Google Glass: Is it really worth all the extra baggage?
While Google Glass has many professed benefits, they may be outweighed when compared to the legal and social ramifications Google Glass totes along. [...]
Privacy
Articles examining the issues affecting the reasonable expectation of privacy.
“Don’t Tase Me, Bro!”: Legal implications of new technology devices on individual privacy interests
Hot new gadgets beg the question: is there really a reasonable expectation of privacy in today’s society? [...]
Using your phone as a mobile bank teller? You may be risking your privacy
The increased use of mobile banking may make it easier for law enforcement agencies to gather information that most would prefer to keep private. [...]
“Sexting”: From bad judgment to a registered sex offender
Teenagers that do not fully comprehend the legal ramifications of sending sexually explicit text messages are finding themselves labeled as convicted sex offenders for the rest of their lives. [...]
Eyes in the Sky: Unmanned Drones Remain a Hot Topic
Drones continue to make headlines, as the President tries to supervise military drones while further drone usages continue to be found at home. [...]
Drug testing for Welfare recipients: as simple as it sounds?
N.C. Senate Bill 594, which would mandate drug testing for all welfare beneficiaries and require the beneficiary to front the testing costs, is far from a simple “solution” to a quite complex issue. [...]
Avoiding the Orwellian Future: Privacy implications of increased public surveillance
Throughout history, pop culture has been a discussion board of sorts for society’s concerns about omnipresent government surveillance. George Orwell’s novel 1984, a classic tale of “Big Brother,” “thought control,” and pervasive government surveillance, is required reading in many high school English courses. More recently, the hit show “Person of Interest” on the CBS network has grappled with these types of concerns. Viewers watch as a vigilante goes about New York City [...]
Blue Lights to Black Robes? The Problems with House Bill 397
The North Carolina House of Representatives recently filed a controversial bill that would allow superior court clerks, magistrates, sheriffs with at least ten years of experience, and law enforcement officers with 25 years of experience to become District Court judges. House Bill 397, known as the “Expand District Judge Eligibility” bill, is sponsored primarily by Justin Burr of Albemarle, Jeff Collins of Rocky Mount, and Mike Stone of Sanford. The bill rewrites Section 22 of [...]
Tracking Devices on Student ID Badges: An Unconstitutional Violation of Privacy or a Legitimate Safety Precaution?
Recent increases in violent acts in schools have left school officials struggling to find a balance between student safety and student liberty. Fraser recognized that students’ constitutional rights in public schools “are not automatically coextensive with the rights of adults in other settings,” but the court also held in Tinker that school officials must ensure a student’s constitutional rights are not violated before restricting speech, invading privacy, or disciplining a [...]
No Honor Among Thieves: The Legacy of U.S. v. Alvarez and the Stolen Valor Act
Believe it or not, we are still living in a time of war. While the White House has declared an end to the war in Iraq, and the war in Afghanistan is “winding down,” the truth is that we still have American soldiers deployed in hostile areas. Many of our service members return from deployment with experiences the rest of us at home will never see. To recognize these unusual experiences, the United States has a system of military honors to recognize those service members who conduct [...]
The Future of Strip Searches
The Fourth Amendment, originally adopted in the Bill of Rights in response to abuse of the writ of assistance (a type of general search warrant) during the American Revolution, contains the well-known prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures. The rights granted by this amendment have been extended into the walls of prisons across the country, particularly to detainees and inmates who retain most of their constitutional rights while incarcerated. The strip search, a process [...]
