Article By: Shane Harris
FBI Director James Comey is calling for a change in the law that would give the government even greater access to private info like emails & smartphone photos, a controversial proposal certain to add new fuel to the simmering debate over privacy rights in the digital age.
At issue is a 20-year-old statute that requires telecommunications companies to build their systems so that they can be tapped should the government present the companies w/a court order to hand over info. But the law has never clearly applied to all technology & Internet companies — particularly giants such as Apple & Google. Now Comey wants to change that & require the firms to put in place similar equipment that would ensure that the government can always obtain a criminal suspect’s emails, text messages, photographs, & other info that is increasingly stored on smartphones.
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