Privacy Matters

The role of courts in our system is to do just this

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court today ruled that a 2009 law denying state funded healthcare to certain legal immigrants violated the Massachusetts state constitution's equal protection clause.

Target is really, really into surveillance

Please note that by playing this clip YouTube and Google will place a long-term cookie on your computer.

Target corporation was the first to join a DHS program meant to bring corporations to the table for national security and disaster related discussions. In the video above, two Target executives sit at the table with FEMA for an event kicking off their collaboration.

FAST "operations-ready security checkpoint" ready to roll

A while back we wrote about a DHS project -- Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST) -- aimed at detecting malintent via heart-rate and other physical sensors. Public Intelligence has posted a video that shows the result of that expensive testing.

Another warrantless GPS ruling today

Adding to a growing list of similar rulings over the past few years, a Missouri federal judge today ruled that the FBI did not need a warrant to secretly track a suspect's car for two months. The Supreme Court is set to rule in a similar case within the next few months in US v. Jones

California's "computerized risk-assessment" tool doesn't work so well, but Massachusetts should use it?

The Boston Globe is calling for Massachusetts state legislators to push through a provision of the fiercely debated "three strikes" law before an independent commission releases a report on statewide criminal justice in March. 

"Most transparent administration" fails another transparency test, report shows

According to a new report by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and OpentheGovernment.org, the Obama administration partially or fully denied FOIA requests by invoking exemptions to FOIA law 33% more in 2010 than the Bush administration had in 2008.

Obama signs the NDAA despite “serious reservations”

In case you missed the bad news, President Obama marked his New Year’s Eve by signing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2012.

FBI's focus on 'terrorism' appears to embolden organized criminals

In a bizarre case, a Massachusetts State trooper is accused of threatening to kill and beat a former partner in an illegal bookmaking business. The former trooper, John M. Analetto, a 19-year veteran of the state police, allegedly got trapped making violent threats against his former business partner when the former partner began cooperating with the FBI, perhaps after he started to fear for his life when he realized he was unable to pay Analetto the tens of thousands of dollars he allegedly owed.

UPDATE: Boston Globe reports Twitter subpoena "part of a pending grand jury investigation"

Citing a representative of the court, the Boston Globe is reporting that the Suffolk County District Attorney's subpoena for Twitter account holder information related to Occupy Boston is "part of a pending grand jury investigation."

Thursday technology link round-up (late)

Yesterday was a real doozy around here, so please pardon our tardy tech update. Enjoy!

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