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Supreme Court rules constitutional privacy protections apply to cellphone users location history
By Mark Sherman, Associated Press at KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate)
· June 29, 2026
· 2 min read
The Supreme Court held Monday that constitutional privacy protections extend to cellphone location information, ruling in the case of a bank robber whose identity was discovered through a geofence warrant.Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the 6-3 court that people don’t forfeit expectations of privac...
Key takeaway Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the 6-3 court that people don’t forfeit expectations of privacy even when they opt into Google’s location history.
Why this matters in The San Antonio
The Supreme Court's decision to extend constitutional privacy protections to cellphone location information has significant implications for San Antonio residents. As people go about their daily lives in the city, their cellphone location history could potentially be used by law enforcement to gather information about their whereabouts. The court's ruling suggests that individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy, even when they opt into location services like Google's. This decision could impact how local law enforcement agencies in Bexar County use geofence warrants to investigate crimes, and may lead to changes in how they obtain and use cellphone location data. San Antonio residents should be aware of their rights and the potential consequences of sharing their location information with third parties, and local authorities will need to re-examine their procedures for obtaining and using this type of data.
About this story
Original reporting by KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) . The San Antonio surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: June 29, 2026 ·
Source: KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) ·
Reading time: 2 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? The Supreme Court held Monday that constitutional privacy protections extend to cellphone location information, ruling in the case of a bank robber whose identity was discovered through a geofence warrant.Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the 6-3 court that people don’t forfeit expectations of privac...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 29, 2026 by KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) and curated for The San Antonio readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Mark Sherman, Associated Press at KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate). To learn more about how The San Antonio selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The San Antonio, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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