Abiding by the constitution hasn’t seen to be a strength of the Obama administration, and now concern has been expressed by the world’s largest search engine, Google.
Earlier this week, the internet giant filed legal papers and expressed somber concern over the FBI’s digital search warrant plan, which is also known as Rule 41. This plan, which is supported by the Obama administration, would allow allow judges to approve search warrants outside of their jurisdiction for digital documents.
Google’s director for law enforcement and information security, Richard Salgado, wrote that the Justice plan “raises a number of monumental and highly complex constitutional, legal, and geopolitical concerns that should be left to Congress to decide.”
Salgado went further by calling Rule 41 a “monumental” threat to the Constitution, and wrote in court documents that “The serious and complex constitutional concerns implicated by the proposed amendment are numerous and, because of the nature of Fourth Amendment cause law development, are unlikely to be addressed by courts in a timely fashion.”
Google also expressed concern that the vague language in Rule 41 could theoretically allow the government to spy on almost any American, according to The Washington Times.
At present Rule 41 is subject to review by the Supreme Court and Congress. If no objections are made to “reject, modify, or defer the rules,” it will go into effect as Justice Department policy.
What may be most disturbing is that this particular administration – which has shown utter contempt and dismissal for the Constitution and the rights it grants to American citizens – would receive that power.
Why would America want to give any administration or government the power to search the computers of ordinary citizens in the manner that Rule 41 allows? It’s a question that requires contemplation by those affected, and fast action by all who are in opposition.
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