A number of states already have laws preventing the police from prying on your phone’s location history without a warrant, but they just got another big boost from a court ruling.
Even if it is a vague information like the whereabouts of cell towers you’ve used, a California-based federal judge has determined that cops need those warrants, because you have a reasonable probability that your position data will remain private.
MUST READ: FBI Admits Its Secret Spy Tool Stingray Disrupts Phone Service
The judge says that cellphones can follow you anywhere, and transmit a lot of information. This location data may reveal much more about your life than you’d willingly share. This is accurate especially at home, and other private places where you have plenty of constitutional safeguards.
MUST READ: Canadian jailed for refusing to unlock his phone at the airport
This isn’t the first ruling of the sort and is not legally binding. There’s no guarantee that officers across the US will ask nicely before trying to find out where you’ve been. However, it could have the police thinking twice about playing fast and loose with surveillance technology. They may not be so quick to track your phone, if they know that they risk losing their case.
MUST READ: FBI wants to hide how cops are spying on you via “stingray” cellphone tracker
U.S. Disctrict Court Northern Disctrict of California Opinion on Cellphon Location Privacy
Via MotherBoard | Follow @HackRead
