London is dotted with fake phone mast type devices that are capable of listening in on all phone calls in their vicinity. An investigation by Sky News, revealed that more than 20 of the the ‘Stingray’ devices are in use throughout the city.

It’s long been rumoured that ‘Stingray’ devices are operational in the UK, but despite repeated FOI requests, the police and security services refuse to confirm or deny whether they are the ones operating them. Met chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe’s only comment on the matter is “We’re not going to talk about it”.

The devices are not capable of zeroing in on phone, instead they soak up all available phone data indiscriminately. There’s no legal framework to govern the use of ‘Stingrays’, which means if the police are using them, they are doing so free from any sort of oversight. If it’s not the MET, it’s the Chinese…