We will end up in a fight over what of this information can be made public. We welcome that fight because at least it won't be the unilateral decision of the agency; it will be up to a federal judge. |
We're now at a critical point in this debate, ... and the balance could really go either way. |
We're seeing what might be the tip of the iceberg at the FBI and across the intelligence community. It indicates that the existing mechanisms do not appear adequate to prevent abuses or to ensure the public that abuses that are identified are treated seriously and remedied. |
When this kind of power is used in the regular criminal justice system, there are some built-in checks and balances. The intelligence context provides no such protection. That's the main problem with these kinds of secretive procedures. |
Where the basis of the request comes from is that the government itself has revealed nothing about these initiatives. The objective here is to move beyond unnamed DOT sources to really make public on an official basis some of the details. |
Why wasn't some moratorium on Carnivore announced? ... How can the administration on one hand say they are trying to improve online privacy and also, at the same time, approve the use of technology that appears to be inherently invasive? |