Category «Privacy»

National Journal Article Claims Curtailed Gov’t Surveillance Program Still Active

TIA Lives On, by Shane Harris, National Journal, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006: “A controversial counter-terrorism program, which lawmakers halted more than two years ago amid outcries from privacy advocates, was stopped in name only and has quietly continued within the intelligence agency now fending off charges that it has violated the privacy of U.S. citizens.” …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Privacy

Commentary Focuses on Civil Liberties Issue in Domestic Surveillance Controversy

Why Should Anyone Worry About Whose Communications Bush and Cheney Are Intercepting, If It Helps To Find Terrorists? by John W. Dean “Here, I will look only at the issue of whether the average American has anything to truly be worried about, as NSA electronically sifts through endless digital exchanges to find the proverbial needle-in-a-haystack.” …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, Government Documents, Privacy

USA PATRIOT Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act of 2006 (S. 2271)

CRS Report: USA PATRIOT Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act of 2006 (S. 2271) – “S. 22711 amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the five federal statutes providing national security letter (NSL) authority to federal intelligence investigators in the following manner: (1) it grants recipients of a Section 215 order the express right to …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Legal Research, Legislation, Libraries, Patriot Act, Privacy

Report Calls for Stronger Privacy Laws In Response to Increased Surveillance

CDT: “A new report by CDT details a widening gap between the technology that collects sensitive personal data and the laws designed to protect that data against government misuse. The National Security Agency’s domestic spying program, the Justice Department’s efforts to obtain millions of Internet search records, the government’s use of cell phones to track …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Government Documents, Legislation, Privacy

Advocacy Group Targets Attorneys in Controversy Over Purchase of Cell Phone Records

EPIC: “In a letter sent to state ethical and professional responsibility boards, EPIC warned that there is mounting evidence that attorneys are major purchases of “pretexting” services. Pretexting is the practice of using false pretenses to trick a company into releasing personal information. EPIC urged state boards to evaluate pretexting under ethics rules, and to …

Subjects: Congress, E-Commerce, Privacy

Study of State Voter Registration Database Security

Press release, Association for Computing Machinery, February 16, 2006: “Citing the danger of voter fraud and disenfranchisement from poorly implemented databases, a committee of experts commissioned by USACM released a report today making almost 100 recommendations to state and local officials charged with creating and managing statewide voter registration databases (VRDs). The report is a …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, Legal Research, Legislation, Privacy

Congress and White House Continue to Clash on NSA Surveillance Authority

AP: Rockefeller Questions NSA’s Authority Vice Chairman Rockefeller’s Statement on the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Failure to Vote on Whether to Authorize an Investigation into the NSA Surveillance Program New York Times: Senate Chairman Splits With Bush on Spy Program [Please note this AP article adds clarification to Sen. Robert’s position as described in the New …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Government Documents, Privacy

DOJ Creates Roadblocks To Spy Program Investigations

Follow-up to yesterday’s posting, Investigation into Domestic Spying Program Blocked, today AP reports Justice Argues Against Ashcroft Testimony, and the New York Times reports Senate Panel Decides Against Eavesdropping Investigation, at Least for Now. From AP, this report tonight that addresses the complicated issues involved in the continuing struggle involving the administration, members of Congress …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Government Documents, Legal Research, Privacy

Judge Orders Release of DOJ Docs. on NSA Domestic Surveillance

“In response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit (PDF) filed by EPIC, a federal judge has ordered (PDF) the Department of Justice to process and release documents related to the Bush Administration’s warrantless surveillance program by March 8. It is the first court opinion addressing the controversial domestic spying operation. “President Bush has invited …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Privacy