Reverse Keyword Warrant - Law Enforcement Tracking Criminals’ IP With New Search Warrant

Solving a criminal case is difficult for law enforcement. Capturing the suspect and proving their responsibility for the crime requires a meticulous search for clues and evidence. Any process or evidence left could derail the case and set the criminal perpetrator free.

But the search for evidence and suspects often requires “creative” solutions that push the boundary of the law. Case in point: reverse keyword warrant - a process where law enforcement issues a warrant to search engine companies to reveal individuals who searched for particular keywords.

Connectivity of the Online World to Real-Life Events

Issuing warrants on reverse keyword searches stems from the fact that the internet is not a separate entity. People use the internet for their daily activities. Unfortunately, some individuals use the internet for bad intentions.

Its use has yielded positive results. According to WBJF.com, the Pennsylvania State Police used the reverse keyword warrant to find leads related to a 2016 case. Their warrant compelled “Google to disclose accounts that searched for the victim’s name or address over the week when she was attacked.”

As the law enforcement worked with Google, they eventually located the suspect through his IP address. Additional evidence was collected, and the suspect eventually confessed to the crime, along with other crimes he committed years ago. There would have been no initial lead if the Pennsylvania State Police had not used this type of warrant.

Privacy Concerns

This type of warrant has been under scrutiny, especially in its use in other cases. According to Brookings.edu, this type of warrant may go against the Fourth Amendment:

“The Fourth Amendment requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant to conduct searches or seizures that infringe a reasonable expectation of privacy. These warrants may only be issued upon probable cause and must describe the parameters of the search with particularity.”

The idea of “probable case” could be interpreted against the individual or against the case, and the decision is often given to the judge.

The Fourth Amendment challenge to this type of warrant is also used for nearly the same warrant: geofence warrants. This type of warrant compels internet companies to reveal devices within the designated areas on a specific timeline. Since every mobile device has a unique IP address, its location history is recorded.

While this type of warrant helps in tracking down criminals, it is also possible that innocent individuals may be dragged along. The ACLU has called on to stop this type of dragnet warrant because “this practice places hundreds or even thousands of unsuspecting and innocent people in the crosshairs of law enforcement.”

Protecting Your Online Privacy

Protecting your privacy online is extremely important, and these latest warrants should be of concern to anyone who uses the internet. To secure your online transactions and search, always use privacy-focused browsers or search engines, especially when looking for sensitive information. It’s also important to limit your mobile device’s access to your location. Granting location tracking to your apps should be limited.

These warrants are used to trace criminals and crack down on crime. However, it is also important to protect your privacy because your IP address could be used against you. A keyword or a shared location could get you in trouble with the law even if you did nothing wrong.