Computer Ethics, Sum 2015
Comm 010, MW 6:00-9:00
Class 5, Monday, June 1
Week 3 Readings
Read Baase Chapter 2, on privacy.
No USA Patriot Act
There is no Patriot act today. It expired Sunday night, and the US Senate
has not been able to get their act together to decide whether to renew it.
Like a few other controversial laws, the Patriot act contained a "sunset"
provision under which some sections (including §215) would expire on May 31,
2015 unless renewed. (There had already been one previous renewal.)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and some other influential senators (John McCain,
R-AZ, Dianne Feinstein, D-CA) wanted to keep §215 intact, despite the 2nd
Circuit's ruling that what the NSA was doing was never actually authorized
by §215. Congress could have taken the renewal legislation as an opportunity
to adjust the wording of the law, but there appeared to be a widespread lack
of support any broadening of surveillance.
The proposed "Freedom Act" replacement places new rules on the collection of
phone metadata, although it is not clear to what extent collection would
actually stop. It would also allow slightly broader publication by ISPs of
what records had been requested by the government. The FISA courts would
remain as secret as ever.
Katz
Miller
Smith
Kyllo