I, personally, am very interested in acting on this issue: the attempts to use technology to bypass due process and the 4th amendment are one of the greatest challenges to liberty facing our generation today.
If we start with a resolution, we would do well to plan strong publication/delivery strategies and consider working on suggested legislation to address this. Adopting petitions for issue coalition growth and working with candidates to articulate these issues
would also be a step in the right direction. IMHO, this is a key issue and a great fight for us to take a stand on.
Would any other members be interested in working with me on this initiative?
I have begun a draft resolution we can workshop to get the process started, attached below.
Mahalo nui loa!
Austin Martin
LNC Region 1 Representative
Libertarian Party of Hawaiʻi — Chair
Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono
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Draft Resolution:
Resolution on the Warrantless Dragnet Surveillance of Personal Electronic Devices
WHEREAS, the Libertarian Party fundamentally defends the right of the individual to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, and asserts that the Fourth Amendment strictly prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, including the warrantless
tracking of law-abiding citizens;
WHEREAS, domestic law enforcement agencies are increasingly deploying integrated Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) platforms, such as the Leonardo/ELSAG SignalTrace system, which passively capture Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and RFID emissions from personal electronics
including smartphones, wearables, and vehicle infotainment systems;
WHEREAS, these technologies aggregate these emissions to create unique, persistent electronic "fingerprints," allowing authorities to continuously track the movements of individuals and vehicles across multiple locations without individualized suspicion, probable
cause, or judicial oversight;
WHEREAS, this passive electronic dragnet represents a severe escalation in domestic surveillance, surpassing the invasiveness of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) like Flock Safety cameras, by tracking individuals beyond their vehicles and into public
spaces, buildings, and private gatherings;
WHEREAS, the routine collection and correlation of this movement data systematically treats every citizen as a potential suspect and normalizes mass monitoring; and
WHEREAS, forcing citizens to adopt extreme privacy countermeasures, such as utilizing Faraday bags—which are entirely ineffective for integrated vehicular systems—unjustly shifts the burden of defending constitutional rights onto the individual while failing
to address the root issue of government overreach, especially where tangled with forays into the domestic markets through contractors and private-sector proxies,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) categorically condemns the domestic use of Leonardo/ELSAG’s SignalTrace system and any similar dragnet SIGINT surveillance platforms by local, state, and federal government agencies;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the LNC formally demands that any collection of electronic device signatures, movement data, or digital emissions by law enforcement be strictly prohibited without a targeted warrant issued by a judge based upon probable cause
of a specific crime;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the LNC urges all Libertarian candidates, elected officials, and state affiliates to actively champion legislation at every level of government to ban the warrantless use of passive electronic tracking systems and to restore strict
Fourth Amendment protections in the digital era; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the LNC directs its relevant committees and communications staff to incorporate opposition to passive digital dragnet surveillance into the Party’s ongoing public advocacy, prioritizing digital privacy and government surveillance
reform.
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How does this look for a start?
Feel free to suggest any edits or improvements.
Austin Martin
R1
Subject: Concerns Regarding Leonardo/ELSAG SignalTrace System and 4th Amendment Implications
Dear Libertarian National Committee,
I am writing to bring your attention to an emerging surveillance technology that raises significant privacy and constitutional concerns: Leonardo/ELSAG’s SignalTrace system.
This integrated SIGINT platform is entering wider civilian and law enforcement use. It passively captures Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and RFID signals from common personal devices (smartphones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, earbuds, etc.) to create unique electronic
“fingerprints.” These signatures allow authorities to track individuals and vehicles across multiple locations, even without a license plate or any individualized suspicion.
While the system is marketed for legitimate investigative purposes, its deployment enables the routine, warrantless collection and correlation of movement data on law-abiding citizens. This technology is substantially more invasive and severe than existing
ALPR systems like Flock Safety cameras. Where Flock primarily relies on visible license plates, SignalTrace creates persistent electronic device profiles that follow people beyond their vehicles: parking lots, public spaces, and across correlated locations,
building far richer, harder-to-evade movement profiles without any traditional identifiers.
This represents a substantial expansion of government surveillance capabilities that risks eroding the fundamental protections guaranteed by the 4th Amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Although practical countermeasures like Faraday bags can shield personal device emissions for those who choose to exercise privacy, the deeper issue lies in the systemic normalization of dragnet-style monitoring without adequate constitutional safeguards or
oversight. Faraday bags aren't a functional protection for your car's infotainment system.
As the Libertarian Party, our commitment to individual liberty and limited government requires us to oppose such technologies when they treat every citizen as a potential suspect. I urge the LNC to consider highlighting this issue in our platform advocacy,
public statements, or legislative priorities, particularly in the areas of digital privacy, government surveillance reform, and restoring 4th Amendment standards in the modern era.
I would welcome any thoughts or actions the Committee may be taking on these matters. Thank you for your continued work defending liberty.
Best regards,
Jeffrey F. Wardle
United States Navy
Information Systems Technician First Class