U.S. Supreme Court Favors Cell Phone Privacy
On June 25, 2014, the US Supreme Court issued a an important ruling in favor of cell phone privacy.
The court ruled that a police officer must have a warrant in order to search the cell phone of a person placed under arrest.
This decision, in Riley v. California, was long awaited by those who cherish the privacy protections found in the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Privacy advocates had feared that the Supreme Court would brush privacy concerns under the rug. Nevertheless, in a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court dealt a strong blow in favor of privacy. Nowadays, cell phones carry a vast amount of data, in the form of photos, videos, email correspondence, text messaging, and contact information. In order for the Fourth Amendment to have continued vitality, it is essential that modern forms of communication be given constitutional protection.
The Riley decision will give comfort to those who cherish freedom and privacy against intrusion by the government.
