December 4, 2012

Wireless providers would be required to record and store information about Americans’ private text messages for at least two years, according to a proposal that law enforcement groups have submitted to the U.S. Congress.

Currently, there is no federal requirement, which supposedly hinders law enforcement investigations when they want to use text messages as evidence in criminal lawsuits.

Currently there are discussions in Congress about updating a 1986 privacy law to incorporate the cloud computer era. Police would like the text message requirement to be considered as part of that update.

Cell phone companies say that this law would create an undue burden, and Libertarians everywhere should be concerned about privacy violations.

As of 2010, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint did not store the contents of text messages. Verizon stored messages for up to five days.

By: Donna Gundle-Krieg