ECPA re-write in the works?

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twhitson

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The feds and police are pretty darn protective of their own communications and 911 tapes which have typically been viewed by the courts as public record. However, when it comes to search and seizure of electronic communications, the prevailing attitude of law enforcement and the feds seems to be "if you're not engaged in illegal activity, why are you worried?".
 

zerg901

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I worry that encrypting police radio traffic will lead to 'out of control police' - as in Brazil. Peter Sz

http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2009/12/08/lethal-force-0

This report looks at the high number of killings by police in Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro - 26 cops killed - 1000 civilians killed by cops

Sao Paulo - 22 cops killed - 500 civilians killed by cops

USA - 41 cops killed feloniously in 2008

Boston's highly variable murder rate is analagous to Rio and Sau Paulo
(10 or 30 per 100,000) by my calculation - Boston has seen a murder
rate up to 150 per year IIRC - Boston murder rate is 40 or 50 in 2009
which would be approximately the same as Sao Paulo - I dont think that
Boston Police killed anyone in 2009, nor were any Boston Police killed
in 2009 IIRC

Bottom line - the police in Brazil are much more involved in the
violence than the Boston Police - both on the receiving end and the
giving end
 
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datainmotion

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With all due respect, I fail to see the correlation between encryption of communications and "out of control police".

Furthermore, Brazil is a "second-world" country with a substantially different culture than our own when it comes to crime and violence in general.

Lastly, I would always question HRW's "statistics" as they do have a political agenda that is certainly not centered.
 

zerg901

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1. Encryption certainly does not seem like a step towards 'under control' police. "Slippery slope" is the expression that comes to mind.

2. Genocide, war, needless death and destruction dont happen just in "other countries".

3. Everyone has an agenda. Look up 'genocide' at Wikipedia for a huge tally of useless deaths.

4. Boston Police conduct warrant raids in the early mornings ( possibly with heavy weapons ) - on a unencrypted channel. They have been doing it for years. They dont mention addresses on the radio. Possibly, they might use encryption solely when doing internal affairs investigations.

Peter Sz
 

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Uh guys the ECPA from 1986 had nothing to do with Encryption. It is the reason why certain ranges are blocked in scanners and communications receivers available to the public in the U.S.

Considering how technologically challenged our representatives in Washington are this re-write will end up being crafted by the CTIA and a there is a good chance that other interests could add additional interception restrictions.

This is an situation that needs to be watched.
 

zerg901

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"Encryption" is a limitation to scannerists. The ECPA is a limitation to scannerists. Seems like the same vein to me.

If the ECPA is changed to ban scanners, who is going to fight it? Is there any national scanner organization? Is one needed? What is the game plan?

(A good game plan may be to start writing letters now to the local media outlets pointing out the advantages of allowing the public to monitor public safety radio communications.)

Peter Sz

(IIRC the Chairwoman of my local Board of Selectmen (city council) has publicly stated that she listens to a police scanner)
 
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DaveNF2G

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There is a lot more to ECPA than the cellphone rules. Encryption is in fact part of that law. Cordless phone interception was added in 1994.

The most likely motivation for amending ECPA is to make sure that its privacy (search warrant) provisions are clear as to how they apply to newer technologies, and to close some protection gaps that have always existed in the statute.
 
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So Far Away....
If the ECPA is changed to ban scanners, who is going to fight it?
Is there any national scanner organization? Is one needed?
What is the game plan?

no one will help us,we will be demonized
as threats,and that will be the end of it,
national security will be referenced, moms
and their lil babies will be made to feel
threatened by the big bad crook with a
wideband radio,and that will be the end..

ever hear of the brady bill?

let Ban semi auto rifles the Look like their
full auto counterparts..
just to give everyone a warm fuzzy feeling of
safety..

tis the american way mate,
prohibit and enforce..
what can we expect,,a knock at our door,
we see your a member of radio-reference,

your sig states you own multiple radios..
Please hand them over...

think it cant happen,,
think again,,

all ive got to say Is

whats Mine,IS indeed Mine
you want my toys,you better
knuckle up and be ready to
TAKE EM!

INFOWARS.COM..
 
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And Now tell me This...

I ask again,,can anyone give me a case,current,lets say past 5 years..
where a crook was nabbed and the L-E-Os found them using a scanner to
aide in their crimes,,

Without Google-ing for the answer,..

Not to be a smart-alick,,,just want to hear that theres a Real threat...
 

SCPD

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just want to hear that there's a Real threat...
It happens all the time.

www.goUpstate.com said:
Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

Joel Wayne Ross, 40, of 3089 Pacolet Highway, was charged Saturday with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Officers stopped a Dodge Neon after receiving a report the vehicle was leaving a laundromat next door to Wal-Mart.

A report stated they found an aerosol spray can with a false bottom containing a zip-up canvas bag concealing 4.5 grams of meth and $3,200.

A police scanner, glass pipe, razors and an empty box for plastic bags were also seized.

Sorry to say ... but it happens. Obviously - possessing a scanner did not aid this fellow.
 

kma371

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I ask again,,can anyone give me a case,current,lets say past 5 years..
where a crook was nabbed and the L-E-Os found them using a scanner to
aide in their crimes,,

Without Google-ing for the answer,..

Not to be a smart-alick,,,just want to hear that theres a Real threat...

All the time! I've been in several houses where they were listening to us prior to our arrival and knew we were coming.
 

scanlist

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Next Up The Communications Act.

Now this could make life interesting.....

Chairmen Announce Process to Update Communications Act
Jena Longo - Democratic Deputy Communications Director (202) 224-8374

May 24 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Rep. Henry A. Waxman, the Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Senator John F. Kerry, the Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, and Rep. Rick Boucher, the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet announced they will start a process to develop proposals to update the Communications Act. As the first step, they will invite stakeholders to participate in a series of bipartisan, issue-focused meetings beginning in June. A list of topics for discussion and details about this process will be forthcoming.


SOURCE: Press Releases - Press Room - U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
 

datainmotion

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There's a real brain trust - Rockefeller, Waxman and Kerry.

Is this going to be their end run around the law giving the FCC expanded jurisdiction over the Internet?
 
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karldotcom

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they are trying to get free TV off the air...everyone will have to subscribe to digital cable or a broadband service to watch (pay taxes) anything....
 
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