

Not only microphones but also seemingly innocuous motion sensors, which can be accessed by third-party apps on Android and iOS devices without any notification to the user, are a potential eavesdropping channel in smartphones. A United States court ruled in 1988 that a similar technique used by the FBI against reputed former Gulfport, Mississippi, cocaine dealers after having obtained a court order was permissible. This "roving bug" feature has been used by law enforcement agencies and intelligence services to listen in on nearby conversations. Mobile phone (cell phone) microphones can be activated remotely, without any need for physical access. Remotely activated mobile phone microphones Wearing a wire is viewed as risky since discovery of a hidden wire by a criminal could lead to violence against the mole or other retaliatory responses. The wire device transmits to a remote location where law enforcement agents monitor what is being said. When infiltrating a criminal organization a mole may be given a "wire" to wear under their clothes. A stereotypical scene might include an individual being suspected by criminals of "wearing a wire", resulting in their tearing the suspect's shirt open to reveal the deception. "Wearing a wire" by undercover agents is a typical plot element in gangster and police related movies and television shows. Usually, some sort of device is attached to the body in an inconspicuous way, such as taping a microphone wire to their chest. The act of "wearing a wire" refers to a person knowingly recording the conversation or transmitting the contents of a conversation to a police listening post. Wires are typically used in police sting operations in order to gather information about suspects. A wire Ī "wire" is a device that is hidden or concealed under a person's clothes for the purpose of covertly listening to conversations in proximity to the person wearing the "wire". While also marketed as a device that allowed broadcasting of sounds, or dictating text from one room to a typist in another, it was used in several criminal investigations. It consisted of a microphone in one location and a remote listening post with a speaker that could also be recorded using a phonograph. Turner patented in 1906 (US Patent US843186A).


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