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October 12, 2001

Here we go again

Here we go again

From Slashdot: "The U.S. Senate passed its version of the "anti-terrorism" legislation last night. The Washington Post, CNN, and Wired all have stories. There are terrorists under every rock, and we must destroy our freedom in order to save it."

Congress is at it again. This legislation is absolutely absurd.

Here's a bit of it, from EFF:

Additional provisions of the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act include the following measures:

*make it possible to obtain e-mail message header information, Internet user web browsing patterns, *and "stored" voicemail without a wiretap order

*eviscerate controls on Title III roving wiretaps

*permit law enforcement to disclose information obtained through wiretaps to any employee of the Executive branch

*reduce restrictions on domestic investigations under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)

*permit grand juries to provide information to the US intelligence community

*permit the President to designate any "foreign-directed individual, group, or entity," including any *United States citizen or organization, as a target for FISA surveillance

*prevent people from providing "expert advice" to terrorists

*extends federal DNA database to every person convicted of a federal terrorism offense which includes low-level computer intrusions

*other provisions, whether or not related to online civil liberties

If you want more info, you can read the rest of it at the EFF's website.

You know the drill. Call, FAX, and write your people in congress, if you're so inclined.

Posted by wil at October 12, 2001 05:47 PM