Comment by chii
2 years ago
The interesting thing is, the gov't cannot open your letters if it's first class mail, and may only open your letters under some well defined circumstances (https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/yes-the-government-can-op...) - it's all related to the letter being foreign, and i don't see any clause for domestic mail between US citizens being searchable warrantlessly.
SO why should electronic mail not have the same rules applied?
I believe that the government can look at the outside of the envelope or the contents of a postcard without a warrant. This was extended for phone surveillance to the phone numbers of incoming and outgoing calls, and presumably they have argued that the contents of push notifications are in this category.
>the gov't cannot open your letters if it's first class mail
Even if the government has a warrant? The article you linked to seems to say the government can do it with a warrant:
>By law, first-class mail is sealed against inspection, meaning that government officials may not open it without first getting a warrant from a judge.
I assumed that was implied - that is a warrant is always required for opening letters (first class mail), unless there are some specific circumstances that are outlined in the clauses mentioned on the page (which are related to foreign mail).
Then the obvious question is: can the government view your notifications without a warrant?
If not, then the notifications are at least as private from the government as first class mail.
Because it is more convenient for paw enforcement and the pro-surveillance forces that came into power all over the world since the war on terror and the Patriot Act?