After revelations about the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of email and more, most Americans will be surprised that their electronic communications are in some ways more vulnerable to snooping by garden-variety government officials.
An outdated law allows agencies ranging from local district attorneys’ offices to the IRS to pore over emails without seeking court approval.
The law, which dates back to 1986, leaves email kept by providers for more than 180 days subject to searches without a warrant. That means law enforcement and regulatory agencies can subpoena email from providers without demonstrating probable cause to a judge or notifying users.
Fortunately, a bill that would bring email privacy into the 21st Century is gaining momentum in the House. With a broad coalition of supporters ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to Americans for Tax Reform, the Email Privacy Act has 200 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle.
Editorial, Pages 18 on 04/16/2014