in World News RCMP admits they hack Canadians’ devices to spy on them
In a breathtaking admission, the RCMP say they’ve secretly used spyware on Canadians’ devices to get audio and visual recordings of Canadians without their knowledge.
According to Politico, the RCMP claim they only use such spyware in the most “serious cases,” such as when there are national security concerns. However, this is the first time the RCMP has openly admitted that they infiltrate mobile devices to collect data, despite having access to the technology for years.
Their admission came after a Conservative MP questioned what government programs are used to gather data on Canadians last week.
“This is a kind of capability that they have done everything possible to keep incredibly quiet,” said UofT senior research associate Christopher Parsons.
“This is a remarkable finding and, for the first time, publicly reveals that the RCMP is using spyware to infiltrate mobile devices, as well as the broad capabilities of their spyware.” Parsons continues, saying that many security experts have been aware of these capabilities but that this is the first time the RCMP has admitted it. He added that this “is the cleanest, most straightforward explanation of what they’re capable of doing that I’m aware of.”