An FBI agent told superiors that his friend Jill Kelly was subjected to e-mail harassment. The subsequent investigation did not uncover a crime, but it ultimately forced David Petraeus to resign as Director of the CIA. The incident demonstrates how vulnerable innocent Americans are to invasions of privacy by government agencies. Under current law, there is no expectation of privacy for e-mail or other telecommunications, which go through third parties like Google or Facebook. The Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search does not apply, creating the potential for abuse by government agents. Can the law catch up with technology, or has the US already become a "surveillance state?"
David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell… and You
Credits
Guests:
- Declan McCullagh - CNET - @declanm
- Julian Sanchez - Cato Institute - @normative
- Paul Rosenzweig - Red Branch Consulting - @RosenzweigP
- Jim Dempsey - Center for Democracy and Technology