Illinois Now Protects Electronic Communications by Household Devices from Police Search

As of 1/1/2022, the Illinois Protecting Household Privacy Act has taken effect. PHPA was signed into law in August 2021 by the governor of Illinois. It would require that law enforcement obtain a warrant or homeowner consent to gather "electronic communications" from any "household electronic device." The law specifically does not apply to modems, computers, and cell phones; it is, rather, targeted to emerging "smart home" devices such as Ring doorbells, Nest thermostats, and other items that attach to the home's wireless network.

PHPA is the first law of its kind in the US. Its scope is very limited at present, but the law is an interesting advance in consumer privacy protection efforts and potentially a signal of where other states might go as they take up privacy bills.