FC: Satellite TV and Tivo owners, be warned: You have no privacy

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Tue Apr 01 2003 - 07:18:22 PST

  • Next message: Declan McCullagh: "FC: Request: Sign on letter on accuracy in FBI's criminal database"

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    From: "Hugh Lilly" <h.lillyat_private>
    To: <declanat_private>
    References: <20030401003352.A1247at_private>
    Subject: Fwd: //surveillance// FW: Is Your Television Watching You?
    Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2003 18:10:56 +1200
    
    Declan,
    
    For Politech if you wish. Love the list. Yours and IP are almost all I ever 
    read
    to keep up with tech issues.
    
    Regards,
    
    Hugh Lilly.
    
    ----------------Forwarded Message----------------
    
    On Tuesday, April 01, 2003 6:33 PM +1300 [NZDT],
    wade tillett <wadeat_private> said:
    
    (thanks to cursor.org for the link:)
    
    http://www.tvweek.com/technology/030303isyourtv.html
    
    Is Your Television Watching You?
    By Phillip Swann
    
    Could the federal government find out what you're watching on TV? Even if
    you're not the subject of a criminal investigation?
    
    If you're a satellite TV or TiVo owner, the answer is yes, according to
    legal experts and industry officials.
    
    Under the USA Patriot Act, passed a month after the 9/11 terrorist attack,
    the feds can force a noncable TV operator to disclose every show you have
    watched. The government just has to say that the request is related to a
    terrorism investigation, said Jay Stanley, a technology expert for the
    American Civil Liberties Union.
    
    Under Section 215 of the Act, you don't even have to be the target of the
    investigation. Plus, your TV provider is prohibited from informing you that
    the feds have requested your personal information.
    
    "The language is very broad," Mr. Stanley said. "It allows the FBI to force
    a company to turn over the records of their customers. They don't even need
    a reasonable suspicion of criminal behavior."
    
    David Sobel, general counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Center,
    a Washington think tank, said the Cable Act of 1984 gives cable operators
    greater protection against the Patriot Act.
    
    ...
    
    
    Phillip Swann is president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He can be
    reached at Swannat_private
    
    
    
    
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