August 9, 2006
by Joshua M. Parker
Joshua Parker is research assistant at Liberty Coalition.
Two years. That’s how long Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is requesting that internet service providers (ISPs) retain data concerning websites that users visit and logs of their online communication -- including both e-mail and instant messaging. Bipartisan legislation on data retention, sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), appears to be imminent. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has organized several contentious meetings with leading ISPs and privacy groups to discuss the merits and perils of a data-retention scheme.
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