[NYTr] EFF Goes to War Against NSA Data-Mining 8/15

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by MichaelP (activ-l) - Aug 13, 2007

[There's a legal attack on data-mining.  While illegal wiretapping has 
recently been at the center of attention, especially after the Congress 
recently gave such power to the executive branch, wiretapping seems to
be samll fry in comparison to the more general habit of data-mining
which involves examination of massive databases of information -- such
databases contain records of the phone calls and e-mail messages of
everybody making phone calls and using email, and the process is
technically simple. And as a topic "wiretapping" is not what's
important to big brother. It's the ability to determine how YOU think
from what you say that involves attack on personal privacy.

So this Appeal concerns whether the  courts accept big bro's position
that data-mining is a necessary part of national security. Remember that
persons who actively plan to perpetrate attacks will not be using the
phone,and they won't be using email. -MichaelP]


Electronic Frontier Foundation - Aug 9, 2007
http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2007_08.php#005398


APPEALS COURT BATTLE OVER NSA SURVEILLANCE ON AUGUST 15

Government Aims to Block Accountability for Illegal Spying on Americans

San Francisco - In the wake of Congress approving a dramatic expansion
of U.S. warrantless wiretapping powers, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals will  hear  arguments  on the future of two critical lawsuits
over illegal surveillance of Americans. The hearing is set for August
15, at 2 p.m. in San Francisco.

The  government  is  fighting  to  get  the cases thrown out of court, 
contending   that   the  litigation  jeopardizes  state  secrets.  The 
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is representing the plaintiffs in 
Hepting v. AT&T, which accuses the telecom giant of collaborating with
the National Security Agency (NSA) in illegal electronic surveillance
of millions  of  AT&T's  customers.  The  court  will  also  hear the 
arguments  on  the future of Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. Bush, a 
case  alleging  that the government illegally wiretapped calls between
the charity and its lawyers.

"At  issue here is whether the courts have any meaningful role to play
in protecting  Americans' privacy from Executive branch abuses of its 
surveillance  powers,"  said  EFF  Legal  Director Cindy Cohn. "If the 
claim  of 'state secrets' is allowed to shut down litigation, then the 
courts  will  never  be  able to exercise their Constitutional duty to 
hold the White House accountable for illegal and even unconstitutional 
abuses of power."

The court has scheduled one hour of arguments for Hepting v. AT&T, and
40 minutes for Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. Bush. Because of the
large number  of attendees expected at Wednesday's hearing, the court
will provide an overflow room with audio and video of the proceedings
for spectators who cannot get a seat in the courtroom itself.

For   more   information   about   attending   the   hearing,  contact 
press at eff.org.

WHAT: Hepting v. AT&T Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. Bush

WHEN: 2 p.m. Wednesday, August 15

WHERE: 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Courtroom 1, 3rd Floor 95
Seventh Street San Francisco, CA 94103

For more on EFF's case against AT&T: http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att