Mali Friedman writes: Yesterday the Fifth Circuit ruled in Garcia v. City of San Laredo that personal cell phones are not “facilities” under the Stored Communications Act (SCA), agreeing with a growing number of courts that have reached the same conclusion. In reaching this decision, the court rejected the claim of plaintiff Garcia, a former police dispatcher for the…
Category: U.S.
Attorney General Secretly Granted Gov Ability to Develop and Store Dossiers on Innocent Americans
Kim Zetter reports: In a secret government agreement granted without approval or debate from lawmakers, the U.S. attorney general recently gave the National Counterterrorism Center sweeping new powers to store dossiers on U.S. citizens, even if they are not suspected of a crime, according to a news report. Earlier this year, Attorney General Eric Holder…
On a clear day, you can see the mission creeping
MassPrivateI writes: In a bid to expand its surveillance network, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police want to connect to private businesses’ cameras, which would allow officers to monitor malls, gas stations and banks across the county. Questions have risen as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department seeks to expand its use of video cameras and specialized microphones around the city….
Twitter, privacy advocates eye Occupy case after guilty plea
Joseph Ax of Reuters reports: An Occupy Wall Street protester who tried unsuccessfully to keep prosecutors from subpoenaing his tweets pleaded guilty Wednesday to disorderly conduct, in a case that could have broad implications for Twitter users as prosecutors increasingly use social media to build their cases. The guilty plea in New York City Criminal…