1.0American Civil Liberties UnionAnika Venkatesh/news/author/anika-venkateshCommonwealth v. Kurtz | American Civil Liberties Unionrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="RQlDhjRDUi"><a href="/cases/commonwealth-v-kurtz">Commonwealth v. Kurtz</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="/cases/commonwealth-v-kurtz/embed#?secret=RQlDhjRDUi" width="600" height="338" title="“Commonwealth v. Kurtz” — American Civil Liberties Union" data-secret="RQlDhjRDUi" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">
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“Reverse searches” are a novel surveillance technique where the police can obtain records reflecting everyone who used a search engine to look up a particular word or phrase. In this case, the lower court approved the police using a reverse search, ruling that people do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy for any query they enter into a search engine. The ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project and State Supreme Court Initiative along with the ACLU of Pennsylvania filed an amicus brief in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court urging the court to reverse the lower court’s decision and hold that search history data is protected by the state and federal Constitution.