The FBI’s Secret Scrutiny

The FBI’s Secret Scrutiny

Under the shield and stars of the FBI crest, the letter directed Christian to surrender “all subscriber information, billing information and access logs of any person” who used a specific computer at a library branch some distance away. Christian, who manages digital records for three dozen Connecticut libraries, said in an affidavit that he configures his system for privacy. But the vendors of the software he operates said their databases can reveal the Web sites that visitors browse, the e-mail accounts they open and the books they borrow.

If the FBI could do this to a library where they have to track down the system admin. why couldn’t they do this to Google as well? And with all the records Google keeps what would the find? Better yet what would they create? With the billions of web searches that are done they could quickly create any story they would like. While I believe there are some merits and needs for the PATRIOT act, there are also some serious concerns. If we could trust government and the people who work in government that PATRIOT act would protect the good digital stakeholders. Unfortunatley we have seen way to often government abuses of power.

With that said, businesses need to be prudent in data retention and need to do the right thing, but they also do not need to enable additional abuse.

7 November, 2005 |

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