Lindsay Cohen reports: A controversial new bill would require suspects to give a DNA sample as soon as they’re arrested, but some people argue the law would be unconstitutional. Opponents of the bill say it could violate Fourth Amendment rights against illegal search and seizure, but supporters say public safety should outweigh that risk. Read…
Category: Laws
Netflix reveals $9m payout in privacy legal action
BBC reports: Netflix has paid $9m (£5.7m) dollars to settle a privacy-related legal action, a financial filing has revealed. The online streaming firm, which made no admission of wrongdoing, said the settlement related to compliance with the Video Protection Privacy Act. The 1988 US legislation prohibits the disclosure of video rental histories. It is reported…
New law could open window for police to view Canadians’ online habits
Jason Magder reports: The Conservative government plans to introduce a law next week that would allow police to better monitor web-surfing habits of Canadians and to track them with electronic surveillance. Entitled “an Act to enact the Investigating and Preventing Criminal Electronic Communications Act and to amend the Criminal Code and others Acts,” the law…
Iowa bill allowing GPS tracking leaves some uneasy
Associated Press reports on reactions to a bill in the Iowa legislature that would permit police to attach a GPS device to a car if a judge issues a warrant. The tracking could be conducted for 30 days. When I saw AP’s headline, I expected to read that the bill didn’t require a warrant and…