| Apr. 26th, 2005 @ 03:31 pm Privacy and the Patriot Act, pt. 2 -- Info 520 Week 5 -- Drexel U. |
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Some links of interest re: the Un-Patriot Act, Civil Liberties, and Libraries
Robert, robert.a.harris@gmail.com
American Civil Liberties Union
"Just 45 days after the September 11 attacks, with virtually no debate, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act. Many parts of this sweeping legislation take away checks on law enforcement and threaten the very rights and freedoms that we are struggling to protect. For example, without a warrant and without probable cause, the FBI now has the power to access your most private medical records, your library records, and your student records... and can prevent anyone from telling you it was done."
ALA: Patriot Act in the Library
“The American Library Association (ALA) opposes any use of governmental power to suppress the free and open exchange of knowledge and information or to intimidate individuals exercising free inquiry…ALA considers that sections of the USA PATRIOT ACT are a present danger to the constitutional rights and privacy rights of library users.”—from ALA’s Resolution on the USA PATRIOT Act (See also Resolution Reaffirming the Principles of Intellectual Freedom in the Aftermath of Terrorist Attacks.) For more information on the USA PATRIOT Act, contact Deborah Caldwell-Stone, Deputy Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom; Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4224; Fax: 312-280-4227; dstone@ala.org.
ALA: Intellectual Freedom Toolkits
"The Office for Intellectual Freedom, with the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee and others, develops toolkits on a variety of topics to assist librarians and the general public."
Libraries and National Security: An Historical Review, by Joan Starr
"The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks launched the United States into a new era of defensive preparedness. The U.S. federal government’s first legislative action in October 2001 was the passage of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act). The USA PATRIOT Act introduced a greatly heightened level of government intrusion into many aspects of ordinary life, including library use. When, in the past, authorities called upon the library profession to serve national security interests in these ways, individual librarians and the profession as a whole have experienced an evolving tension between their roles as guardians of public well–being and as protectors of intellectual freedom. This is a fundamental issue, one that reflects upon the profession’s view of itself and of its place in American life. Librarians once again face this challenge. An inquiry into the similarities and differences with the past may aid in suggesting a response that is both professionally sound and individually appropriate."
Impact of the Patriot Act on Freedom of Speech
"Almost two years after passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, little is known about how the law is being used to track terrorists or innocent Americans. The Justice Department has foiled numerous attempts by lawmakers and civil libertarians to learn how the Administration has deployed new tools granted under the Act. Congressional hearings this spring yielded virtually no new information about the number of times individuals' library records have been sought or how many court orders have been obtained to watch someone's computer activities or conduct other surveillance on U.S. citizens. Justice officials claim that even generic numbers are classified, and are provided confidentially only to congressional intelligence committees." |
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