Supreme Court rules your cellphone location data is protected by the Fourth Amendment

Geofencing warrants, which round up the location data of everyone in a specific place at a specific time, are now legally subject to Fourth Amendment protections.

By: Anne Toomey McKenna, Penn State, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 30, 2026

Words: 1,741

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

Body Text Preview

By Anne Toomey McKenna, Penn State

Law enforcement officials frequently draw virtual fences around areas of interest and require Google to identify every cellphone in the area using cell location history. Dubbed a “geofence search,” officers obtain a warrant that permits a multistep, give-and-take information sharing process between officers and tech employees that winnows down and identifies subjects.

On June 29, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that whenever police obtain an individual’s cell …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us