PRIVACY + SECURITY BLOG

News, Developments, and Insights

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Making Sense of Public Attitudes Toward NSA Surveillance

NSA Surveillance

MSNBC journalist Bob Sullivan, in his blog Red Tape Chronicles, writes: Ask Americans something like, “Should the government be allowed to read e-mails and listen to phone calls to fight terrorism?” and you’ll get a much different result than if you ask, “Should the government be allowed to read your e-mails and listen to your phone […]

Whistleblowing, Journalist Privilege, and NSA Surveillance

Whistleblowing NSA

The DOJ has launched a probe into the leaking of the NSA surveillance program to the New York Times: “The leaking of classified information is a serious issue. The fact is that al-Qaida’s playbook is not printed on Page One and when America’s is, it has serious ramifications,” Duffy told reporters in Crawford, Texas, where Bush was […]

Hypothetical: What If President Bush Were Correct About His Surveillance Powers?

Surveillance

There’s been some terrific analysis in the blogosphere about whether President Bush is correct that he had the power to authorize warrantless surveillance. (See here and here for a roundup of posts.) The arguments thus far focus on what the President has already done, but the President has stated that he will continue the warrantless surveillance [link no longer available] […]

Judge Posner’s Troubling Call for Massive Surveillance

Government Surveillance Richard Posner

Judge Richard Posner has written an op-ed in the Washington Post today where he calls for a massive program of surveillance of U.S. citizens — their email, documents, phone conversations, nearly everything they say or do — regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing or not. Posner’s argument is quite startling and troublesome. Posner […]