Roe V. Wade was overturned. Here's how your phone could be used to spy on you.

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 13:15:00 GMT
Scientific American - Technology

From figuring out how often you go to the bathroom to potentially being used to prosecute you, your...

SOPHIE BUSHWICK: If Roe v. Wade is overturned, so-called trigger laws already passed in 13 states could ban abortion in large parts of the country.

First of all, your phone is a major tracker of personal information.

It records a huge volume of data, your browsing information, location data, and payment history, that, taken together, can reveal your most intimate activities, such as how many times you go to the bathroom.

If a basic activity like reproductive healthcare becomes criminalized, experts say courts could then issue a warrant for your device, which would then reveal all of that personal information.

Even with Roe intact, digital footprints have been used against people seeking to terminate pregnancies.

In case you didn't know, data brokers have been collecting your personal information for years, and they sell that data for a fee.

Experts say there is actually precedent for law enforcement using data brokers to sidestep the Fourth Amendment.

They could use geofence or other location data, part of your digital footprint, to find everyone who had visited a clinic.

It's important to note that apps have no obligation to keep your data secure and private, and HIPAA does not really apply here.

That's why some privacy advocates call for pressuring these companies directly to keep your data private and safe.