US Wants Increased Police Access to Email
The White House wants to give the FBI easier access to the Internet activity of suspects without a court order, the Washington Post reported Thursday.
Investigators would seek that access only in cases related to a terrorism or intelligence investigation, and would not include the content of email messages, the Post reported, citing unnamed attorneys and senior administration officials as sources.
Under the proposed rules, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents could find who sends an email message, the time and date it is sent and received, and possibly a user's Internet surfing history but not their Internet search queries.
Advocates say the information is the modern equivalent of telephone toll billing records, which FBI agents can get with no court authorization.
Finding electronic addresses to which the Internet user sends e-mail messages is similar to getting a list of numbers a phone user calls, supporters told the Post.
Obtaining such records with a judge's approval "allows us to intercede in plots earlier than we would if our hands were tied and we were unable to get this data in a way that was quick and efficient," the senior administration official told the Post.
This proposed measure broadens the FBI authority in the fight against terrorism and is an extension of the Patriot Act, a series of security-related measures approved after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States.
Copyright: arcticle: AFP, The Raw Story
Original article from: http://rawstory.com/news/afp/US_wants_increased_police_access_to_07292010.html
Forward this news message:
The White House wants to give the FBI easier access to the Internet activity of suspects without a court order, the Washington Post reported Thursday.
Investigators would seek that access only in cases related to a terrorism or intelligence investigation, and would not include the content of email messages, the Post reported, citing unnamed attorneys and senior administration officials as sources.
Under the proposed rules, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents could find who sends an email message, the time and date it is sent and received, and possibly a user's Internet surfing history but not their Internet search queries.
Advocates say the information is the modern equivalent of telephone toll billing records, which FBI agents can get with no court authorization.
Finding electronic addresses to which the Internet user sends e-mail messages is similar to getting a list of numbers a phone user calls, supporters told the Post.
Obtaining such records with a judge's approval "allows us to intercede in plots earlier than we would if our hands were tied and we were unable to get this data in a way that was quick and efficient," the senior administration official told the Post.
This proposed measure broadens the FBI authority in the fight against terrorism and is an extension of the Patriot Act, a series of security-related measures approved after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States.
Copyright: arcticle: AFP, The Raw Story
Original article from: http://rawstory.com/news/afp/US_wants_increased_police_access_to_07292010.html
Forward this news message:
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, and for the general purpose of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, research and / or educational purposes only. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use this material for purposes other than provided by law. You must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to:
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html