Since at least 2007, DEA agents and local police detectives have had regular access to a gigantic database that contains detailed records of every American phone call that’s passed through an AT&T switch in the past 26 years. The program, named the Hemisphere Project, also pays AT&T employees to work alongside drug-enforcement officers stationed in three states.
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It’s funny how a few tweaks can make a Government program go from completely legal, to questionably so. A new secret authorization puts the US Justice Department on the fuzzy side of the legal line, approving the expansion of a program originally intended to monitor the internet traffic of military defense contractors to include energy, healthcare and finance sectors. The original program, known as the DIB Cyber Pilot, was voluntary, requiring users to approve monitoring via a login interface. Specific details on how the new program differs aren’t known, but CNET reports that the Justice Department has begun issuing letters granting legal immunity to providers who violate the Wiretap Act for the sake of the program. These letters were sent to AT&T and other internet service providers, though it isn’t clear how many have gone out.
Electronic Privacy Information Center executive director Marc Rotenberg summarized the situation for CNET, “The Justice Department is helping private companies evade federal wiretap laws. Alarm bells should be going off.” The operation was approved by Executive order earlier this year, but remains on shaky ground. Still, these legal complications could soon vanish: if signed into law, the CISPA (Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act) would formally authorize the program. The expanded program doesn’t go into effect until June 12th and will only apply to areas of critical infrastructure. Hungry for more information? Don your tinfoil hat, and check out CNET for the entire report.
Filed under: Internet
Source: CNET
A leaked Justice Department white paper reveals a draft legal framework which describes in detail the targeting of American citizens by drones without due process or proof of specific intent to harm. That’s terrifying. More »
Believe it or not, but that whole e-book price fixing fiasco is still an ongoing issue for the Justice Department. New York’s senior senator, Chuck Schumer wishes it wasn’t however, he simply wants the DOJ to drop the case and walk away. In a lengthy (factually questionable) op-ed in the Wall Street Journal the distinguished gentleman from the great state of New York said that a successful suit against Apple (he didn’t bother to call out the others involved) would set the e-book industry back several years and allow Amazon to dominate the market unchallenged. He also makes a broader call for the administration to develop more clear guidelines for deciding what non-merger cases to pursue. Unfortunately, we have to point out, that his argument is undercut by some questionable data referenced in the editorial. According to Schumer Amazon once owned 90 percent of the e-book market — a number that, if true, most certainly predates the release of the Nook. This is followed by an insinuation that Apple all but single-handedly toppled the retail giant with the launch of iBooks, cutting Amazons market share to just 60 percent. While the latter number sounds about right we’d hesitate to lay responsibility for that 30 point drop entirely at Apple’s feet. To dig into Schumers op-ed yourself hit up the source link.
Senator Schumer calls on DOJ to drop e-book price-fixing suit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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