no firm date had yet been set for their removal. She said she favored storing them at the recycling center until the Bar Association can get them before the winter weather sets in. If they cannot collect them by then, she favors recycling the books, she said. The county does not currently have a license for Lexus-Nexus, an online law and public record search system, but Kipfer said there is a free edition the county should be able to use which would satisfy the requirement that the county maintain a law library.

A county-wide historic photo exhibit is on display throughout the courthouse. There will be a slideshow presentation of all the images on Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Superior courtroom.

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Commissioners approve software for GIS mapping - Wiscasset Newspaper

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, August 16, 2017, 12:27 PM

The armed encampment formerly known as the idyllic college town of Charlottesville showed the world what a gun-happy nation looks like: a toxic mix of armed white supremacist alt-right Neo-Nazis and KKK members protesting the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, counter-demonstrators, some of whom were armed, Charlottesville police, Virginia state National Guard and other so-called militias private citizens armed and outfitted in military garb who claimed to be there to keep the peace.

This confrontation revealed two epic American blunders: the idea that arming hostile groups somehow improves public safety, and the parallel notion that so-called private militias are a legitimate expression of Second Amendment rights.

To its detriment, Virginias lax gun laws allow for open civilian gun carrying and easy gun access to virtually any kind of hand-held firearm, including assault weapons. While Virginias law enforcement has been criticized for not intervening more effectively between the opposing groups, the situation was only complicated by the presence of self-styled militias, including representatives from the Pennsylvania Light Foot Militia, who claimed to be there not to take sides-although they were initially invited by the white supremacists but to help keep the peace (although theres no evidence they did anything of the kind).

According to a typical news account, these unofficial paramilitary groups . . . have long thrived across America due to the second amendments directive: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Make America Gray again: Trump's betrayal of American values

America and the rest of the world need to know that this is false: the Second Amendments right to bear arms does not protect, much less encourage, private citizens to form their own armed para-military groups.

From the colonial era on, Americans organized as militias did so and sought to do so-under the recognition and control of the state or national governments. The Bill of Rights had just been ratified when Congress enacted the Uniform Militia Act of 1792, a law designed to bring greater uniformity and control to the nations militias, which at the time were central to national defense.

In a little-known Supreme Court case from 1886, Presser vs. Illinois, the court made clear why private militias are not, and cannot be, militias under law. In ruling against the right of an armed paramilitary group to march in Chicago, the court explained that Military organization and military drill and parade under arms are subjects especially under the control of the government. . . . They cannot be claimed as a right independent of law.

To deny the government the right to restrict or outlaw such private groups would be tantamount to denying the government the right to disperse assemblages organized for sedition and treason, and the right to suppress armed mobs bent on riot and rapine (looting).

Trumps America is an alien nation

As the court said then, the only legal militia is the National Guard. That is no less true today.

Every state in the union, including Virginia, has laws against private armies, but law enforcement is often reluctant to press the matter with armed private militias for fear of provoking an armed response. And when anyone can carry guns openly, law enforcement finds itself boxed in.

Too bad that Virginia has missed the lesson of Americas actual gun law past: by the end of the 19th century, every state but four had enacted laws to restrict civilian gun carrying, especially in the cities and towns of the old West. The best way to keep trouble from escalating, they knew, was to require everyone entering town to surrender their firearms, to be retrieved only when they left.

In the upside down world of todays gun laws, at a time of record low crime, places like Virginia seem to say the opposite: bring your guns! Carry them openly!

Our countrys forebears knew that hostilities could only be made worse when antagonists were armed, and that law enforcement was best left to the professionals. And as for private militias, if they really want to serve their country, the National Guard is still taking applications.

Spitzer is distinguished service professor and chair of political science at SUNY Cortland, and the author of five books on gun policy, including Guns Across America.

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Armed private militias like Charlottesville's offend the Founding Fathers' intent: This is not what the Second ... - New York Daily News