Obama Calls For New Privacy Bill of Rights

CWmike writes "The Obama Administration is backing a new data privacy bill of rights aimed at protecting consumers against indiscriminate online tracking and data collection by advertisers. In recent times, high-profile examples of a need for improving privacy laws include Facebook's personal data collection practices and Google's problems over its Street View Wi-Fi snooping issue. In testimony prepared for the Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation, the Commerce Department's assistant secretary, Lawrence Strickling, said that the White House wants Congress to enact legislation offering 'baseline consumer data privacy protections.' Strickling said the administration's call for new online privacy protections stems from recommendations made by the Commerce Department in a paper released in December. The administration's support for privacy protections is very significant, said Joel Reidenberg, a professor at Fordham Law School who specializes in privacy issues. 'This is the first time since 1974 that the U.S. government has supported mandatory general privacy rules,' Reidenberg said."

Re:Google's Troubles

[Hatta]

Are you trying to suggest that FM Radio would be covered by current wiretapping law? I mean, it's a "conversation" carried out over FCC regulated airwaves, right? No, clearly wired telephones, cellular telephones, Wifi communications, and radio are all significantly different, and are treated such by law.

Let's look at USC CHAPTER 119 "Wire and Electronic Communications Interception and Interception of Oral Communications". Section 2155 2(g) reads in part:

(g) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter or chapter 121 of this title for any personâ"
(i) to intercept or access an electronic communication made through an electronic communication system that is configured so that such electronic communication is readily accessible to the general public;

So, have you encrypted your router? No? Then your electronic communication system is configured so that your electronic communications are readily accessible to the general public. Therefore, you get no protection under federal wiretap law. QED

P.S. Dur.