Is the Gov't Reading Over Your Shoulder?

-- Privacy Proponents Fight Patriot Act's Exposure of Bookseller Lists --

I hope you kept your receipt for The Anarchist Cookbook, because Big Brother may indeed be watching your book-buying habits more closely than you -- and booksellers -- would like.

Under the banner of The Campaign for Reader Privacy, the Association of American Publishers announced today an increased effort to repeal sections of the USA Patriot Act that eliminate safeguards for booksellers. Among other protections and civil liberties diminished by the Partiot Act, Section 215 affords the FBI license to obtain any "tangible thing" in an ongoing investigation, including any business records that are deemed "relevant."

In plain English, this means the sales logs of bookstores are still very much available to government inspection.

Section 215 expires at the end of 2009, but the Senate Judiciary Committee has passed legislation to extend the Act another four years. The APP is urging readers concerned with their privacy to contact members of the House and Senate to endorse the JUSTICE Act of 2009 (S, 1686), which would offset those sections of the Patriot Act by maintaining privacy protections for booksellers.

For now, turn to your local library if you're looking to read in secrecy: the Patriot Act restricts the FBI's ability to search library records, limiting those queries terror suspects only.

Gatherers: Are you more inclined to borrow from libraries -- or simply less inclined to buy books -- knowing that the Government has full access to bookseller records?

 

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