Supreme Court Justices Hint at New Digital-Privacy Protections

U.S. Supreme Court justices aired concerns about privacy in the digital age, hinting they may curb the power of law enforcement officials to track people using mobile-phone data.

In a spirited argument that went 20 minutes beyond its scheduled hour on Wednesday, the justices considered requiring prosecutors to get a warrant before obtaining mobile-phone tower records that show a person’s location over the course of weeks or months.

"This is highly personal information," Justice Stephen Breyer said.

The case could have a far-reaching impact. Prosecutors seek phone-location information from telecommunications companies in tens of thousands of cases a year.