In a ruling that marks a victory for privacy proponents, a federal appeals panel is allowing a group of Web surfers to sue a company that gathered certain data about them without their consent. . .. In a ruling that marks a victory for privacy proponents, a federal appeals panel is allowing a group of Web surfers to sue a company that gathered certain data about them without their consent . The decision, handed down Friday by the First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, clears the way for some pharmaceutical Web site users to pursue a class-action case against the operators of Boston-based Pharmatrak. The lawsuit alleges that the now-defunct Web traffic analysis company violated the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) by intercepting communications without permission. The ruling is significant, because the appeals panel attempted to address some muddy legal issues related to online data collection. These questions include what, in the online world, constitutes protected "content" for the purposes of intercepting communications--a technique commonly used by law enforcement agencies. The link for this article located at ZDNet is no longer available. . A national court division permits internet users to file lawsuits regarding unapproved data gathering, a success for privacy defenders.. Data Collection Lawsuit, Online Privacy, Consent Laws. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
If the feds want to spy on your home using whizzy tech gadgets, they'd better get a warrant first, the Supreme Court said on Monday. In an important 5-4 ruling that extends privacy's shield to radiation not visible to the human . . . . If the feds want to spy on your home using whizzy tech gadgets, they'd better get a warrant first, the Supreme Court said on Monday. In an important 5-4 ruling that extends privacy's shield to radiation not visible to the human eye, the court said federal agents should have obtained a warrant before using an infrared imaging device to snoop on Danny Lee Kyllo, an Oregon man they later arrested for growing marijuana. The decision, written by conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, said even though the law has long allowed police to peer at homes through their naked eyes, enhanced cameras and similar devices in law enforcement hands "would leave the homeowner at the mercy of advancing technology -- including imaging technology that could discern all human activity in the home." The link for this article located at Wired is no longer available. . High Court decision highlights the necessity of obtaining warrants prior to utilizing sophisticated technology for surveillance purposes.. Privacy Ruling, Surveillance Laws, Infrared Imaging. . Anthony Pell
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