The Supreme Court of the United States is concerned about police using GPS devices to secretly track the movements of suspects. In fact, many people feel that this is exactly what George Orwell was talking about when he wrote about “big brother” in his book “1984”. President Obama is in full favor of using this technology to track criminals, and his administration is pushing to have this GPS technology used by law enforcement agencies across the country, while other officials feel that this is going to be a way for the government to constantly monitor all citizens.
What Will Happen?
This case began back in 2005 when police in Maryland secretly installed a GPS device in a suspect’s vehicle. The person in question was suspected of drug trafficking, and his movements were tracked for a month before an arrest was made. One judge said that he didn’t like the way the device was installed secretly, while another said that this action was actually more like trespassing because the suspect did not know the device had been attached. There are good arguments for both sides, and many are waiting with baited breath to see the outcome of this particular case.
If it is decided that it does go against the personal freedoms of citizens for police to secretly install GPS devices on some vehicles, it could lead to many more restrictions for law enforcement officials. For instance, this could greatly curtail the use of mobile phones by police, and even the use of satellites and surveillance cameras, which have both been in use for crime prevention for many years.
Is It Really an Invasion of Privacy?
Many people feel that law enforcement secretly using GPS is an invasion of privacy. In fact, according to the Deputy Solicitor General of the US Justice Department Michael Dreeben, using GPS devices is no different from using other forms of police surveillance, and that it is not going to be used as a way to spy on law-abiding citizens. In fact, this type of technology can only be used while the suspect in question is actually in the vehicle and out on public roads. Once they leave their vehicles, their privacy will not be compromised in any way. Of course, there are nay-sayers who feel that this technology will be used to monitor anyone once they have left their home, and this is where the debate lies. Many people are left wondering if this use of GPS technology is ethical, and just how far it is going to be taken.
Each side has valuable contributions to the argument. Yes, this technology is a wonderful way to be able to track suspects and those who are on probation after committing violent crimes, but it can also be a bad thing if it ends up being used to track other citizens who are just going about their daily lives. Only time will tell the outcome of this case, which is expected to wrap up by next June.
