Smartphones could be used to provide instantaneous online updates of court proceedings but the federal court administration sees dangers in allowing smartphones in court buildings. The Administrative Office of the Courts want to ban smartphones not just because they could conceal non-metallic bombs but also for the potential harm to court proceedings through secret recording.
The office issued an 8-page memo on the topic saying, “Reasons above and beyond terrorism to restrict the devices from courthouses include the secret filming, recording or transmitting of court proceedings; the disruption of court proceedings; and that deliberating jurors might access the internet and research the case.” -db
From a commentary in Wired, March 28, 2011, by David Kravets.