[WhiteGuy]

Really??

So could you help me out and tell me exactly where I find this right to privacy? I would really like to know; and please be specific.

Here:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized."

The Fourth Amendment protection against "unreasonable searches and seizures" was adopted as a protection against the widespread invasions of privacy experienced by American colonists at the hands of the British Government. So-called "writs of assistance" gave royal officers broad discretion to conduct searches of the homes of private citizens, primarily as a way of discovering violations of strict British customs laws. This practice led to a unique awareness among our Founding Fathers of the threat to individual liberty and privacy that is created by unchecked government search powers.

It can be argued that the Fourth Amendment applies directly to the actions of an over-reaching government that has apparently coerced a number of public-service communications providers into allowing unrestricted cataloging and data-mining of private records.

These actions could be compared to the government attempting to access medical records, gun registration records, banking records, or even library records.

I am not claiming to be a constitutional attorney or even an expert. I do know, from my perspective, that I don't want the government to have unrestricted access to personal private information.

It is necessary for a judge to issue a court order to access these types of records in private or criminal actions. The government needs to abide by the same laws.

As I said originally, It is my opinion.

[liberty_lvr]

It can be argued that the Fourth Amendment applies directly to the actions of an over-reaching government that has apparently coerced a number of public-service communications providers into allowing unrestricted cataloging and data-mining of private records.

While I respect your opinion, since it is lucid and based on your best interpretation of the relevant clause, in this case I just can't reconcile how the records of a public utility can be considered private.

We'll leave the debate over the interpretation of the Fourth Amendment as guaranteeing a right to privacy for a later time!

[NeonKnight]

Your telephone company has all of these same records. In fact, I believe much of this data base comes from these very records.

I haven't been following this all that closely, as it doesn't bother me, but this is my current understanding.

[muawiyah]

No "privacy" in that. The word seems to be much more elusive than many imagine.