Today, an Ontario court ruled that Peel Regional Police violated Telus and Rogers cellphone customers’ charter rights when they requested a range of personal information from subscribers in the name of finding information to support a criminal investigation.
The request for information came about as part of a jewellery robbery investigation that the Peel Police were undertaking at the time. They hoped to pinpoint who was using their cellphones in a certain geographic area in which the robbery took place.
According to a report form the Canadian Press, police asked for customer information for all calls routed through a total of 37 cell phone towers during specific time periods under a ‘tower dump production order’.
Telus and Rogers first brought the Charter of Rights challenge before the court in 2014, in response to the police's requests. The requests asked for the cellphone information of tens of thousands of customers.
"We thought that crossed the line and was too broad and intrusive," said Jennifer Kett, a Rogers spokeswoman, in an email.
Rogers' policy is to share customer information "when required by law, or in emergencies after careful consideration of the request,” but this case did not meet their standards.
Peel Regional Police withdrew the requests, but the court still agreed to hear the Charter of Rights challenge.
In the court’s view, the privacy rights of tens of thousands of cellphone users was of "obvious importance."
Judge John Sproat of the Ontario Superior Court said the information the Peel Police requested "authorized unreasonable searches" and breached the charter rights of customers subscribing to their services.
According to a report form the Canadian Press, police asked for customer information for all calls routed through a total of 37 cell phone towers during specific time periods under a ‘tower dump production order’.
Telus and Rogers first brought the Charter of Rights challenge before the court in 2014, in response to the police's requests. The requests asked for the cellphone information of tens of thousands of customers.
"We thought that crossed the line and was too broad and intrusive," said Jennifer Kett, a Rogers spokeswoman, in an email.
Rogers' policy is to share customer information "when required by law, or in emergencies after careful consideration of the request,” but this case did not meet their standards.
In the court’s view, the privacy rights of tens of thousands of cellphone users was of "obvious importance."
Judge John Sproat of the Ontario Superior Court said the information the Peel Police requested "authorized unreasonable searches" and breached the charter rights of customers subscribing to their services.
