The Supreme Court has agreed to decide the constitutionality of 'geofence warrants,' which allow police to collect cellphone location history from all users near a crime scene, raising major privacy concerns.
The Supreme Court announced it will review the legality of 'geofence warrants,' a controversial investigative method where police obtain location data from all cellphones within a specific geographic area and time period, often from companies like Google. The case in question involves Okello Chatrie, who was arrested and convicted for a 2019 bank robbery in Virginia after police used a geofence warrant to identify him through his location history near the crime scene. Chatrie's lawyers argue these warrants violate privacy by collecting data on individuals with no connection to a crime, challenging the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches. Prosecutors contend that users waive privacy expectations by opting into location services. While a federal judge initially found a rights violation, the evidence was allowed due to the officer's good faith. Federal appeals courts have issued conflicting rulings on the issue, setting the stage for the Supreme Court to clarify the constitutional limits of this increasingly popular police tool. Arguments are expected later this year.
