Here is the text the US government has banned Americans from seeing — details of an ACLU case challenging the PATRIOT ACT — courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Canadian (well, it's in that WP story too, so I'm not being too sneaky):
The provision under challenge allows an FBI agent to write a letter demanding the disclosure of the name, screen names, addresses, e-mail header information, and other sensitive information held by 'electronic communication service providers'.
Here is the part of the act that the ACLU is challenging (that they can't talk about). It's the part of the act that allows the rulers of America to (without warrant or cause) get info about you from your ISP — both your ISP and yourself (if even notified) are legally forbidden from revealing that you were searched. Oh, and I should note that they can already monitor all of your communications without your consent, but this lets them match it all to you, your name, and your financial records:
A provider of electronic communication service or remote computing service shall disclose to a governmental entity the -
(A) name;
(B) address;
(C) local and long distance telephone connection records, or records of session times and durations;
(D) length of service (including start date) and types of service utilized;
(E) telephone or instrument number or other subscriber number or identity, including any temporarily assigned network address; and
(F) means and source of payment for such service (including any credit card or bank account number), of a subscriber to or customer of such service when the governmental entity uses an administrative subpoena authorized by a Federal or State statute or a Federal or State grand jury or trial subpoena or any means available under paragraph.
Seriously. How fucked up is America that the ACLU can't even publish information like the above. What, the government can declare “secret” anything that challenges its actions? First secret trials, now even the word of law is secret and illegal for Americans to see? Wow. Americans can't even be told what their laws are, or that they're being challenged. Of course, as most of you who work at ISPs know, secret investigations are commonplace these days in America.
PS. Both John Kerry and George Bush support expanding the powers of the “PATRIOT” act if they are elected, and both of them (Kerry too) have voted to support it at every opportunity since it was first proposed. So Republican or Democratic, expect more of this after the election! Unless of course America wakes up and votes in Kucinich or at least a better Texan.
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