A Message from Derek Slater Of Google+LGF Poll
Slightly edited to remove personal name. And it’s designed for Californians, as she is our Senator.
A warrant issued by a judge is out best protection under the law from excess or unfair surveillance. The more secrecy that is involved the more potential for abuse. No matter who is President, no matter what “extra oversight” is said to be added. So far so good is not a good long term argument for secrecy about surveillance. Metadata or not.
Those who disagree-I’d love to hear why in comments.
Here’s the difference between your legal right to privacy online and your legal right to privacy offline:
If the government wants to obtain a document stored in your home file cabinet, the law requires a warrant signed by a judge. The warrant needs to show that there’s probable cause that such an intrusion of your privacy will expose proof of illegal activity.
Under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, however, some government agencies argue that they don’t need a warrant to access your online data. They simply send a subpoena — which doesn’t require a judge’s signature or the same burden of proof — to the Internet service.
Your senator, Dianne Feinstein, is a leader on the Senate Judiciary Committee, giving her the responsibility to lead the way on updating the law.
Share this message with Senator Feinstein to let her know that your privacy online should be protected as much as your privacy offline.
We deserve the same protection online and offline
To be clear, Google requires a search warrant before releasing any data relating to contents of Gmail or other Google services.
That said, the number of requests from law enforcement to Google are growing — in the first half of this year, Google received 10,918 requests for information about our users from government investigators in the US. That’s an increase of 205% since 2009.
It’s time for the Electronic Communications Privacy Act to protect our privacy in more than name only — a warrant should always be required when the government wants to read your email or any other form of online communication.
Do you agree? Tell Senator Feinstein now:
Share on Facebook: takeaction.withgoogle.com
Share on Google+: takeaction.withgoogle.com
Share on Twitter: takeaction.withgoogle.comMore soon,
Derek Slater
Google Inc.
