In a rare unanimous decision on June 25, 2014, the Court, in Riley v. California, determined that a police officer generally may not, without a warrant, search digital information on a cellphone seized from an individual under arrest.  Chief Justice Roberts, delivering the opinion, wrote that “modern cell phones . . . are now such…

The New York Times recently revealed that the NSA was collecting images of foreign targets from around the globe. With the increasing ease of data transmission and the increasingly public lives of individuals through social media and other means, the NSA has a vast resource for investigating various terrorist threats. It simply collects a few…

It is undeniable that the Internet has given rise to an unprecedented access of information.  Over the past decade, Internet transmission speeds have skyrocketed and individual users have been given greater latitude in cyberspace. While these technological leaps have resulted in faster streaming services, such as Netflix and Hulu, better online gaming experiences, and more…

For the past few weeks, it has been impossible to escape the scandal surrounding the Los Angeles Clippers and the team’s owner, Donald Sterling.  After Sterling’s racially charged remarks came to light, the NBA responded by levying a lifetime ban, $2.5 million fine, and threatened to force a sale of the team.  While these comments…

As the Supreme Court determines whether phones will be insulated from warrantless searches, privacy has come to the forefront of debates across the nation. Just yesterday, the White House released a report on “Big Data: A Technological Perspective” to discuss the ramifications that big data may have on privacy in the future due to the…

Searching the data in a cell phone, without a warrant, as a search incident to arrest, does not violate the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The Fourth Amendment guarantees: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures; shall not be violated…

For many years, privacy advocates have raised concerns regarding the GPS feature in motor vehicles.   The new concern pertaining to GPS technology is that the GPS may be leading marketing companies straight to the driver. There is a potential for privacy violations if this technology continues to go unregulated.  The mechanisms that are being incorporated…

U.S. Supreme Court precedence has established that although the First Amendment’s right to the protection of free speech is strong, this right is not ironclad.  When an individual works for the public sector, his free speech is susceptible to more intrusion and more regulation since, in being an employee of the government, he represents himself…

Innovations in technology are typically associated with countless benefits and new potential improvements to the way we live. Google Glass is expected to hit the market in April 2014.  This new technology will allow an individual to wear glasses with the capabilities of a computer. Google Glass allows the wearer to take pictures, record video,…

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals recently overturned the FCC’s imposed regulations for net neutrality; however, it also provided a silver lining that permits the FCC to regulate broadband carriers to promote competition. Verizon v. FCC, 740 F.3d 623 (D.C. Cir. 2014). In addition to these recent developments, Comcast has recently acquired Time Warner Cable,…