Big Brother Wants To Be Bigger
February 11th, 2010 by ComputerBob
How much do you trust your government?
Would you feel comfortable knowing that they can listen in on your private telephone and cell phone conversations?
Would it bother you to know that they can monitor your Internet browsing habits?
Would you be shocked to learn that they can read all of your private email messages?
Would you be happy knowing that they can burst into your home and search through your most private records and possesions?
Most of this Journal’s readers know that the U.S. government can already do all of those things, and much more.
But at least we take some comfort in knowing that, before they can do it legally, they need to show probable cause to get a judge to sign a search warrant.
Unfortunately, now the Obama administration has asked a federal appeals court to allow it to track people’s locations through their cell phones’ onboard GPS systems — without any search warrants.
An opposing attorney opines, “This is a critical question for privacy in the 21st century. If the courts do side with the government, that means that everywhere we go, in the real world and online, will be an open book to the government unprotected by the Fourth Amendment.”
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Dubious, Ethics, Freedom, Law, Rights, Security, Technology