Canada’s Royal Mounted Police (RCMP) have disclosed that they use spyware to infiltrate mobile devices and collect data, according to a public statement made on Thursday by a Canadian rights organization.
The country’s Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) claims it found the revelation buried in a document presented to the Canadian Parliament on June 22, 2022. The RCMP’s admission reportedly came in response to lawmakers questioning the government’s use of surveillance on Canadian citizens. As stated by the CCLA, this marks the first time a police service in Canada has openly admitted to using controversial and invasive surveillance tools in targeted investigations.
The document was previously reported by Politico, which stated that the RCMP’s Covert Access and Intercept Team (CAIT) used “on-Device Investigative Tools” to remotely collect texts, emails, photos, videos, financial information and even turn on microphones and cameras remotely on target devices. The process was reportedly used only after obtaining a warrant, and implemented in 10 investigations between 2018 and 2020. It is also noted that Canada’s privacy commissioner was not consulted on the use of such methods.