The IRS is reading your email and doesn't need a warrant

xBiffx

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2011
8,232
2
0
I don't necessarily like the IRS getting in my email but then again there are plenty of people who could. Some probably do. That's the problem with using a email service that requires craploads of IT staff to support. Any of those people could be looking at it.

Can't say that I am too worried about what the IRS is gonna find.

I think the principle behind this is the scary thing, however. The fact that they think they can do what they want without any approval. Still think there should be a warrant in this case to prevent any possible infringement on 4th Amendment rights.
 

Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
2,328
126
I do not see how this is even the slightest bit different than the IRS sending someone to your mailbox and opening your mail before you get it without a warrant.
 

Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
2,328
126
I don't necessarily like the IRS getting in my email but then again there are plenty of people who could. Some probably do. That's the problem with using a email service that requires craploads of IT staff to support. Any of those people could be looking at it.

Can't say that I am too worried about what the IRS is gonna find.

I think the principle behind this is the scary thing, however. The fact that they think they can do what they want without any approval. Still think there should be a warrant in this case to prevent any possible infringement on 4th Amendment rights.

How is that any different than snail mail? I couldn't tell you how many hands a normal snail mail letter goes through but it has to be quite a few.
 

sixone

Lifer
May 3, 2004
25,162
4
61
They're going to be looking at your medical records, in the next few years.

This is nothing NEW. This is exactly what you voted for.
 

xBiffx

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2011
8,232
2
0
How is that any different than snail mail? I couldn't tell you how many hands a normal snail mail letter goes through but it has to be quite a few.

Its not. Again, I can't expect to keep something private when its touched by so many public hands. I just think that the line of thinking at the FBI is scary.
 
Last edited:

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,413
616
126
im really getting tired of our elected governments heel on my neck.



*fixed.
 
Last edited:

CycloWizard

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
12,348
1
81
I think the principle behind this is the scary thing, however. The fact that
they think they
can do what they want without any approval. Still think there should be a warrant in this case to prevent any possible infringement on 4th Amendment rights.
Fixed. They ARe doing it so it's beyond the thinking stage already.
 

Oldgamer

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2013
3,280
1
0
I do not see how this is even the slightest bit different than the IRS sending someone to your mailbox and opening your mail before you get it without a warrant.

Wait, they can't do that unless they have a warrant to do so. Not the same thing. I really do feel that we need to implement strict laws against reading our electronic emails or tracking our Text messages, and so on without a warrant first.
 

Pr0d1gy

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2005
7,775
0
76
You get the government you vote for

No, absolutely not true. Both parties are eroding our rights. Stop believing that the parties are going to save us, they are BOTH DOING THIS. Go look at what they did under Bush, all Obama is doing is continuing Bush's agenda. This tells us that our government is colluding against the people. People voted against this type of stuff and the guy goes into office and keeps doing it. It's right in front of your face screaming at you people, WAKE UP!
 

blankslate

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2008
8,581
472
126
They're going to be looking at your medical records, in the next few years.

This is nothing NEW. This is exactly what you voted for.

As medical records are more commonly stored in digital form it becomes easier look through them... this was going to happen sooner or later as more companies realized that it would save in costs...

politics didn't have as much to do with it as you are suggesting.


Maybe we should've raised more concern about 4th amendment rights when we started to hear stories about Telecom companies welcoming in the FBI, CIA and NSA and letting them plug monitoring equipment into their data centers without so much as a peep...

Wonder why that didn't happen.
 
Last edited:

sixone

Lifer
May 3, 2004
25,162
4
61
Politics has EVERYTHING to do with it. People want to trade away their freedom in exchange for a sense of security. They vote accordingly.
 

Nintendesert

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2010
7,761
5
0
I don't necessarily like the IRS getting in my email but then again there are plenty of people who could. Some probably do. That's the problem with using a email service that requires craploads of IT staff to support. Any of those people could be looking at it.

Can't say that I am too worried about what the IRS is gonna find.

I think the principle behind this is the scary thing, however. The fact that they think they can do what they want without any approval. Still think there should be a warrant in this case to prevent any possible infringement on 4th Amendment rights.




What's legal and acceptable today might not be legal and acceptable tomorrow but records of your opinion and actions will live on forever.

Apparently the IRS is also using Facebook/Twitter to check what you claim on your returns and use that information to audit you.

http://patdollard.com/2013/04/irs-collecting-tax-payer-info-from-social-media-sites/

This is what America has wanted after 911 and just the tip of the iceberg on the potential for abuse and how this will be used.
 

gevorg

Diamond Member
Nov 3, 2004
5,075
1
0
Just another small but firm step towards economic police state. The smaller the steps, the less likely that the population will feel alarmed and rebellious.
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,188
14,090
136
Politics has EVERYTHING to do with it. People want to trade away their freedom in exchange for a sense of security. They vote accordingly.

That's generally true when it comes to things like the Patriot Act, TSA, etc. but I'm not sure what it has to do with this particular issue. What security do we gain by allowing the IRS to look through e-mails when investigating tax fraud? What security do we gain by allowing the state to look through medical records?

I'm not even sure where you got that second one. You claim we voted for it. When and where was it proposed?
 

Wreckem

Diamond Member
Sep 23, 2006
9,458
987
126
They're going to be looking at your medical records, in the next few years.

This is nothing NEW. This is exactly what you voted for.

You act as if medical records are sacrosanct. They are not. If you are subject of a criminal investigation the state can use a grand jury subpoena to get your medical records. The only person who signs that subpoena is the prosecutor. It is secret and the person being investigated will never know their records have been pulled unless they get charged/indicted.

Furthermore certain types of medical records are already tracked by most states and are accessible to law enforcement without warrants if they are investigating a crime. Most notably are prescriptions for schedule II-V drugs. Most states keep those records in a database for a year or more. The databases are setup to stop Dr Shopping and Prescription fraud. These programs aren't new. Far from it.
 
Last edited:

Pr0d1gy

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2005
7,775
0
76
You participated in the system and that legitimized their actions.

It wouldn't have mattered if anyone participated or not. Elections no longer determine how laws are made and enforced in this country. They are just an sideshow meant to distract us from the real agenda that both parties have in common.
 

techie81

Senior member
Feb 11, 2008
342
0
76
It wouldn't have mattered if anyone participated or not. Elections no longer determine how laws are made and enforced in this country. They are just an sideshow meant to distract us from the real agenda that both parties have in common.

I agree 100%.