Police Use Google Searches to Identify Suspects, Raising Privacy Concerns

Courts weigh legality of 'reverse keyword' warrants that target internet users' search histories

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Criminal investigators have been using 'reverse keyword' warrants to compel Google to reveal the identities of internet users who searched for specific terms related to crimes, such as addresses or phrases like 'pipe bomb.' While police argue this technique helps solve cases with no clear suspects, privacy advocates warn it threatens the privacy of innocent people and gives law enforcement 'unfettered access' to people's personal online activities.

Why it matters

The use of reverse keyword warrants highlights the growing tension between law enforcement's need to solve crimes quickly and individuals' constitutional rights to privacy. Critics argue these warrants turn every Google search user into a potential suspect, raising concerns about how much access police should have to people's online histories and personal information.

The details

Police have used reverse keyword warrants to investigate a variety of crimes, including a 2016 rape case in Pennsylvania where they obtained a warrant for Google to disclose accounts that searched for the victim's name or address. This led them to a suspect, John Edward Kurtz, a former prison guard who confessed to the rape and several other attacks. While Kurtz's lawyers argued the warrant lacked probable cause, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ultimately upheld its use, with a split decision on the reasons. Prosecutors say reverse keyword warrants are most effective when searching for specific, unusual terms, but civil liberties groups warn they give police 'unfettered access' to people's personal online activities.

  • In 2016, a woman was violently raped in a remote area outside Milton, Pennsylvania.
  • More than a year later, in 2017, Google reported two searches for the victim's address were made a few hours before the assault from a specific IP address.
  • In 2020, John Edward Kurtz was convicted and sentenced to 59 to 280 years in prison for the 2016 rape and four other attacks.
  • In late 2022, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected Kurtz's arguments and upheld the use of the reverse keyword warrant.

The players

John Edward Kurtz

A former Pennsylvania state prison guard who was convicted in 2020 for the 2016 rape of a woman and four other attacks, after police used a reverse keyword warrant to identify him as a suspect.

Douglas Taglieri

The attorney who represented John Edward Kurtz and argued that the police lacked probable cause to obtain the information from the reverse keyword warrant.

Julia Skinner

A prosecutor in the case against John Edward Kurtz who said reverse keyword searches are most effective when targeting specific and unusual search terms.

David Rudovsky

A University of Pennsylvania law professor and civil rights lawyer who expressed concerns about the privacy implications of reverse keyword warrants, asking 'What could be more embarrassing' if people's Google search histories were made public.

David Wecht

A Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice who wrote a dissenting opinion in the Kurtz case, arguing that a user who wants to keep their Google search history private 'does not have to click on Google.'

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.