Steven Aftergood writes: The integration of drones or unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) needs to be expedited, the Senate Armed Services Committee said in its report on the FY2013 defense authorization bill last week. “While progress has been made in the last 5 years, the pace of development must be accelerated; greater…
Category: Govt
Department of Homeland Security Exempts Massive Database from Privacy Act
When our government starts exempting itself from disclosure, it’s time to be concerned. EPIC reports: The Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule exempting its Operations System from various Privacy Act safeguards, including provisions that permit individuals to access information about them held by the agency. The system “fuses” information from many sources which the agency uses for investigatory…
EPIC.org: FAA Revises Drone License Procedures, Privacy Petition Still Pending
From EPIC.org: The Federal Aviation Administration has announced new procedures for government agencies that operate drones in the United States. The procedures will streamline the process through which government agencies, including local law enforcement, receive drone licenses. However, the FAA has so far failed to establish privacy safeguards for drone use. On February 24, 2012, EPIC, joined…
Few Companies Fight Patriot Act Gag Orders, FBI Admits
Kim Zetter reports: Since the Patriot Act broadly expanded the power of the government to issue National Security Letters demanding customer records, more than 200,000 have been issued to U.S. companies by the FBI. But the perpetual gag orders that accompany them are rarely challenged by the ISPs and other recipients served with such letters….