Daily updates on privacy stories in the news.

« Virginia Police Given Access to Student Data | Main | Library Director Under Fire for Refusing to Release Private Data Without Subpoena »

Associated Press: Police Bypassed Subpoenas & Warrants, Bought Phone Data from Brokers

Numerous federal and local law enforcement agencies have bypassed subpoenas and warrants designed to protect civil liberties and gathered Americans' personal telephone records from private-sector data brokers. These brokers, many of whom advertise aggressively on the Internet, have gotten into customer accounts online, tricked phone companies into revealing information and even acknowledged that their practices violate laws, according to documents gathered by congressional investigators and provided to The Associated Press.

AP: Police Got Phone Data From Brokers, Associated Press, June 20, 2006.