Support Our Work Mailing list About / Contact
  • Home /
  • News /
  • 2011 /
  • March /
  • USA: US court validates spying fears of journalists, activists

USA: US court validates spying fears of journalists, activists

01 March 2011

Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.

USA: US court validates spying fears of journalists, activists (The Globe and Mail, link) under the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) which allows the unlimited, uncontrolled, surveillance of the communications of individuals outside the USA both within and outside the country they live in:

"Fearing that a powerful U.S. spy agency is listening in, a group of activists and journalists – including Canadian Naomi Klein – has persuaded a New York appeals court that it is reasonable to assume their phone and e-mail conversations are being monitored. The ruling finds that new U.S. surveillance laws are so broad as to compel certain professionals to protect their sensitive conversations. Otherwise, their dialogues with sources – such as radicals, dissidents and alleged terrorists overseas – might well be overheard." See: ACLU Backgrounder (pdf) and Court judgment (pdf)

- Naomi Klein submission to the court (pdf): She is resident in Canada and says: "I understand that the FISA Amendments Act allows the U.S. government to acquire my international communications without a warrant so long as the surveillance is directed at people outside the United States. My understanding is that the new law permits the government to acquire my international communications even if there is no reason to believe that I or the people with whom I communicate are engaged in criminal activity or espionage."

Tony Bunyan, Statewatch Director, comments: "FISA presents the threat of surveillance to journalists, lawyers and activists in the EU and elsewhere"

Our work is only possible with your support.
Become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.

 Previous article

UK: On Tuesday 22nd March, a three-day court case began that will investigate police tactics used during the Camp for Climate Action protest that took place in London during the G20 in 2009

Next article 

EU: European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS): Press release and Background Paper on the fundamental right to data protection in the EU

 

Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.

Report error

Statewatch does not have a corporate view, nor does it seek to create one, the views expressed are those of the author. Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement. Registered UK charity number: 1154784. Registered UK company number: 08480724. Registered company name: The Libertarian Research & Education Trust. Registered office: MayDay Rooms, 88 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1DH. © Statewatch ISSN 1756-851X. Personal usage as private individuals "fair dealing" is allowed. We also welcome links to material on our site. Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions of that licence and to local copyright law.

About | Contact | Privacy Policy