March 6th Event: Privacy and Safety in the Digital Age

Privacy and Safety in the Digital Age: Location Tracking and Fourth Amendment Concerns

A Panel Discussion    

On January 23rd, a unanimous Supreme Court held in United States v. Jones that when the police attach a GPS device to an individual’s car and use it to track the vehicle’s movements, this constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment. Therefore, unless an exception applies, a warrant is required. However, the Court issued three separate opinions that raised almost as many questions as they answered about the rules going forward for law enforcement use of such technologies. Please join us on Tuesday, March 6th for an in-depth discussion of these questions.  

 WHO:

• Bob Barr, CEO, Liberty Strategies, LLC; former Member of Congress, (R-GA); former U.S. Attorney   
• Peter Eckersley, Technology Projects Director, Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Jeffrey Rosen, Professor of Law, The George Washington University; Legal Affairs Editor, The New Republic, co-author of Constitution 3.0: Freedom and Technological Change  
• Jason Weinstein, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice
• Sharon Bradford Franklin (moderator), Senior Counsel, The Constitution Project   

WHAT:  In today’s world of constantly evolving technology, powerful location tracking devices are a convenience that the general public has integrated into their everyday lives and many of the technologies serve as helpful tools for law enforcement agents in their efforts to gather evidence for criminal investigations. However, they also present new threats to Americans’ privacy rights as laws regulating these rapidly evolving technologies struggle to keep pace. What safeguards are needed to protect Americans’ right to privacy and to ensure that the Fourth Amendment remains inviolate? Join us for a conversation about our society’s struggles to protect privacy and safety in the Digital Age. Our expert panelists will consider these questions and address issues including proposals to amend the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Supreme Court’s recent decision in United States v. Jones.

WHEN:  Tuesday, March 6, 2012 from 11:45a.m.-1:30p.m. A light lunch will be served.     

WHERE:  The Interchurch Center, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 map     

RSVP:  The Constitution Project, rsvp@constitutionproject.org, 202.580.6924

This panel is brought to you thanks to the generous support of Open Society Foundations, The Atlantic Philanthropies, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

The Constitution Project is an Atlantic grantee.