Israeli company Cognyte's Falco Net surveillance technology, disguised in vehicles, is being deployed on American streets, raising privacy concerns. The system mimics cell towers, forcing nearby phones to connect and reveal location data. This mass phone tracking, even of innocent citizens, is alarming civil liberty experts and has prompted pushback from courts. Courts are now ruling that such indiscriminate tracking without consent may violate Fourth Amendment privacy protections.

Texas, for instance, purchased four vehicles equipped with this technology for $4.5 million. While law enforcement can use Falco Net to pinpoint suspects, the system cannot differentiate between a target and bystanders, sweeping up data from everyone in the vicinity. This indiscriminate data collection, with unclear retention policies, has led to concerns about government overreach and potential misuse against protesters or for mapping relationships.

The US Supreme Court has reinforced privacy expectations for location data, deeming even short-term tracking a search. Despite controversy and ethical questions surrounding Cognyte's broader claims, Falco Net and similar cell-site simulators are increasingly adopted by US law enforcement. The American Civil Liberties Union has identified 75 agencies in 27 states using such devices. Cognyte, aiming to compete with firms like Palantir, has a global client base and a history of controversial sales to countries with questionable human rights records.