We know that the winner of October 15th's Democratic primary will reliably win the general and go to Congress. The seat was last open almost 40 years ago. Bearing that in mind, we at Digital Fourth thought it pretty important to assess the … [Read more...]
Cambridge debates switching on its surveillance cameras after Marathon attacks
[Cross-posted at Digital Fourth] The city of Cambridge, MA is considering whether to switch on its network of surveillance cameras. Councillor Craig Kelley, who chairs the Public Safety Subcommittee, scheduled three public hearings … [Read more...]
Coakley channeling the NSA? New wiretapping bill would legalize mass wiretaps at switching stations
At a time when rolling back federal surveillance programs seems particularly challenging, we can still have a major effect here at the state level. Recently, Attorney-General Martha Coakley proposed a new bill that would actually … [Read more...]
Free Cameron D’Ambrosio, Methuen teenager accused of terrorist threats for posting on Facebook
What the hell is going on in Massachusetts? Nobody needs to be reminded about the Boston Marathon tragedy, and many of you heard about Cameron D'Ambrosio from Methuen, MA, who was taken into police custody in response to a Facebook post … [Read more...]
23 Million Years of Data Per Year: Why The Surveillance State Cannot Meaningfully Assess Terrorism Risks
[Cross-posted at Digital Fourth] The NSA has just vigorously denied that their new Utah Data Center, intended for storing and processing intelligence data, will be used to spy on US citizens. The center will have a capacity of at … [Read more...]
“Time to Get Smart on Crime”: New Report Pans Massachusetts’ Criminal Justice Practices
The Boston Globe is publicizing a new report from Community Resources for Justice and MassInc, focusing on Massachusetts' unexpectedly draconian and wasteful criminal justice policies. I heartily recommend that you read the whole thing, … [Read more...]
Won’t Somebody Think of the Children!!!!!!: Coakley Proposes Massive Expansion of Wiretapping Powers
Some folks might be ashamed to use the bodies of dead kids as cover for a power grab. That clearly doesn’t include Martha Coakley. The Globe and Daily News Transcript reported yesterday that Coakley, along with state senator Gene … [Read more...]
Reflecting on Aaron Swartz’s Death
Aaron's death teaches us an important lesson about how the law operates here in 21st-century America. He was not the only local activist to be unnecessarily persecuted by government agencies. Laws relating to our Internet activities have … [Read more...]