Civil Liberties

Bill Would Require Warrants for Email, Cell Tracking

Get ready for the fireworks

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Police must get warrants to access Americans' e-mail and track their cell phones, according to new privacy legislation that promises to spark a political spat between high-tech firms and law enforcement.

The bill, introduced today by Rep. Zoe Lofgren—a Democrat who represents the heart of Silicon Valley, including the home turf of Apple, Google, and Intel—would generally require law enforcement officials to obtain a search warrant signed by a judge before they can access cloud data or location information.