US Supreme Court appears split over controversial use of ‘geofence’ search warrants
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of geofence warrants, which allow police to search tech company location databases for anyone near a crime scene. The justices appeared divided, and a ruling is expected before the term ends.
Why this matters: Geofence warrants do not start with a suspect. They start with a location and scoop up everyone whose phone was nearby. That means your data goes into a criminal investigation because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The tech companies holding that data — Google, Apple, others — become tools of mass identification on demand. How the court lands here will set the rule for every police department in the country. A split court means the outcome is genuinely uncertain, and so is how much location privacy your phone actually gives you.
Who should care: Lawyers · Compliance · Privacy officers · Cybersecurity
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