Paul C. Barton reports: Sen. Ron Wyden wants to keep the United States from taking a step toward the totalitarian state envisioned in the novel “1984.” The 1949 work by George Orwell depicted a society of pervasive government surveillance of citizens. The Oregon Democrat sees that possibility in law enforcement’s use of global positioning system…
Category: U.S.
TSA – Keeping Us Safe from Sex Toys?
So TSA inspectors missed a loaded handgun in a bag, but never fear – they did find a sex toy in another passenger’s bags. Not only did they find the small vibrator, but they apparently left the passenger a note in their bag that said, “GET YOUR FREAK ON GIRL.” Kashmir Hill has more on…
Privacy and Press Freedom Collide in University Case
Tamar Lewin reports on what is likely the most significant FERPA case that I can recall in almost a decade: It was bad enough for the University of Illinois when The Chicago Tribune’s 2009 series “Clout Goes to College” exposed the existence of a “clout list” that over five years gave hundreds of well-connected students an edge…
Judge orders Tyler Clementi’s guest’s name to be provided to defense counsel in Dharun Ravi case
The case of a former Rutgers student who is accused of criminal invasion of privacy is one I’ve been watching on this blog, but recently there’s been a second privacy issue embedded in the case – whether the identity of Tyler Clementi’s guest will be protected by the court or shielded. In developments this week, Dharun…