"Police reported ahead." A simple phrase that has ensued a debate between the NYPD and Google over its GPS/navigation app--Waze. Not only does Waze help guide you from point A to point B, but it can notify you when you should be more careful on the road if police are nearby, especially if you could potentially receive a DWI charge. As an article from Above the Law.com mentions, the app does not specify an officer's identity or provide any details, but just reads the short phrase mentioned above.
The NYPD has most definitely taken notice and demanded that Google's app should disable this function. Given that the first amendment grants us the right to free speech, and that the information is "publicly available," the app should indeed be free to share that information with its users. What the future will hold for this debate will be interesting...will the government deny first amendment rights to Google or will Google be the ones who give a lesson about the right to free speech to the public?
That's all for now!
That's all for now!
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