NSA and GCHQ Target "Leaky" Phone Apps To Scoop User Data

schwit1 writes "New leaked NSA documents shed a new light on the agency's assault on the data controls of smartphone apps. Using app data permissions as a jumping off point, the documents show agency staffers building huge quantities of data, including 'intercepting Google Maps queries made on smartphones, and using them to collect large volumes of location information.' One slide lists capabilities for 'hot mic' recording, high precision geotracking, and file retrieval which would reach any content stored locally on the phone, including text messages, emails and calendar entries. As the slide notes in a parenthetical aside, 'if it's on the phone, we can get it.'"

Now we finally know...

[Anonymous Coward]

what those birds are so angry about

Ever wonder why US unscrambled GPS Signals.

[gurps_npc]

I, May of 2000, President Clinton unscrambled GPS for civilian usage.

I always wondered why he did this. To create the GPS industry? I don't think so. Instead I think it was with the full knowledge that in a short time, the NSA could track people using it.