Electronic Surveillance By US Law Enforcement Agencies Rising Steeply

hypnosec writes "According to data obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), surveillance of emails and other forms of Internet communications without warrants has increased substantially over the last two years. Documents, obtained by the ACLU, reveal that there has been a 361% increase in 'pen register' and 'trap-and-trace' orders between 2009 and 2011. The ACLU has appealed to Congress to bring in more judicial oversight in these warrantless orders."

Comments

My two cents

[Anonymous Coward]

There is no excuse for such warantless searches. All searches need a warrant. If we're talking about a search sometime shortly before obtaining a warrant (with the risk of not getting one afterwards), that's a gray area, but no warrant afterwards means the evidence should not be used. But in no situation should there be any sort of search without said warrant.

Re:My two cents

[NoNonAlphaCharsHere]

It's always (sadly) amusing to me how the Constitution thumpers are all about the Founders Intent and Strict Interpretations and all that - right up until it's time to dispense with all that shit so we can have Yet More authoritarian "law enforcement".

Re:My two cents

[captainpanic]

I'll summarize the defense of these searches. Btw, I disagree with all of them... but I thought we can just get this over with quickly.

Choose:
- What if it was your child?
- Don't you want to catch terrorists?
- Prevention is better than cure.
- I have nothing to hide.
- I trust my government.
- (I probably forgot some...)

They're either logical fallacies, or just besides the point. Or both.

Re:My two cents

[Anonymous Coward]

That's the problem with a 2 party system. Everyone wants to assume that they picked the right side, when in reality an individual in their own regime can easily perform an action they don't agree with. So to somehow explain away the action they begin looking for a way to pass the blame to the other side.

When in reality, the 2 party system is the dumbest idea ever contrived. By limiting our potions the system has essentially created a method for us to somehow feel like were in control when in reality we don't have any control. Politics is a system for idiots, no matter how good or bad you are at your job you will be like by some and hated by others, have every aspect of your life examined under a microscope, and the only protection you have is the "friends" you acquire on your way up. Even an village idiot can take the role, the only talent you need is the ability to spend an hour saying nothing while mentioning all the topics that everyone cares about.

It's time for change stop supporting the 2 parties, and stop buying foods from company's that support them. Then actually spend a few hours investigating the background of the individual you are voting for. Check who is paying for their campaign (Remember the comment that the MPAA made "Don't ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don't pay any attention to me when my job is at stake", as this is generally true for all of industry.) Then check how they votes and the comments they made in the past. In all likely-hood they will be nearly identical the the standpoints they make in the future, as these are the comments and viewpoints that got them to where they are. Don't sit here and blame a party, or the president. Until all of us actually stand up and do something it's only going to get worse. We won once against SOPA/PIPA. however, even now the government is hard at work to derail efforts to stop like bills from receiving similar attention. Because these bills are in the interest of their investors. No matter which side you take, just look where the money is coming from. We need to take a larger stand, and give the government some real oversight, place people who actually know what they are doing (and not just giving a good pubic face) in charge.

Re:And it will go down if you get rid of Obama

[na1led]

Obama is just the idiot puppet on stage. It's the ones behind the curtain controlling things.

Get used to it

[NoNonAlphaCharsHere]

Let's face it: we now live in a surveillance society. If it's not the government (FBI, NSA, CIA, DHS, etc.), it's a corporation trying to make money (Google (DoubleClick), Microsoft, Apple, etc.) or an IP troll (RIAA, MPAA, Sony, EMI, etc.). We drive down the street, and we're under almost constant video surveillance. Walk into a store, bank, restaurant, dry cleaners, expect to be photographed. Soon we'll have drones overhead. Big Brother is watching. Their excuse is "We're just trying to make money/keep you safe", and their justification is "If you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.". Get used to it, because there's nothing you can do about it.

Re:Get used to it

[fustakrakich]

Let's face it: we now live in a surveillance society.

Only because the majority of the voters want it that way.

Get used to it, because there's nothing you can do about it.

Ah, learned helplessness... The door is open yet nobody steps through.

Re:Get used to it

[usuallylost]

I agree that, at least in the near term, there is nothing we can do about it. Though I think we still have to try. We still need to complain, sue, protest, put up candidates who are against this etc. If only to slow the spread of this stuff. My problem with the whole "if you're doing doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about" bit is that what is defined as wrong has a habit of changing with the political winds. Historically when Government's made unreasonable demands people would find ways to work around it. That is becoming harder and harder to do as we get closer and closer to continuous surveillance of the population. All it takes is for us to elect one real bad player and all of these tools we aren't worrying about become an electronic leash around our necks.

Re:Get used to it

[sl4shd0rk]

Get used to it, because there's nothing you can do about it.

Precisely. Give in, give up, don't give a single f*ck. That's how we got where we are -- half the the population just said "ah, f*uck it. Nothing I can do about it, so BOHICA"

"Fighting back" against problem legislation is arduous. For most Americans, they don't want to put in the effort to contact their representatives and voice their opinion. They think someone else will do it. Well, not enough people do and pretty soon we have stuff like military drones in the sky, and some really bat-shit crazy corporate sponsored law makers in office.

How do you think SOPA/PIPA got beat? Lot's of regular people raising hell about it. Making a big enough deal out of it that the media covered it and it was impossible to pass now because the lawmakers couldn't keep it some clandestine piece of legislation that would get passed quietly.

Let's face it: There's more everyone could be doing to keep crap like this off the law books.

Re:You got it.

[ATMAvatar]

That's a cute way to ignore that the surveillance is completely bipartisan. This is neither strictly Obama's fault nor any meaningful change from the last administration. Were McCain elected, we would not be any better off in this regard. Should Romney be elected, we will be no better off. Both parties want this desperately, because it is a springboard to consolidating even more power in their hands.