David Kravets reports: The Obama administration is seeking to reverse a federal appeals court decision that dramatically narrows the government’s search-and-seizure powers in the digital age. Solicitor General Elena Kagan and Justice Department officials are asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its August ruling that federal prosecutors went too far when…
Category: U.S.
EPIC Files Appeal for NSA Policy on Network Surveillance
From EPIC.org: EPIC filed a Freedom of Information Act appeal, seeking disclosure of NPSD 54, the classified Directive that describes a National Security Agency program to monitor American computer networks. EPIC submitted the original request to shed light on the extent of the federal government’s surveillance of civilian computer systems, but the agency refused to…
McDowell ‘Very Troubled’ By Social Security Number Collection
John Eggerton reports: FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell says that when he voted to approve collecting more data on the race and gender of broadcast station owners he was not endorsing collecting Social Security numbers as part of that increased data drop. That came in response to the commission’s notice late Monday that it was delaying…
U.S.-Canada to share refugees’ biometric info
Sheldon Alberts reports: Seeking to enhance its efforts to crack down on fraudulent refugee claims, the Harper government on Tuesday announced it has struck a deal to share fingerprint information on asylum seekers with the United States. Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan made the announcement following a bilateral summit here with U.S. Homeland Security…