This seems apropos, especially given the recent news about wiretapping and metadata collection by the Federal government.
Any thoughts on S.654/H.3261, [An Act Updating the Wire Interception Law] (malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S654)?
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This bill is the Attorney General’s bill to make it easier for prosecutors to get wiretap orders. It broadens the set of crimes for which wiretaps are available in Massachusetts — currently they are only avilable for organized crime and Massachusetts wiretap warrants are very hard to get.
I think I am OK broadening the list of crimes somewhat to allow prosecutors better chance of getting at street violence, but it’s a bill that needs very careful review. I’m not sure what the implications are as to new media.
Click here for other bills more closely related to the new privacy concerns.
I was recently made aware that Massachusetts is among a few states in the country that make it a serious crime to film the police in public and people are being arrested under wiretapping laws. My understanding is that if you are in public there is no right to privacy. I link to an article where a recent judgement was paid out by the City of Boston on this issue. Apparently, the arrests still continue. We need to correct this abusive reading of the wiretap law before we extend the police powers to wiretap even more citizens.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121205/01414721232/massachusetts-man-charged-criminally-videotaping-cop-despite-earlier-lawsuit-rejecting-such-claims.shtml
I agree that videotaping of public officials in the course of their employment should not violate the wiretap law and that this should be fixed in the context of any extension of the rules.