Letter: If you want privacy, turn off your cell phone
Margaret Sullivan (Nov. 29) seems to be arguing that a convicted criminal should be turned loose so as to protect Ms. Sullivan’s operations as a journalist.
Carpenter v. United States is a criminal case; no journalist was targeted by the cell phone data at issue.
Whether the cell phone data should be excluded from trial has nothing to do with Ms. Sullivan’s First Amendment rights.
Ms. Sullivan is always free to turn off her cell phone when she interviews a confidential source.
The Fourth Amendment protects against “unreasonable searches and seizures.”
What is “unreasonable” about the FBI using obvious evidence to help convict a robber? Seems like common sense to me.
The exclusionary rule makes absolutely no sense.
It turns a blind eye to good evidence, and as a result may turn a serious criminal back onto the street.
The rule is another case of the criminal justice system’s disregard for the safety of the potential future victims of career criminals.
Bottom line for criminals and reporters alike: If you do not want your location to be traceable, turn off your cell phone.
There is nothing “private” about broadcasting your location through thin air accessible to anyone. Welcome to the digital world!
William R. Clarke, Richland
This story was originally published December 12, 2017 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Letter: If you want privacy, turn off your cell phone."