"Go to jail. Do not pass 'go.' Pay $10,000 per day." That's the message to those who flunk a new web-based "risk assessment" that tests compliance with the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). The author, a CALEA solutions provider, wants to raise awareness of what can go wrong for a communications company that fails to meet its legal obligations. Though … [Read more...]
U.S. Courts Report: Lawful Intercept Boosts Arrests
The just released “Wiretap Report 2013” finds that the number of lawful intercepts ordered by courts in 2013 rose a scant 5% versus the previous year. But over the preceding decade, the volume of lawful intercepts rose significantly -- making a huge difference in the number of arrests that led to convictions. The report, published annually by the Administrative Office (AO) … [Read more...]
Ed Snowden – One Year After
Approaching the one-year anniversary of Edward Snowden's revelations on the NSA, we were prepared for a big media splash gushing over his deeds and their impact. Never happened. But for a thoughtful piece in, of course, The Guardian, and any magazine coverage that may surface over the weekend, the big day came and went largely unobserved. One is reminded of those wedding … [Read more...]
H.R. 3161 – What Congressional Action on Metadata Reform Means
On May 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the USA Freedom Act (H.R. 3161), a bill whose primary goal is to place tight controls on the government’s bulk domestic metadata collection program under Section 215 of the Patriot Act – the most controversial of the many revelations disclosed by Edward Snowden. While the bill passed by a wide margin and with bipartisan … [Read more...]