Author archives

PATRIOT Act Oversight Hearing

PATRIOT Act Oversight Hearing on Section 203 (b) and (d) of the USA-PATRIOT, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security – Tuesday, April 19, 2005: Chairman’s Opening Statement: “As part of the USA PATRIOT Act, Congress included a sunset provision on certain new authorities in the Act. Two of these provisions, sections 203(b) and 203(d), …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Patriot Act

Database Provider Begins Informing Individuals Impacted by Data Breach

Press release today: “LexisNexis U.S., a leading provider of legal, news and business information said today it has begun mailing notification letters to approximately 280,000 individuals whose personally identifying information may have been accessed by unauthorized individuals using passwords and IDs stolen from legitimate customers of its Seisint unit.” Related references here and here.

Subjects: ID Theft, Privacy

GAO Identifies Personal Data Security Issues at IRS

Information Security: Internal Revenue Service Needs to Remedy Serious Weaknesses over Taxpayer and Bank Secrecy Act Data, GAO-05-482, April 15, 2005. Highlights. “…39 newly identified information security control weaknesses impair IRS’s ability to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its sensitive financial and taxpayer data and FinCEN’s Bank Secrecy Act data. Related reference: Press …

Subjects: Government Documents, Privacy

Bye Bye Matrix

The Multistate Anti-TeRrorism Information EXchange (MATRIX), “a pilot effort to increase and enhance the exchange of sensitive terrorism and other criminal activity information between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” has been cancelled. From the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, this April 15, 2005 press release: MATRIX Pilot Project Concludes From the NewStandard: Controversial …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, Privacy

Safeguarding Americans from Exporting Identification Data (SAFE ID) Act

Press release: “Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Representative Edward J. Markey announced that they would introduce the Safeguarding Americans from Exporting Identification Data (SAFE ID) Act in the United States Senate and House today, legislation that would protect the privacy of consumers’ most sensitive personal information. This legislation would close gaps in U.S. privacy laws …

Subjects: Congress, ID Theft, Legislation, Privacy

President and Newspaper Editors Differ in Views on FOI

Has the sun set on FOIA’s future?: “Kevin Goldberg, legal counsel for the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) said government efforts to prevent the public release of information is forcing many newspapers to go to court.” President Bush addressed the American Society of Newspaper Editors today. The full text of his remarks are available …

Subjects: E-Government, E-Mail, Freedom of Information, Government Documents