Posted on 07/29/2010 11:57:40 AM PDT by kcvl
The Obama administration is seeking to make it easier for the FBI to compel companies to turn over records of an individual's Internet activity without a court order if agents deem the information relevant to a terrorism or intelligence investigation.
The administration wants to add just four words -- "electronic communication transactional records" -- to a list of items that the law says the FBI may demand without a judge's approval. Government lawyers say this category of information includes the addresses to which an Internet user sends e-mail; the times and dates e-mail was sent and received; and possibly a user's browser history. It does not include, the lawyers hasten to point out, the "content" of e-mail or other Internet communication.
But what officials portray as a technical clarification designed to remedy a legal ambiguity strikes industry lawyers and privacy advocates as an expansion of the power the government wields through so-called national security letters. These missives, which can be issued by an FBI field office on its own authority, require the recipient to provide the requested information and to keep the request secret. They are the mechanism the government would use to obtain the electronic records.
Stewart A. Baker, a former senior Bush administration Homeland Security official, said the proposed change would broaden the bureau's authority. "It'll be faster and easier to get the data," said Baker, who practices national security and surveillance law. "And for some Internet providers, it'll mean giving a lot more information to the FBI in response to an NSL."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Yeah. They are the proctologists alright. No matter how much they think they can control us, they will find out that America is very innovative.
The list, ping
Words mean something. “Browser history” means something. Bull S—t means something. This is a wide open door to a variety of abuses. Funny how this is no big intrusion. What about web based telecommunication. No the government is not acting in the interests of the people.
Want to bet one of the keywords will be freeper?
I remember back in the good old days — when GWB was President — and I would argue with people here in FR regarding the Patriot Act, which I generally defended.
Now I see the error of my arguments. What others predicted has come to pass. The WH has been taken over by a leftist and now WE are the targets of their actions.
The who hates Obama files.
This nation was founded on the concept of individual freedom. The government cannot take any information on me and my speech and activities without a subpoena.
The browser activity one is the scariest, but just part of it.
Those who shouted about the tapping of phone lines of international calls with known members of Al Qaeda are ok with this.
Hillary was illegally in posession of 900 FBI files and was not prosecuted.
Laws mean nothing in stopping them from doing as they will do.
FUBO!!
“Your papers, Comrade....”
And Able Danger was able to find the Brooklyn-based AQ cell headed by Mohammad Atta a year before 9-11, using all public data... but was STILL stopped and the data destroyed because other data they collected implicated Sec Def William Perry in what we now know was his deliberate sale of forbidden US missile technology to the wife of the Chinese military leader.
As long as we’ve got crooks in high places, laws don’t matter. As long as we’ve got crooks in high places, even what actionable intelligence we DO find will be misused to suit the crooked goals of the crooks in charge.
We knew all kinds of stuff about both the Underwear Bomber and Nidal Hasan; made no difference because (as Obama told the Egyptian ambassador) our POTUS was and still is a Muslim who supports the Muslim agenda.
Exactly!
They are opening up OUR records while making sealing theirs and their administrations. Does this scare anybody else?
At the end of the day they will still have to show up here in person to take my firearms away. In the meantime I hope they enjoy reading all of the 0bama jokes I forward.
I actually wonder if it would help our cause if we acknowledged that to those we formerly fought with.
Under an honest person seeking to actually protect America (which we believed Bush to be), the measures would be reasonable. But we have no way of guaranteeing that any politician who would be given that power would ever be honest and honestly seeking to protect America.
The Bush-haters saw the danger because they didn’t trust Bush. We now see the danger because we don’t trust Obama. Seems like it could be a great time to reinforce the need for the rule of law and accountability regardless of who is in office at the particular time.
Same thing is true regarding electoral integrity. The left believes they were shafted in 2000. We now have evidence that felons elected Al Franken, removing the filibuster ability of the US Senate. Seems like we ought to be able to agree on the importance of electoral integrity.
Maybe an opportunity to reach across the political divide in order to unite on the importance of the rule of law.
“Does this scare anybody else?”
Unfortunately, there’s so much going on, and the pace of social change is so fast, that no one’s even capable of paying attention to all of it.
It’s like being strapped into a runaway roller coaster - hang on tight and pray it all comes out right in the end.
Faith helps.
I understand we need to be law abiding, but when you have this type of bs why should any of us obey this change. Yes I know it is easy to say what one might do if this or that. Put me down for my email is private and you may not have it along with I WILL TELL THE WORLD that the FBI has requested my email.
“intelligence investigation”
a wee bit vague.
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