Citizens would’ve remained in the dark about the test-runs were it not for a Freedom of Information request – ensuing outcry compelled Scottish forces to temporarily shelve plans for wider implementation.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK data watchdog, has demanded mobile phone hacking devices not be issued to police officers until their legality has been conclusively established.
Scottish police conducted two trials of the technology in the cities of Edinburgh and Stirling in 2016 and 2017 respectively, without warning the public, confirming whether the devices complied with data protection laws, or carrying out Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessments or Privacy Impact Assessments.