Senator Mark R. Warner, (D-Virginia), has requested wireless carriers to preserve all SMS and MMS communications that were created and sent out by their subscribers in the days that surround last week’s U.S. Capitol riots. According to the report, the senator has requested the CEOs to preserve these communications from the days leading up to, during the day, and after the commotion.
According to the senator, “Along with the rest of the world, I know you watched with horror as an angry mob incited by the President and prominent Republican officials and media personalities ransacked the Capitol and threatened the safety and lives of those within it.”
The senator shares that law enforcement agencies should be seeking assistance from wireless networks since rioters took photos at the riot and either posted these on their social media accounts or sent these out to other friends through text or messaging platforms. Warner shares that these may be used as “critical evidence in helping to bring these rioters to justice.”
A spokesperson for T-Mobile has confirmed receipt of the letter and promised that they will “cooperate fully with requests from law enforcement.”
In addition to this, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert spoke on CNBC last January 7 and said that they “were shocked” as the events unfolded. Their initial reaction was to make sure that their employees were safe and that their network was operating without any problems so that the public could stay connected.
The CEO also spoke to his employees that they need “to denounce” when something like these takes place. “The violent destruction of our sacred, democratic processes, that has to be denounced.”
Other carriers have also spoken up and promised to provide assistance to law enforcement officers. In addition to that, AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon have all announced that they would be suspending political contributions to lawmakers who made a vote against certifying the Electoral College vote.
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