Supreme Court Considers Use of Cell Location Data in Criminal Investigations

Multiple justices suggested that defendants did not have an expectation of privacy for location data if they voluntarily gave it to cell phone companies.

The Supreme Court in Washington on April 22, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The Supreme Court wrestled on April 27 with the constitutionality of police using cell phone location data while investigating crimes.

During oral arguments, the justices asked attorneys about how much privacy Americans could expect, as well as how authorities could obtain geofencing warrants, or warrants for cell phone data transmitted from a specified location.