Posted on Jul 4, 2022
Police used a reverse keyword Google search to find an accused killer. He says that's illegal.
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A teen charged with setting a fire that killed five members of a Senegalese immigrant family in Denver, Colorado, has become the first person to challenge police use of Google search histories to find someone who might have committed a crime, according to his lawyers.
The pushback against this surveillance tool, known as a reverse keyword search, is being closely watched by privacy and abortion rights advocates, who are concerned that it could soon be used to investigate women who search for information about obtaining an abortion in states where the procedure is now illegal.
In documents filed Thursday in Denver District Court, lawyers for the 17-year-old argue that the police violated the Constitution when they got a judge to order Google to check its vast database of internet searches for users who typed in the address of a home before it was set ablaze on Aug. 5, 2020. Three adults and two children died in the fire.
The pushback against this surveillance tool, known as a reverse keyword search, is being closely watched by privacy and abortion rights advocates, who are concerned that it could soon be used to investigate women who search for information about obtaining an abortion in states where the procedure is now illegal.
In documents filed Thursday in Denver District Court, lawyers for the 17-year-old argue that the police violated the Constitution when they got a judge to order Google to check its vast database of internet searches for users who typed in the address of a home before it was set ablaze on Aug. 5, 2020. Three adults and two children died in the fire.
Police used a reverse keyword Google search to find an accused killer. He says that's illegal.
Posted from nbcnews.com
Google
Police
Law Enforcement
Immigration
Denver
Posted >1 y ago
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Hey! I'm not an expert, but that's quite a legal debate. It's interesting that the teen is challenging the use of reverse keyword searches. I think privacy concerns in such cases are valid, and it's crucial to ensure that law enforcement actions align with constitutional rights. I wonder how this might impact other cases and if there will be more discussions around the use of similar surveillance tools. It's definitely something to keep an eye on as it unfolds.
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Good article. Warrants usually focus on micro level to obtain specific evidence. Some worry about scope becoming a blanket writ of assistance for mass search.
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