Constitutional Law
Police can access Google searches without warrant, state supreme court rules
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled earlier this week that police investigating a rape did not need a warrant to obtain a person’s Google searches. (Image from Shutterstock)
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled earlier this week that police investigating a rape did not need a warrant to obtain a person’s Google searches, the Record reports.
Police trying to find a rapist asked Google to produce a list showing anyone who had searched for the victim’s address in the week before the rape and a home invasion happened, according to the Record.
Google informed police that someone at an IEP address tied to the home of the defendant in the case, John Edward Kurtz, had looked up the victim’s address a few hours before the crime happpened, the Record reports.
In its Dec. 16 opinion, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said internet users conducting searches have no reasonable right to privacy because “it is common knowledge that websites, internet-based applications and internet service providers collect and then sell user data.”
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.
