Quick, what was your initial reaction to this story about cellphone carriers getting more than a million requests from law-enforcement agencies? The information sought included text messages, caller locations and any other information that could help in criminal investigations.

This is another case of good intentions, enforcing our laws and upholding public safety, must be balanced with privacy rights. Police and prosecutors have long been able to subpoena phone records or tap into our phone lines. What's changing is the amount of information that can be gleaned from our phones. That's good when you're hoping rescuers find your stalled car, but what are the downsides? And no I don't mean the downsides for criminals but for the rest of us?