Government Proposes Massive Shift in Online Privacy Policy

Government Proposes Massive Shift in Online Privacy Policy

www.aclu.org

Changes Would Pose Serious Threat To Americans’ Personal Information, Says ACLU

The ACLU submitted comments to the OMB opposing its proposal to reverse current federal policy and allow the use of web tracking technologies, like cookies to track identities and use patterns of visitors to government web sites.

Though this is a major shift in privacy policy, the announcement consists of only a single page from the federal register that contains almost no detail.

(visit the link for the full news article)



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This is exactly what I was concerned about when I posted a story about government intervention in web forums and social sites.
Gov't. Admits Spying on Blogs and Forums
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Even the much-mailgned Bush administration never contemplated such an open-ended invasion of privacy!

This applies to ALL visitors to ALL sites, regardless of intent or purpose.

However, given the rise of current sentiment critical of the Obama administration, frequently involving use of or reference to government sites, posts and repositories, it should come as no surprise that the administration wants to know who is looking at it and what they're doing with the information.

Since 2000, it has been the policy of the federal government not to use such technology.

But the OMB is now seeking to change that policy and is considering the use of cookies for tracking web visitors across multiple sessions and storing their unique preferences and surfing habits.

Rather than effecting this MASSIVE INVASION of PRIVACY through legislation and after public scrutiny and debate, the Obama Whitehouse has attempted to enact it through regulation (just as they did with GHGs through the DoE and EPA).

In laymen's terms: THEY DID IT IN SECRET!

The OMB is now asking to retain the personal and identifiable information we leave behind,” said Christopher Calabrese, Counsel for the ACLU Technology and Liberty Project. “No American should have to sacrifice privacy or risk surveillance in order to access free government information. No policy change should be adopted without wide ranging debate including information on the restrictions and uses of cookies as well as impact on privacy.”

This and other portentous encroachments upon the rights and freedom of American citizens should not be missed or ignored in the fog of the "healthcare" dialog.

Another brick comes out of the wall. How long before it topples?

jw

www.aclu.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

As soon as I read the first couple of lines in your post, when ever they say there are "proposed changes" that means they are already doing it.

Meet the new boss same as the old boss.

oh crap. with all of these orwellian laws the government is coming up with, I might just go back to Peru.

Seriously all these bailouts, the faulty health care reform that will pass no matter how much people oppose it , the PATRIOT ACT that was passed by Bush, the creation of "free speech" zones, the taking away that is to come of constitutional rights like the second amendment, etc.

the U.S. really is becoming into a totalitarian, orwellian nightmare. Peru might be worse than the U.S. economically, but I sure as heck can be sure that the peruvian government will not spy on their citizens and make us follow insane laws.

(rant over)

reply to post by Hastobemoretolife


I'm sure it only made the Federal Register with the least amount of information to comply. I haven't seen the doc yet, but will have it soon. (I guess that means cookies for this IP address, doesn't it? Unless I can get it from a third party or public computer.)

At last, the ACLU seems to have the general public in mind. Maybe they've got it on their site!

I'll ask.

jw

This is disgusting. A complete invasion of privacy. What a disregard of our rights as American subjects - err, I mean American citizens...


Orwell was on point. He just missed the mark by about 25 years...

They constantly want to do things like this and then they wonder why the people are angry, why they are seeing tea parties, and unrest at townhall meetings, a rise in the militias, etc. They can't understand why the American people no longer trust their government. They honestly think that there is nothing wrong with what they want to do, and that they have every right to do it.

Although we all already know that they have been doing it for quite some time, they just feel safe enough to publicly announce it now. They've been doing it and they will continue to do it no matter what we say. They don't care about this country and they damn sure don't care about us.

It's just another nail in the coffin.

Originally posted by chise61
They honestly think that there is nothing wrong with what they want to do, and that they have every right to do it.

Although we all already know that they have been doing it for quite some time, they just feel safe enough to publicly announce it now.

It's just another nail in the coffin.

The brazenness reflects a false confidence. I think.

I guess my question is, "Who's 'coffin'?"

It seems the best course today is to ask onesself "What is the worst 'they' could do?" And assume is't already been done.

I'm almost without words to describe where things stand: government telling US what to do, instead of the reverse; military authority to deploy INSIDE the U.S., mandatory drugging (vaccination), tax without limit, spending for nothing more than to ensure a dependent constituency.

This is not what I thought of when I pictured my future 20 years ago.

Is this really what MOST people want?
If so, what are the merits? If not, where does it stop?

Just asking.

jw

shouldn't the people tell the government what to do and not the other way around

Just a little side note about recent news: Check out the video, it speaks for itself!

reply to post by fcsuper


At least they tell you going in what they're doing. As with most such sites, enter at your own risk. I CHOSE not to participate.

Will be be given the same choice elsewhere?

I'm going to get the Federal Register rule-making proposal from a public computer or the ACLU directly and will post it as soon as I do.

My gut tells me they won't be disclosing these things on other sites.

jw