The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. July 9, 2012 Law Enforcement Made 1.3 Million Requests for Cell Phone Records in 2011 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Newly disclosed records show the nation's wireless carriers have received a surge in law enforcement requests for customers' cell phone records. In new reports to Congress, cell phone companies say they received 1.3 million inquiries from law enforcement agencies last year for information — including text messages and callers' locations. Many carriers rejected demands they found to be legally suspect and at least one carrier referred some requests to the FBI for potential improprieties. A large number of the requests were made without the backing of warrants or court orders. .