GPS Tracking Devices, Technology & Privacy: U.S. v. Jones

Ongoing advances in modern technology consistently change the way we think about our privacy rights.  The proliferation of the use of GPS tracking devices used by law enforcement officers and private citizens is no exception.  While obviously beneficial for government agents to track suspects, these devices can also ease the fears of a parent of a teenage driver or a child of an elderly parent still navigating the roads.  On the other hand, though less ethical, these devices can legally be used to track the movements of estranged spouses or to stalk others. 

In an attempt to create some boundaries, the Supreme Court evaluated the constitutional limits on the use of these devices by law enforcement officers in the recent case of United States v. Jones, No. 10-1259 (U.S. Jan. 23, 2012).