It's the principle of privacy this act violates. Although if you carry an electronic communication device you've already given up all rights to prvacy voluntarily.

Since we don't know what they look at or listen to, how can we possibly know how our privacy has been stepped on. And the claims seem to have been, that they cannot tell us because that would endanger national security.

Common sense: If they even took any sort of record of any of my phone calls and kept it without a warrant, they are stepping on my rights. I'll only know that they have taken them away when they come for me, and that will be too late, now won't it?

@llundber: It doesn't matter how it has affected any of us so far. Allowing the government such vast surveillance powers is the first step towards tyranny. Eventually, there'll be more laws regarding what we can't say. If acts like the sedition act were passed today, it'd be all too easy to arrest anyone. Read the poem "First they came..."

@common_intelligence: Here I even did the work for you. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-airline-felonies20-2009jan20,0,5468299.story Go flame some where else.

to common_intelligence Do some research. There are countless examples of normal citizens' rights being abused due to the Patriot Act

Common_intelligence, why do you think we're safer because of the Patriot Act? Sure there have been no attacks on US soil in the seven years since 9/11. But there were no attacks in the seven years prior to 9/11.

Has anyone REALLY seen any of their rights taken away by this act?? Seriously? All it has done is enable law enforcement to crack down on those horrible, inhuman terrorists who scheme to murder innocent women and children in this country. Since 9/11, we have been safer than ever. It's work. So don't fix it!!!

It's a sad commentary on our society when we are loathe to contact our family, friends, and colleagues in our own country without an ever present fear of reprisal. Wasn't this covered in the first amendment? Has IT been repealed?

This act has been the bain of many businesses. It needs to be repealed or massively revised.

I'm more interested in protecting our infrastructure and economy from cyber attacks than I am in my own privacy. I believe that some of those who would destroy our culture are not only highly motivated but intelligent, well financed,and educated jihadists. True Believers are dangerous adversaries. How about those suicide bombers?

I don't even think the Patriot Act ever became law even though George Bush may have acted as if it did. So how can it be repealed? Either way you look at it, the Patriot Act would not fall under the jurisdiction of the CTO. Those who voted for here wasted their vote.

I just don't understand why so many people have voted for this one.

Of course, as John Ashcroft's wet dream come true, it should be repealed. However, as several people have pointed out, a Chief Technology Officer is responsible for making things happen in the science and technology fields and, in any case, has no legislative power.

Agree with wdwhiteh. How has the Patriot Act affected any of you directly? Name the ways that it has personally affected you. Detailed examples. Hard to name, I bet.

The USA once led the world in enacting privacy law. In the last 2 decades, however, technology has radically changed the implications of privacy, but our law has never been updated. I think it would be appropriate for a CTO to work on modernizing American privacy law so it is relevant to current technology.

This certainly is an issue deserving technical attention, because like almost all omnibus (multi-topic) legislation, there are some parts that need to be repealed, and some parts that need to be fixed. For example, moving privacy-busting powers from the FBI to the IRS will allow IRS auditors to focus on better audits, internationally, e.g. http://www.taxjustice.net/cms/front_content.php?idcat=2

This is vitally important, but it is not seem to be in the area of responsibility of a CTOOTUS.

oppose*

The Partiot Act does not allow “everybody” to know your personal business so that example is bogus. If that were the case then I would vehemently appose it. I would expect the gov’t to only allow mature responsible officials (hopefully) to review the information that is gathered. Furthermore, most of the processing, since there is so much information, is probably done by a computer.

I am just a redneck but I dont think wdwhiteh understands the extreme dislike alot of people have for the patriot act. Its not what are you hiding but none of your business. Do you want to live in a glass house and have everybody know your business, your personal problems and thoughts. Like the pillow talk between US soldiers and their wives in the name of national security. what do the feds hide?