About: Mobile Phone Extraction technology refers to the physical connection of the mobile device that is to be analyzed and an external device that extracts, analyses and presents the data contained on the targeted phone. A large number of companies supply technology to police forces to extract data from electronic device.
According to Privacy International “Cloud extraction (or cloud analytics) is the ability to access, extract, analyse and retain data stored in the Cloud, a term widely used by technology companies to refer to the storage of data remotely, from applications or devices, typically on a third company’s servers. Examples include Dropbox, Slack, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Google products such as My Activity, Uber and Hotmail”.
How does it work?: By connecting to a confiscated smartphone (or similar device) to a, police and other state agencies can download all of its data and contents. A report is generated, which can provide details of text messages, location, and call history. Cloud Extraction technology can even access third-party apps, such as WhatsApp and Facebook.
Why is this wrong? Data extraction technology means that police are able to perform a digital strip search of individuals. Downloading data from a person’s phone can reveal deeply personal data, and allows state agencies to reach even further into our private lives. This technology is used disproportionately against certain communities, and can be used to repress dissent.
The technology available currently means that it is not possible to isolate specific data. So, police law have access to unlimited amounts of data from the user’s device.All data is extracted, regardless of whether it is relevant to the situation at hand. Currently, there is no clear legal guidance about how this info should be kept, how much info can be extracted and when this extraction is allowed.
After the data is extracted, all the info is stored by law enforcement agencies on their databases, most of the time unencrypted and easily accessible, and often without a judicial order.
More info at:
Privacy International | What types of data can law enforcement extract my phone
Privacy International |A technical look at Phone Extraction
Privacy International | What types of data can law enforncement extract my phone