Let’s say you throw your old cellphone in the trash – but neglect to wipe its contents. Can a police officer who finds the phone during an investigation start scrolling through it – and access a trove of information about your life – without first getting a search warrant?
Can a police officer who finds a cellphone during an investigation start scrolling through the device and access a trove of information about your life without first getting a search warrant?
A Hampton man was convicted for shooting at a security guard after police linked him to the scene through a cellphone he left behind. Privacy rights advocates are now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case, arguing police should have obtained a warrant to look through the phone.