Police asks Google for location data of all near crime scene
fastcompany.comhttps://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16610088 Previous discussion here.
In fact, the article cited in this article was the one posted previously. It's much more thorough about what happened.
This is really concerning to anyone who values privacy. Even if Google doesn't comply here, this won't be the last request they get. Eventually there will be an event where public opinion is in favor of Google releasing said data (like the Florida school shooting), and it's hard to imagine this not becoming a polarizing topic in the media.
IMO: If they have the data--and they do--eventually they will be forced to release it.
if not for a run of the mill murder it will be done for a terrorist attack, a child kidnapping or something similar. Judges will twist and bend the 4th Amendment and once it's done for that case, it's fair game for all.
The portion of ‘terror’ attacks that authorities already suspected would occur or had been warned might occur is more problematic. And that’s just the ones we hear about. It seems that far too often authorities have the data and struggle to use it. Hitting up companies with full legal fury once the horse has bolted doesn’t help my cynicism.