This isn't the first state to toughen up its cellphone tracking laws; Minnesota, Utah and Virginia already have comparable legislation. The Washington measure is going to affect a larger slice of the American population, however, and it suggests that the standards for cellphone surveillance are getting tougher overall. Police in states without these laws not only don't need to disclose that they're using a stingray, but merely need to prove that they're collecting "relevant" data -- they can violate someone's privacy without telling others what's going on, and might just scoop up conversations from innocent people. Theoretically, Washington and like-minded states are forcing cops to be accountable for their actions and think twice before they resort to intrusive technology to catch criminals.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson]