The Government May Install Hidden Cameras on Your Private Property to Spy on You

On rural lands, it is legal for government agencies to secretly come onto your private property without a warrant and install hidden cameras to spy on you. U.S. District Judge William Griesbach ruled that it was not a violation of the Fourth Amendment for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to trespass on Marco Magana's rural private property, install hidden cameras, and spy on him and Manuel Mendoza. The argument is that rural private property is not covered under the Fourth Amendment. Magana and Mendoza are now facing life imprisonment for being marijuana farmers.

Read Declan McCullagh's full story on CNET.

The National Sheriffs' Association Wants Internet Data Retention Rules

The National Sheriffs' Association wants more control over Internet service providers by requiring ISPs keep records of Internet usage for a minimum of eighteen months. This is all being done under the guise of fighting child pornography, but it could affect anyone who uses the Internet.  This further invasion of privacy, which is to be imposed on private companies and presumably at their own expense, is going to make it much easier for all sorts of government agencies to spy on you. 

Hey, here's an idea.  If child pornography is such a big problem, maybe we should stop constantly letting the sex offenders out of prison.  If we keep more perverts in jail and away from kids and computers, maybe a lot the child pornography problems will go away.

Click below to read Declan McCullagh's full article on CNET News.
"Police: Internet Providers Must Keep User Logs"