Tech Article Assignment 2

In Ottawa, Canada, police need to get a special court order to intercept text messages. An ordinary search warrant is not enough for the police to take your personal messages without you knowing. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that this new search warrant should be issued for intercepting text messages. This scope that is used on a phone is between the two people texting each other. This would mean that this is like a conversation that the court cannot rule to take. Phone calls are using the same communication, and the court explained that text messages should be allowed the same privacy. All phone companies store text messages for up to 30 days after the text is sent or received. This court decision was based on the fact of a phone company having to hand over all text messages between two customers with a police warrant making them.
Since this is in Canada, this will probably not affect the U.S. The U.S might have a case like this in the U.S. probably in the near future. This will make police officers really work on their suspects to get enough evidence to get a warrant. Warrants need a basis off of what they want to apprehend. If the police are going off a hunch, then they will not be able to get the warrant. This will help out the privacy of not releasing any text messages. The Canadians will truly will be able to think they are protected by the Supreme Court. Police officers should also have to make an argument to put you on the actual list of suspects too.

http://tech.ca.msn.com/court-rules-on-text-message-snooping-2

Steve Rennie

March 27, 2013