[Below is a reply from a .gov Politech subscriber. Obviously headlines (or
Subject: lines) can't be as complete as the full article, but I do my best
to convey how the news will impact readers. --Declan]
---
Again, you can reprint this, but only without attribution. I find your
stuff very interesting, but for the second day in a row, I have to say that
you mischaracterized a court ruling. Essentially, the court resolved an
apparent conflict between ECPA, which would permit law enforcement to get
basic subscriber information (i.e., name, address, and telephone number)
using either a subpoena or a court order without notice to the subscriber,
and the CCPA, which would require notice before a cable company could turn
over such information. The court held that the scope of the CCPA does not
reach Internet service and so notice is not required. If this ruling is
followed elsewhere, its only effect would be to treat cable Internet users
like any other Internet users insofar as the ability of the government to
get basic subscriber information using a subpoena or a court order. To
hold otherwise, would mean that con artists and criminals would all flock
to cable over other forms of Internet connections.
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Received on Aug 23 2001
Intro
