Wiretapping won’t be banned by the Obama administration

The US Justice Department under President Obama is trying to dismiss a lawsuit claiming federal agents were engaged in illegal phone and email surveillance of ordinary US citizens, as claims disclosing information on the National Security Agency's warrentless wiretapping program would "cause exceptionally grave harm to national security."

There have already been two cases dealing with the issue. One was when AT&T customers sued President Bush, the NSA, and nine other public officials to stop their "illegal and unconstitutional dragnet communications surveillance in concert with major telecommunication companies." And the second one was when the EFF filed a lawsuit against AT&T's practice of funneling internet traffic for government spooks to pour over. 

It has also been stated that the complaint against the US were invalid because congress hadn't waived sovereign immunity granted by the Patriot Act of 2001. Moreover, the filing stated EFF's allegations were false, as data was collected only when "a participant was reasonably believed to be associated with al Qaeda or an affiliated terrorist organization."

As a response the EFF reminded that Obama had promised “a new era of transparency, accountability, and respect for civil liberties," while these actions reminded of the Bush administration's cover-up of the National Security Agency's dragnet surveillance.