Join With CDT in Making an Impact on Internet Policy!

Wiretap Overview

Overview Government Surveillance of Telephones and the Internet

Search & Seizure
The Dept. of Justice has written a manual on the rules for seizing evidence stored in computers. "Searching and Seizing Computers and Obtaining Electronic Evidence in Criminal Investigations"

Carnivore
Carnivore is a computer program designed by the FBI to intercept Internet communications.

CDT's Carnivore Reference Page

CALEA
The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (CALEA) was supposed to preserve law enforcement surveillance capabilities in the face of technological chage, but the FBI has been trying to use it to claim control over the design of the telephone network to enhance its surveillance powers.

CDT's CALEA Reference Page

Roving Wiretaps
A roving wiretap order allows the government to tap any phone lines that a suspect may use.

-Congress Passes "Roving Wiretaps," Expands Surveillance Authority
-E-RIGHTS Bill (S. 854) tightens standard for roving taps

Echelon
Echelon is a secretive international surveillance system that operates outside of the normal limitations of the Constitution.

International Monitoring by US government

FIDNet
FIDNet is a comprehensive monitoring system intended to protect government computers, but it raises serious privacy concerns.

CDT's FIDNet Reference Page

CESA
CESA was a bill proposed by the Clinton Administration that would allow the government to seize decryption keys without notice to the user.

CDT's CESA Reference Page

Articles

Jerry Berman and Lara Flint, Guiding Lights: Intelligence Oversight and Control for the Challenge of Terrorism Criminal Justice Ethics, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Winter/Spring, 2003)
Critical Infrastructure Protection: Threats to Privacy and Other Civil Liberties and Concerns with Government Mandates on Industry DePaul Business Law Journal (1999-2000)
Communications Privacy In The Digital Age: Revitalizing The Federal Wiretap Laws To Enhance Privacy Albany Law Journal of Science & Technology (1997)
CIO Cyberthreat Response and Reporting Guidelines Guidelines for responding to attacks on computer systems endorsed by the F.B.I. and the Secret Service, published in CIOmagazine, a trade publication, Feb 2002.

FBI Guidelines

ACLU Says Bush Administration Should Not Allow Operation TIPS To Become An End Run Around Constitution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 15, 2002

Contact: Gabe Rottman
(202) 675-2312

WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today questioned the prudence of a proposed Bush Administration initiative that would recruit a million letter carriers, utility workers and others whose jobs allow them access to private residences into a contingent of organized government informants.

The Administration apparently wants to implement a program that will turn local cable or gas or electrical technicians into government-sanctioned peeping toms, said Rachel King, an ACLU Legislative Counsel.

At issue is a program that will be bundled into President BushÕs new volunteer Citizen Corps and called Operation TIPS (Terrorist Information and Prevention System). According to the White House, Operation TIPS is scheduled to be introduced as a pilot project in August 2002 and would recruit one million volunteers in 10 cities across the country who would be encouraged to report suspicious, ostensibly terrorism-related activity. The program will target volunteers who because of their work as, for example, letter carriers and utility technicians are well-positioned to recognize unusual events, the White House says.

The ACLU is concerned that law enforcement will use these new volunteers -- especially those whose occupations allow them to enter homes and monitor citizens -- to search peopleÕs residences without a warrant. Also worrisome is the potential for the program to adversely affect the fight against terrorism by wasting resources on useless tips and the possibility that the program would encourage vigilantism and racial profiling.

The Washington Post editorialized against the program this weekend: Americans should not be subjecting themselves to law enforcement scrutiny merely by having cable lines installed, mail delivered or meters read. Police cannot routinely enter people's houses without either permission or a warrant. They should not be using utility workers to conduct surveillance they could not lawfully conduct themselves.

###

Our Mission / Get Involved / Staff / Publications / Links / Search CDT / Jobs / Action!
Previous Headlines | Legislative Tracking | CDT's Privacy Policy

The Center For Democracy & Technology
1634 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20006
(v) 202.637.9800
(f) 202.637.0968
Contact CDT

Copyright © 2005 by Center for Democracy and Technology.
The content throughout this Web site that originates with CDT can be freely copied and used as long as you make no substantive changes and clearly give us credit. Details.