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Canadian Agency Drops Cases Rather Than Deal With New Requirements For ISP Info

An anonymous reader points out this story about what has happened since the Supreme Court of Canada's ruling on the warrantless disclosure of subscriber information to law enforcement from ISPs. "A funny thing happens when courts start requiring more information from law enforcement: law enforcers suddenly seem less interested in zealously enforcing the law. Back in June of this year, Canada's Supreme Court delivered its decision in R. v. Spencer, which brought law enforcement's warrantless access of ISP subscriber info to an end. 'In a unanimous decision written by (Harper appointee) Justice Thomas Cromwell, the court issued a strong endorsement of Internet privacy, emphasizing the privacy importance of subscriber information, the right to anonymity, and the need for police to obtain a warrant for subscriber information except in exigent circumstances or under a reasonable law.' The effects of this ruling are beginning to be felt. Michael Geist points to a Winnipeg Free Press article that details the halcyon days of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's warrantless access. 'Prior to the court decision, the RCMP and border agency estimate, it took about five minutes to complete the less than one page of documentation needed to ask for subscriber information, and the company usually turned it over immediately or within one day.'"

11 of 29 comments (clear)

  1. Sadly ... by Rambo+Tribble · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... there is nothing new about law enforcement, or the corrections industry, serving and protecting itself before any considerations of the society and its citizens.

  2. Ond once again we learn they have been lying... by gweihir · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... when they said this information was "vital" or "critical". Turns out that in most cases they can to without it and that for the few cases where they actually need it they can go through a proper legal process. My impression is that law enforcement has gotten entirely too lazy and to disrespectful of the rights and well-being of the citizens that are supposed to protect. They behave just like any other industry now: Deliver the shoddiest product they can get away with, lobby for laws that make their job as easy as possible, but at the same time demand as much money as they can get and whenever they screw up, they claim it is not their fault.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    1. Re:Ond once again we learn they have been lying... by loonycyborg · · Score: 2

      There definitely must be some approval mechanism because otherwise cops will query personal details to track their wives' lovers and what-not, but their current mechanism sounds way too unwieldy, so not only cops were lazy but also bureaucrats.

    2. Re:Ond once again we learn they have been lying... by blahplusplus · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "My impression is that law enforcement has gotten entirely too lazy and to disrespectful of the rights and well-being of the citizens that are supposed to protect."

      You have no clue what's really going on in the world... the elites are afraid of political awakening. This (mass surveillance) by the NSA and abuse by law enforcement is just more part and parcel of state suppression of dissent against corporate interests. They're worried that the more people are going to wake up and corporate centers like the US and canada may be among those who also awaken. See this vid with Zbigniew Brzezinski, former United States National Security Advisor.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      Science on reasoning, reason doesn't work the way we thought it did:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      Brezinski at a press conferenec conference

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      The real news:
      http://therealnews.com/t2/ [therealnews.com]

      http://www.amazon.com/Democrac...

      Look at the following graphs:

      http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesa...
      http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesa...
      http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesa...

      And then...

      WIKILEAKS: U.S. Fought To Lower Minimum Wage In Haiti So Hanes And Levis Would Stay Cheap

      http://www.businessinsider.com...

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      Free markets?

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      http://www.amazon.com/Empire-I...

      "We now live in two Americas. One—now the minority—functions in a print-based, literate world that can cope with complexity and can separate illusion from truth. The other—the majority—is retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic. To this majority—which crosses social class lines, though the poor are overwhelmingly affected—presidential debate and political rhetoric is pitched at a sixth-grade reading level. In this “other America,” serious film and theater, as well as newspapers and books, are being pushed to the margins of society.

      In the tradition of Christopher Lasch’s The Culture of Narcissism and Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death, Pulitzer Prize-winner Chris Hedges navigates this culture—attending WWF contests, the Adult Video News Awards in Las Vegas, and Ivy League graduation ceremonies—to expose an age of terrifying decline and heightened self-delusion."

    3. Re:Ond once again we learn they have been lying... by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 2

      In this "other America", they read loud and clear that the serious film and theater fucking hate them. No, really...ask any theater or film person what they think of the average American. Nothing but pure hatred. Then, ask what the average Muslim Arab thinks of the Jews, and compare and contrast those viewpoints.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    4. Re:Ond once again we learn they have been lying... by Falconhell · · Score: 3, Informative

      In all fairness, they make a good approximation of the average American.

  3. Imagine that! by Runaway1956 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If the cops actually have to do their JOB to get the job done, they aren't so eager to infringe on your rights.

    All nations who trace their laws back to English Common Law supposedly require warrants before they invade your privacy. Funny how many of those nations have been ignoring that requirement.

    --
    "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
    1. Re:Imagine that! by Livius · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Individual rights are more about protecting all of society than they are about protecting individuals. In Canada and similar countries, getting a warrant is laughably easy. Choosing not to get a warrant must mean the case is embarrassingly weak. The requirement of warrants makes police work better because there's actually a minimum of work that has to happen.

  4. umount -f /RCMP by sberge · · Score: 2

    sudo

  5. Well! by Greyfox · · Score: 2

    Guess it's time for civilization to slip into lawless disorder! I'll get me hockey mask, then!

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  6. Re:warrants need about the same paperwork as shoot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    But shootings get a speedier trial and higher conviction rate. At least in the U.S.
    It all comes down to which particular brand of fascism becomes "settled law" in your country.

    The RCMP prefers tazering people to death. Less paperwork than discharging their service revolver and less messy in terms of public relations and the crime scene as well.