We live in interesting times
Thursday, February 16th, 2006Is it time to stop using the big centralized american data silos in order to avoid a 1984 surveillance society? This transcript of a testimony under oath by Yahoo’s chief consel is very arrogant and worrisome.
Rep. Brad Sherman: Let’s say you get a call from the NSA saying they want you to give them a copy of all my e-mails. Can I rely on your privacy policy that you’re not going to give those e-mails to the NSA unless you get a court order?
Yahoo General Counsel Michael Callahan: We would only disclose information in compliance with law and our privacy policy.
Sherman: Does that include a court order or letter from the NSA?
Callahan: I wouldn’t be able to comment.
Sherman: The attorney general says the executive branch, without any OK from either of the other two branches, has the right to read everything you have in your files about me. You might very well agree?
Callahan: It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment.
Sherman: How can I be a Yahoo user?… If you tell me you’ll decide later if a sheriff in some obscure county (that I’ve never visited can obtain access to my files based on a simple request?)
Callahan: We only turn over information if it’s required by law.
Sherman: An investigation from some county that I’ve never been to?
Callahan: If we were served with proper legal process, we would have to give it.
Sherman: Sir, you’re assuming the answer to the question and pretending that’s an answer. I’m asking you, as the chief lawyer from Yahoo, is e-mail from some sheriff…is that a requirement that you would adhere to or would you fight it in court?
Callahan: That is not something we would provide.
Sherman: How about if it came from the NSA?
Callahan: (I can’t comment on that.)