Freedom Act Limits NSA Phone Surveillance

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Freedom Act Limits NSA Phone Surveillance Editor: Henry Reichman, California State University, East Bay Founding Editor: Judith F. Krug (1940–2009) Publisher: Barbara Jones Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association ISSN 1945-4546 July 2015 Vol. LXIV No. 4 www.ala.org/nif In a significant scaling back of national security policy formed after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Senate on June 2 approved legislation curtailing the federal government’s sweeping surveillance of American phone records, and President Obama signed the measure hours later. The passage of the bill—achieved over the fierce opposition of the Senate major- ity leader—will allow the government to restart surveillance operations, but with new restrictions. The legislation signaled a cultural turning point for the nation, almost 14 years after the September 11 attacks heralded the construction of a powerful national security apparatus. Freedom The shift against the security state began with the revelations by Edward J. Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, about the bulk collection of phone records. Act limits The backlash was aided by the growth of interconnected communication networks run by companies that have felt manhandled by government prying. The storage of those records now shifts to the phone companies, and the government must petition a special federal NSA phone court for permission to search them. Even with the congressional action, the government will continue to maintain robust surveillance surveillance power, an authority highlighted by Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Ken- tucky, whose opposition to the phone records program forced it to be shut down at 12:01 a.m. June 1. Paul and other critics of the legislation said the government’s reach into individuals’ lives remained too intrusive. The bill cleared the Senate 67 to 32 after a fierce floor fight; at least four of the oppo- nents voted no because they felt the bill did not go far enough. President Obama was quick to praise passage of the legislation and to scold those who opposed it. “After a needless delay and inexcusable lapse in important national security authori- ties, my administration will work expeditiously to ensure our national security profes- sionals again have the full set of vital tools they need to continue protecting the country,” Obama said. “Just as important, enactment of this legislation will strengthen civil liberty safeguards and provide greater public confidence in these programs.” The Senate’s longest-serving member, Patrick J. Leahy, the seven-term Democrat of Vermont, said the legislation, which he co-sponsored, represented “the most significant surveillance reform in decades.” (continued on page 121) Published by the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, Martin Garnar, Chair Poems in this issue “Please Master” .................................................................94 Freedom Act limits NSA phone surveillance ...................87 periodicals Calumet [Muscatine Community College] ..................... 113 ALA co-founds major new coalition to recalibrate The Delta Statement [Delta State U.] ............................. 113 copyright ���������������������������������������������������������������������������89 The Matador [San Gabriel H.S.] ......................................97 freedom of the press 2015 ................................................89 The North Wind [Northern Michigan U.] ....................... 112 Neal and Bloom win 2015 FTRF Roll of Honor awards .91 films American Sniper ���������������������������������������������������������������99 censorship dateline: libraries, schools, student press, Camp Harlow [Canada] .................................................. 117 colleges and universities, art, foreign ...............................93 Compliance ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 117 from the bench: U.S. Supreme Court, libraries, schools, Artwork colleges and universities, surveillance, net neutrality, “Young Black Males: The New Endangered Species” .....95 public records, Internet privacy, publishing, copyright, “Blue Human Condition” ...............................................125 libel, “revictimization” ....................................................101 is it legal?: libraries, schools, colleges and universities, political speech ...............................................................109 success stories: libraries, schools, colleges and universities ................................................. 117 targets of the censor books The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian ���������� 117 Al Capone Does My Homework .......................................96 Al Capone Does My Shirts �����������������������������������������������96 Al Capone Shines My Shoes .............................................96 Cheng Shi Zhen Quing Hui Ben [Canada]...................... 117 A Critical Introduction to Khomeini [Iran] .....................125 Fun Home ....................................................................... 119 Views of contributors to the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom King & King �������������������������������������������������������������������� 118 are not necessarily those of the editors, the Intellectual Freedom The Kite Runner ................................................................96 Committee, nor the American Library Association. My Princess Boy ...............................................................93 (ISSN 1945-4546 ) Of Mice and Men ..............................................................94 Persepolis ........................................................................ 119 Shui Na Zou Wo De Liu Liu Qui [Canada] ..................... 117 Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom is published bimonthly (Jan., Mar., May, July, Sept., Nov.) by the American Library Association, The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House .......................... 119 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. The newsletter is also avail- This Day in June ...............................................................93 able online at www.ala.org/nif. Subscriptions: $70 per year (print), Tintin in America ..............................................................93 which includes annual index; $50 per year (electronic); and $85 Y: The Last Man Vol. 1 ................................................... 119 per year (both print and electronic). For multiple subscriptions to the same address, and for back issues, please contact the Zheng Jiu Wang Yin Shao Nian (Save Internet-Addicted Office for Intellectual Freedom at 800-545-2433, ext. 4223 or Children) [Canada] .................................................... 117 [email protected]. Editorial mail should be addressed to the Office of Intellectual Freedom, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, Illinois 60611. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. 88 Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom ALA co-founds major new coalition ALA’s most fundamental view of copyright is simple and clear: libraries, library users and the general public are to recalibrate copyright entitled to be treated fairly, reasonably and as the Framers of the Constitution intended. Libraries’ annual investment On April 28, the American Library Association joined of more than $4 billion in copyrighted works partly justifies nine fellow founding national groups from both the private that conviction, but library users and the public at large have and public sectors to unveil Re:Create, a new copyright important rights, too. Making sure those rights don’t get coalition formed to articulate and fight for the perspectives short shrift under copyright law benefits us all. Study after and rights of library users, educators, innovators and cre- study now has shown that the flexibility accorded by fair ators of every kind. use and other access-friendly provisions of the copyright Librarians know that copyright has a broad purpose—to law enable discoverability, creativity and innovation. They advance learning and creativity for all people—but, too often, are, without exaggeration, engines of our economy, our policy and law makers focus on the needs and interests of society and—truly—our democracy. entertainment companies and other industry players who are That is perhaps the most fundamental and universal determined to preserve old business models through enforce- message that ALA and the other members of Re:Create ment rather than by innovating in the new economy. An have come together to convince Congress and other policy important purpose of Re:Create is to ensure that the copyright makers to design into whatever new fabric of copyright law debate respects and reflects the full range of legitimate views may next be woven. The coalition’s members are diverse, and needs of every part of our economy and society. but all are committed to promoting: an open Internet; cre- As ALA President Courtney Young said in Re:Create’s ativity and innovation; robust copyright limitations, excep- inaugural press release: “The Supreme Court has held tions and safe harbors; and curbing copyright enforcement that the primary objective of copyright is to ‘promote the measures that threaten free expression. Progress of Science and useful Arts.’ We must be careful ALA also will continue to work with and through the that efforts to reduce copyright infringement do not prevent Library Copyright Alliance (LCA), the coalition that works legitimate
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