Senate bill to allow warrantless government access to your online services

In a dumbfounding display of politics at work, a U.S. Senate bill that, at one point, would have protected e-mail privacy has gone the opposite way, and would allow government surveillance of online services without a warrant if passed into law.

Previously, the bill protected users? privacy by requiring a warrant that established probable cause. CNET reports that U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont who heads the Senate Judiciary committee, has rewritten the bill so that, in some cases, government agencies would need only a subpoena to access electronic communications, such as email, Facebook, and Google Docs.

In many cases, searches would still require a warrant. Still, if law enforcement claims that the situation is an emergency, the agency could gain access without a warrant or a subsequent court review.

CNet reports that the bill, HR 2471, could see a vote next week. Leahy was also behind the Protect IP Act (or PIPA), which collapsed in response to backlash from citizens, tech companies, and advocacy groups. Perhaps he?s hoping the holiday weekend will prevent outrage from boiling over on this new--and equally terrifying--bill.

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Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2015211/senate-bill-to-allow-warrentless-government-access-to-your-online-services.html

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