The Hispanic Institute is concerned about the news that Carrier IQ software, which is installed in over 150 million cell phones nationwide, may be harvesting user activity data and providing it to phone companies without the user’s knowledge and consent.

Hispanic consumers use cell phones to communicate and to access the internet more than most other groups and are especially vulnerable to any breach of cell phone privacy. This issue goes beyond the Hispanic community, however and threatens the right to privacy of every American who uses a cell phone. Congress has already expressed alarm that information gathered by software like carrier IQ may be accessed by third party entities/companies which develop smart phone apps.

The news that surveillance software which can track and eavesdrop on cell phone users is being sold to repressive regimes overseas increases the risk that such technology can be abused here. Stories on surveillance technology trade shows, dubbed “wire-tappers balls” indicated that many US agencies attend them.

Carrier IQ’s makers insist they have done nothing wrong, the potential for serious, widespread abuse of surveillance technology exists, and extreme vigilance is required to protect Americans.