Most Americans expect the Fourth Amendment — which protects individuals from illegal searches — to extend to their digital lives. In general, this expectation matches reality: unless law enforcement comes knocking with a warrant, the government cannot search a person’s phone or computer. However, cars are treated differently, and as “connected cars” become increasingly linked to people’s digital identities, there is a risk that police will use this exception to conduct digital searches without warrants. In an op-ed for TechCrunch, Daniel Castro and Alan McQuinn call on Congress to close this loophole.
