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From the American Library Association Washington Office Newsline: “Last night, July 31, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), introduced the “Protecting the Rights of Individuals Act.” (S. 1552) This bill contains many provisions that will help to restore some protections of civil liberties weakened by the USA PATRIOT Act. Several provisions are of …
Today’s WSJ and Washington Post report that TIA Director John Poindexter will resign in the wake of the debacle over the proposed “FutureMAP research project…to explore the power of futures markets to predict and thereby prevent terrorist attacks.” See my posting on the background of, and Congressional response to, the FutureMAP research project here. In …
On Thursday, July 31, the ACLU will be hosting a live online chat discussing the FBI’s broad new surveillance powers under the USA PATRIOT Act. Hear about the Fourth and First Amendment defects to a provision in the law that allows the government to obtain records or personal belongings from any person or entity, including …
The Citizens’ Protection In Federal Databases Act, introduced yesterday by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), is being hailed by civil liberties groups. Wyden is intent on putting an end to the Admiral John Poindexter’s infamous Total Information Awareness Program (TIA), which works hand-in-hand with DARPA…”to integrate technologies developed by DARPA (and elsewhere as appropriate) into a …
House Takes Aim at Patriot Act Secret Searches: “The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to roll back a key provision (amending H.R. 2799, see link below), which allows the government to conduct secret “sneak and peek” searches of private property, of a sweeping anti-terrorism law passed soon after the Sept. 11 attacks.” …
Accusations of Abuse in Report on USA Patriot Act: “A report by internal investigators at the Justice Department has identified dozens of recent cases in which department employees have been accused of serious civil rights and civil liberties violations involving enforcement of the sweeping federal antiterrorism law known as the USA Patriot Act.” Report to …
The Internet under Surveillance, Obstacles to the free flow of information online, by Vinton G. Cerf (151 pages, pdf) “In this 21st century information age, Internauts have significant responsibilities. They must guard against abusive censorship and counteract misinformation. They must take responsibility for thoughtful use of the Internet and the World Wide Web and all …
Border tracking system will be partially operational by years end. “One of the Bush administrations most ambitious and complicated homeland security initiatives (the US-Visit Program) – the tracking of about 35 million foreign visitors as they enter and exit the United States annually – will be partially operational by the end of the year, Homeland …
An editorial from the Christian Science Monitor, July 8, 2003: Privacy at the Library – “The Patriot Act, designed to help combat terrorism in the US, has many citizens worried about censorship and a loss of privacy. Vigilance certainly is warranted when it comes to ensuring Americans’ precious freedoms. And that includes ongoing, thoughtful consideration …
Restore America’s freedom of information, by Sens. Patrick Leahy and Carl Levin. “The Bush administration has made secrecy, not sunshine, its default position, whether the issue is industry input to the national energy policy (current report has yet to be issued), the names of those detained after the Sept. 11 attacks, or potential vulnerabilities in …
ACLU Report, 23 pages in pdf: Independence Day 2003: Main Street America Fights the Federal Government’s Insatiable Appetite for New Powers in the Post 9/11 Era.
This Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) webpage presents a synopisis of the privacy and civil liberties issues associated with the organization’s opposition to the Patriot Act. In addition, it enumerates EFF efforts, both collaborative and direct, to maintain the public’s focus on the ramifications of the law.
