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  • From: Chris Hedemark <chris AT yonderway.com>
  • To: internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [internetworkers] Is the FBI bugging out libraries?
  • Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2002 00:44:52 -0500

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I wonder if one could "poison the well". Ass-uming that the logs were being kept on their gateway machine (squid server?) one could kick off a perl script that requested just the text of a lot of "verboten" web sites. Make the data useless. Or make it extremely painful for investigators to find what they are really looking for.

Also, I don't know if it is still very easy to do this since the nearest library is over 20 minutes away, but you used to be able to get library cards with pseudonyms to protect your privacy. If you are buying ANY book at a book store that might be "questionable", make sure to use a clever pseudonym when you place your order and if they want a phone number, use some local business that has stiffed you in the past.

Big Brother has no right to know what you and I read.

On Wednesday, November 6, 2002, at 12:16 AM, Thomas C. Meggs wrote:

Rumour has it that many libraries, since many vehemently disagree with this policy, are starting to simply destroy their records as soon as they don't need them anymore.

Regards,
Tom

Josep L. Guallar-Esteve wrote:

Hi,

I'm reading this article with amazement:
http://www.ctnow.com/features/lifestyle/hc- privacy1103.artnov03col.story

"... When the FBI uses a court order or a subpoena to gain access to
library computers or a list of the names of people who have borrowed
certain books, librarians can't tell anyone - not even other librarians
or you. They face a stiff federal penalty if they do. It's unfair that
librarians should be placed in such a position...."

"... However, a new federal law - the U.S. Patriot Act - takes priority
over the state rule and allows the FBI to have easy access to these
records as well as to the computers. ..."

Can the FBI really access libraries records? You know, I'm married to a
librarian. And she always has told me about how private this
information is. And I am also very concerned about losing our precious
freedom.

Even the ALA ( American Library Association) has something to say about
it: http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/usapatriotact.html

Any one can project some light over tihs?



Worried,
Josep



--
$Id: .sig,v 1.18 2002/10/12 20:27:23 tom Exp $

pub 1024D/87F1C20F 2001-11-15 Thomas C. Meggs <tom AT plik.net>
Key fingerprint = 5E9A D535 B9DA A889 984B 9654 2025 409B 87F1 C20F
http://plik.net/tom/publickey.php

"Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers which they dare not
dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry."
-- Sir Winston Churchill

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Chris Hedemark
Hillsborough, NC
http://yonderway.com


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