(AhlulBayt News Agency) - The practice, known as “hotwatch”, allows real-time tracking of cell-phones, credit card use, car rentals, and flight ticket purchases.
Federal agents working on a criminal investigation can put together information requesting that credit companies and retailers give the agents real-time access to purchases made by a particular person.
The Justice Department's hotwatch outline was obtained by privacy activist Christopher Soghoian, the alternative news nexus reported.
The process makes it possible for government agencies to use a simple subpoena, a writ by a government agency that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure, to conduct surveillance of their targets.
No judge has been required to sign off on these subpoenas. The courts only issue a non-disclosure order to the retailer or credit card company involved, meaning the person being tracked will never be notified of the surveillance.
According to Soghoian, the US government has been trying to keep hotwatch secret.
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