- The US Department of Commerce launched an initiative last week to take a close look at how the Internet economy impacts individual privacy, with the goal of providing advice to the White House on how both the President and government policymakers can resolve privacy concerns. “Because of the vital role the Internet plays in driving innovation throughout the economy, the Department has made it a top priority to ensure that the Internet remains open for innovation while promoting an environment respectful of individual privacy expectations,” said Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. In order to foster a dialog with industry and the broader public, the Commerce Dept. will hold a public meeting on May 7, 2010 to discuss privacy policy in the United States. It will be held in the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC.
- Yahoo! prevailed over federal prosecutors in a legal battle testing whether the constitution’s warrant requirements apply to personal e-mail accounts. Stating the contested e-mail “would not be helpful to the government’s investigation,” authorities have withdrawn demands for e-mail in a pending and sealed criminal case. For the moment, the government’s move ends litigation over the contested issue of when a warrant under the Fourth Amendment is required for Yahoo! and other e-mail providers to release consumer communications to law enforcement authorities. The case, on which we previously reported in the April 19 Newsletter, is In re: Application of the United States for an Order Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2703(d), Misc. No. 09-Y-080 (D. Colo.).
