Tag Archives: privacy

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U.S. to Collect Data on Travelers

“WASHINGTON – The government wants detailed information about every person who comes to or leaves the country by commercial plane or boat, and for the first time will require U.S. citizens to fill out forms detailing their comings and goings.”

“Rules proposed yesterday by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) seek more information from travelers than under current law and extend the requirements to U.S. citizens and others previously exempted. They also include a system to allow quicker cross-checking databases and matching records of arrivals and departures.”

Don’t Spy On Me

Feds Deny Plan to Monitor Internet
Cybersecurity program, still in draft form, may call for greater surveillance online.
By Scarlet Pruitt

“A representative for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has denied a report that the U.S. government plans to release a proposal requiring ISPs to help build a centralized system designed to monitor Internet use.”

Yes, You Are Being Watched
At home and in the office–and everywhere in between–you could be under legal digital surveillance.
By Stephen Lawson

“If you’re feeling fenced in some day, you may decide to take a trip to your favorite gambling mecca, where anything goes.”

“Before you leave, you may want to tell your friends, and while you’re at it, let them know what you’ve been doing lately. Depending on where you are, and whether what you do sounds suspicious, the government may read that e-mail. “

Data-Mining of Citizens Stalled
Senate asks balance in Total Information Awareness program that cross-references personal data.
By Kyle Stock

“WASHINGTON–The government’s capacity to mine public and private databases for information on citizens has hit the brakes, by vote of the U.S. Senate.”

Critics Say Security Laws Sacrifice Civil Liberties
Homeland Security Act’s guidelines are too loose on the disclosure of online communications, some experts say.
By Paul Roberts

“Civil Libertarians are in a dither again, this time over new disclosure provisions for Internet service providers that are contained within the recently signed Homeland Security Act.”

Would Orwell Feel at Home?
ACLU report claims post-9/11 surveillance technology is alarmingly eroding privacy.
By Scarlet Pruitt

“The Orwellian vision of a ‘surveillance society,’ where the government peeks over everyone’s shoulder and chances to hide are scant, is coming dangerously close to reality, according to a report released by the American Civil Liberties Union this week.”

Senate Blocks Funding for Pentagon Database
By Susan Cornwell

“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Saying they feared government snooping against ordinary Americans, U.S. senators voted on Thursday to block funding for a Pentagon (news – web sites) computer project that would scour databases for terrorist threats.”

Snooping Spooks

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I’m starting to hear the theme from Jaws in my head.

CIA Wins Control of Terrorist Data Mining Program
By Roy Mark

The White House released additional details Wednesday about President Bush’s new initiative to create a data mining Terrorist Threat Integration Center under the direction of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to close the “seam” between analysis of foreign and domestic intelligence on terrorism.

The center will have access to all intelligence information from raw reports to finished analytic assessments available to the government.

Identity Abuse

Her picture became a porn ad
Scam artist stole her photo, used it in fake personals
By Bob Sullivan

â€œDonâ€™t put your picture onlineâ€ was a common warning in the early days of the Internet. Sound paranoid in the era of online dating? Donâ€™t tell that to Laura, who 18 months ago put up an online personals ad for one month. Since then, her photo has been stolen and used in dozens of fake personals ads soliciting hard-core sex and pornography. â€œYou have no control,â€ she said. â€œWhatâ€™s hardest is you have no idea whoâ€™s seen it. What if someone really believes those things?â€

Somebody’s Watching Me

Feds Get New Snooping Powers
Surveillance court grants greater scope in search of terrorist activity; privacy issues raised.
Scarlet Pruitt

“A secret U.S. federal appeals court has granted law enforcement officials expanded domestic spying powers, allowing them to conduct a broad range of electronic surveillance including Internet monitoring and keystroke logging to track terrorism suspects.”

The decision, released earlier this week, overturned a previous ruling by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) last May. That decision rejected the U.S. government’s efforts to expand its domestic snooping authority.

Secret U.S. court OKs electronic spying
By Declan McCullagh

“update WASHINGTON–A secretive federal court on Monday granted police broad authority to monitor Internet use, record keystrokes and employ other surveillance methods against terror and espionage suspects.”

In an unexpected and near-complete victory for law enforcement, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review overturned a lower court’s decision and said that Attorney General John Ashcroft’s request for new powers was reasonable.