Fourth Amendment Protects Hosted E-mail 236
Okian Warrior writes "As reported on the EFF website, today the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that the contents of the messages in an email inbox hosted on a provider's servers are protected by the Fourth Amendment, even though the messages are accessible to an email provider. As the court puts it, 'The government may not compel a commercial ISP to turn over the contents of a subscriber's emails without first obtaining a warrant based on probable cause.'"
Since when has the law meant anything? (Score:5, Insightful)
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
But what does this mean for me? (Score:4, Insightful)
Can I submit a formal request that demands my email provider not release any of my emails without being forced by warrant. If I can't stop voluntary compliance, then this is not very helpful anyway. In other words, we need the supreme court to rule that it is illegal for the host to disclose my emails without a warrant or this doesn't help in any meaningful way.
Re:Here's a comes a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling (Score:5, Insightful)
Er, maybe I'm just cynical, but it (unfortunately) seems like both parties are willing to throw civil liberties under the bus when they think it's important; they differ mainly with regard to what they think is important. Call it a cynical hunch, but I suspect that if Obama were to appoint Janet Reno (Bill Clinton's attorney general) to the Supreme Court, she wouldn't be terribly eager to rein in the might of the federal government or limit the scope of its authority, and she's quite far to the left.
Fourth Amendment Protects Hosted E-mail (Score:1, Insightful)
Until another judge, or five come along and say it doesn't.
Re:ISPs only (Score:5, Insightful)
This would apply to hosted services, free or paid, as well, such as Gmail or Yahoo.
Maybe I'm being ridiculous, but I'd be more comfortable with the federal government reading my mail than Google.
Really? Google doesn't have the power to prosecute you based on the contents of your e-mail, and deprive you of your liberty.
Re:ISPs only (Score:5, Insightful)
Then you would be a fool.