NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] FISA court doesn't want privacy advocate, telcos don't want mandated data retention
FISA court doesn't want privacy advocate, telcos don't want mandated
data retention
http://j.mp/1eRDShc (AP)
Liability is a key concern for phone companies, which could be sued if
hackers or others were able to gain unauthorized access to the
records. Under the Patriot Act, which governs the NSA's phone
collection program, the phone companies are free of legal
responsibility for disclosing customer records to the government in
counterterrorism investigations. Industry lawyers say similar
protections could be broadened to cover phone companies holding
customer data for the NSA, but it's unclear whether Congress would
pass them. A former top NSA lawyer and Bush administration national
security official who has represented phone firms, Stewart Baker, said
Congress only grudgingly granted legal protections to the phone
companies in the immediate years after the 9/11 attacks. "The phone
companies were seared by their experience in Congress and can't be
enthusiastic about a return engagement," Baker said. Even with
broader legal protections, the companies would expect to cope with a
surge in demands for business records from local prosecutors, private
lawyers, insurance firms and others. Companies already retain some
customer records, but the duration of their storage and the kinds of
records they keep vary. While T-Mobile keeps records for seven to 10
years, according to a recent Senate Commerce Committee study, other
major firms - including Verizon, US Cellular and Sprint - keep them
less than two years.
- - -
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com): http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Founder:
- Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org
- PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
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