This article originally appeared on ReadWrite and it’s another example of the powers of government encroaching on the private lives of its citizens. We’d like to know what you think. Please read the article and give us your feedback. Do you think it’s a good idea? Who is going to pay for this mass storage? Do you think congress will pass this kind of law? Do you see your freedoms disappearing?
Let us know what you think…
“Text me. Wait, don’t. Not anything too private anyway.
That’s because if a new proposal is approved by the Senate, each and every SMS message you send will be stored in a digital archive by your phone provider. Why, you ask? It’s all in the name of law enforcement being able to using your messages as evidence to catch bad guys and solve cases. And it’s also a government-sponsored privacy nightmare come to reality.
If passed, the proposal would be the first major update to the 27-year-old Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), and the latest in a string of blatant challenges to the Fourth Amendment, which (up until recently… we’re looking at you, FISA) served to protect citizens’ rights and information, unless law enforcement was granted a court-issued warrant.
But if this SMS-retention requirement makes it into law, the nearly 2.3 trillion text messages America’s 321.7 million wireless subscribers send in a year would all become the property of the Federal government, stored in a repository for 2 years.
Why This Is A Very Bad Idea
This is a very big change to the ECPA, which currently does not have any express directives to store and track customers’ personal data, beyond court-ordered warrants and the need for providing a service. While the repository of texts could theoretically help solve some criminal cases, the technology and manpower required to sift through all of those messages, the need to significantly enhance storage facilities and data centers, and the exposure of the private business and personal communication of millions of people is a very high price to pay…”
(Please read the rest of this article by visiting ReadWrite here… )
A is a horrible violation of our freedom!!!!!
I’m 82 years old and witnessing the bit-by-bit destruction
of the grandest republic is all history by our government.
This would be the loss of another freedom and right, as well as an invasion of our privacy! Reminds me of the saying, “I love my country; it’s the Government I’m afraid of!” We should be very afraid…
Could anyone come up with dumber idea than this? This is like those futuristic movies where everyone has a id chip implanted in them and sooner or later you have no freedoms left. Granted there may be a few instances where law enforcement can use any of this info, but really this is opening Pandora’s box. Once open the lid can never be put back on.
As a UK citizen, this doesnt affect us ,YET! But our Govnt is trying to push through something similar, but worse, as it wants retention of emails and web browsing aswell! A real Snoopers charter. Totally against!!