[Peace-discuss] Protect your garbage! Senate e-privacy law hearings Wed 9AM CDT (from UFPJ-activist list)

[Stuart Levy]

At last Sunday's AWARE meeting, there was some discussion of
surveillance by, I guess, a private company hired by the state of
Pennsylvania against peace and environmental groups.
Here's more about that, RNC infiltration, FBI surveillance, and privacy law.

Also, tomorrow, Wednesday 9/22, at 9AM CDT there will be a live web broadcast
of Senate testimony relating to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act
(also available later).  See below, in this note from the United for Peace and Justice
activist list...

----- Forwarded message from Sue Udry <sue.udry at defendingdissent.org> -----

Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:16:44 -0400
From: Sue Udry <sue.udry at defendingdissent.org>
Subject: [ufpj-activist] Protect your garbage!
To: ufpj-activist <ufpj-activist at lists.mayfirst.org>

Hey all,

i sent the email below to my activist list earlier today and Lisa asked me
to share the info with you.  The subject line refers to FBI going through
the garbage at the homes of some Iowa peace activists in the lead up to the
RNC (see below for the link) and more stories of FBI spying....

This might seem a bit obscure -- but the Electronic Communications Privacy
Act is important for anyone who does any organizing on the web or through
email.  I'll keep you all posted as congress figures out how to update the
law -- undoubtedly they will try to give the FBI et al more powers to crack
into our electronic communications, not less.

Electronic Communications Act

As you read this email, are you curious about what powers federal
intelligence agencies might have that would allow them to read it too, or
know what websites you visited today?

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act was adopted 24 years ago, but a
lot has changed since then, with technological advances  outstripping its
privacy protections.  Tomorrow, DDF Vice-President Jim Dempsey will testify
before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the need to update the
decades-old law.  Members of Congress know Jim to be a leading expert on
privacy, government surveillance and national security, so he has been
called upon to testify many times.  Now, fortunately for us, the Center for
Democracy and Technology is providing an opportunity for us to ask Jim
questions about the law and electronic privacy.  Just click here to ask a
question and/or to read the questions others are
asking.<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=aEOaPQXNV21lzNiNiA8yrTRBgt9aRlF2>
  This is a great way to learn more about a confusing law and a confusing
issue (it's confusing even to techies).  Please share this link with others
-- we want to raise awareness about this law and the need for updates.

You can watch Jim's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee
tomorrow, Wednesday, September 22 at 10:00 a.m. (eastern time)
here.<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=v8u1HILMvsVEVvBtgNPKsjRBgt9aRlF2>
The webcast will also be available after the hearing is over, so you can
watch it at your convenience.

*More FBI Spying in the News*
We'll have more about these latest revelations in our October Newsletter...
but for now, I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the latest
surveillance news:

   - The Department of Justice Inspector General has issued a new report on
   FBI spying on domestic political groups -- he finds that FBI spied on
   innocent groups for really no reason, and kept the investigations going for
   too long.  Here is the
report.<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=DWHHs3u4p8sA7N%2BwfrHMcjRBgt9aRlF2>
   - The Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security contracted with a
   private firm that tracked and infiltrated activist groups and developed
   Intelligence Bulletins alerting local law enforcement and private industry
   about upcoming political activities.  The firm, with offices in Philadelphia
   and Jerusalum shares its intelligence with the U.S. and Israeli
   governments.  Take a look at the bulletin
here.<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=XrU47aIXdk6V2NKBJ%2BtODTRBgt9aRlF2>
   The bulletin also mentions information from the FBI that indicates the FBI
   is tracking environmental groups (like that's a surprise).  Read more
   here<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=EcspzAFvzl6flyodhRC1oDRBgt9aRlF2>
    and here<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=F34Br0QPRZoPLgiYQh%2FJKzRBgt9aRlF2>
   .
   - Last summer we learned that the FBI and the Ramsey County, Minnesota
   Sherrif's office had infiltrated Iowa peace groups before the Republican
   Convention (see the article
here)<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=6vldw3viO%2F3clgyY6L3fXjRBgt9aRlF2>.
   A member of one of the groups that was infiltrated filed a FOIA requst and
   discovered that the spying was more extensive than we thought, and even
   included agents sifting through activists' garbage. Read more
here...<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=jQ36pfeRixNIzWLa481U4erumQ7pfVMu>

In Solidarity,

Sue

-- 
Sue Udry
Executive Director
Defending Dissent Foundation
8630 Fenton St. #524
Silver Spring, MD 20910
www.defendingdissent.org
office: 202-529-4225; cell: 301-325-1201

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