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Ad Lib: Advocacy for Libraries

February 9, 2006

Patriot Act Agreement: Are you an “electronic service provider?”

As you’re quite possibly already aware, a handful of Senate Republicans had joined with the Senate Democrats to effect changes to the Patriot Act late last year. Well, those Republicans, it seems, have just reached a tentative accord with the White House on the civil liberties issues that were holding them back.

What does that mean for libraries, which are on the public forefront on this issue? Read for yourself:

[A Republican] official also said a second proposed change would clarify that only libraries that are “electronic service providers” could be required to provide information to government agents as part of a terrorist investigation.
…

Republicans said that with the changes, the chance would be remote that any library would have to turn over information.

But Democrats said the same provision made explicit that some libraries could be forced to turn over information, adding that existing law is vague on the subject.

There’s no explanation in this article what is meant by “electronic service providers,” and the express inclusion of libraries as places that can be searched seems at odds with what the library community would like to see come of this.

Of course, it’s possible the actual legislation could tell a different story, and who knows what it will look like by time it comes out of committee. There’s still a long way to go on this one…

posted by Alan at 3:46 pm |

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