| The MITA is back (Canadians, beware) |
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| Tuesday, 10 April 2007 | ||||
The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has supported the reintroduction of a controversial bill to force Internet service providers to turn over personal information on subscribers. The bill was re-discussed thanks to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , which leaned on Mr. Harper , claiming that the lack of such lawhas already had "serious consequences" on investigations, the Canadian magazine Global National reported today . In 2005, former liberal Government already proposed to introduce an act called Modernization of Investigative Technology Act (the MITA), a federal statute governing lawful access. The Act required telephone and Internet service providers to include an interception capability as they introduce new technologies, an it allowed law enforcement to compel ISPs to disclose subscriber information without a warrant.
Such Act raised some concerns about privacy protection and oversight associated with increased surveillance. MITA didn’t pass into law since parliament was dissolved before the final approval of the bill that would've made it easier for law-enforcement agencies to intercept Internet and wireless communications.MITA was also designed to oblige telecommunication service providers to provide the authorities with the whole list of subscribers’ names and personal information, if asked. In 2005 it was not possible to give the final approval to the MITA but Prime Minister Harper is going to revive it now. The Access to information Act already allows Canadian Police and Security Intelligence Services to wiretap private communication but the introduction of the MITA would represent a point of no return. "A lack of legislation to obtain (customer name and address information) has already had serious consequences for investigations and victims," the RCMP stated last September. The statement argues that subscriber informations are determining not only in investigations on cyber-crime, but also in accomplishing, "non-investigative" police duties. The MITA would convey substantial changes in investigative procedures, indeed whereas at present authorities need a specific warrant to obtain citizens' personal information, under the MITA they would not have to seek judicial approval. Such bill could be introduced in Canada by this Autumn.
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