Cellular Phone Legislation

[Dedalus]

More for paranoiacs to think about . . .


TO: ACLU Action Network
FR: Jared Feuer, Internet Organizer
DT: September 22, 2000

Do you want your cellular phone to be turned into a tracking device?

Early next week, the House Judiciary Committee will take action on
legislation of immense importance to privacy and cyberliberties.  This
legislation, introduced by Rep. Charles Canady (R-FL), is a reaction to
the enormous growth in electronic surveillance.  In each of the last two
years in fact, nearly two million innocent communications have been
intercepted in law enforcement wiretaps.

The new Canady bill would insure that federal law enforcement agents
meet a higher legal threshold before forcing your phone company or
Internet Service Provider to disclose information on your conversations
or physical whereabouts.  Currently, federal officials only have to show
that the information requested would be relevant to a pending
investigation.

The Clinton administration is trying to load down the bill with
amendments that would lead to more wiretapping and government access to
the email of innocent people. Privacy must be strengthened, not
weakened, in this digital age.  You can read more about the legislation
and urge your member of Congress to support the privacy provisions in
the bill at our action alert:

http://www.aclu.org/action/tapping106.html