Access to customer information from Internet infrastructure providers should follow due process of law.
In some instances, law enforcement agencies have a legitimate need to access personal online data, but government access to data must be preceded by due process procedures set out in the 4th Amendment in regards to search and seizure.
United States law is clear on the privacy of phone calls and other non-digital communications: government officials and agencies need a search warrant based on probable cause to gain access. But such protections don’t extend to email.
A warrant is needed for messages located on the computer of a sender or receiver but messages older than 180 days can be obtained from the servers of Internet infrastructure providers and other third parties with only a subpoena or court order. A court order can be based on a standard lower than probable cause, and many agencies can issue themselves a subpoena without an outside judge.
Want to work with us on Privacy issues? Join the i2Coalition and our Public Policy Working Group.
Recent Updates On Privacy
What has Internet infrastructure done for us lately?
Surprisingly, a lot more than you would imagine. The coronavirus pandemic that has been sweeping the world has entirely rewritten the rules for society, for how we interact, how we work and how we connect, and most of that points towards the Internet. Keeping the Internet going is a job that infrastructure companies have been […]
i2Coalition October 2020 Legislative Brief
Your quick update on important Internet policy issues OUTLOOK The Presidential election, now in its final stretch, dominates attention in Washington, along with whether Congress and the White House can reach agreement on an additional COVID-19 relief package before November 3. The Senate does expect to vote before the election on confirming Supreme Court nominee […]
i2Coalition Member Spotlight Q&A: WeVPN
WeVPN provides an affordable Virtual Private Network service that gives users access to cutting edge internet security and an unrestricted browsing experience across a wide variety of platforms. Essentially, whenever and however they connect to the Internet, WeVPN users can feel safe connecting to servers spanning 42 worldwide locations. WeVPN is also one of the […]
i2Coaltion Signs Letter Opposing H.R. 8454, Urging the Bill not be Given Further Consideration
The Internet Infrastructure Coalition (“i2Coaltion”) is among several leading technology industry organizations asking both House E&C Committee and House Judiciary Committee leadership to oppose H.R. 8454, a new bill would have unintended consequences that run contrary to its stated intension of preventing online child sexual exploitation. The i2Coalition is the voice for businesses that build the […]
i2Coalition and eco Host New Transatlantic Dialogue on Intermediary Liability: Oct 15, 2020
i2Coalition & eco – Association of the Internet Industry invite you to discuss the future of intermediary liability on both sides of the Atlantic in a roundtable webinar featuring an expert panel. When: Oct 15, 2020 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada) / 16:00 CET Wednesday, Central European Time (CET) What we think of […]
Press Release: i2Coalition’s VPN Trust Initiative (VTI) Unveils the VTI Principles
Principles Offer Virtual Private Network (VPN) Providers Comprehensive, Neutral Guidelines for Delivering Services in Alignment with Expert-Informed Industry Best Practices WASHINGTON D.C., September 29, 2020 – The Internet Infrastructure Coalition (“i2Coalition”), the leading voice for web hosting companies, data centers, domain registrars and registries, cloud infrastructure providers, managed services providers and other foundational Internet technologies, […]
i2Coalition Sept. 2020 Legislative Update
Your quick update on important Internet policy issues. With less than two months until the November 3 Presidential election, Congress is primarily focused on passing bills to avoid a shutdown by continuing to fund the government, and whether and how to provide additional COVID19 economic stimulus relief. Bipartisan negotiations on the COVID19 relief package have […]
i2Coalition Co-hosts Women in Tech Webinar: September 24, 2020
Webinar: “Women in Tech – How to Access the World’s Greatest Untapped Talent Pool” September 24, 2020 7am PDT / 10am EDT / 2pm UTC / 4pm CEST It’s no secret there are far fewer women employed as specialists in the Internet industry than men. For every one female tech expert globally there are currently […]
i2Coalition Submits Comments on Europe’s Digital Services Act
In January, the European Commission announced the Digital Services Act – a now package of regulations aiming to address issues such as protecting Internet user data and addressing the legal responsibilities of online platforms. As legislators aim to roll out the DSA in the final quarter of 2020, a call for feedback was announced and […]
The i2Coalition Presents Comments on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to FCC
On September 2, the Internet Infrastructure Coalition (“i2Coalition”) presented the following comments to the Federal Communications Commission in regards to the 57 page NTIA petition for rule making that they are currently reviewing. The NTIA’s petition asks the FCC to vastly expand its regulatory jurisdiction to include decisions made by private companies to keep up or take […]
i2Coalition Joins Multi-Association Letter to Protect Copyright Safe Harbors in Free Trade Agreement between U.S. and U.K.
The Internet Infrastructure Coalition (“i2Coalition”), the voice for businesses that build the Internet, has joined other leading tech associations in a letter urging the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to include a safe harbor system that protects copyright holders, online service providers and users be included in a U.S.-UK Free Trade Agreement. […]
i2Coalition July 2020 Legislative Brief
Above photo by Bob Bowie from Unsplash Your quick public update on important Internet policy issues. OUTLOOK After bipartisan negotiations on police reform legislation stalled, Congress began a recess period in early July and returned to Washington on July 20th. While Congress re-engages on some non-COVID-19 related bills, its top focus prior to the next […]