Proposed Privacy Law Demands Court Warrants for Cloud Data
Two Democratic congressmen are proposing sweeping changes to a U.S. privacy law that for the first time would require the government to obtain a probable-cause warrant to access data stored in the cloud.
The law that the measure would amend is the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which has seen few updates following President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 signature on the measure.
The proposal represents yet another attempt to rewrite legislation that generally grants the government wide powers to access Americans’ cloud-stored data without a probable-case showing.
“Communications technology is evolving at an exponential rate and, as such, requires corresponding updates to our privacy laws,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-New York), who is sponsoring the package with Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Michigan). “This new legislation will ensure that ECPA strikes the right balance between the interests and needs of law enforcement and the privacy interests of the American people.”