If the court grants the order, the investigators then demand that Google or other search engines turn over the IP addresses and account information for any user whose search meets the parameter. In addition to the specific terms, the request usually includes a specific date range, and sometimes a specific geographic area. The handful of keyword warrants that have been made public show how the government uses the tactic to seek unknown suspects.įirst, federal investigators apply to the courts for a warrant seeking information from Google on a specific set of search terms, such as the name or address of a victim.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security - both of whom are are said to utilize keyword warrants - did not immediately respond to 's request for comment. 'Would anyone ever know that this technique had been used? Or how often? Or what data the govt got? Or where that information is now?' she added. But what if it weren't?' tweeted ACLU lawyer Jennifer Granick. 'Another important thing to worry about with keyword warrants: secrecy. Warrants must be narrowly targeted, specific, and based on probable cause.' 'Law enforcement shouldn't have broad access to tracking data. 'Blanket warrants, such as reverse location + reverse keyword warrants, circumvent constitutional checks on police surveillance,' the New York chapter of the ACLU tweeted. The revelation of the sweeping federal warrants drew swift condemnation from privacy advocates and civil liberties groups. Privacy experts also speculate that keyword searches could impact freedom of speech because users may fear that their information will be provided to the government based on what they search for. They fear that allowing keyword warrants will set a precedent for breaching the fourth amendment protection against unreasonable searches.
Police said that he was traced by unique pink construction gloves captured on surveillance video.Ĭybersecurity experts have raised concerns over keyword warrants because they are a type of search term order which are 'effectively fishing expeditions'. Two people died in the 20-day bombing spree, and bomber Mark Anthony Conditt killed himself as authorities closed in on him. The order served on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft demanded the handover of IP and account information for anyone who searched for a range of terms related to bomb making, such as 'low explosives' and 'pipe bomb.' The most sweeping was a keyword hunt for the serial bomber who struck Austin, Texas in 2018. However, officials have not publicly disclosed how often they use keyword warrants requests, or the number of users whose data has been turned over by private tech companies.įorbes reported that only a handful of keyword warrant requests have been made public. The federal government claims the scope of the warrants is limited, which allegedly avoids implicating innocent people who search the specific terms by happenstance.
The FBI tried to use keyword searches to identify Austin bomber Mark Anthon Conditt To make matters worse, police are currently doing this in secret, which insulates the practice from public debate and regulation.' 'This never-before-possible technique threatens First Amendment interests and will inevitably sweep up innocent people, especially if the keyword terms are not unique and the time frame not precise. 'Trawling through Google's search history database enables police to identify people merely based on what they might have been thinking about, for whatever reason, at some point in the past,' said Jennifer Granick, surveillance and cybersecurity counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union.
Keyword warrants - which have been secretly employed for at least several years - are drawing backlash as many argue they violate an individual's constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure. The controversial practice, which is already drawing civil liberties concerns about sweeping government overreach, was revealed on Tuesday in 'accidentally unsealed' court documents obtained by Forbes. government is using 'keyword warrants' to uncover the identity of anyone who searches Google and other search engines for certain search terms that may be related to a crime, according to a new report.
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