Overturning Roe Highlights the Dangers of Our Surveillance Economy
The potential overturn of Roe v. Wade turns digital breadcrumbs into criminal evidence, exposing the urgent need for stronger data privacy laws. Without Roe, states use expansive criminal laws and everyday tech surveillance to prosecute reproductive choices.
The potential overturn of Roe v. Wade introduces unprecedented threats that extend far beyond the loss of bodily autonomy, as it highlights how much control people have lost over their digital selves. In our vast and underregulated surveillance economy, the everyday digital breadcrumbs that individuals leave behind easily become potential evidence for criminal investigations.
If the Supreme Court strikes down the landmark ruling, states immediately activate trigger laws to ban abortions and actively pursue severe criminal penalties. Some proposed legislation, such as a bill in Louisiana, classifies abortion as criminal homicide and even subjects the person seeking the procedure to prosecution alongside the provider.
Law enforcement relies heavily on digital data to build cases, meaning routine activities like internet searches, period tracking, and location history turn into tools for policing reproductive choices. The standard mechanisms of the criminal justice system, including charges of conspiracy, attempt, and complicity, threaten to ensnare not just those seeking abortions but also anyone who helps a friend or family member navigate the process.