Tag Archives: CivilRights

Facebook’s 2015 review video puts the year in perspective

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One of the internet's greatest achievements is its ability to connect disparate global communities in discussion and, at times, compassion -- and a lot of that conversation takes place on Facebook. The company's Year in Review, a video and list relea...

EFF looks at rules controlling NSA surveillance, sees big risks for Americans

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EFF breaks down new FISA and NSA documents on surveillance, warns of potential risks

While The Guardian undoubtedly garnered attention when it posted court papers detailing data collection rules for the NSA, it also provided a lot of detail that isn't easy to digest. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is more than willing to break down those rules, however -- and it doesn't like what it sees. It's concerned that there are too many exceptions letting the NSA store and transmit private information, with little oversight preventing investigators from seeing more US data than they should. Allegedly, the rules could defy American rights to anonymous speech; they may also violate attorney-client privileges both inside and outside of the US. We have a hunch that the NSA might disagree with this interpretation of its authority, but you can see all the points of contention for yourself at the link below.

[Image credit: David Drexler, Flickr]

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Source: EFF

Twitter hands over Occupy Wall Street protestor’s updates under pressure

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Twitter hands over Occupy Wall Street protestor's updates under pressure

Twitter has been building a modest reputation for siding with the little guy (or girl) when it comes to communication privacy, and it just demonstrated how far it's willing to go in a showdown with Manhattan's Criminal Court over a demand to hand over tweets from Occupy Wall Street protestor Malcolm Harris. The social network has been pushed into delivering the claimed evidence, but only as it faced a deadline and the threat of a fine -- it even tried one last request for a stay before producing hard copies of the messages. However much the handover affects Harris' chances at winning during trial, it emphasizes that public posts have serious consequences -- companies ultimately can't shield you from the law.

[Image credit: Paul Stein, Flickr]

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Twitter hands over Occupy Wall Street protestor's updates under pressure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 13:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FBI reportedly pressing for backdoor access to Facebook, Google

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Investigators at the FBI supposedly aren't happy that social networks like Facebook or Google+ don't have the same kind of facility for wiretaps that phones have had for decades. If claimed industry contacts for CNET are right, senior staff at the bureau have floated a proposed amendment to the 1994-era Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) that would require that communication-based websites with large user bases include a backdoor for federal agents to snoop on suspects. It would still include the same requirement for a court order as for phone calls, even if US carriers currently enjoy immunity for cooperating with any warrantless wiretapping. As might be expected, technology firms and civil liberties advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation object to deepening CALEA's reach any further, and Apple is thought to be preemptively lobbying against another definition of the law that might require a government back channel for audiovisual chat services like FaceTime or Skype. The FBI didn't explicitly confirm the proposal when asked, but it did say it was worried it might be "going dark" and couldn't enforce wiretaps.

[Image credit: David Drexler, Flickr]

FBI reportedly pressing for backdoor access to Facebook, Google originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 May 2012 14:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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