R v Spencer

2014 SCC 43
Supreme Court of CanadaSaskatchewan2014Privacy in subscriber informations. 8 — Unreasonable search and seizure
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Case Overview

Police obtained ISP subscriber information without a warrant in a child exploitation investigation.

Legal Issue

Privacy in subscriber information

Decision

Subscriber information attracts a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Why this Case Matters

Required judicial authorization for many forms of subscriber data requests.

What Changed Because of This Case

Made warrantless subscriber-info requests presumptively unconstitutional.

Practical Implications for Investigators

Use a production order or warrant for any subscriber data tied to an identifiable individual.

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