Although there are a wide variety of opinions regarding the suitability of public surveillance, nearly everyone agrees that the public has the right to know when such surveillance is occurring. For this reason, the Electronic Frontier Foundation maintains this web page documenting public surveillance and related information from around the world. We're concerned about the growth of videosurveillance, private and public, especially now that the FBI is going to be collecting lots of data, including from private sources.
If you know of documentation of video, audio, or other types of public surveillance— whether through media reports, pictures, video, text, or links to organizations doing work on this topic— please use our contact form.
Software Helps Businesses Check Calls -
New call monitoring software allows companies to check up on their employees and identify those who are playing computer solitaire, job hunting or even viewing pornography instead of helping customers, Associated Press via The News-Press (August 23, 2003)
Software Helps Firms Monitor Calls -
New call monitoring software allows companies to check up on their employees and identify those who are playing computer solitaire, job hunting or even viewing pornography instead of helping customers, Associated Press via The News Journal (August 22, 2003)
NICE Systems: A Company Behind 'This Call May Be Recorded' -
To ensure that their representatives, which can number in the thousands, provide polite, efficient and accurate service, companies are buying computer systems that allow them to record hundreds of hours of conversations, AP News via Wichita Eagle (August 10, 2003)
NICE Systems: A Company Behind 'This Call May Be Recorded' -
To ensure that their representatives, which can number in the thousands, provide polite, efficient and accurate service, companies are buying computer systems that allow them to record hundreds of hours of conversations, AP News via Star-Telegram (August 10, 2003)
NICE Systems: A Company Behind 'This Call May Be Recorded' -
To ensure that their representatives, which can number in the thousands, provide polite, efficient and accurate service, companies are buying computer systems that allow them to record hundreds of hours of conversations, AP News via Newsday (August 10, 2003)
NICE Systems: A Company Behind 'This Call May Be Recorded' -
To ensure that their representatives, which can number in the thousands, provide polite, efficient and accurate service, companies are buying computer systems that allow them to record hundreds of hours of conversations, AP News via Miami Herald (August 10, 2003)
NICE Systems: A Company Behind 'This Call May Be Recorded' -
To ensure that their representatives, which can number in the thousands, provide polite, efficient and accurate service, companies are buying computer systems that allow them to record hundreds of hours of conversations, AP News via Kansas City Star (August 10, 2003)
NICE Systems: A Company Behind 'This Call May Be Recorded' -
To ensure that their representatives, which can number in the thousands, provide polite, efficient and accurate service, companies are buying computer systems that allow them to record hundreds of hours of conversations, AP News via Bradenton.com (August 10, 2003)
NICE Systems: A Company Behind 'This Call May Be Recorded' -
To ensure that their representatives, which can number in the thousands, provide polite, efficient and accurate service, companies are buying computer systems that allow them to record hundreds of hours of conversations, AP News via Akron Beacon Journal (August 10, 2003)
US Postal Service Eyeing Technology for 'Smarter' Mail -
A presidential commission charged with studying ways to make the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) more efficient has recommended that the agency work with the Department of Homeland Security to develop sender identification technology for all U.S. mail, ComputerWorld (August 8, 2003)
Postal Service Researches 'Smarter' Mail -
A presidential commission charged with studying ways to make the U.S. Postal Service more efficient has recommended that the agency work with the Department of Homeland Security to develop sender identification technology for all U.S. mail, ComputerWorld via PC World (August 7, 2003)
Data Dump Required Before Flights -
The Transportation Security Administration on Thursday revealed details of the newest version of a computerized system designed to prevent terrorists from boarding airplanes by checking passengers' backgrounds against several databases, Wired News (August 1, 2003)
Wyden Introduces Personal Data Disclosure Bill -
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), one of Congress' leading critics of the Pentagon's controversial data mining project known as the Terrorist Information Awareness (TIA), has introduced legislation that would hold government agencies accountable for the use of private and personal information, InternetNews.com (August 1, 2003)
Senator Calls for Reports on Gov't Data Searches -
Civil liberties groups including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy and Technology are throwing their support behind a piece of legislation that would require U.S. agencies to report to Congress about the personal information they collect, IDG News Service (July 31, 2003)
Bill Calls for Reports on Data Searches -
Civil liberties groups including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy and Technology are throwing their support behind a piece of legislation that would require U.S. agencies to report to Congress about the personal information they collect, IDG News Service via PC World (July 31, 2003)
No Anonymity in the Digital Epoch -
The Police recorded a love song in the ‘80s that pledged, “Every move you make ... every step you take, I’ll be watching you.” Americans are living those words today, and not in the name of romance, The Detroit News via the Chronicle (July 24, 2003)
Researchers Vie to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via San Mateo County Times (July 20, 2003)
Netting Terrorists and Protecting Privacy -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via San Antonio Express (July 20, 2003)
Researchers Vie to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Oakland Tribune (July 20, 2003)
Researchers Vie to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Daily Review Online (July 20, 2003)
Videocams Will Monitor Plane Passengers -
Passengers who fly Southeast Airlines will be under the constant eye of digital video cameras providing a live feed and recordings of their faces and activities for security purposes, WorldNet Daily (July 19, 2003)
Life with Big Brother: Videocams Will Monitor Plane Passengers -
Passengers who fly Southeast Airlines will be under the constant eye of digital video cameras providing a live feed and recordings of their faces and activities for security purposes, WorldNetDaily (July 18, 2003)
Privacy Invasions 'R U.S. -
Since 9/11, domestic spying projects have become as American as apple pie, the 4th of July and baseball. And like baseball in the age of free agency -- when eligible players can switch teams when their contracts expire -- it's difficult to follow the multitude of spy ops without a scorecard, Working for Change (July 18, 2003)
Videocams Record Airline Flights -
Southeast Airlines said it plans to install digital video cameras throughout the cabins of its planes to record the faces and activities of its passengers at all times, as a precaution against terrorism and other safety threats. In addition, the charter airline, based in Largo, Florida, will store the digitized video for up to 10 years. And it may use face recognition software to match faces to names and personal records, the airline said, Wired News (July 18, 2003)
Pentagon Hires Company to Watch the Watchers -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Kansas City Star (July 17, 2003)
Orwellian Days Could Be Just Around Corners -
That Orwell turned out to be quite the Chicken Little, didn't he? His 1949 novel predicted a world where government cameras and microphones monitored every citizen at nearly every moment, and the real 1984 was nothing like that. Neither is the real 2003. But in some ways, his forecast was simply premature, Chicago Tribune (free registration) (July 15, 2003)
Can Scientist's Device Rein in Snoop System? -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Salt Lake Tribune (July 15, 2003)
Funding for TIA All But Dead -
The controversial Terrorism Information Awareness program, which would troll Americans' personal records to find terrorists before they strike, may soon face the same fate Congress meted out to John Ashcroft in his attempt to create a corps of volunteer domestic spies: death by legislation, Wired News (July 14, 2003)
'Privacy Appliance' Seeks to Harness Government Snooping -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via USA Today (July 14, 2003)
Researchers "Privacy appliance'' Seeks to Harness Government Snooping -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via The Times Leader (July 14, 2003)
Watching the Watchers -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via South Bend Tribune (July 14, 2003)
Researchers Seek to Safeguard Privacy in Anti-Terrorism Plan -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Seattle Times (July 14, 2003)
Researchers "Privacy Appliance" Seeks to Harness Government Snooping -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via San Jose Mercury News (July 14, 2003)
Associated Press Breaking News Digest -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via San Francisco Chronicle (July 14, 2003)
"Privacy Appliance" Seeks To Harness Government Snooping -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Information Week (July 14, 2003)
'Privacy Appliances' Seek To Harness Govt Snooping Powers -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Dow Jones International News (July 14, 2003)
SPY vs. SPY: Researchers "Privacy Appliance" Seeks to Harness Government Snooping -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Detroit News (July 14, 2003)
Can System Collect Data While Protecting Privacy? -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Cincinnati Enquirer (July 14, 2003)
Effectiveness of Privacy Appliance Questioned -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Buffalo News (July 14, 2003)
Device Aims to Keep Eye on Government Snooping -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Boston Globe (July 14, 2003)
Critics Doubt Privacy Filter's Effectiveness -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, Tulsa World (paid subscription) (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Wichita Eagle (July 13, 2003)
Tight Technology Leash Could Curb Watchdogs on Terror -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Ventura County Star (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Tallahassee.com (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Star-Telegram (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Sarasota Herald-Tribune (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Pioneer Press (July 13, 2003)
Device May Provide Privacy in Controversial Terrorist Hunt -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Orlando Sentinel (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Monterey Herald (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Miami Herald (July 13, 2003)
Privacy Protection -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Knoxville News Sentinel (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Kansas City Star (July 13, 2003)
Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Holland Sentinel (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Gainesville Sun (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Fort Wayne News Sentinel (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Democrat and Chronicle (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Bradenton.com (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Akron Beacon Journal (July 13, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via WCCO (July 12, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Times Daily (July 12, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via San Jose Mercury News (July 12, 2003)
Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Government Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Rutland Herald (July 12, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Monterey Herald (July 12, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via KDKA (July 12, 2003)
Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via CNN Asia (July 12, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via CBS11 (July 12, 2003)
Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Government Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Barre Montpelier Times Argus (July 12, 2003)
Watching the Watchers: Researchers Win Contract to Rein in Snoops -
The Pentagon's plan to sniff out terrorists from a sea of personal data collected by the government, banks, airlines, credit card companies and other sources has been criticized as the most sweeping invasion of privacy in history, AP News via Houston Chronicle (July 11, 2003)
Euro Scheme Makes Money Talk -
Euro cash could be embedded with radio frequency identification tags if a reported deal between the European Central Bank and Hitachi becomes reality, Wired News (July 9, 2003)
Big Brother Gets a Brain -
Everything is set for a new Pentagon program to become perhaps the federal government's widest reaching, most invasive mechanism yet for keeping us all under watch. Not in the far-off, dystopian future. But here, and soon, The Village Voice (July 9, 2003)
Asst. US Attorney Defends Act's Use -
The debate of the Patriot Act has civil liberties advocates and the federal government disagreeing about just what powers it enables, MLive.com (July 6, 2003)
Civil Defense vs. Civil Liberties -
Like many Americans, Matthew Lawrence is torn over a war on terrorism that some say pits civil defense against civil liberties. He wants terrorism stamped out. But he is concerned it may come at the expense of privacy and constitutional rights, Ann Arbor News (July 6, 2003)
New Tech Raises Privacy Concerns -
Radio frequency identification or RFID tags are essentially infinitesimal bar codes that can be read from a distance, and financial experts suggest they could help save companies billions. However, such technology figures to become controversial because it could endanger privacy, Wireless NewsFactor (June 30, 2003)
Report : ‘ Talon ’ to Gather Suspicious Information -
Taken offline last year, the controversial TIPS program is reportedly being replaced with “Talon,” a cutting edge Department of Defense database designed to snare and distribute “raw, non-validated” reports of “anomalous activities” within the United States, NewsMax.com (June 30, 2003)
New Tech Raises Privacy Concerns -
Radio frequency identification or RFID tags are essentially infinitesimal bar codes that can be read from a distance, and financial experts suggest they could help save companies billions. However, such technology figures to become controversial because it could endanger privacy, NewsFactor Network via CRM Daily (June 30, 2003)
DoD Logging Unverified Tips -
To track domestic terrorist threats against the military, the Pentagon is creating a new database that will contain "raw, non-validated" reports of "anomalous activities" within the United States, Wired News (June 25, 2003)
The Web, According To Google -
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that Congress can force public libraries to use anti-pornography filters if they want to continue receiving federal funding for technology.
Critics have questioned the filters' effectiveness and complain that they sometimes block legitimate sites, but the disputed law was upheld with the stipulation that libraries may disable the filters for patrons who ask, BusinessWeek Online (June 24, 2003)
Stop Technology from Destroying Privacy -
The Police recorded a love song in the '80s that pledged, "Every move you make ... every step you take, I'll be watching you." Americans are living those words today, and not in the name of romance. Unless they retreat to the woods without their cell phones, personal computers and credit cards, their daily activities are tracked and recorded by both government and private interests, The Detroit News (editorial) (June 23, 2003)
The Web, According To Google -
Google has grown so fast that even those who use it religiously have started to worry about the tendency of its huge audience to increasingly regard the site as comprehensive when in reality its compilation of information is anything but. Here and there, moreover, Webmasters are starting to question the opaque rules that Google uses to determine what to index -- or not, BusinessWeek Online via WGAL Channel.com (June 23, 2003)
Buyer Beware -
Speaking at a conference this winter on Internet crime, eBay.com's director of law enforcement and compliance, Joseph Sullivan, offered law-enforcement officials extensive access to personal customer information, The Nation (June 20, 2003)
Patriot Act of 2001 Casts Wide Net -
Long-sought details have begun to emerge from the Justice Department on how anti-terrorist provisions of the USA Patriot Act were applied in nonterror investigations, just as battle lines are being drawn on proposed new powers in a Patriot Act II, The Washington Times via Frontpagemag.com (June 16, 2003)
Patriot Act of 2001 Casts Wide Net -
Long-sought details have begun to emerge from the Justice Department on how anti-terrorist provisions of the USA Patriot Act were applied in nonterror investigations, just as battle lines are being drawn on proposed new powers in a Patriot Act II, Washington Times (June 15, 2003)
Homeland Security Halts Computer Checks of Fliers -
Bay Area privacy activists say they have pried a victory of sorts from the Department of Homeland Security, which told them Friday that the government is rethinking a controversial computerized airline-screening system and has halted testing it, Tri-Valley Herald (June 14, 2003)
Airline Screening System Delayed -
Bay Area privacy activists say they have pried a victory of sorts from the Department of Homeland Security, which told them Friday that the government is rethinking a controversial computerized airline-screening system and has halted testing it, The Daily Review (June 14, 2003)
U.S. Rethinks New Program on Flight Risks -
Bay Area privacy activists say they have pried a victory of sorts from the Department of Homeland Security, which told them Friday that the government is rethinking a controversial computerized airline-screening system and has halted testing it, The Argus (June 14, 2003)
Government May Rethink Passenger Scanning System -
Bay Area privacy activists say they have pried a victory of sorts from the Department of Homeland Security, which told them Friday that the government is rethinking a controversial computerized airline-screening system and has halted testing it, San Mateo Country Times (June 14, 2003)
Feds Reconsider Passenger-labeling System -
Bay Area privacy activists say they have pried a victory of sorts from the Department of Homeland Security, which told them Friday that the government is rethinking a controversial computerized airline-screening system and has halted testing it, Oakland Tribune (June 14, 2003)
DOJ Net Surveillance Under Fire -
The Justice Department's statements -- and what it did not say -- in a congressional inquiry on the use of broadened surveillance powers authorized after the Sept. 11 attacks is raising a red flag among civil liberties groups. A central concern is the lack of clarity regarding the scope of Internet surveillance powers granted in the controversial USA Patriot Act, Wired News (June 10, 2003)
Unjust Rewards -
As the Justice Department seeks more snooping powers in the increasingly rocky "war on terror," civil liberties groups are raising red flags about the Patriot Act's unclear widening of Web surveillance abilities, TomPaine.com (June 10, 2003)
Critics Point to Snoop Factor in Airline Security -
Hate having to remove your shoes and belt at airport security checkpoints? Just wait. Air travel soon could become far more intrusive, privacy advocates say, Knight Ridder Newspapers via Detroit Free Press (June 10, 2003)
The Web, According to Google -
Google has grown so fast that even those who use it religiously have started to worry about the tendency of its huge audience to increasingly regard the site as comprehensive when in reality its compilation of information is anything but. Here and there, moreover, Webmasters are starting to question the opaque rules that Google uses to determine what to index -- or not, E-Commerce Times (June 10, 2003)
MTC Aims FasTrak at Traffic -
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission sent out a letter last week to 200,000 Bay Area residents advising that in September, it will use FasTrak transponders to monitor traffic. The MTC has taken extraordinary steps to avoid acting more like George Orwell's omni-present "1984" dictator, Big Brother, who watched the every movement of his fictional subjects, Tri-Valley Herald (June 9, 2003)
FasTrak to Watch Flow of Traffic -
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission sent out a letter last week to 200,000 Bay Area residents advising that in September, it will use FasTrak transponders to monitor traffic. The MTC has taken extraordinary steps to avoid acting more like George Orwell's omni-present "1984" dictator, Big Brother, who watched the every movement of his fictional subjects, Tri-Valley Herald (June 9, 2003)
FasTrak to Keep an Eye on Traffic -
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission sent out a letter last week to 200,000 Bay Area residents advising that in September, it will use FasTrak transponders to monitor traffic. The MTC has taken extraordinary steps to avoid acting more like George Orwell's omni-present "1984" dictator, Big Brother, who watched the every movement of his fictional subjects, Tri-Valley Herald (June 9, 2003)
Traffic Tracking Plan Spurs Fear of 'Big Brother' -
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission sent out a letter last week to 200,000 Bay Area residents advising that in September, it will use FasTrak transponders to monitor traffic. The MTC has taken extraordinary steps to avoid acting more like George Orwell's omni-present "1984" dictator, Big Brother, who watched the every movement of his fictional subjects, The Argus (June 8, 2003)
Traffic Tracking Plan Spurs Fear of 'Big Brother' -
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission sent out a letter last week to 200,000 Bay Area residents advising that in September, it will use FasTrak transponders to monitor traffic. The MTC has taken extraordinary steps to avoid acting more like George Orwell's omni-present "1984" dictator, Big Brother, who watched the every movement of his fictional subjects, San Mateo County Times (June 8, 2003)
Traffic Tracking Plan Spurs Fear of 'Big Brother' -
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission sent out a letter last week to 200,000 Bay Area residents advising that in September, it will use FasTrak transponders to monitor traffic. The MTC has taken extraordinary steps to avoid acting more like George Orwell's omni-present "1984" dictator, Big Brother, who watched the every movement of his fictional subjects, Oakland Tribune (June 8, 2003)
Airport Security Plan Decried -
Hate having to remove your shoes and belt at airport security checkpoints? Just wait. Air travel soon could become far more intrusive, privacy advocates say, Knight Ridder Newspapers via San Jose Mercury News (June 8, 2003)
Telling of Terrorist-Tracking Tech Tools -
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the agency in charge of the program, recently described to Congress how the Terrorism Information Awareness (TIA) program will develop and use technologies to fight terrorism. DARPA says the expanded surveillance powers would only affect suspected terrorists. Still, privacy and civil liberties groups warn that it would invade the privacy and trample the freedoms of ordinary Americans, Medill News Service via PC World (June 2, 2003)
USA: Spying for Fun and Profit -
New technology has become ubiquitous in the post-Sept. 11 world. Electronic monitors track web page visits or bank transactions. Even good old-fashioned video surveillance cameras are being used more than ever in conjunction with facial recognition software. All these technologies raise serious questions about invasions of privacy and violations of civil liberties, CorpWatch.com (May 28, 2003)
Spying for Fun and Profit -
New technology has become ubiquitous in the post-Sept. 11 world. Electronic monitors track web page visits or bank transactions. Even good old-fashioned video surveillance cameras are being used more than ever in conjunction with facial recognition software. All these technologies raise serious questions about invasions of privacy and violations of civil liberties, AlterNet (May 28, 2003)
Big Brother, Re-Branded -
Earlier this year, responding to broad skepticism and concern, Congress ordered the Pentagon to explain exactly what it intended to accomplish with its wildly controversial Total Information Awareness data surveillance initiative. This week, the military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency delivered that report. Its centerpiece: A name change, Mother Jones (May 23, 2003)
Pentagon Defends Data Search Plan -
The Pentagon submitted a report to Congress on Tuesday that said the Total Information Awareness program is not the centralized spying database its critics say it is. In fact, according to the report, the Total Information Awareness program is not even the Total Information Awareness program anymore. Instead, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which administers the program, has changed the name to "Terrorism Information Awareness," Wired News (May 21, 2003)
Spy Plan Faces Critical Deadline -
As college students across the country rush to finish their final papers, the Pentagon is preparing to turn in its final report on the Total Information Awareness project in hopes of getting a passing grade from Congress. More than a college transcript is at stake for the program, however. Its continued existence likely will turn on the report's reception, Wired News (May 19, 2003)
Psssst! The World is Watching You -
These are sobering times for Internet users who value their privacy. The government has expanded its online surveillance authority after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and Web users are bombarded almost daily with warnings about cyberterrorism, hackers, worms, spyware, identity theft and cookies, Knight Ridder via Seattle Times (May 17, 2003)
Feds Seek Broader Surveillance Power -
Government investigators will get even quicker and easier authorization to search phone and computer records of suspected terrorists, under a bill approved overwhelmingly by the Senate this week. Civil liberties and privacy advocates say the measure serves government secrecy at the expense of people's due process rights, PC World (May 9, 2003)
How to Halt Prying Eyes on the Net -
These are sobering times for Internet users who value privacy. The government has expanded its online surveillance authority since Sept. 11. And Web users are bombarded almost daily with warnings about cyberterrorism, hackers, worms, spyware and identity theft, Knight Ridder via Charlotte Observer (May 8, 2003)
Taking on Prying Eyes -
These are sobering times for Internet users who value privacy. The government has expanded its online surveillance authority since Sept. 11. And Web users are bombarded almost daily with warnings about cyberterrorism, hackers, worms, spyware and identity theft, Knight Ridder via Orange County Register (May 6, 2003)
IT Security on Campus: A Fragile Equilibrium -
A slew of legislation and industry regulations are pending that will force changes to your security policies and values on your campus. will your security bubble burst? The internet's ubiquity has blurred the lines between cyberspace and the physical world—the nation's power grid, water supplies, and other critical infrastructure—raising cybersecurity risks to unprecedented heights. Likewise, universities and colleges must now deal with infrastructure security as well as the traditional defense against hackers breaking into their systems and gaining unauthorized access to protected data, Syllabus Magazine (April 30, 2003)
Licensed to War Drive in NH -
A land where white pines easily outnumber wireless computer users, New Hampshire may seem an unlikely haven for the free networking movement. But the state, known for its Live Free or Die motto, could become the first in the United States to provide legal protection for people who tap into insecure wireless networks, Wired News (April 29, 2003)
Patriot Act II EFF Offers Analysis of Changes -
Though its existence has been denied, revisions may be in store for the controversial Patriot Act, which could impact everything from broadband communications to encryption. Spotted over at TechFocus; Cindy Cohn, Legal Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, offers up some analysis of the looming Domestic Security Enhancement Act, otherwise known as "Patriot Act II,", Dslreports (April 26, 2003)
How to Halt Prying Eyes on the Net -
The government has expanded its online surveillance authority in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. And Web users are bombarded almost daily with warnings about cyberterrorism, hackers, worms, spyware, identity theft and cookies. Fortunately, there are myriad tools for Internet users who want to reclaim at least some of their privacy, Knight Ridder via Charlotte Observer (April 24, 2003)
Firms Increase Spying on Web Usage -
When you're at work and take 10 minutes to post an item for sale on eBay, view the latest scores on ESPN or see how your stocks are faring, you probably don't think anything of it. Perhaps you should, Baltimore Sun via Contra Costa Times (April 24, 2003)
The PATRIOT Software Bonanza -
Civil libertarians like to call the USA PATRIOT Act a Big Brother nightmare come true. But if the rush by software companies to cash in on Congress' attempt to combat terrorism is any indication, it's not the government that privacy advocates should be watching with suspicion. It's the free market, Salon.com (paid subscription) (April 23, 2003)
The Secret Society -
Under Attorney General John Ashcroft, America is becoming an Orwellian state where people are locked up and no one can find out why -- least of all a compliant Congress, Salon (April 22, 2003)
Taking on Prying Eyes -
The government has expanded its online surveillance authority in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. And Web users are bombarded almost daily with warnings about cyberterrorism, hackers, worms, spyware, identity theft and cookies. Fortunately, there are myriad tools for Internet users who want to reclaim at least some of their privacy, Orange County Register (April 22, 2003)
Is It Safe for You to Surf at Work? -
When you're at work and take 10 minutes to post an item for sale on eBay, view the latest scores on ESPN or see how your stocks are faring, you probably don't think anything of it. Perhaps you should, Baltimore Sun via Fort Lauderdale Sun (April 21, 2003)
Net Users Try to Reclaim Privacy -
These are sobering times for Internet users who value their privacy. The government has expanded its online surveillance authority in the wake of Sept. 11. And Web users are bombarded almost daily with warnings about cyberterrorism, hackers, worms, spyware, identity theft and cookies, Mercury News via Contra Costa Times (April 20, 2003)
The Boss Is Watching You on the Web -
When you're at work and take 10 minutes to post an item for sale on eBay, view the latest scores on ESPN or see how your stocks are faring, you probably don't think anything of it. Perhaps you should, Baltimore Sun via Holland Sentinel (April 20, 2003)
The Patriot Act Erodes the Safeguards Protecting Civil Liberties -
The Justice Department claims the Patriot Act is to prevent another terrorist attack, yet no evidence was shown to prove the events of Sept. 11, 2001, would have been prevented if only our civil liberties were compromised earlier. In fact, the act is 342 pages long and includes many sections that do not deal with terrorism, but are provisions aimed at nonviolent, domestic computer crime, Roanoke Times, VA (April 18, 2003)
What Color Is Your Privacy Today? -
No matter what flavor you like your privacy, the Electronic Privacy Information Center says right now you're getting lemon. The nonprofit advocacy group recently unveiled its Privacy Threat Index, a color-coded takeoff on the Homeland Security Department's terrorist alert system. The organization invites other Web sites to use its graphic to alert people about attacks on personal privacy, Medill News Service via PC World (April 18, 2003)
Employers Increase Monitoring of Workers' Web Usage -
Increasingly across the United States, employers have been monitoring what their employees are doing while they're on the clock -- everything from what keystrokes they make to Web sites they surf to where they drive company-owned vehicles. And while workers nationwide aren't losing their jobs en masse because of "playing" when they should be working, it does happen, Baltimore Sun via Detroit News (April 18, 2003)
Security Agency Selects Privacy Watchdog -
Employees from 22 different federal agencies are being integrated into DHS, and one of Nuala O'Connor Kelly's responsibilities will be to protect the privacy of both employee and citizen data as databases are integrated, something Administration officials have acknowledged is an "enormous" task. Perhaps more controversial, however, will be DHS programs to improve security, such as the Transportation Safety Administration's CAPPS II (Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System) and the Total Information Awareness program spearheaded by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), Washington Internet Daily (April 17, 2003)
Privacy Protection -
The government has expanded its online surveillance authority in the wake of Sept. 11. And Web users are bombarded almost daily with warnings about cyberterrorism, hackers, worms, spyware, identity theft and cookies. It seems you can't wander down the Information Superhighway these days without wondering who is spying on you or surreptitiously sucking up all your personal information, San Jose Mercury News (April 17, 2003)
Privacy Protection -
The government has expanded its online surveillance authority in the wake of Sept. 11. And Web users are bombarded almost daily with warnings about cyberterrorism, hackers, worms, spyware, identity theft and cookies, Mercury News via SiliconValley.com (April 17, 2003)
Watched at Work -
Increasingly across the country, employers have been monitoring what their employees are doing with technology while they're on the clock -- everything from what keystrokes they make to Web sites they surf to where they drive company-owned vehicles. And while workers nationwide aren't losing their jobs en masse because of "playing" when they should be working, it does happen, Baltimore Sun (April 17, 2003)
Misguided Patriotism -
With more than two-and-a-half years left until Patriot's sunset, some Republicans are trying to make the act's provisions permanent. Meanwhile, the Bush administration is drafting legislation for "Son of Patriot," which would give federal law enforcement agencies even broader powers of detainment and surveillance and even punishment, Middletown Times Herald (April 16, 2003)
New Patriot Act Creates Uproar, Brings Together Uncommon Allies -
Fearful that the Bush administration is poised to ask Congress for greater anti-terrorism powers, including the right to strip Americans of their citizenship, liberals and conservatives are joining forces to block what they view as dangerous encroachments on civil liberties, Common Dreams (April 16, 2003)
New Patriot Act Creates Uproar, Brings Together Uncommon Allies -
Fearful that the Bush administration is poised to ask Congress for greater anti-terrorism powers, including the right to strip Americans of their citizenship, liberals and conservatives are joining forces to block what they view as dangerous encroachments on civil liberties, Dallas Morning News via Seattle Times (April 15, 2003)
'Super-DMCA' Fears Suppress Security Research -
A University of Michigan graduate student noted for his research into steganography and honeypots -- techniques for concealing messages and detecting hackers, respectively -- says he's been forced to move his research papers and software offshore and prohibit U.S. residents from accessing it, in response to a controversial new state law that makes it a felony to possess software capable of concealing the existence or source of any electronic communication, The Register (April 14, 2003)
Conservatives, Liberals Unite Against Push to Broaden Patriot Act -
Fearful that the Bush administration is poised to ask Congress for greater anti-terrorism powers, including the right to strip Americans of their citizenship, liberals and conservatives are joining forces to block what they view as dangerous encroachments on civil liberties, Dallas Morning News via Bradenton Herald (April 14, 2003)
The Trails Left in Web Server Logs - and Who's Seeing Them -
The privacy advocates and civil libertarians at the 13th annual Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference sometimes seem dwarfed by the enormity of the projects they oppose -- larger-than-life enterprises worthy of a James Bond villain. John Poindexter's Total Information Awareness project, if successful, would combine every government and private sector database into a massive data mining system capable of picking out aberrant behavior in the actions of seemingly-ordinary citizens. The Department of Homeland Security's CAPPS II program aims to run automatic background checks on every airline passenger in the U.S., The Register (April 6, 2003)
FBI Computers Enter the 21st Century -
The FBI, hoping to shred its paper-swamped reputation and maximize its crime fighting, has unveiled the biggest change in its workflow in 50 years: a $600 million computer network called Trilogy that will help the agency sift the massive amounts of data it collects, Network World Fusion (April 4, 2003)
Fear of A Million Big Brothers -
The U.S. government's surveillance push isn't the only thing on the minds of privacy advocates this year. Concern is growing about the trails netizens leave in routine Web server logs, and who's seeing them, Security Focus (April 3, 2003)
FBI Computers Enter the 21st Century -
The FBI, hoping to shred its paper-swamped reputation and maximize its crime fighting, has unveiled the biggest change in its workflow in 50 years: a $600 million computer network called Trilogy that will help the agency sift the massive amounts of data it collects, Medill News Service via PC World (April 3, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Yahoo News (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Wilkes Barre Weekender (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Wichita Eagle (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Tuscaloosa News (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Times Daily (March 31, 2003)
The Fight Against Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via The Globe and Mail (March 31, 2003)
Also Moved in Advance -
Barry Steinhardt is paid to be paranoid. The American Civil Liberties Union's cyberchief holds up his Handspring Treo, a combination organizer, phone and e-mail gadget, as he describes the many ways his government might spy on him. Snoops could try to tap into the calendar to see his meeting schedule. They could ask his service provider for phone and e-mail records. If Steinhardt were to upgrade to a device with global-positioning capabilities, investigators might even track his whereabouts, AP News via Stamford Advocate (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Seattle Post Intelligencer (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Sarasota Herald-Tribune (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP news via San Jose Mercury News (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Rapid City Journal, (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Raleigh News (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Newsday (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Macon Telegraph (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Kansas City Star (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Grand Forks Herald (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Duluth News Tribune (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Attorney Fights Digital Surveillance -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance society has been [Barry] Steinhardt's No. 1 mission. He believes he will probably lose - but not without trying to at least win greater court oversight or other limits, AP News via Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (March 31, 2003)
ACLU Cyberchief Worried About Privacy -
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, trying to beat back a technology-propelled surveillance soc