NEW ARGUMENT FOR THE PATRIOT ACT

Something of note behind the expiration of the national security program, even if it is for just for a few days. The patriot act enables the government to collect and hold massive amounts of bulk data on communications. Media reports about this zero in on the details of what is in question but ignore the big picture. The data in question is not the actual conversation but consists only of what and when phone numbers connected to other phone numbers and for how long the connections lasted. This is what some would refer to as billing information. If the government wants to use the information to gain access to the actual conversation, they need a court order. However, the government can mine the data to find out who owns the phones, how frequently someone calls from that phone and, of course, from where those calls originate. Those who support letting the “patriot act” expire, claimed that although the bulk data is not personal, it gives access to personal, therefore is private information. Those who feel the availability of such information can be vital for national security recognize this connection point out having access is not the same as having that information. Letting the patriots act expire will be a big victory for big business. This move is in keeping with the right wing attempt to privatize everything by first generating a façade of hate for the federal government. By putting the responsibility in private hands, we turn our nation over to the greedy. It puts national security in the hands of private ‘for profit’ companies. If anyone thinks, the company will spend money to mine the data to look for terrorist, or even stand ready to mine to records for that purpose, take a second guess. If you think a person working for a private company, in respect to digging up dirt on someone else is any different from one working for civil service else, take another guess. There is nothing right about it. I am sure it will be reinstated in a better form, nonetheless reinstated. The obvious big picture is that private phone companies have and hold that data as well as recording of the conversations, which is where the government has to go to collect it. Phone companies are business companies. They use such information only for that purpose, which means that there is a time limit on how long they will hold it. Once the government establishes a legal requirement for how long the company has to keep the information after which the company can erase it. Electronic computer memory is cheap, nevertheless, it still it cost money. The patriot act shifted the cost of that burden to the government. Although everyone is concerned about government nefarious use of that data, no one seems concerned with the idea that private companies can and do systematically mine that data for information, they can use for personal gain. No one seems concerned with just what or how the government can use personal information. Apparently, the fear is that individual civil service employee will seek and find that someone is cheating on his or her wife, or one company is bribing another, etc. My point is that if personal information security a single civil service employee is guilty in contrast to a private company, where the board of directors is doing it for profit and they have the resources available. I do not like it when I send an e-mail telling a friend I am planning on buying a car or going a vacation and that day I receive a flood of emails advertising resorts in the Caribbean and good deals on cars. I don’t like it, but what do I do—fire the chief operating officer of AT&T: ridiculous. At least, if I don’t like what Senator Rand Paul is I doing, I do not vote for him or for my state representatives who support him. URL: firetreepub.blogspot.com Comments Invited and not moderated