By Steve Huff 11/29/12 1:48pm

Privacy Police

Sen. Patrick Leahy (leahy.senate.gov)

Senate Judiciary Committee Passes ECPA, Which Will Require Warrants For Messages and Emails

On Thursday the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), sponsored by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, was unanimously passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The ECPA has actually been around since 1986; the new version has been updated for the 21st Century. Now law enforcement will be required to have a search warrant if they want a peek at emails, private messages and data that’s been uploaded to the cloud.

As The Next Web reports, the ACLU is pretty happy the new version of the act has come this far: Read More

By Kelly Faircloth 9/20/12 3:48pm

Privacy Police

"How many times have I told you? Always call from an outside line!"

Gmail, Facebook Messages Inch Toward Legal Protection

Those of you with a history of sketchy dealings lurking in your Facebook messages and/or Gmail archives are one step closer to search-and-seizure protection.

Last week, Senator Patrick Leahy introduced an amendment that would require the cops to show up with a warrant if they want access to personal data stored in the cloud. And earlier today, reports The Hill, that amendment was officially adopted by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

But don’t open up a Gchat conversation with your weed dealer just yet. Read More