How much value does your telephone company place on your privacy?

Verizon is turning over customers’ personal information without even being served with subpoenas.

From the Washington Post:

Verizon Communications, the nation’s second-largest telecom company, told congressional investigators that it has provided customers’ telephone records to federal authorities in emergency cases without court orders hundreds of times since 2005.

The company said it does not determine the requests’ legality or necessity because to do so would slow efforts to save lives in criminal investigations.

In an Oct. 12 letter replying to Democratic lawmakers, Verizon offered a rare glimpse into the way telecommunications companies cooperate with government requests for information on U.S. citizens.

Verizon also disclosed that the FBI, using administrative subpoenas, sought information identifying not just a person making a call, but all the people that customer called, as well as the people those people called. Verizon does not keep data on this “two-generation community of interest” for customers, but the request highlights the broad reach of the government’s quest for data.

The disclosures, in a letter from Verizon to three Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee investigating the carriers’ participation in government surveillance programs, demonstrated the willingness of telecom companies to comply with government requests for data, even, at times, without traditional legal supporting documents. The committee members also got letters from AT&T and Qwest Communications International, but those letters did not provide details on customer data given to the government. None of the three carriers gave details on any classified government surveillance program.

Here’s my favorite line:

Verizon and AT&T said it was not their role to second-guess the legitimacy of emergency government requests.

But apparently they do see it as their role to decide when to chuck your privacy into the prevailing winds.

Currently Congress is debating whether to immunize the telecommunications companies from consumer lawsuits for privacy violations (does anybody have a bill number or other information?). If it passes, only the free market will impose any regulation whatsoever. Here’s a link to the Working Assets alternative.

Whack-a-Murdoch

Fun for the whole family!

KMUD Halloween Boogie

Map of PL’s proposed subdivision

Posted at Save Ancient Forests. You can click on it to enlarge.

Did anybody attend the Board meeting today? According to Heraldo, opponents of last week’s emergency ordinance and PL supporters were planning to show up for the comments portion of the meeting.

KMUD interviews with Harbor Commission candidates

I heard the interview with Quilez tonight. Curless was interviewed last night. You can hear both rebroadcasts here. Terri does a very good job of bringing out the principle differences between the candidates.

(Edit) – Steven Morris was interviewed on Monday night. I guess I didn’t listen long enough.

….

Speaking of KMUD news, the following missive is currently occupying the KMUD homepage.

Hello, From the Desk of Brenda Starr, the General Manager of Redwood Community Radio:

Greetings to those who are listening on the world wide web and our listeners of KMUD in Garberville, KMUE in Eureka/Arcata, KLAI in Laytonville – and very soon people will be listening to our Shelter Cove signal of 99.5.

I would like to make some comments about the News Department. First of all, I would like to thank Terri Klemetson for the fine job she is doing reporting the news, and welcome Cynthia Elkins in joining our news team as a reporter during this time of transition. KMUD News is evolving. Building on our strength, adding more voices, more reporters. Inviting volunteers who want to produce a one minute weekly report from their neighborhood or report on a special event. You can always call the News Line at 923-2605.

Expanding on our news service is a big job. Let us know, as you listen in the next few months, what you think. Be gentle though, it is still a work in progress.

There has been misinformation spreading throughout the airways in regards to KMUD News. There are no budget cuts or absolutely no thoughts of taking apart the news department. Let me assure you, the listener, that those ideas are simply not true. KMUD will deliver the local news on a daily basis with our sister station KZYX broadcasting on Friday evening for the rest of this month, October. And our KMUD News will be heard by KZYX listeners on Nov. 1 & 2nd – during our pledge drive- so KZYX listeners can hear our news team from Redwood Community Radio.

So please loyal listeners and recent newcomers, stay tuned to KMUD for your local news. Listen to Terri and Cynthia and Daniel and some new voices along the way. The mission of the news department is still covering stories with the continuing high standards successfully set forth – being relevant and informative.

Thanks again for listening, supporting and allowing KMUD to be Your community radio station. We’re here to do radio – Your community radio.

They’ve done a fine job. But Brenda really should report on the progress of the search for a new director. Are they giving up on the idea and setting up a team instead? Fine with me especially since the “department” has traditionally amounted to the director doing the news four days a week and an apprentice working Mondays. As long as they retain editorial independence from the Board or the rest of management, I see no problem with a collaborative effort. But again, I’m not clear from the memo that such is the direction KMUD is heading. Some clarification is in order.

Cousins?

Thanks for this story from Mark. Lynn Cheney says her husband and Senator Barack Obama are cousins.

See the resemblance?

Cheney photo comes from Wilson’s Blogmanac.

Obama’s comes from Family History Circle.