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U.S. Gov't To Keep Data On Non-Terrorist Citizens For 5 Years

Posted by Soulskill on from the innocent-until-eventually-suspected-of-something dept.

arnott writes with this excerpt from the Washington Post: "The Obama administration has approved guidelines that allow counterterrorism officials to lengthen the period of time they retain information about U.S. residents, even if they have no known connection to terrorism. The changes allow the National Counterterrorism Center, the intelligence community's clearinghouse for terrorism data, to keep information for up to five years. Previously, the center was required to promptly destroy — generally within 180 days — any information about U.S. citizens or residents unless a connection to terrorism was evident."

7 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. I'm surprised there is a limit by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm surprised there is even a 5 year limit- figured they would keep that data indefinately. I'm sure they have loopholes to allow them to keep the data on anyone that they think is "interesting".

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    1. Re:I'm surprised there is a limit by 0123456 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Don't worry, in five years the limit will be raised to ten years...

    2. Re:I'm surprised there is a limit by WrongSizeGlass · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't worry, in five years the limit will be raised to ten years...

      A moving target ... just like extending copyrights so works don't end up in the public domain?

    3. Re:I'm surprised there is a limit by bigstrat2003 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Or, you know. He could do his job, and crack down on the abuses regardless of what political consequences it has for him. I, for one, don't believe in giving our representatives a free pass on not doing their job just because they don't want to hurt their chances of re-election.

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    4. Re:I'm surprised there is a limit by cpu6502 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      According to the Supreme Court it could be 1000 years and still be constitutional. That is why Jefferson advised Madison to include a fixed number of years in the Bill of Rights -- that no monopoly should last longer than an author's lifetime.

      (And once again Jefferson demonstrated an uncanny ability to predict future events... that the monopoly for artists/media companies would be extended to insanely long terms.)

         

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    5. Re:I'm surprised there is a limit by mr1911 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Or, as the OP eluded to, they just define whatever it is you are doing as a potential terror indicator and then keep your data forever.

      Don't worry about being added to the list. You're probably there unless you live a very boring, very sheltered life and speak to no one.

      Don't be alarmed. This is all for safety and security. Just not yours.

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  2. Good. by cpu6502 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    We need to take down these terrorists, and if that means ignoring the Bill of Rights and throwing Americans into concentration camps, like we did in WW2, then so be it. As Santorum said, "We must be united in this war. We cannot allow any criticism."

    /end sarcasm

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