The US Supreme Court is hearing arguments in Chatrie v. United States, a case challenging police use of 'geofence warrants' that compel tech companies to provide location data from all devices in a specified area. This practice raises significant Fourth Amendment concerns about digital privacy and the scope of government surveillance without individualized suspicion. The outcome could redefine privacy protections for location data stored by companies like Google.
Background
Geofence warrants allow law enforcement to request location data from tech companies for all devices in a specific area during a time period, rather than targeting individual suspects. Google's Location History feature provides precise, frequently updated location data that has become a common tool for investigations.
- Source
- The Verge
- Published
- Apr 29, 2026 at 02:45 AM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10