The Supreme Court ended its term Monday with a high-profile ruling that violent video games are protected by the First Amendment, but a bigger technology decision could be looming. The court agreed to hear a case next term about when the government can put GPS devices on people's cars — which could produce one of the court's biggest privacy rulings in years.
The GPS issue is important in its own right — the government can learn a lot about us if it tracks everywhere we go by car. But just as important, the case will give the Supreme Court a chance to weigh in about the steady erosion of privacy rights in the Internet age.
At the center of the case is a straightforward question: Do the police need a search warrant to put a GPS tracking device on a suspect's vehicle? The government says no, since it is just following a person's movements in public (albeit with some high-tech assistance). Civil libertarians insist that GPS tracking is so invasive that the Fourth Amendment requires it to have a warrant.
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This is the same issue that Maryland watermen confront. When DNR placed GPS devices on workboats, a spokesman said "we complied with all laws." Translation - "we didn't get a warrant."
ReplyDeleteThe D.C. Circuit case that is up on appeal has it right. It is the mosaic theory. Just because parts of what you can observe about someone are public, if you follow a person EVERYWHERE they go, then you invade their privacy.
Hopefully the Supreme Court will agree and will support our right to be free from unreasonable searches.
A warrant is not that onerous of a requirement. All it means is that police need probable cause. Before you turn on the big brother tracking devices, that's not too much to ask.
Oh of course, please search me and follow me - spy on me - whatever it takes to keep me safe!
ReplyDeleteI love the government and know it will always look out for MY interest!
only the interest on the taxes you owe 12:31
ReplyDelete12:54 lol how true
ReplyDeleteWTH do you think the whole idea of 'Cash for Clunkers' was about? To get the older cars off the road, as all the new cars have GPS already aboard. This is also the reason that many states require a higher gas tax for the older cars and also the same reason that Junk yards are fined for having old vehicles. I shouldn't say fined, I should say they have to pay a certain amount each year for cars over a certain age. So they are only keeping cars that are classics and know they can make money on.
ReplyDeleteOf course it's wrong, but ARE YOU going to stand up and do something about it?
Watch me, Follow me, even listen to my calls, I don't care. Only those that worry about getting caught sweat the small sh**. Let the boys play with there toys, lol NSA has been doing it for years and most of the law abiding public never knew and still don't.
ReplyDelete