Can an individual be compelled under the law to unlock a smart phone (cell phone)?

Issue:

Is existing law sufficient to protect an individual's rights when law enforcement agencies seek access to data stored on smart phones, tablet computers, and other mobile devices?

Research Questions:

Is there or should there be a right to privacy that would protect an individual from being compelled to allow law enforcement access to data stored on a smart phone or similar device (e.g. tablet computers).
What are the legal and ethical implications of requiring device designers and/or vendor to provide bypass mechanisms to allow law enforcement agencies to access data stored on smart devices?
Approach:

Research the case listed above (State of Oregon v. Pittman) and similar cases in the United States at both the state and federal levels.
Research the right to privacy and whether or not it extends to protecting data stored on smart phones and similar devices.
Research instances where law enforcement agencies have sought the assistance, willing or not, of smart phone designers and vendors, to obtain access to data stored on the devices. (See https://www.apple.com/customer-letter/ )
Using your research, address the legal question and issue listed in this assignment.
Using your research, analyze the importance of the research questions. (Why do these questions need to be answered? What is the potential impact of having or not having answers?)
Using your research, analyze and respond to the two research questions.
Develop three or more best-practice based recommendations for Smart Phone designers which can address the need to (a) ethically protect smartphone users' privacy and security and (b) comply with federal and state laws regarding law enforcement access to evidence in criminal cases.
Main question

Project 1: Privacy, Ethics, and Law Enforcement Access to Smart Phones

Using your research, about 8-page analysis of the legal and ethical questions/issues listed in this assignment. Your research paper must include the following:

An Introduction section that provides information about the case and legal question under study including a summary of the legal and ethical issues.
An Analysis section in which you address the following:
Why is the stated issue important?
Why are the research questions important? (Include both ethical and legal principles in your analysis of the questions).
Your research-based analysis which provides answers to the research questions (including citations to sources which support your position).
A Summary and Conclusions section.
You should have at least ten different, authoritative or scholarly sources cited in your work and listed in your reference list.

Case: State of Oregon v. Pittman

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Title Privacy Ethics and Law Enforcement Access to Smart Phones Introduction The case of State of Oregon v Pittman raises important legal and ethical questions regarding the extent to which individuals can be compelled to unlock their smartphones and allow law enforcement access to data stored on these devices In this analysis we will examine the existing laws pertaining to privacy and law enforcement access to smartphones the right to privacy in relation to data stored on these devices and the ethical implications of requiring device designers and vendors to provide bypass mechanisms for law enforcement Analysis 1 Importance of the Issue The issue at hand is of utmost importance as it involves the balance between individual ... View the full answer