july 2018 bar bulletin
By Jared Friend
Privacy, free speech, and freedom of assembly and expression are the core civil liberty concerns associated with the use of drones.
With respect to privacy there is a potential for intrusion onto private property and snooping into homes, and for systematic surveillance of civilian activities. As for free speech, drones can be used as another tool for creative expression and speech. Regulations that limit their use may run afoul of the First Amendment if they are not properly tailored. Finally, systematic surveillance of protests or other First Amendment-protected expression without evidence of wrongdoing may have substantial chilling effects on the rights of freedom of assembly and...