With privacy increasingly in the spotlight, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has thrown its support behind the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act (CalECPA).
The legislation, introduced by Sen. Mark Leno (D) and Sen. Joel Anderson(R) and designed to overhaul the state's electronic privacy law, “goes farther” than updates to an email privacy act currently under consideration by the U.S. Congress.
The California act would require law enforcement to get search warrants based on probable cause before compelling mobile providers to disclose private information on customers, including email and sensitive metadata as well as provide for notice, reporting, and enforcement “that require transparency and oversight to ensure the law is followed,” the EFF said.
The act would also spell out exceptions to warrant requirements so that “police can continue to effectively and efficiently protect public safety.”