Is it even feasible to trust, as the issue suggests? We've probably seen movies or read stories about FBI or CIA officers, some computer-related tricks in a subterranean oval office, and some kind of red circle lines fixed on some person, car, or any other type of vehicle. It can also take the appearance of a dotted red light moving in a tick-tag pattern. Sometimes the victims who are being monitored have no concept of what is going on, as in they have no awareness their phones are being tracked, which begs the question of whether it is criminal to take such action without the owner's knowledge. Well, it depends since in some cases, swapping one's phone without his/her consent can really save the owner's life, while in others, it can do the opposite. So it all relies on why you're tracking in the first place.

Consider the following scenario: if someone is kidnapped and an ultimatum is issued, going the legal route to obtain some sort of license or document that allows the phone to be tracked may be a bad idea, whereas if you are in a position to perform such action, the wisest thing to do is to go ahead and track that phone before it becomes late. The only time it will be unlawful is when it is utilized for offensive purposes, which frequently leads to crime.

Why you should not track phones without the owner's permission

There are certain legal ramifications to illegally tracking a person's mobile phone. Some laws consider it a crime and impose a maximum penalty, while others impose a maximum fine. Although it varies depending on where you live, for US citizens, such behavior is punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison and is classified as a 'C' felony. However, if it stops or intercepts the communication, it is subject to harsher punishment since it is a 'violation of wiretapping law,' which is allegedly a federal offense punishable by a 20-year prison sentence.

In fact, there was a situation where a Dallas husband tracked his wife's phone without her knowledge and even recorded her phone conversations. When the wife found out, she didn't just lose her mind over the whole thing; she sued the husband for invasion of privacy.

With the Global Positioning System becoming more widespread nowadays, determining someone's whereabouts anywhere in the world has never been easier. You don't even have to be concerned if you haven't been to a specific location because you can still go there using the GPS-enabled devices found in most cars. Despite the familiarity of these tracking and positioning gadgets, you may be surprised to learn that they are classified into numerous sorts or categories based on their intended use. And the more complicated the technology, the higher the cost.

The sat-nav or satellite navigation system, which is used by the majority of drivers, is one of the most common forms of GPS systems.

It provides turn-by-turn directions as well as your speed, mileage, and expected arrival time. They are optional features in your vehicle that can be mounted or handled. They also have preloaded maps of the country, city, or location in which you live. It also includes thorough information about local landmarks and notable locations. The cost of sat-nav systems varies according to their features and maps, but the average price is between $100 and $300.

Another type of GPS-enabled device, typically in the form of wristwatches, is utilized in sports. Each of them has features that are tailored to a specific sport or activity. For example, if it is intended for sailors, it will include systems that will inform you of the current nautical conditions. For hikers, there's a built-in compass that gives you the lay of the ground and shows you the path. Running devices may have capabilities such as calorie counters, heart rate monitors, or software that allows you to define workout goals. The most basic of these GPS watches would set you back roughly $150.

Another sort of device is the PDA system, which is similar to a scaled-down version of a personal computer. It basically serves as a reminder of your calendars and appointments. Some of them feature built-in GPS systems, which improve the device's overall productivity. Apart from this, the most recent addition to GPS-enabled gadgets is mobile phones, which provide an extra service.

PRISM is the National Security Agency's monitoring program, which began in 2007. Its declared purpose is to monitor valuable foreign communication that may pass through US systems. The Washington Post, on the other hand, reported that its scope is significantly wider than what it wants people to believe. According to the paper, PRISM is responsible for nearly one out of every seven intelligence reports. In fact, information from Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple, and other well-known technological corporations is vulnerable to PRISM.

What causes it to happen?

Upstream surveillance captures data moving across the Internet; however, the information is frequently partial because it is encrypted. Because it is encrypted, traffic data transmitted on Skype, for example, cannot be intercepted or deciphered. The same is true for Google searches, as all data is transmitted over a secure HTTPS connection. This is the type of information that the NSA seeks, and regrettably, it can compel these corporations to hand over such information under the Foreign Intelligence Monitoring Act with orders from a secret court that oversees government surveillance in the last three years. The NSA is capable of doing so, and any corporation that dares to oppose it has been defeated. Even small-scale service providers are providing collected data to PRISM if the agency requests it.

These firms, as well as the US government, will deny ever providing it out or requesting it. According to sources, while access to these data may not be deemed technically direct, firms have offered portals for the NSA to dig into this abundance of information. Whatever you label it or define it as there is no doubt that this is happening. Although the original intent of PRISM was to monitor solely international communications, there is no denying that it has access to local data as well. There are no specific figures, but the government is requesting metadata from phone providers that include all call logs for each phone number. They may not be listening to each of them individually, but they are clearly keeping note of who you are phoning.