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Retroactive Immunity Proposed for Telcos Who Share Private Data

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the best-intentions dept.

quanticle writes "The government has proposed giving retroactive immunity to telephone companies for giving personal data to the government, even if such requests are later found to be illegal."

6 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. I welcome by EEPROMS · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I too welcome our new United Soviet States of America fascist overlords

    1. Re:I welcome by dreamchaser · · Score: 5, Interesting

      In a Fascist system the State controls Corporations. Here it's the other way around most of the time. We have a Corporate Republic now, though the end result with regards to our civil liberties is the same.

  2. Ah, no ... by the+bluebrain · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... you see, this is impossible. Impossible, due to the separation of powers. It's obviously the executive branch of government that is requesting the data, and the legislative that would be able to grant immunity. And it anything goes wrong, the judicative can be called upon, by any involved party. Checks and balances, my friend, checks and balances.

    It's the magic of the system, as written down on a just piece of paper.

    --
    yes, we have no bananas
  3. This isn't about the past...... by budword · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is about being able to get that data in the future too. The government knows that if they want the telcos to just hand over your info in the future, they have to make sure the telcos past actions don't cost them in court. Unfortunately for the rest of us, the only way to be sure it doesn't happen again is to make sure it costs those bastards a boat load of cash, which no longer seems likely. Some "get pounded in the ass" prison time would help too, for the CEO types who had to sign off on this bullshit, but that is even less likely. The US doesn't have much in common with the Constitution anymore.

  4. I bet Nixon would feel really dumb now by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Informative

    All he had to do is making snooping legal if there's some way to mask it as the "fight against communism". And since those red bellied Dems are half way to communism anyway...

    Why does everyone seemingly accept any kind of illegal action as long as it can somehow be called the "fight against terror"? Why do people accept this kind of BS from the people who allegedly work FOR them?

    Politicians are our employees. We put them there. If they don't work as intended, fire them!

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  5. Please don't... by msauve · · Score: 5, Insightful

    bring the United States of America into this.

    The US has a Constitution which says that "No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed."

    This is about a corrupt administration which feels it is above the law.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law