Privacy groups want broader surveillance reform from Obama

Privacy groups are hoping President Obama addresses more than just national security-related surveillance in his highly anticipated speech on Friday.

While Friday’s speech is expected to address recommendations to reform national security surveillance programs, some are hoping he takes it a step further and addresses the ability of law enforcement officials to access electronic communications in criminal investigations.

{mosads}Obama should address proposed reforms to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) — a 1986 law that allows law enforcement officials to access emails older than 180 days without a warrant — said Jim Dempsey, vice president for public policy for the Center for Democracy and Technology.

Supporters of the ECPA reform claim communications should be protected the same, regardless of their medium. 

Because law enforcement officials need a warrant to access a letter stored in a desk, they should need a warrant to access an email stored on a server, Dempsey said.  

Dempsey spoke to reporters Thursday during a press conference held by Digital 4th, a bipartisan privacy coalition including Dempsey’s group, the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans for Tax Reform and Heritage Action for America.

Dempsey is also a member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, which is tasked with overseeing federal surveillance activities and is expected to release its own set of recommendations regarding National Security Agency surveillance.

“If there’s one bill that could pass, should pass, is poised to pass in the privacy area and the whole question of surveillance, it’s the ECPA reform bill,” Dempsey said, referring to bills backed by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) in the Senate and Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kans.), Tom Graves (R-Ga.) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.).

Obama should support these efforts during Friday’s speech, Dempsey said.

“If he is really serous about privacy, and if he’s really serious about reform, he should answer the ECPA questions. He should make it clear that his administration supports ECPA reform.”