Flutterby™! : IR cameras need warrant

Next unread comment / Catchup all unread comments User Account Info | Logout | XML/Pilot/etc versions | Long version (with comments) | Weblog archives | Site Map | | Browse Topics

IR cameras need warrant

2001-06-12 13:45:08+00 by Dan Lyke 2 comments

Yay! The Supreme Court has ruled that law enforcement officers need a warrant to use heat detectors on houses.

"Where, as here, the government uses a device that is not in general public use to explore details of the home that would previously have been unknowable without physical intrusion, the surveillance is a 'search' and is presumptively unreasonable without a warrant," Scalia wrote.

[ related topics: Politics Privacy ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:31:48+00 by: Larry Burton

Scalia wrote that? I agree with him but, sheesh, you think you know someone.

#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:31:49+00 by: meuon

Hmm... Is growing pot inside a house a crime to warrant such measures? I think if they are using high gain heat detectors to measure bodies inside a house before the SWAT team enters in a hostage situation, this is a possibly effective use of technology. "Suspicious Pattern of Hot Spots" OK, maybe they saw "grow lights", I'm thinking that the outside wall/windows of the building need some heat tape applied that spells out something appropriate.

I am fearful of the things that I consider normal to my life that would be 'suspicious patterns' to anyone looking hard enough.

Bottom line: Search Warrant should be required.