Hello and thanks for reading/watching….
I think most of us spent a fair amount of time (maybe too much, actually) watching TV cop shows growing up. Regardless of the show, one phrase was drilled into our heads on just about every one….”You have the right to remain silent”. Whether it was from also watching the same shows or from advice, most criminals know to do just that.
However, what if your devices don’t follow the same rules?
Two recent cases caught my attention in the news:
- The first one was when the police legally obtained data from a suspect’s pacemaker
to disprove their alibi
- In the 2nd case, a suspect’s Fitbit’s data was used as evidence against a husband in the trial for murdering his wife.
Kind of makes you wonder….what else has the potential to “rat you out”? Maybe your Nest/Ring device, maybe your new smart washing machine (that might tell the police you did laundry right after a crime) or even your new smart Garage door opener?
You might ask….”Don’t I have the right against self-incrimination?” So far, the courts have looked at these devices as being closer related to a telephone or computer, where usage records have long been used against defendants…..but perhaps this will go to the Supreme Court of most countries for a final determination.
The Bottom Line
So, will knowing this slow down the “smartening” of our society? Considering the minuscule response to the privacy concerns at Facebook, I think that most people just consider this to be part of the new way of life….
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