It seems like something out of a movie; the evil guys are discussing their evil plans in some abandoned warehouse, certain that the area is clean of bugs and that the good guys have no way of eavesdropping. But little do they know that the good guys are secretly listening in on the conversation...through a smartphone.

Seems like Hollywood's version of high technology may be based on reality. Documents from a recent court ruling show that the FBI can remotely hack a mobile to turn its microphone on and pick up nearby audio, even when the gadget itself is off.

While it's good to see that law enforcement is staying in the game, imagine the privacy concerns this may cause. If such technology is available to the FBI, who's to say it isn't for John Q. Public? It isn't above certain people to snoop on their neighbors, and they aren't limited by judicial oversight like government agencies are.

Thanks to Mobile Tracker for the heads up.