1984 Intro Computers and Patriot Act

[Richard Romeo]

For those who think the internet doesn't pose a risk to civil liberties
you may think twice:

 

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17568

 

Data mining," the computerized analysis of extensive electronic
databases about private individuals for patterns of suspicious activity,
is just one example of the threats to privacy that Americans have faced
following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Since then,
through the USA Patriot Act and various executive initiatives, the
government has authorized official monitoring of attorney- client
conversations, wide-ranging secret searches and wiretaps, the collection
of Internet and e-mail addressing data, spying on religious services and
the meetings of political groups, and the collection of library and
other business records. All this can be done without first showing
probable cause that the people being investigated are engaged in
criminal activity, the usual threshold that must be passed before the
government may invade privacy.

 

Richard 

 

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