GPS Tracking Laws by State 2024

With all the good that technology has given us, in the wrong hands, it can also be very bad. This is just one reason why GPS tracking laws have begun to garner attention. Privacy is no longer something we can take for granted. Drones, hackers, and GPS tracking devices are just a few examples of how technology can be used in the most invasive ways.

At the onset, mobile tracking systems like GPS were all the rave. Private investigators, law enforcement officials, and others were finding creative and innovative uses for these technologies. Today, the availability of these types of devices has made them accessible to everyone - and that isn't always a good thing.

When put to good use, parents can help keep their children safer. Caregivers can keep better watch over the elderly or sick. However, in the wrong hands, there are countless scenarios where these systems and devices can become nefarious tools.

Growing Concerns Spark Action

The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) recently reported on this very subject. The good news is that states are beginning to take action to thwart ill-intended users of GPS and other tracking systems.

To date, according to the NCSL report, 26 states have taken action to address these concerns. The breakdown looks like this:

Eleven states include GPS and other location tracking as part of the state’s stalking laws. These states include Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Washington, and Wyoming. The District of Columbia also considers location tracking to be covered under anti-stalking laws.

There are nine states that make it illegal to install location tracking devices in a vehicle without the consent of the vehicle’s owner. This has been a growing problem as GPS tracking devices become more mainstream, and has led to many potentially unsafe situations. The states with this type of law are Delaware, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.

In California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia, the laws are even more strict. No one may use location tracking devices in these states to follow the location or movement of another person. Only when the person has explicitly consented to share this location data with another person will it be allowed.

With the growing popularity of GPS and other location-tracking devices, the list of states who have enacted legislation to deal with the potential safety concerns posed by these devices will probably grow in the coming years.