Brought to my attention by Daniel Arshack, President of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, is this astounding development reported by cnetnews.

   The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations: remotely activating a mobile phone’s microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations.

How does this work?  Beats me.  Apparently, your cellphone is off, and yet susceptible to being remotely activated such that its microphone works and transmits whatever sound is within its range to our good buddies in the government.  We have the technology, thanks to cellphone manufacturers who want to continually add functions designed to thrill any 12 year old to cellphones used by us, well, grownups.  Just try getting a cellphone without all the bells and whistles that limit their function to, well, cellphones.

Consider this development in light of two others: First, under the Patriot Act, our good buddies in the government no longer need frivolous stuff like eavesdropping warrants.  Their need to protect us far exceeds our need for privacy.  And then there’s the shockingly forgotten detail that the government has been engaged in rampant abuse of this ill-conceived power.  Inexplicably, this minor detail has gotten lost in all the news coverage of the firing of US Attorneys.  Frankly, I’m surprised the FBI can’t take surrepticious  pictures with the cellphones as well.  We’ll get those techies working on that right away.