It was decided on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, that police can track suspects by using their own cell phones against them. Due to that decision, many may wonder if there is any place to call private.

Melvin Skinner was sentenced to 20 years in jail for a "large-scale drug-trafficking operation" - 1000 pounds of marijuana in a motor home, after being tracked by GPS using his prepaid cell phone number.  He was also charged with aiding and abetting the attempt to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. That was 2006.

Skinner's lawyers have since tried to repeal this decision, claiming a violation of the Fourth Amendment, safety from unreasonable search and seizure. However, it was stated that there was no violation of the Fourth Amendment. Skinner should not have had any reasonable expectation of privacy in the data that would be given off voluntarily by his prepaid phone, the court noted, as the use of third-party providers takes away from one's desire for privacy.

It was six years ago that police used GPS to track Skinner, and it may seem there never was privacy since then. The Court decided that law enforcement will not be needing warrants for cell phone tracking in United States of America v. Melvin Skinner.

Now that there is no need for probable cause, many might wonder if they may be targeted by the ones sworn to protect them. While not every person is a criminal in disguise, it can be said that nobody can hide from the prying eyes of the government.