Some unusual witnesses helped convict Alex Murdaugh of the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.
The first was Bubba, Maggie’s yellow Labrador retriever. Prosecutors used a recording of Bubba to place Alex at the site of the murders. Given Alex’s presence at the crime scene, other witnesses then revealed his movements, tracked his speed and explained what he had in his hands. Those other witnesses were a 2021 Chevy Suburban and Maggie, Paul and Alex’s cellphones, which all provided data. They’re all part of the Internet of Things, also known as IoT.
The privacy implications of devices connected to the internet are not often the most important consideration in solving a murder case. But outside of criminal prosecution, they affect people’s privacy in ways that should give everyone…
