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Sen. Charles Schumer Seeks To Make Covert GPS Tracking Illegal

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Sen. Charles Schumer wants to make it illegal to track a person's movements by placing a GPS tracker on their car without their permission.

At a news conference in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday, the New York Democrat said covert GPS tracking of a person's vehicle amounts to an invasion of privacy and could pose a significant risk to domestic violence victims, ex-spouses or others.

Small GPS devices can be easily attached to a vehicle without the owners' knowledge. Its movements can then be monitored online.

Sen. Charles Schumer Seeks To Make Covert GPS Tracking Illegal

Schumer's proposed legislation would offer limited exceptions, including ones for law enforcement investigations and parents who want to monitor their child's whereabouts.

"Federal laws prohibit stalking," Schumer told reporters, including WCBS 880's Monica Miller. "However, because GPS devices are new technology, it's not included in the federal law."

The devices are sometimes used by abusive spouses, said Judge Judy Kluger, executive director for Sanctuary for Families.

"Domestic violence is essentially about power and control, and stalking is a frightening tool that abusers use to terrify and control their victims," Kluger said.

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