Congress takes a significant step to reform government surveillance
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
In passing the USA Freedom Act, Congress has made a significant down payment on broader surveillance reform. Today marks the first time since its enactment in 1978 that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has been amended in a way that reflects privacy rights enshrined in our history, tradition, and Constitution.
While most of the focus has been on ending the bulk telephony metadata program under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, there are other meaningful reforms in the bill for Internet users. The USA Freedom Act shuts the door to the bulk collection of Internet metadata under a separate legal authority that the government relied upon in the past to collect Internet metadata in bulk. The USA Freedom Act additionally prevents bulk collection of Internet metadata through the issuance of National Security Letters.
Not all of these legal authorities expired on June 1, and we are pleased that Congress took the initiative to prevent the bulk collection of Internet metadata under these legal authorities.
Today’s vote represents a critical first step toward restoring trust in the Internet, but it is only a first step. We look forward to working with Congress on further reforms in the near future.
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ReplyDeleteCurious as to what Dave Drummond has to say about all this?
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that Google, who monitors out privste emails, is chest pounding over this.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that we're bring some of misused and abused legal authorities back in line with today's tech landscape and the spirit of the original laws.
ReplyDelete+Paul Edwards - the difference is that Google clearly states exactly what it does with your in very public documents, which you accepted when you signed up. Also, you have the ability to opt-out, permanently delete (and take your data with you) at any time you choose.
The scope of monitoring conducted by the US government was obscured for a long time, deliberately conducted in secret with no public input and little oversight. Disclosure happened, abuses were revealed, and we're experiencing the beginnings of a correction now.
The argument that since you have signed the TnCs it is OK for the internet giants to do what they want with your private data is highly disingenuous.
Deletea) Hardly anybody reads the TnCs
b) It is virtually impossible to be a member of the modern civil society and not use Google services. What job could you possibly hold down and not use them? You might as well say, if you don't like road tolls just don't use the roads. That would be fine if there were actual viable options, but today the internet giants control all internet traffic.
When something has become so obliquitous and essential to modern life it is time to democratise it.
As for "take your data with you", how can anybody verify their data is gone should they try to delete it? Where is the transparency? How can anybody know the data is actually eradicated from the data centers? (I highly doubt it would ever be the case)
Why doesn't Congress understand that we don't want to be spied on. I don't care about their ifs and there buts. I do not want the antifreedom Freedom Act.
ReplyDeleteI want my privacy respected as well but it's really a small part of what actually happens.
DeleteWhy isn't Congress listening to us. What don't they understand about, we do not want to be spied on. We do not want any act that allows any spying on us. What is so hard to understand about that?
ReplyDeleteToday, I get an email from Congress saying Congratulations, they passed the Freedom Act. Are they stupid or what. No matter what I tell them, they aren't listening.
There is so much the World can learn from this. This is a win for the people of The United States of America and a win for Democracy.
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