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CNN Sunday Morning

Should You Be Worried About Your Privacy?

Aired September 30, 2001 - 10:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: As the government tightens security in America, some people worry that proposed changes the law could threaten your privacy. David Sobel from the Electronic Privacy Information Center joins us to talk more about this.

Thanks a lot for coming in today.

DAVID SOBEL, ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER: Thank you, Jeanne.

MESERVE: The administration is complaining that Congress isn't moving fast enough on its anti-terrorist legislation. Is this something of a relief to you?

SOBEL: Well, I think we saw last week a recognition on the part of many people in Congress that this is a far-reaching proposal, that it does have significant -- a significant impact on the privacy and civil liberties of American citizens so there was a bipartisan expression of concern that it needs to slow. And Congress appears to be ready to deal with the proposals this week.

Some of us believe that that is also too fast. But at least, the process has slowed down a bit.

MESERVE: What is your greatest concern about this legislation?

SOBEL: Well, I think it's really a question of where the proper balance should be struck. Justice O'Connor, in comments, on this the other day -- made the point that we need to be very careful that the impact on civil liberties doesn't outweigh whatever real security might come out of these proposals.

Many of the administration's suggested legislative changes don't, frankly, meet that test. They really do tip the balance in favor of expanded government power, expanded government surveillance to the detriment of privacy and civil liberties.

MESERVE: Can you give me a specific example?

SOBEL: Well, for instance, in the area of e-mail surveillance, the proposal would greatly expand the FBI's controversial carnivore system, which, in effect, results in the monitoring of the e-mail of all the subscribers moving through an Internet service provider. So with an order targeted against one subscriber, everyone using that system would be subject to FBI monitoring.

So that's the type of concern that these proposals raise, that such a wide net is being cast in the monitoring of communications that you're catching the communications of millions of innocent Americans.

MESERVE: What is your response to those who say these are extraordinary times and they require extraordinary measures?

SOBEL: Well, I think it's always been the test of our democracy and of our Bill of Rights to be able to withstand the most difficult times and the toughest challenges. And I think we look back to the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, for instance, and we see that in a rush to impose what were considered to be necessary security measures, Japanese Americans were interned.

I think now with the benefit of historical hindsight, we can look back and see that that wasn't appropriate. It wasn't necessary. It was overreaction. So I think we really need to slow down. We need to recognize that our law enforcement and intelligence agencies already have very expansive powers when it comes to investigating terrorism.

MESERVE: You say, we ought to slow down but are you losing the battle of public opinion? There's a great sense of concern about this.

SOBEL: I don't think so. I think there is an understandable, immediate reaction favoring the highest levels of security and that's a natural reaction in the midst of -in the aftermath of what we've just seen.

But I think when people fully understand the extent of the authority that law enforcement currently has, there will be a recognition of the fact that we really don't want to go overboard and tipping that very delicate balance between individual rights and government power.

MESERVE: David Sobel, we have to leave it there. Thanks so much for coming and joining us today.

SOBEL: Thank you.

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