"Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad"
- James Madison

Key P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act Sections due to expire, and renewed by the House and Senate.

PATRIOT Act Debate will resume in the fall

• Sec. 202: Computer hacking is a "predicate offense" permitting police to seek certain types of wiretaps.
• Sec. 203: Federal police can share information gleaned from a wiretap or Carnivore-like surveillance device with spy agencies. Previously, there was no authorization for such data sharing. (who is the federal police anyway?)
• Sec. 212: Internet providers and other communications services can be required to divulge information to police. Specifically, customer records and other data may be legally handed over to police.
• Sec. 215: Secret court orders can be used to obtain records or "tangible items" from any person or business if the FBI claims a link to terrorism. The unlucky recipient of the secret order is gagged; disclosing its existence is punishable by a prison term. The FBI can demand records about someone, & if you tell anyone about this action, you go to jail.  The KGB is alive in America!  Librarians are very concerned about this (the FBI claims it hasn't invoked Sec. 215 so far).
• Sec. 217: Computer service providers may eavesdrop on users legally. Police can be authorized to "listen in" on what's happening on the provider's network.