This Phone Is Tapped
Jul 31, 20201.7K Shares350K Views
“„A senior federal law enforcement official tells ABC News the government is tracking the phone numbers we (Brian Ross and Richard Esposito) call in an effort to root out confidential sources.
“„“It’s time for you to get some new cell phones, quick,” the source told us in an in-person conversation.
Because why should reporters enjoy the first and fourth amendment protections the constitution entitles us to? Reporters who don’t talk to confidential sources have nothing to worry about, right? Seriously, calm down. This stuff happens in Moscow all the time.
The ACLU’s Caroline Fredrickson comments:
“„“Reporters have every right to be alarmed,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “There are many ways for the government to legally get reporters’ records, even if they have done nothing wrong. Through criminal provisions, the PATRIOT Act and the newly-expanded FISA law, communication records are fair game. Unfortunately for reporters, changing cell phones won’t make a difference – only changing the law will.”
Here at The Washington Independent, we recently had a system-wide phone malfunction. Hmmm.
Update: I should have specified that the ABC News piece quoted above is two and a half years old. But still! The principle is the same.
Hajra Shannon
Reviewer
Latest Articles
Popular Articles