#195: Textalyzer

When it comes to tech policy, New York seems to lead the way in… interesting ideas. The government has an important role in making sure our roads are safe for driving. This means there’s nothing abnormal about a police officer checking their blood alcohol levels with a breathalyzer. But the “textalyzer” is a different animal: law enforcement scanning phones to see if drivers were “texting” before an accident raises a host of privacy and cybersecurity concerns, among other issues. Manufactured by Cellebrite, an Israel-based tech company, the textalyzer is still months away from coming to market. But New York is considering legislation that would authorize law enforcement to use the textalyzer when it’s available for purchase. Are these types of searches legal under current case law, and what would they mean for civil liberties? Evan is joined by Dan King, an Advocate at Young Voices. For more, see his op-ed.