When are You not Legally Tracking a Phone, and What Can Go Wrong?
When a person’s mobile phone is lost, he wishes to get it back by all means. In such a case, the first thing that strikes the mind is phone tracking. Then the very next thought that comes to mind is whether the way of tracking chosen is legal or not. Apart from the network providers and the handset providers, the web is flooded with a number of phone tracking apps and agencies. People usually fall prey to illegal activities and scams. So, it becomes necessary for a user to be aware of the related information about phone tracking.
Tracking your own lost phone is no crime, but tracking someone else’s phone without permission is held to be illegal. Illegality is connected to phone tracking, and there are many laws against it. Phone tracking is dealt with differently in different nations, and so the laws are different as well. Locating or positioning an individual is regarded as a highly private issue. Network operators and agencies that have the right to track have to abide by the strict ethics and security measures that are recommended by the law.
Let’s talk about the predators first.
Phone tracking for many people has become an engaging activity wherein they can track someone’s daily activity as per their fancy. Many of them have made this a business and use phone tracking as a part of their spying activity. They charge huge sums of money from clients in return for the tracking data. All this spying and tracking of phones is illegal in most of the countries of the world. There are few detective agencies other than the police that are permitted to track phones. These agencies are certified by the government. Following is the list of bodies that can legally track phones.
Who are the legal bodies that have the right to track phones?
- Police
- Civil agencies approved by the nation’s judiciary
- Security groups approved by the laws
- Network operators
- Handset making companies
Who usually serve as prey?
- People in search of their lost phone devices
- People who wish to track someone’s daily activities
- Spouses who wish to spy on their other half
People belonging to any of the above mentioned groups easily become the victims of this vicious market of illegal tracking. The victim’s urge to get back his device or the tracking data is facilitated by the varied number of apps and software available on the web. Without much ado, victims simply opt for a way and then get strangled by it. Awareness of the apps is very much required. Actions performed in haste are usually regretted. Let me tell you about the legality attached to tracking.
Let us discuss in detail the repercussions that you might face in case of illegal phone tracking in different nations.
U.K.
In the UK, the law says that the consent of the mobile phone owner is required for tracking by the mobile phone tracking services. If the tracking is related to a crime, then a warrant issued by a UK court is required. The warrant can only be obtained by the police and government agencies.
Australia
In a recent case, an Australian shopping mall was in the news for tracking customer movement in the mall through mobile phone signals. It was presented as a well thought-out CRM activity by them. In Australia the mall management was not accused. So, it is more or less legal there.
U.S.A.
In the US, on the other hand, this will be held to be an illegal activity. There will be a charge against you for which there will be a punishment or a big fat fine. In a recent report, the use of phone tracking by the NSA (National Security Agency) of the US was considered legal by the court, which said that tracking the data of millions of US citizens serves as a valuable part of the nation’s weapon store to counter acts of terrorism.
India
Like the US, Indian law also holds phone tracking, without permission, to be illegal. The law has only granted the rights of tracking to the network operators, handset producers and the government civil bodies like the police, CBI, etc.
Europe
Most of the European nations have a legal guarantee on the secrecy of correspondence. They believe that the location data obtained from mobile phone networks is of equal importance to the communication. Hence they have laws protecting both the location data as well as the communication itself.
These are only a few popular places. Information about the rest can be obtained from the web. In almost all countries, tracking used for spying is considered a punishable act, and the victims have to bear the harsh consequences. The nations grant permits to a few programs or organizations that require phone tracking depending on the cause.
For an individual, tracking is legal only in case of the loss of one’s handset. The legal means for individuals are very few. Following are a few do’s and don’ts that one should keep in mind before moving ahead with the phone tracking activity.
Do’s
- Opt for the legal tracking ways
- Contact the network operators and handset makers
- Check for the certificate of the agency that you opt for
- Check for the license of the tracking software you have selected for downloading
Don’ts
- Do not furnish your personal details like bank IDs, passwords, etc. to any of the agencies
- Do not simply rely on word of mouth
Half knowledge generally proves to be injurious. So, it becomes vital for an individual to enquire about the tracking software or an agency before actually using it or its services respectively. ‘Crime never pays’; a crime once committed will always have its dreadful consequences. So, it is very important to be aware and play safe. You can track your phone once lost, but in a legal and safe manner.