Old issues, new context: Privacy, information collection, and homeland security

In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there have been several statutory and regulatory changes that enhance the collection and use of personal information for intelligence and law enforcement purposes. This article first examines how particular sectors, including financial, educational, libraries, and transportation, have been affected by these changes, with particular attention to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act. Next, five common themes and trends, including the lowering of standards for individualized suspicion and the weakening of judicial safeguards, are identified and their effects on privacy and due process are explored. Finally, the article analyzes several political and social implications of the omnibus reduction in privacy protections in the face of terrorism, including the proposal for a national identification system. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.