Detective Travis Stob talks about the value of leveraging Google data in criminal investigations, sharing a case where it provided a viable lead in a gun store burglary. He discusses the process of obtaining search warrants for Google geofence data and the challenges they face in protecting privacy. They also emphasize that access to user data is not a replacement for traditional investigative techniques and privacy concerns are still a priority.
Google is able to collect a lot of information about the people who use its products on their phones, including where they are at any given time. A growing number of police departments across the US are seeking to obtain this data from Google to help solve crimes. Bloomberg’s Davey Alba and Julia Love join this episode to weigh the pros and cons of using location data in law enforcement, and the privacy concerns it raises. And Travis Staab, a police detective in Arizona, shares how he and his colleagues have used the information to track down suspects.
Read more: Google User Data Has Become a Favorite Police Shortcut
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