Search

Categories

Total Results

No Record Found

View All Results
DONATE

FAC

A&A: Are the applications for state professional licenses public?

FAC August 16, 2011

Q: I am a researcher for a state government agency.  For a current project, I hoped to access the applications for state professional licenses submitted by engineers. I say the records are public. Our lawyer said no.  Help! A: Under the Public Records Act, public records — which include “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical

Read More »

Did transit district overreach by shutting off cellular service?

FAC August 15, 2011

The Bay Area Rapid Transit District’s attempt last week to foil protesters by shutting down cellular service in its San Francisco underground stations has turned into a First Amendment cause celebre. The transit district switched off service last Thursday to confound protesters who might use mobile phones to organize inside the stations. BART said it took the step to protect passenger safety. First Amendment advocates called the move an overreaction that trampled on the rights

Read More »

Bill would expand police power to track your Web activity

FAC August 15, 2011

Congress is considering legislation that would give police new powers to track Internet pornographers – and possibly millions of others. The bill, HR1981, would require Internet service providers to keep records of all customers’ surfing activity for a year and make them available to police when subpoenaed. Despite its apparently laudable purpose, the bill is “a reckless invasion of privacy that should be stopped in its tracks,” San Francisco Chronicle columnist James Temple said. “It would

Read More »

Should there be a right to privacy on the Web?

FAC August 15, 2011

Europe is pursuing a “right to be forgotten” on the Web as privacy advocates argue that the lifetime of certain postings ought to be curtailed. According to the New York Times, Spain has ordered Google to stop indexing Web files related to 90 people who complained to the country’s Data Protection Agency. Among the complainants: a victim of domestic violence whose address was readily available through Google. The Times said the European Union is expected

Read More »

A&A: State college employees using work email for political campaigning

FAC August 12, 2011

Q: A member of the staff of a state college used his work email address for over two years to conduct a political campaign. County Counsel is both refusing to act on this matter, and claims there was no inappropriate use of a public email. He talks about door hangers, calling up talk shows, and the county counsel claims as long as he is advocating a position, just talking about campaigning it is ok. I

Read More »