Fergie's Tech Blog

The Legal Tangles Of Data Collection

Ellen Nakashima writes in The Washington Post:

When it comes to data collection, federal laws often have been outpaced by technology, critics say. And sometimes, the executive branch carves out its own exception.

Take eavesdropping.

U.S. law requires that law enforcement officials obtain a warrant to tap someone's phone or intercept e-mail. But President Bush, drawing on decades-old precedent, asserts that he has "inherent authority" to authorize agents to intercept electronic communications without a warrant in the interest of national security.

That is the rationale underpinning the National Security Agency's warrantless-wiretapping program. The new Democratic-run Congress has vowed to renew scrutiny of this program and others that involve collection and analysis of Americans' personal data.

posted by Fergie @ 1/15/2007 08:06:00 PM