In the case of Smith v. Maryland, what aspect of privacy was addressed?

In the case of Smith v. Maryland, the Supreme Court addressed the concept of reasonable expectations of privacy concerning telephone numbers dialed. The Court ruled that individuals do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the numbers they dial on a telephone because this information is considered "business records" that are obtained from a third party, in this case, the phone company. The Court's decision highlighted that once a person conveys information to a third party, they lose the expectation of privacy over that information, as it is no longer solely in their possession.

This ruling sets a precedent that telephone numbers dialed are not subject to privacy protections in the context of law enforcement surveillance. Therefore, law enforcement can obtain this information without a warrant, as it is not deemed private in the legal sense defined by the Fourth Amendment. This interpretation impacts various aspects of privacy law and the evolution of technology's interaction with legal standards.