In one US state, police can now use Google search data to identify suspects in serious criminal cases.
A Pennsylvania court has issued a ruling allowing police to use Google search information to identify suspects during criminal investigations, reports say. MEDIA.
The ruling came in a case involving a 2016 kidnapping and rape, when investigators sought to see Google searches related to the victim’s address in the days leading up to the crime. The court said that such action does not violate constitutional rights because, according to it, users do not have a “reasonable expectation of privacy” when conducting Google searches.
From the data Google provided to authorities, police discovered that hours before the attack, an IP address had been queried for the victim's exact location. This helped identify the suspect, and later additional evidence – including DNA traces – confirmed his involvement in the crime.
In its reasoning for the decision, the court said that digital traces such as Google searches can be compared to bank documents or phone records, which authorities have been using for years in investigations.
It was also emphasized that Google clearly states in its rules that it can share data with state bodies.
However, the decision has been criticized by privacy organizations, which warn that this precedent could lead to extensive searches of search data, including those of people who are not directly suspects. /Telegraph/
