Privacy in UK Police Digital Forensics Investigations

Abstract

Background: Privacy is a human right, but what happens when a person’s privacy rights encounter legitimate police investigations? Is it even possible to carry out these investigations in a privacy-respecting way? If the person being investigated makes use of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), how does this impact digital forensics investigations? Aim: The aim of our study was to identify how privacy rights and the use of PETs influence police digital forensics practice. Methods: We carried out a study with 10 digital forensics investigators from UK police forces to explore how considerations of privacy and citizens’ PET use inform or affect digital forensics investigations. Results: We identified specific uses of privacy-related principles that ought to apply in digital forensics investigation, and issues for digital forensics investigation from citizens’ use of PETs. Conclusions: We concluded with potential implications for practice and ideas for future research to reconcile the law enforcement activities with individual citizens’ inalienable privacy rights.