[RTC List] Broadband privacy invasion?

[Sean McLaughlin]

Folks interested in Broadband policy -


here's latest news on the question of private corporate interests 
"protecting" your privacy...


PHONE COMPANIES SEEKING IMMUNITY DONATE TO ROCKEFELLER
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Eric Lichtblau & Scott Shane]
AT&T and Verizon executives contributed more than $42,000 in political 
donations to Sen John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) this year while seeking 
his support for legal immunity for businesses participating in National 
Security Agency eavesdropping. The money came primarily from a 
fund-raiser that Verizon held for Sen Rockefeller in March in New York 
and another that AT&T sponsored for him in May in San Antonio. Sen 
Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, emerged last 
week as the most important supporter of immunity in devising a 
compromise plan with Senate Republicans and the Bush administration. A 
measure approved by the intelligence panel on Thursday would add 
restrictions on the eavesdropping and extend retroactive immunity to 
carriers that participated in it. President Bush secretly approved the 
program after the Sept. 11 attacks. Mr. Rockefeller's office said Monday 
that the sharp increases in contributions from the telecommunications 
executives had no influence on his support for the immunity provision.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/washington/23nsa.html
(requires registration)
* Senators Say White House Cut Deal With Panel on FISA
Senate Judiciary Committee members yesterday angrily accused the White 
House of allowing the Senate Intelligence Committee to review documents 
on its warrantless surveillance program in return for agreeing that 
telecommunications companies should get immunity from lawsuits.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/22/AR2007102202268.html
* The Price of Admission
[Commentary] The White House will share details on telecommunications 
firms' immunity, but only with those who agree with it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/22/AR2007102201673.html

NSA COOPERATION: OK FOR E-MAIL, IM COMPANIES?
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh and Anne Broache]
A new Senate bill would protect not only telephone companies from 
lawsuits claiming illegal cooperation with the National Security Agency. 
It would retroactively immunize e-mail providers, search engines, 
Internet service providers and instant-messaging services too.
http://www.news.com/NSA-cooperation-OK-for-e-mail,-IM-companies/2100-7348_3-6214609.html?tag=html.alert.hed


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