Eavesdropping on Internet Communications

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/opinion/eavesdropping-on-internet-communications.html

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, May 20, 2013 at 8:02 AM
Subject: re: Eavesdropping on Internet Communications
To: "letters@nytimes.com" <letters@nytimes.com>

To the Editor:

  It has long been established that we have an expectation of privacy in our landline telephone communications that can be invaded only by court order. It is overdue that we extend the same protections to our communications by cellphone and email. Instead, our cellphone communications are currently treated as radio broadcasts.

      But the greater threat is that a government which goes on promulgating new law without enforcing what is already enacted is just going through the motions. Our Legislature should hand the FBI a resounding "no" to all proposed changes until our  Executive prosecutes violators of the 1979 FISA statute. Tens of thousands of Americans have suffered illegal unreasonable search in blatant violation of duly enacted law. The telecoms that were immunized against civil lawsuits still need to be prosecuted for their criminal conduct.

 

Barry Haskell Levine