Posted by Orin Kerr: New Terrorist Database -- But No Need To Worry: The [1]New York Times notes today that a new massive government database has been created that contains "fingerprints, DNA, voices, documents, car rentals and travel, as well as details about arms and explosives transfers" relating to suspected terrorists, and that it is is being shared among all of the nation's police and military agencies. You might expect the Times to condemn the government for creating a new Big Brother that threatens everyone's privacy. Instead, the Times uncritically refers to the database as a "measure[] to improve [the nation's] ability to investigate potential Islamic terrorist plots." What explains the Times' surprising lack of criticism? Hard to tell, but one reason may be that "the government" at issue is the government of Spain, not the United States.
References 1. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/13/international/europe/13spain.html?pagewanted=2 _______________________________________________ Volokh mailing list [email protected] http://highsorcery.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/volokh
