When Can Police Search Cell Phones?

The following is a MediaNote Classic. It was originally presented in May 2014. After we discuss the MediaNote, Your Humble Blogger will tell you how the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in this case.

You are stopped for a minor traffic violation. Police find guns in your car. Concerned that you might be a dangerous criminal, police seize your cellphone. They search for photos, emails, text messages, phone numbers and anything else indicating criminality. Is this good, attentive police work or is it unreasonable search and seizure? The Supreme Court of the United States will soon decide if a cellphone search is more like a search of a suspected criminal's automobile (which does not need a search warrant) or more like a search of a suspected criminal's home (which DOES need a search warrant). NPR reports.

Questions...

•What types of information do you leave on your cellphone?

•In terms of providing information about you, is a cellphone more like a wallet, or more like a person's home? Why?

•Do you think the police acted responsibly in the San Diego case? Why or why not?

•If police are able to search cellphones of suspected criminals without a warrant, how will it affect us as individuals and as a larger society?

Ultimate Sacrifice for Free Expression

Journalists are often disparaged, sometimes sued, and occasionally killed for exercising their freedom of expression. There is a growing belief that Washington Post Journalist Jamal Khashoggi may have made the ultimate sacrifice for having his beliefs published. NPR reports...

In solidarity with Freedom of Expression, here is the link to Jamal Khashoggi's last column.

Questions...

•Why is free expression important? What would you lose if we didn't have it?

•Should the US be a champion of free expression around the world--or are we just imposing our cultural preferences on others?

•Do we have too much free expression in the US, too little, or is it just about right?

•Will Mr. Khashoggi's suspicious death make his columns more read or less read?

Emergency MediaNote!

This MediaNote was presented to the MW class only.br>
Today at 11:18 am a new text-based emergency warning system will be activated. It supplements the emergency broadcast system that we have seen tested on television down through the years. But in these highly polarized times, there is concern from some that this national system could be misused. NPR reports.

Questions...

•For what sort of situations would the federal government need to send an emergency text message to everyone's phone?

•How might these emergency messages be particularly important to Californians?

•Should citizens have the right to opt out of receiving these messages? Why or why not?

•Are you concerned that President Trump or future presidents will misuse this system? What kind of misuse could you imagine?

NOTE: Glendale College has a text-based warning system called Nixle. If you want to sign up for Nixle (or simply know more about it), follow this link for details.