The "USA Patriot Act of 2001": Electronic Surveillance and Privacy November 2001 By Alan Charles Raul and Amanda L. Tyler

The Patriot Act http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c107:H.R.3162.ENR: The USA Patriot Act's short title is "to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes." From this page, view the pdf version (131 pages), find a detailed summary from the Congressional Research Service, or link to specific portions of the act. DOJ Guidance on Electronic Surveillance under Patriot Act http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/PatriotAct.htm The Patriot Act expanded law enforcement's authority to intercept electronic communications and capture electronic evidence without court orders. This guidance, aimed at prosecutors, exactingly compares what was allowed before and now in terms of intercepting voice mail, email, internet use, etc. It is authored by the Dept. of Justice's Computer Crime Section.

Cyber Search and Seizure Before and After the USA Patriot Act http://www.arl.org/info/frn/other/matrix.pdf D.C.-based law firm Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP prepared this six page chart comparing electronic search and seizure law before and after the Patriot Act. The chart has been put on the web by the Association of Research Libraries.

American Libraries Association and the Patriot Act http://www.ala.org/washoff/patriot.html Libraries are chaffing at being required to turn over records of patron loans and internet use to law enforcement. The ALA presents this page on how the Patriot Act affects libraries. It includes links to pages on the Patriot Act from privacy advocate groups such as the Center for Democracy in Technology and the Electronic Privacy Information Center. See also this article by a library consultant discussing how the act impacts libraries and patron privacy. .