Michael Garcia reports: A federal judge denied a motion Monday to dismiss the FBI from a lawsuit filed by two Berkeley community organizations whose computers and storage devices were seized in an August 2008 raid. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White ruled that plaintiffs Long Haul Inc. and East Bay Prisoner Support can sue the investigative…
Blog post on 8 million law enforcement requests causes online furor
Not surprisingly, Chris Soghoian’s blog post on law enforcement surveillance requests, mentioned here yesterday, has generated a huge buzz in the privacy and civil liberties communities. Chris had attended a closed door conference where members of the intelligence and law enforcement field met with those in the telecom and surveillance fields and had recorded some…
City to withhold names of witnesses to Rainbow Lounge bar check
Alex Branch reports: The city [Fort Worth, Texas] wants to protect the identities of witnesses present during a June 28 bar inspection at the Rainbow Lounge, arguing that their disclosure in a report would be an invasion of privacy. Because the club caters to the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender community, identifying patrons “may cause some readers to speculate…
Judge in Max Mosley trial hits back at criticism over privacy cases
Afua Hirsch reports: The high court judge at the centre of a string of controversial privacy cases, including one involving the motor racing chief Max Mosley, spoke out against his critics today, claiming he had been subjected to “personal abuse” by parts of the media. In a rare public speech, Mr Justice David Eady –…